Holopothrips longihamus Lindner, Ferrari, Mound & Cavalleri, 2018: 57.

Original reference: Lindner MF; Ferrari A; Mound LA & Cavalleri A (2018) Holopothrips diversity—a Neotropical genus of gall-inducing insects (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae). Zootaxa 4494(1): 001–099.

Family

Phlaeothripidae, Phlaeothripinae

Nomenclatural information

https://thrips.info/wiki/Holopothrips_longihamus

Diagnosis

Body brown, apex of fore femora, fore and mid tibiae and all tarsi yellow; antennomeres I–II concolorous with head, II yellowish on apical half, III–IV yellow, V–VI yellow basally and shaded on apical half, VII yellow basally and brown apically, VIII brown; fore wings pale yellow; major body setae yellow. Head about 1.25 times longer than the width behind eyes, dorsal surface with transverse lines of sculpture; postocular setae as long as the length of a compound eye, with capitate apexes; maxillary stylets V-shaped and about 1/3 to 1/2 of head width apart; mouth cone pointed. Antenna 8-segmented, III–IV with 3 elongate sense cones each. Pronotum with weak sculpture lines near anterior and posterior margins, notopleural sutures incomplete and short; 5 pairs of major pronotal setae, one pair on epimeral region; anteromarginal setae reduced, remaining major seta with expanded apexes. Mesonotum with weakly defined reticulate sculpture medially, elongate reticles or transverse lines laterally, without internal markings. Metanotum with 1–3 pairs of anterior discal setae and one major median pair; sculpture formed by few elongate reticles medially and longitudinal lines laterally, without internal markings. Fore tarsal hamus elongate, reaching beyond lateral margin of tarsus. Fore wings with about 3–7 duplicated cilia. Pelta triangular with irregular margins, multiple campaniform sensilla present, usually 4 or 5; sculpture formed by irregular to elongate reticles medially, faintly defined laterally and posteriorly, without internal markings. Abdominal tergites irregularly reticulate, II–VII with three pairs of wing-retaining setae. Both sexes macropterous.

Females bear a swollen spermatheca. Males are slightly smaller, with pore plates on abdominal sternites VII–VIII: irregular spots on sternite VII, and an irregular transversal band on VIII, both with punctuate texture.

Intraspecific variation

The number and position of campaniform sensilla on pelta varies between specimens.

Genus and similar species information

Holopothrips is a genus with about 60 known species, distributed almost exclusively in the Neotropics. Several species in this genus are associated to plant galls, as inducers or invaders, in plants of many families. Most Holopothrips species bear three pairs of wing-retaining setae on tergites II–VII, males have complex pore plates and frequently in other sternites besides VIII, and the female spermatheca is visible. About 40 species in this genus have been described or recorded from Brazil. Holopothrips longihamus is easily differentiated from the other known species in the genus for having the fore tarsal hamus elongate and thickened, pronotal setae elongate and pelta frequently with 4–5 campaniform sensilla, instead of the symmetrical pair normally seen in other Holopothrips.

World distribution

Brazil.

Distribution in Brazil

http://fauna.jbrj.gov.br/fauna/faunadobrasil/197499 

Life history

This species induces leaf galls in an unidentified species of Miconia (Melastomataceae).

Economic importance

Not recorded.

References suggested

Lindner MF; Ferrari A; Mound LA & Cavalleri A (2018) Holopothrips diversity—a Neotropical genus of gall-inducing insects (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae). Zootaxa 4494(1): 001–099.