Introduction
The subfamily Panchaetothripinae (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is one of the four subfamilies recognised in the family Thripidae (Wilson Reference Wilson1975). Panchaetothripines can be distinguished from other Thripidae by the following characters (Kudô Reference Kudô1992a; Mound and Marullo Reference Mound and Marullo1996): body surface having strong reticulate sculpture; antennomeres III and VI vasiform or globular; first vein of forewing more or less fused to costa; mesothoracic and metathoracic furcae transverse and lacking a median spinula. Worldwide, Panchaetothripinae includes 141 species in 39 genera and three fossils, with more than 50% of the genera are monospecific (ThripsWiki 2016). Wilson (Reference Wilson1975) gave a full taxonomic account of the species and genera, and Mound et al. (Reference Mound, Marullo and Trueman2001) provided a phylogenetic analysis based on morphological characters. Identification keys are now available for the identification of the genera of Panchaetothripinae in the following parts of the world: Asia (Kudô Reference Kudô1979, Reference Kudô1992a, Reference Kudô1992b, Reference Kudô1992c, Reference Kudô1995; Chen Reference Chen1980, Reference Chen1981; Reyes Reference Reyes1994; Han Reference Han1997; Zhang et al. Reference Zhang, Tong, Luo and Zhuo1999; Mirab-balou and Chen Reference Mirab-balou and Chen2012); Europe and the Mediterranean (zur Strassen Reference zur Strassen2003); Central and South America (Mound and Marullo Reference Mound and Marullo1996). In addition, Mound and Gillespie (Reference Mound and Gillespie1997) provided identification details for the species of the seven panchaetothripine genera found most often in Australia; and Moritz et al. (Reference Moritz, Morris and Mound2001) provided a digital information and identification system on pest thrips worldwide that included details of 16 panchaetothripine genera.
The members of this subfamily are all leaf feeders. Many of the most common panchaetothripine species are associated with older, senescing leaves (Fig. 1), not with young, apical leaves. Despite this, some species such as members of Caliothrips Daniel can be pests on crop seedlings, whereas others are usually found only on grasses (Mound and Marullo Reference Mound and Marullo1996), and some of them are related to aquatic plants. Among Chinese panchaetothripine, red-banded thrips, Selenothrips rubrocinctus (Giard), are widely distributed. This species has been recorded as a pest that damages plants (Fig. 1) in Zhejiang province (Mirab-balou et al. Reference Mirab-balou, Tong and Chen2014) and is also reported as pest on mango trees (Mangifera indica Linnaeus; Anacardiaceae) (Reitz et al. Reference Reitz, Gao and Lei2011).
Viburnum odoratissimum Ker Gawler (Adoxaceae) damaged by Selenothrips rubrocinctus (Huajiachi Campus at Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, 20.ix.2011).
The objective of this paper is to review the genera of Panchaetothripinae in China and establish diagnostic characters by which Chinese taxa assigned to the subfamily Panchaetothripinae can be recognised, particularly because published records are in the Chinese language, which is not accessible to international experts. In addition, two new species of the subfamily are described and illustrated.
Material and methods
Examined specimens were mounted with Canada balsam. Slide-mounted specimens were examined and photographed under the microscope with a digital camera attached. All measurements are in micrometres. The type and examined specimens are deposited in the Insect Collection of Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China (SCAU) unless otherwise stated.
Anisopilothrips Stannard and Mitri
The only species in this genus, A. venustulus (Priesner), is distributed in tropic and subtropical regions; and is also recorded from China. This monotypic genus is unique in having the veinal microtrichia larger than the intervenal microtrichia and is also easily recognised by having paired clusters of round areolae on abdominal segments III–VII (Fig. 35).
Astrothrips Karny
This genus was reviewed by Stannard and Mitri (Reference Stannard and Mitri1962) and Bhatti (Reference Bhatti1968a), and a key to the species was provided by Wilson (Reference Wilson1975). There are 12 species listed in this genus, of which three are recorded from China (Mirab-balou et al. Reference Mirab-balou, Tong, Feng and Chen2011): Astrothrips aucubae, A. chisinliaoensis, and A. strasseni.
Caliothrips Daniel
This worldwide genus currently includes 23 species. The members of this genus are identified by presence of wrinkled or dot-shaped markings within their reticulate sculpture; head is not constricted into a neck-like region; antennae with eight antennomeres; forewings usually with dark and light bands, and the first vein with a wide interval in the setal row; metathoracic furca similar to Selenothrips. In China, three species have been recorded from this genus (Zhang Reference Zhang1980; Han Reference Han1997; Huang et al. Reference Huang, Qiao and Lian2011). However, Mound et al. (Reference Mound, Zhang and Bei2011) confirmed that Caliothrips fasciatus, previously recorded from China, is misidentification of Caliothrips tongi Mound, Zhang, and Bei. Huang et al. (Reference Huang, Qiao and Lian2011) reported Caliothrips insularis (Hood) from China, but judging from the description and diagnosic features provided in their paper, we consider this as a misidentification of Caliothrips tongi.
Copidothrips Hood
Copidothrips is a monobasic genus with the type species C. octarticulatus (Schmutz). This genus is similar to Noathrips but it differs in the number of tarsomeres and shape of sense cones on antennomeres III and IV. Copidothrips octarticulatus (Schmutz) is distributed widely in the southern China (Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangxi, and Guangdong) and is associated with a wide range of unrelated plants, such as Liquidambar formosana Hance (Hamamelidaceae), Perilla frutescens (Linnaeus) Britton (Lamiaceae), Wedelia chinensis (Osbeck) Merrill (Asteraceae), Eurya groffii Merrill (Pentaphylacaceae), and Poaceae grasses.
Elixothrips Stannard and Mitri
This monotypic genus is unique in having the pair of setae on abdominal tergite X apically expanded. One species, E. brevisetis (Bagnall), was reported Guangdong, China (Han Reference Han1997).
Helionothrips Bagnall
Helionothrips is the largest genus among Panchaetothripinae with 27 species in the world (ThripsWiki 2016). During recent surveys on thrips fauna in China, 13 species of the genus (including a new species) have been recorded from China, and this genus has a wide geographical range in China from southwestern China through southern to eastern China. Helionothrips species are leaf feeders and one species that has been reported to be of economic significance was H. kadaliphilus (Ramakrishna and Margabandhu), which is an occasional pest on banana (Musa Linnaeus; Musaceae) (Ramakrishna and Margabandhu Reference Ramakrishna and Margabandhu1939). Below we present an updated key for Chinese species of Helionothrips based on the relevant identification keys (Faure Reference Faure1961; Bhatti Reference Bhatti1968b; Wilson Reference Wilson1975; Chen Reference Chen1981; Kudô Reference Kudô1992b; Zhang and Tong Reference Zhang and Tong1993; Feng et al. Reference Feng, Yang and Zhang2007).
Helionothrips annosus Wang
Figures 14, 22, 29, 36.
Helionothrips annosus is easily distinguished from other Helionothrips by the metascutum triangle with posterior margin extending over metascutellum (Fig. 36). The specimens listed here were identified using the original description (Wang Reference Wang1993). This species is widely distributed in southern China (Guangxi and Guangdong) and is mainly associated with older leaves of Lauraceae, for example, Cinnamomum camphora (Linnaeus) Presl and C. burmannii (Nees and Nees) Blume.
Material examined (in SCAU). CHINA, Guangdong Province: 6♀1♂, Arboretum (23°09'N, 113°21'E), South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, from Cinnamomum burmannii (Nees and Nees) Blume (Lauraceae), 20.viii.2011, Song Tao; 1♀, Hailing Island (21°35'N, 111°50'E), Yangjiang City, from Cinnamomum camphora (Linnaeus) Presl, 17.iv.1976, Zhang Wei-qiu; 1♀, Shenzhen (22°34'N, 114°01'E), host plant unknown, 26.vi.1983, Wang Ye’an; 1♀8♂, Wushan (23°09'N, 113°20'E), Shipai, Guangzhou, from Cinnamomum camphora, 23.xii.1976, Zhang Wei-qiu; 2♀1♂, Wushan (23°09'N, 113°20'E), Shipai, from C. camphora, 17.xii.1976, Zhang Wei-qiu; 1♀, Wushan, Shipai, from C. camphora, 10.xi.1976, Zhang Wei-qiu; 2♀, Wushan, Shipai, from C. camphora, 14.xi.1976, Zhang Wei-qiu; 2♀, Wushan, Shipai, from C. camphora, 17.x.1976, Zhang Wei-qiu; 7♀1♂, Luofushan (31°35'N, 104°20'E), Huizhou City, from Eucalyptus tereticornis Smith (Myrtaceae), 7.xii.1976, Zhang Wei-qiu; 7♀2♂, Luofushan, Huizhou, from C. camphora, 14.xi.1976, Zhang Wei-qiu. Guangxi Province: 3♀1♂, Longzhou (22°20'N, 106°51'E), Chongzuo, from Lauraceae, 1.viii.1985, Zhang Wei-qiu; 8♀3♂, Longzhou (22°20'N, 106°51'E), Chongzuo, from Fagaceae, 27.vii.1985, Zhang Wei-qiu; 1♀, Longzhou (22°20'N, 106°51'E), Chongzuo, from Yulania denudata (Desrousseaux) Fu (Magnoliaceae), 28.vii.1985, Zhang Wei-qiu; 2♀, Nanning (22°48'N, 108°22'E), from Pelargonium hortorum Bailey (Geraniaceae), 3.viii.1985, Zhang Wei-qiu; 1♀, Nanning (22°48'N, 108°22'E), from Jasminum sambac (Linnaeus) Aiton (Oleaceae), 5.viii.1985, Zhang Wei-qiu.
Helionothrips rugatus Mirab-balou and Tong, new species
Figures 2, 12, 21, 34, 37, 43, 45.
Panchaetothripine species from China. 2. Helionothrips rugatus, head and pronotum. 3. Helionothrips parvus, head. 4. Helionothrips shennongjiaensis, head. 5. Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis, head. 6. Selenothrips rubrocinctus, head. 7. Rhipiphorothrips concoloratus, head.
Panchaetothripine species from China. 8. Panchaetothrips bifurcus, head and pronotum. 9. Astrothrips aucubae, head. 10. Phibalothrips peringueyi, head and pronotum. 11. Panchaetothrips bifurcus, abdominal segment X. 12. Helionothrips rugatus, abdominal segments IX–X.
Panchaetothripine species from China. 13. Helionothrips shennongjiaensis, pronotum. 14. Helionothrips annosus, pronotum. 15. Selenothrips rubrocinctus, pronotum. 16. Panchaetothrips bifurcus, abdominal segments IX–X, male. 17. Helionothrips shennongjiaensis, forewing. 18. Phibalothrips peringueyi, forewing. 19. Helionothrips haemorrhoidalis, forewing. 20. Panchaetothrips bifurcus, forewing. 21. Helionothrips rugatus, forewing. 22. Helionothrips annosus, forewing.
Material examined. Holotype (female, in SCAU), CHINA, Guangdong Province: Longdong (23°14'N, 113°23'E), Guangzhou, from Poaceae, 9.v.2012, M. Mirab-balou. Paratypes (in SCAU): 6♀3♂ paratypes (in SCAU), same data as holotype; 7♀ paratypes (in SCAU), Dinghushan National Nature Reserve (23°10'N, 112°32'E), Zhaoqing, from Poaceae, 23.i.1978, Zhang Wei-qiu; 3♀ paratypes (in SCAU), Yunnan Province: Xishuangbannan Tropical Botanical Garden (21°55'N, 101°16'E), Menglun, from weeds, 17.iv.1987, Zhang Wei-qiu; 2♀ paratypes (in SCAU), Guangxi Province: Longzhou (22°20'N, 106°51'E), Chongzuo, from Poaceae, 30.vii.1987, Zhang Wei-qiu.
Description. Female macropterous. Body brown to dark brown; abdominal segments II–VII darkest; head yellow at anterior margin; prothoracic leg pale yellow (Fig. 34); mesofemora brown, paler basally; metafemora brown; mesotibiae brown, pale yellow in apical half and basally; metatibiae brown in basal half, reminder pale yellow; tarsi yellow; antennomere I, III–V yellow, other antennomeres brown; forewing colour as in H. shennongjiaensis but darker at apex (Fig. 21). Head. Head wider than long; transversely covered with sculpturing; eyes large, occupying over half the width of the head; three ocelli present; head sculptured strongly with wrinkles in reticles but posterior sculpture with some internal dots (Fig. 2). Antennae with eight antennomeres, antennomeres III and IV with short, forked sensory cones; forked sensory cone on IV reaching the apical half of V. Mouth cone short and rounded. Maxillary palps each with two palpomeres. Thorax. Pronotum covered with polygonal reticles, with wrinkles in reticles (Fig. 2). Mesonotum with median setae in centre of sclerite, sculpture same as pronotum with wrinkles in reticles. Metanotum with reticulation same as pronotum and with wrinkles in reticles; median, metanotal setae situated far from anterior margin (Fig. 37). Forewing first vein with six to seven setae basally and two setae in distal half; second vein with six to seven setae; posterior margin with wavy fringe cilia (Fig. 21). Tarsi with one tarsomere (Fig. 34). Abdomen. Abdominal tergites I and II strongly reticulate, other tergites with strong reticulation laterally, and with wrinkles in reticles; abdominal tergite VIII with interrupted comb medially, laterally with a few long microtrichial comb on posterior margin. Abdominal segment IX longer than other segments, at least, twice as long as X (Fig. 12). Abdominal tergite X with a complete dorsal split. Abdominal sternites completely reticulate; sternites II–VIII with three pairs of long centrally located setae, sternite VIII with more additional setae. Ovipositor long and well developed.
Measurements (holotype in microns). Distended body length 1300. Head length 105, width 190. Pronotum median length 139, median width 240. Forewing length 920. Abdominal segment VIII median length 109, width 250; segment IX median length 160, width 167; segment X median length 57, width 52. Antennomeres I–VIII length (width) as follows: 25 (25), 46 (30), 51 (20), 51 (22), 43 (18), 31 (17), 10 (7), and 14 (4).
Male. Distended body length 1100 microns. Similar to female but smaller; abdominal tergite IX with two pairs of thorn-like setae, their bases nearly contiguous, with four to five chitinosus wartlets on posteromedian area (Fig. 45); sternites VII–VIII each with small, round pore plate (Fig. 43).
Etymology. Specific epithet from Latin “rugatus” which means wrinkle, and refers to the head, thorax, and lateral of abdominal tergites with wrinkles in reticles. This name is an adjective in the nominative singular.
Remarks. This new species is readily distinguished from H. errans (Williams) by antennomere I completely yellow (versus brown in H. errans); abdominal tergite VIII with interrupted comb medially (versus with complete comb in H. errans); head, thorax, and lateral of abdominal tergites with wrinkles in reticles (versus without wrinkles in H. errans). The yellow colour of antennomere I is unique in this species, however, H. shennongjiaensis has antennomere I yellowish brown but this new species can be distinguished from it by the presence of wrinkles in reticles on the body, the forked sensory cone on antennomere IV reaching half of V, abdominal tergite VIII with broad interrupted comb medially, and tergite IX twice as long as X. This new species is also easily distinguished from H. communis by the pronotum entirely covered with wrinkles in reticles and with abdominal segment IX twice as long as segment X.
Helionothrips shennongjiaensis Feng, Yang, and Zhang
Redescription. Female macropterous. Body brown to dark brown; head and abdominal segments VIII–X paler in colour; head yellow at anterior; profemur yellowish brown, shaded laterally; mesofemur and metafemur brown, paler basally; protibia yellow, shaded laterally; mesotibia and metatibia brown, yellow in apical half; tarsi yellow; antennomere I yellowish brown to brown, antennomeres II and VI–VIII brown, the remaining antennomeres yellow (Fig. 31); forewing with pale band basally, darker at apex (Fig. 17). Head. Head more than twice as wide as long; transversely covered with sculpturing (Fig. 4); eyes large, occupying over half the width of the head; three ocelli present; head sculpture without wrinkles in reticles but posterior sculpture with some internal dots; mouth cone short, not reaching to posterior margin of prosternum. Maxillary palps each with two palpomeres. Antennae with eight antennomeres; antennomeres III and IV with long, forked sense cones; forked sense cone on antennomere IV reaching half of antennomere VI. Thorax. Pronotum covered by polygonal reticles of rather uniform size, without wrinkles in reticles (Fig. 13). Mesonotum with median setae in centre of sclerite, sculptured same as pronotum, without wrinkles in reticles. Metanotum with reticulation, same as pronotum, and without wrinkles in reticles, sometimes with an irregular wrinkles in anterior margin; median metanotal setae situated far from anterior margin. Forewing first vein with five to seven setae basally and two setae in distal half; second vein with seven to eight setae; posterior margin with wavy fringe cilia. Tarsi with one tarsomere. Abdomen. Abdominal tergites I and II strongly reticulate, other tergites with strong reticulation laterally, without wrinkles in reticles, sometimes tergal sculptures with internal linear lines; abdominal tergite VIII with comb on posterior margin but interrupted medially. Abdominal tergite X with a complete dorsal split. Abdominal sternites completely reticulate; sternites II–VIII with three pairs of long, centrally located setae; sternite VIII with more additional setae. Ovipositor long and well developed.
Male. Macropterous. Similar to female in colour and structure, but smaller; abdominal tergite IX with two pairs of thorn-like setae, their bases nearly contiguous, with eight to nine chitinosus wartlets on posteromedian area; sternites VII–VIII each with small, round pore plate (Fig. 44).
Material examined. CHINA, Yunnan Province (in SCAU): 37♀9♂, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (21°55'N, 101°16'E), Menglun, from Cinnamomum camphora, 10.iv.1987 (1♀ also collected in 15.iv.1987), Zhang Wei-qiu; 5♀4♂, Guangdong Province (in SCAU): Xiangtoushan National Nature Reserve (23°14'N, 114°23'E), Huizhou, from Lauraceae, 20.iv.2012, Yang Shu-lan; 1♀, Dinghushan National Nature Reserve (23°10'N, 112°32'E), from Poaceae, 10.i.1978, Zhang Wei-qiu; 2♀1♂, Hainan Province (in SCAU): Danzhou (19°30'N, 109°29'E), from Lauraceae, 2.iv.1980, Zhang Wei-qiu.
Remarks. The diagnosis above was partially based on the original description of the species (Feng et al. Reference Feng, Yang and Zhang2007).
Heliothrips Haliday
Members of Heliothrips are polyphagous and common in the tropics and in greenhouses (Kudô Reference Kudô1995). In this genus, the head is strongly reticulate with a constricted neck, and the terminal antennomere is long and slender; the forewing has a distinctive rounded apex, the veinal setae are small, and the posteromarginal cilia are straight. This genus includes five species worldwide, of which H. haemorrhoidalis (Bouché) has been recorded from China (Mirab-balou et al. Reference Mirab-balou, Tong, Feng and Chen2011). Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis, is a highly polyphagous species and its host range includes citrus, grape, and many ornamental plants.
Monilothrips Moulton
This genus is similar to Zaniothrips but it can be distinguished from latter in having tarsi with two tarsomeres, the presence of four pairs of postocular setae, and the absence of lateral microtrichia on abdominal tergite II. Only one species of this genus, M. kempi Moulton, has been recorded from China (Han Reference Han1997). This species shows a remarkable discontinuously distributed pattern: Asia, Africa, and North America, and it is only associated with fern (Wilson Reference Wilson1975).
Panchaetothrips Bagnall
Species of this genus are leaf feeders and they inhabit the Old World tropics. Panchaetothrips noxius Priesner breeds on coffee leaves in Tanzania, Uganda, and Zaire, and P. indicus Bagnall was recorded damaging the leaves of turmeric (Curcuma longa Linnaeus; Zingiberaceae), arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea Linnaeus; Marantaceae), and bananas in India (Wilson Reference Wilson1975; Mound and Postle Reference Mound and Postle2004). This genus is unique in having a tube-like abdominal tergite X, and the conspicuous array of stout spines on the terminal abdominal segments.
Panchaetothrips bifurcus Mirab-balou and Tong, new species
Figures 8, 11, 16, 20, 26, 32, 39.
Panchaetothripine species from China. 23. Astrothrips aucubae, abdominal tergites I and II. 24. Helionothrips haemorrhoidalis, abdominal tergites I and II. 25. Rhipiphorothrips concoloratus, abdominal tergite I. 26. Panchaetothrips bifurcus, prothoracic leg. 27. Rhipiphorothrips concoloratus, prothoracic leg.
Panchaetothripine species from China. 28. Helionothrips cephalicus, antenna. 29. Helionothrips annosus, antenna. 30. Helionothrips aino, antenna. 31. Helionothrips shennongjiaensis, antenna. 32. Panchaetothrips bifurcus, antennomeres IV–VIII. 33. Panchaetothrips indicus, antennomeres III and IV. 34. Helionothrips rugatus, prothoracic leg. 35. Anisopilothrips venustulus, abdominal tergites V–VII.
Panchaetothripine species from China. 36. Helionothrips annosus, mesonotum and metanotum. 37. Helionothrips rugatus, mesonotum and metanotum. 38. Panchaetothrips indicus, abdominal tergites I–II. 39. Panchaetothrips bifurcus, abdominal tergites I–II.
Material examined. Holotype (female, in SCAU), CHINA, Guangdong Province: Dinghushan Natural Nature Reserve (23°10'N, 112°32'E), Zhaoqing, from Poaceae, 9.i.1978, Zhang Wei-qiu. Paratypes (in SCAU): 2♀5♂ paratypes (in SCAU), the same data as holotype; 5♀3♂ paratypes (in SCAU), Hainan Province: Jingfengling National Nature Reserve (18°44'N, 108°51'E), from grasses, 5.iv.1980, Zhang Wei-qiu; 2♀ paratypes (in SCAU), Jiangxi Province: Chongyi County, Yangling National Forest Park (25°39'N, 114°18'E), collected from an unidentified dicotyledonous shrub, 22.viii.2015, Zhaohong Wang.
Description. Female macropterous. Body brown to dark brown, abdominal segments IV–X darkest; femora brown, paler apically and basally; tibiae brown, shaded laterally, paler apically; all tarsi yellowish brown; forewing brown, with triangular pale area in basal third (Fig. 20); antennomeres I–II and VI–VIII brown, III–V yellow with apical third shaded brown (Fig. 32). Head. Head reticulate (Fig. 8), ocellar region slightly elevated, postoccipital apodeme strong in front of constricted reticulate neck region; sculptured reticles posterior to hind ocelli with irregular linear markings internally. Antennae with eight antennomeres; antennomeres III–V with slender basal third; antennomere III with long, forked sensory cone; antennomere IV with long forked sensory cone reaching to apex of VI (Fig. 32). Thorax. Pronotum transverse, with short and pointed setae (Fig. 8). Mesonotum sculpture evenly; metanotum with a bold, triangular, sculptured area delimited by a slight ridge; metanotal median setae far from anterior margin. Forewing with longest costal setae about three times as long as wing width, first vein with about five setae distal to pale area, then a single seta on apical half of wing (Fig. 20). Tarsi with two tarsomeres (Fig. 26). Abdomen. Abdomen swollen and pyriform, tergite II with S1 setae almost at least 0.75 as long as setae S2, tergite III with S1 as long as or longer than S2 (Fig. 39); tergite IX with stout setae; tergite X elongate, fully divided in mid-line with six stout, terminal setae (Fig. 11).
Measurements (holotype in microns): Distended body length 1600. Head length 136, width 228. Pronotum median length 130, median width 270. Forewing length 990. Abdominal segment II median length 96, width 350; median setae (S1) 66, S2 90; segment IX, median length 68, width 266; segment X, median length 270, width 115; setae on tergite X, length 250. Antennomeres I–VIII length (width) as follows: 19 (30), 25 (38), 97 (30), 126 (27), 80 (23), 34 (19), 15 (9), and 66 (6).
Male. Distended body length 1300 microns. Similar to female in colour and structure, but abdomen more slender, segments VII and VIII robustly sculptured and elongate; tergite IX with three pairs of stout and long posterolateral setae (Fig. 16); sternites III–VI with slender, transverse glandular area.
Etymology. Specific epithet from Latin “bifurcus”, meaning forked and referring to antennomeres III and IV each with a long and forked sensory cone. This name is an adjective in the nominative singular.
Remarks. This new species is similar to P. indicus Bagnall but it can be distinguished from this species using the characters states in the above key. The new species is distinguished from R. noxius Priesner in having a very slender and straight transverse pore plate on male sternites III–VI, although Wilson (Reference Wilson1975) indicates that P. noxius has such areas on sternites III–VII; ocellar setae pair III closer together than width of fore ocellus in P. noxius, while in the new species is situated further apart than width of fore ocellus; and the new species has internal markings on the reticulation of the head with the presence of only one seta on the distal half of forewing, which easily distinguishes it from P. noxius. According to the key and descriptions in Mound and Postle (Reference Mound and Postle2004), this new species is similar to P. timonii Mound and Postle, but is distinguished from the latter by the following character states: colouration of body, that both of them are brown with abdominal segments IV–X dark brown (versus abdomen almost yellow, darkest in segment X in P. timonii); tibiae brown, shaded laterally, pale yellow at apex, tarsi yellowish brown (versus tibiae and tarsi yellow in P. timonii); antennomeres I–II and VI–VIII brown (versus I yellow in P. timonii); reticulation posterior to hind ocelli with no internal markings (versus with irregular linear internal markings in P. timonii); tergite II with S1 setae shorter than S2 (versus S1 setae almost as long as S2 setae in P. timonii).
Phibalothrips Hood
This genus includes four species worldwide, of which only P. peringueyi (Faure) has been recorded from China (Mirab-balou et al. Reference Mirab-balou, Tong, Feng and Chen2011). We observed this species in abundance on grasses in Guangdong Province. Among male specimens, we found different shape of pore plates on abdominal sternites III–VII: most of them with broad pore plates (Fig. 41) and few specimens with small and round pore plates (Fig. 40). Females are macropterous; strongly bicoloured with head and thorax dark brown (Fig. 10) and abdomen, legs, and antennomeres III–V yellow; forewing slender, uniformly pale yellow.
Panchaetothripine species from China. 40. Phibalothrips peringueyi, different shape of pore plates on abdominal sternites (male), sternites V–VII. 41. Phibalothrips peringueyi, different shape of pore plates on abdominal sternites (male), sternites IV–VII. 42. Astrothrips aucubae, pore plates on sternites IV–VI. 43. Helionothrips rugatus, pore plates on sternites VII–VIII. 44. Helionothrips shennongjiaensis, pore plates on sternites VII–VIII. 45. Helionothrips rugatus, tergite IX. 46. Caliothrips tongi, forewing. 47. Astrothrips aucubae, forewing.
Material examined. 18♀2♂ (in SCAU), CHINA, Guangdong Province: Campus of South China Agricultural University (23°09'N, 113°21'E), from Poaceae, 10.v.2012, M. Mirab-balou; 14♀4♂ (in SCAU), with same data, 20.vi.2012.
Rhipiphorothrips Morgan
This genus is distinct, being the only panchaetothripine with rugose sculpturing on the head and body. Rhipiphorothrips includes five species, of which four species have been recorded from China (Mirab-balou et al. Reference Mirab-balou, Tong, Feng and Chen2011). Since the original description of R. concoloratus was in Chinese (Zhang and Tong Reference Zhang and Tong1993), a redescription is here provided based on the type specimens deposited in SCAU.
Rhipiphorothrips concoloratus Zhang and Tong
Redescription. Female macropterous. Body brown, abdomen slightly paler, forewing with scales brown. Prothoracic and mesothoracic legs brown, metathoracic leg yellow with apical half of tibia brown. Antennomeres I–VI yellow with apex brown on VI, antennomeres VII–VIII brown. Body completely covered by strong, rugose sculpturing. Head quadrate, sculpturing of head anterior of ocellar strongly rugose (Fig. 7). Antennae with eight antennomeres, antennomeres III and IV each with small forked sensory cone with stalked base short and indistinct. Maxillary palps each with two palpomeres. Pronotum broadly rounded, strongly rugose, with minute setae. Mesoscutum completely divided longitudinally; metascutal triangle boldly sculptured with a thick lateral margin. Forewing rounded on apex, posterior fringe cilia straight. Legs stout; tarsi with one tarsomere (Fig. 27). Abdomen covered by strong, rugose sculpture except for median part; tergite I nearly completely sculptured but indistinctly sculptured near middle (Fig. 25); tergite X completely divided, with a pair of small, fan-shaped setae.
Male. Macropterous. Similar to female in sculpturing but smaller and paler in colour. Abdominal sternites III–VII each with small, anteromedian, circular pore plate.
Material examined Holotype (in SCAU): 1♀, CHINA, Yunnan Province: Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (22°00'N, 100°47'E), Jinghong, from Hibiscus syriacus Linnaeus (Malvaceae), 11.iv.1987, Zhang Wei-qiu. Paratypes: 3♀3♂, same data as holotype. Non-type specimen: 1♀, CHINA, Hainan Province: Lingshui (18°29'N, 110°02'E), from Anacardium occidentale Linnaeus (Anacardiaceae), xi.1979, Zhuo Shaoming.
Selenothrips Karny
This genus is monotypic, containing S. rubrocinctus. The shape of the head, legs, and antennae gives indications of a similarity with Caliothrips but the transverse pronotum, abdominal microtrichia, and complete comb on abdominal tergite X places it closer to Brachyurothrips.
Zaniothrips Bhatti
This monotypic genus is similar to Monilothrips in having long setae on the head and pronotum. The only species in this genus, Z. ricini Bhatti, was recorded from China (Han Reference Han1997).
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Prof. Zhang Wei-qiu who collected the type specimens of Helionothrips rugatus; thanks also to Prof. J.S. Bhatti of New Delhi, and Dr. Dang Li-Hong of Shaanxi Sci-Tech University for their supplying some references. They are very grateful to Dr. Andrew B.T. Smith for editorial assistance. This study was supported by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (31372236) and the Key Project for National Groundwork of Science and Technology (2013FY111500-5-3).
