Two new synonyms among Panchaetothripinae (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) with three species newly recorded from China.

Helionothrips mube and Panchaetothrips bifurcus are here recognized as new synonyms of Helionothrips aino and Panchaetothrips timonii based on large numbers of specimens and continuous morphological differences. Three species, Caliothrips insularis, Hercinothrips femoralis and Phibalothrips rugosus are newly recorded from China and the previous record of Caliothrips indicus from China is here considered incorrect. Illustrations of males and larvae of Hercinothrips femoralis are also provided.

Tubuliferous Thysanoptera in Australia with an enlarged tenth abdominal segment (Phlaeothripidae, Idolothripinae), including six new species.

Remarkable structural variation in the tenth abdominal segment of some Phlaeothripidae species is discussed, together with its behavioural significance. Two tropical genera are newly recorded from Australia: in Acallurothrips Bagnall four species are recorded, A. darumbali sp.n., A. erubi sp.n., A. yagara sp.n. and A. nogutii Kurosawa, and in Neosmerinthothrips Schmutz two species are recorded, N. barrowi sp.n. and N. turrbali sp.n. The genus Ozothrips was previously based on five species from New Zealand, but O. meanjini sp.n. is here described from Queensland. Four species of Pygothrips are recorded from Australia, a genus that is widespread in tropical countries.

Aerodynamic effects of varying solid surface area of bristled wings performing clap and fling.

The smallest flying insects with body lengths under 2 mm show a marked preference for wings consisting of a thin membrane with long bristles, and the use of clap and fling kinematics to augment lift at Reynolds numbers (Re) of approximately 10. Bristled wings have been shown to reduce drag forces in clap and fling, but the aerodynamic roles of several bristled wing geometric variables remain unclear. This study examines the effects of varying the ratio of membrane area (A M) to total wing area (A T) on aerodynamic forces and flow structures generated during clap and fling at Re on the order of 10. We also examine the aerodynamic consequences of scaling bristled wings to Re = 120, relevant to flight of fruit flies. We analyzed published forewing images of 25 species of thrips (Thysanoptera) and found that A M/A T ranged from 14% to 27%, as compared to 11% to 88% previously reported for smaller-sized fairyflies (Hymenoptera). These data were used to develop physical bristled wing models with A M/A T ranging from 15% to 100%, which were tested in a dynamically scaled robotic clap and fling model. At all Re, bristled wings produced slightly lower lift coefficients (C L) when compared to solid wings, but provided significant drag reduction. At Re = 10, largest values of peak lift over peak drag ratios were generated by wing models with A M/A T similar to thrips forewings (15% to 30%). Circulation of the leading edge vortex and trailing edge vortex decreased with decreasing A M/A T during clap and fling at Re = 10. Decreased chordwise circulation near the wing tip, vortex shedding, and interaction between flow structures from clap with those from fling resulted in lowering C L generated via clap and fling at Re = 120 as compared to Re = 10. Clap and fling becomes less beneficial at Re = 120, regardless of the drag reduction provided by bristled wings.

Scirtothrips dorsalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae): a Newly Introduced Polyphagous Pest in Northeastern Brazil.

We report for the first time the detection of Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Brazil and describe the occurrence of the thrips on leaves of ungrafted dwarf-cashew Anacardium occidentale Linnaeus 1753 (Anacardiaceae), maintained into a greenhouse, in the northeastern state of Ceará. This exotic polyphagous species listed as absent quarantine pest in the country is originated in Asia, but since the beginning of this century, it has readily dispersed despite the strict quarantine regulations currently in several countries. Individuals of S. dorsalis identified in Brazil are similar to specimens found in South Africa rather than Asia by virtue of the absence of conspicuous reticulation on the posterior half of the metanotum and the presence of complete lines of microtrichia restricted to the posterior part of the abdominal sternites. Scirtothrips dorsalis is a particularly invasive pest and its introduction represents a potential threat to various crops in Brazil, especially mango.

Species Identification in the Thrips Genus-Group in Brazil.

The Thrips genus-group is a monophyletic taxon composed of 17 genera, whose representatives exhibit three main synapomorphies: absence of ocellar setae I, presence of ctenidia on tergites V-VIII, and ctenidia on tergite VIII positioned posteromesad to the spiracles. The group is native to and more diverse in the Old World, especially in Southeast Asia, but several species are widely distributed, including some pests of cultivated plants. Here, we provide an identification key to the species of the Thrips genus-group currently recorded in Brazil, including three new records of Bolacothrips striatopennatus (Schmutz), Thrips florum Schmutz, and Thrips orientalis (Bagnall), and present notes on their morphology and biology. Stenchaetothrips biformis Bagnall is excluded from the list of thrips recorded in Brazil.

Molecular Identification of Thrips Species Infesting Cotton in the Southeastern United States.

Traditional identification of thrips species based on morphology is difficult, laborious, and especially challenging for immature thrips. To support monitoring and management efforts of thrips as consistent and widespread pests of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), a probe-based quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay with crude DNA extraction was developed to allow efficient and specific identification of the primary species of thrips infesting cotton. The assay was applied to identify over 5,000 specimens of thrips (including 3,366 immatures) collected on cotton seedlings from Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia in 2016. One half of all adult samples were examined by morphological identification, which provided a statistically equivalent species composition as the qPCR method. Frankliniella fusca (Hinds) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) was the dominant species across all the locations (76.8-94.3% of adults and 81.6-98.0% of immatures), followed by Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia (4.6-19% of adults and 1.7-17.3% of immatures) or Frankliniella tritici (Fitch) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in South Carolina (10.8% of adults and 7.8% of immatures). Thrips tabaci (Lindeman) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and Neohydatothrips variabilis (Beach) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) were occasionally found among adults but were rarely present among immature thrips. These five species of thrips represented 98.2-100% of samples collected across the Southeast. The qPCR assay was demonstrated to be a valuable tool for large-scale monitoring of species composition of thrips at different life stages in cotton. The tool will contribute to a better understanding of thrips population structure in cotton and could assist with development and application of improved management strategies.

Ultrastructure and distribution of antennal sensilla of the chilli thrips Scirtothrips dorsalis hood (Thysanoptera: Thripidae).

The chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood, is a serious pest of numerous important vegetable and ornamental crops. Various signals, especially phytochemical cues, determine the behavior of the phytophagous thrips at host selection. The sensory abilities of S. dorsalis are poorly understood although the antennae of adult are known to possess important sensory structures in orther insects. In this study, the morphology, distribution, and ultrastructure of the antennal sensilla of the S. dorsalis were examined by using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Microscopy observations revealed that adult male and female S. dorsalis possess filiform antennae. Each antenna comprises a scape, a pedicel, and a flagellum composed of six segments without clear sexual dimorphism in the number and distribution of antennal sensilla. The scape and pedicel exhibit Böhm's bristles, sensilla chaetica, and sensilla campaniform. The external structures of these organs reveal their mechanosensory function. In the flagellum, the most represented sensilla are the multiporous sensilla basiconica, which can be divided into three types of single-walled olfactory sensilla; three types of sensilla chaetica with mechanosensory and gustatory functions; sensilla coeloconica, which possess hollow cuticular spoke channels and represent double-walled olfactory sensilla; sensilla capitula and sensilla cavity with thermo-hygrosensory functions; and aporous sensilla trichodea with smooth cuticula and mechanosensory function. The putative function of described sensilla is discussed in ralation to host plant selection behavior of S. dorsalis.

Australian mycophagous species of the genus Deplorothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae).

The genus Deplorothrips Mound & Walker is recorded from Australia for the first time. The genus is found widely across the continent, and descriptions and an illustrated identification key are provided to 14 new species. These have been found living on dead twigs and branches, particularly of Eucalyptus trees. Typical members of this genus have short maxillary stylets that are scarcely retracted into the head capsule, but some of the species have more deeply retracted stylets. Structural polymorphism is recorded in several species, associated both with sex and with body size. Remarkable variation is recorded for some species in the number of sense cones on the antennal segments.

A new species of Chirothripoides (Thysanoptera: Tubulifera) from India and Malaysia.

Chirothripoides brahmaputrai sp.n. is described based on a holotype female from Assam State, India, and a paratype female from Peninsular Malaysia. A key to the six species of Chirothripoides is provided, and partial sequence data of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (mtCOI) from the holotype of the new species is generated and submitted to Barcode of Life Database.

A new leaf-galling Holopothrips (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) and the structural alterations on Myrcia retorta (Myrtaceae).

Holopothrips striatus sp. n. is described inducing leaf-galls on Myrcia retorta (Myrtaceae) in Southern Brazil. The thrips is one of the few species of Holopothrips known to have the metanotum with striate rather than reticulate sculpture. The galls are green with brownish spots, and are characterised by a mix of folding and rolling of the leaf lamina upwards.

The Indian genus Ajothrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) newly recorded from China, with description of the male.

The genus Ajothrips was erected for two new species from India (Bhatti 1967), although subsequently a third Indian species was added (Bhatti 1997). All three species have remained known only from females, although Mound (2009) recorded the presence of sternal pore plates in unspecified males of this genus. The purpose of this note is to record the type species, A. karma, from China, and to describe the unknown male. The systematic position of the genus has a confusing history. Considered by Bhatti (1967) as related to Scirtothrips, it was subsequently excluded from the Scirtothrips genus-group (Masumoto & Okajima 2007). However, more recent studies (Ng & Mound 2015; Lima & Mound 2016) have retained the systematic relationship proposed by Bhatti.

The genus Neohydatothrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Iran with one new species and first record of a micropterous form.

Neohydatothrips amygdali sp. n. is described from southern Iran together with the first record of a micropterous form of Neohydatothrips abnormis (Karny). The new species is unusual among Sericothripinae in having only one pair of mid-dorsal setae on tergite IX. An illustrated identification key is provided to 5 species of Neohydatothrips namely, N. abnormis, N. amygdali, N. gracilicornis (Williams), N. gracilipes (Hood) and N. tadzhicus (Pelikan) from Iran.

Species of the Poaceae-associated genus Bamboosiella (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae) from China, with three new species.

In the Poaceae-associated genus Bamboosiella Ananthakrishnan, eleven species are here recognized from China, including antennatus sp.n. and longisetis sp.n. from Yunnan, and magnus sp.n. from Hainan. Four species are newly recorded from China, bicoloripes Ananthakrishnan, fasciata Okajima, flavescens Okajima and semiflava Okajima. One species from Zhejiang, Bamboosiella brevibristla Sha, Guo, Feng & Duan is placed as a new synonym of B. exastis (Ananthakrishnan & Kudo). An illustrated identification key is provided to the eleven Bamboosiella species now recognised from China.

Replacement names for two homonyms of Liothrips brevitubus Karny: one from California, the other for a species damaging Jatropha crops in Mexico.

There are nearly 280 species of Liothrips listed from around the world (ThripsWiki 2016), all of them presumably feeding and breeding on the leaves of higher plants, and sometimes inducing or being associated with galls (Mound 1994). Despite this, for most of these species the identity of the plant species on which they are dependent is rarely known, and a particularly high proportion of the species are based on few specimens or even single individuals (cf Table 1). As a result, the identity of many of these named species continues to be in doubt. Modern identification keys are available only to the 23 Liothrips species known from Japan (Okajima 2006), the four European species known from Iran (Minaei & Mound 2014), and 14 species from Illinois (Stannard 1968). In contrast, the keys to 16 species of Liothrips from Brazil (Moulton 1933), to more than 80 species from Indonesia (Priesner 1968), and to 50 species from India (Ananthakrishnan & Sen 1980), are of little more than archival interest, in that they are based on few specimens with little allowance for intraspecific variation. Mound & Marullo (1996) listed over 80 Liothrips species from the Americas, although some of these are now placed in Pseudophilothrips (see Mound et al. 2010). That list included two homonyms of the Indonesian species Liothrips brevitubus Karny, one from Mexico and one from California. The homonym from Mexico is here recognised as applying to a species that in 2015 caused severe damage to a crop of Jatropha curcas in Chiapas. The objectives here are to provide a valid name for this pest, to facilitate its recognition among the 13 species of Liothrips recorded from Mexico (Table I), and also to replace the homonym from California.

New records of Panchaetothripinae from Japan (Thysanoptera, Thripidae).

Until now, 16 species of Panchaetothripinae in 11genera have been recorded from Japan (Kudo 1992a,b). Recently, however, three further species were found, in the genera Phibalothrips and Caliothrips, and one purpose of this report is to record these two genera from Japan for the first time. The four known species of Phibalothrips occur mainly in the Old World tropics, and are associated with grasses (Mound 2011), whereas the 22 known species of Caliothrips are found in the tropics and subtropics worldwide and feed on a range of different plants including grasses. In this article, P. rugosus, C. punctipennis and C. tongi are newly recorded from Japan, and the male of P. rugosus and second instar larva of C. tongi are described for the first time. Moreover, an identification key to the known species of Phibalothrips is provided. Larval chaetotaxy is based on Heming (1991) and Vierbergen et al. (2010). The specimens studied are deposited in Yokohama Plant Protection Station, Naha Plant Protection Station and the authors' collection.

A new species of Danothrips from Southwestern China (Thysanoptera: Thripidae).

Danothrips salicis sp. n. is described from young leaves of Salix sp. in Southwestern China. This species is similar to D. moundi, D. theifolii and D. trifasciatus, but can be distinguished by the colour of the fore wing, the median longitudinal split on tergite X of females, and in males by the situation of the median short thorn-like setae on tergite IX.

Species-richness in Neotropical Sericothripinae (Thysanoptera: Thripidae).

Two of the three recognized genera of Sericothripinae are known from the Neotropics, and 14 new species from this area are here described in this subfamily. Illustrated keys are provided to females of seven species of Hydatothrips, and 41 species of Neohydatothrips, mainly from Brazil but including all recorded species south of the border between Mexico and USA. Plant species on which breeding has been recorded are indicated where possible, notes are provided on the few species of economic importance, and a key is appended to second instar larvae of seven species. Neohydatothrips burungae (Hood) stat. rev. and N. aztecus Johansen stat. rev. are recalled from synonymy with Neohydatothrips signifer (Priesner), and N. denigratus (De Santis) syn. n. is synonymized with N. burungae. Hydatothrips williamsi (Hood) comb. n. is relocated from Neohydatothrips, and as this produces a homonym in the genus, Hydatothrips tareei nom. nov. is proposed for Hydatothrips williamsi Mound & Tree from Australia.

The anatomy of the thrips Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) and its specific features caused by miniaturization.

A new set of data on the internal and external structure of the adult and larva of the thrips Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis (Bouché, 1833) is presented. The structure of the internal systems of this thrips was revealed using modern methods of 3D computer modelling. The changes in shape and relative size are discussed as an outcome of miniaturization in comparison to the supposed ancestor of this species. The layout of the internal systems of thrips is compared to those of other insects similar in size: beetles of the families Ptiliidae and Corylophidae and wasps of the families Mymaridae and Trichogrammatidae.

Chaetanaphothrips kiyosumianus (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) new to India with first record of the male.

The male of Chaetanaphothrips kiyosumianus Kudô is diagnosed for the first time along with the first record of this species from India. Molecular data of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (mtCOI) from specimens of this species are also generated as additional data for future studies.