Original reference: Pereyra V & Cavalleri A (2012) The genus Heterothrips (Thysanoptera) in Brazil, with an identification key and seven new species. Zootaxa 3237: 1–23.
Body brown; femora extensively brown; fore tibiae largely yellow with light brown markings, mid & hind tibiae brown medially and yellow at base and apex; tarsi pale; antennal segments I–II & V–IX brown, II paler apically; III yellowish; IV shaded brown; fore wing pale but weakly shaded brown apically. Head wider than long, with no long setae, ocellar region with only two pairs of setae. Antennae 9-segmented, segments III & IV each with one transverse row of sensorial pores at apex. Pronotum broadly reticulate, with no long setae; mesonotum with transversely elongate reticles; metanotum with concentric lines of sculpture, not forming a triangle and covered with microtrichia. Fore wing with two rows of conspicuous and hyaline setae. Abdominal tergites I–V with posteromarginal comb of independent microtrichia laterally, II–V with a few marginal microtrichia medially; VI–VIII with complete posteromarginal comb; II–VII lateral thirds covered with irregular lines of sculpture bearing fine microtrichia. Sternites II–VI without discal setae; posterior margins with long microtrichial fringe.
Male smaller; sternites VII–VIII each with a large transverse pore plate at antecostal ridge; VI sometimes with a very small circular pore plate.
Intraspecific variation
Not recorded.
Genus and similar species information
Heterothrips Hood is the largest genus in the family Heterothripidae, currently comprising more than 70 species. It is restricted to the Americas and two informal groups were proposed by Moulton (1932). Species placed in “group I” bear a posteromarginal fringe of independent microtrichia on the abdominal tergites, whereas species in “group II” have microtrichia that arise on the posterior margin of the tergites from a well-developed craspedum. Antennal segments III & IV each bears apically a circumpolar sensorium with one or more rows of pores. H. albipennis seems to be related to H. peixotoa as both have the fore wings largely pale and lack ocellar setae I on the head. However, H. albipennis bears only one row of sensorial pores on antennal segments III & IV, whereas H. peixotoa has two rows of such pores. A key to Heterothrips species recorded from Brazil is given by Pereyra & Cavalleri (2012).
Flower-feeding species from South Brazil. Apparently specific to Croton gnaphalii (Euphorbiaceae), and possibly playing an important role in the pollination of this species.
Economic importance
Not recorded.
References suggested
Moulton D (1932) The Thysanoptera of South America I. Revista de Entomologia 2: 451–484.
Pereyra V & Cavalleri A (2012) The genus Heterothrips (Thysanoptera) in Brazil, with an identification key and seven new species. Zootaxa 3237: 1–23.
Published in: 20/12/2016 Posted by: Mariana Lindner
