Parascirtothrips gen. nov.

Type species. Parascirtothrips fagaceae n. sp.

Female. Macropterous. Head wider than long, with interantennal projection broad and about 0.5 times as wide as width of first antennal segment (Fig. 6 A). Ocellar setae I present; setae III short. Postocular setae five pairs. Mouth-cone short, with maxillary palpi 3-segmented. Compound eyes without pigmented ommatidia. Antennae 7-segmented; segment I without dorsal apical setae, II with an inner dorsal apical setae longer than outer seta and with two rows of microtrichia dorsally, III and IV with sense-cones forked, III to VI with three to four rows of microtrichia on both dorsal and ventral surfaces (Fig. 6 B); number of setae of II to VI as follows: 7, 4, 5, 6, 9.

Pronotum sculptured with transverse anastomosing striae, without long posteroangular setae, with four pairs of setae on posterior margin, B2 setae longest (Fig. 6 A). Mesonotum sculptured with transverse striae; median pair of setae situated far form posterior margin and much anterior to submedian setae (Fig. 6 D). Metascutum without CPS (Fig. 6 D). Metaepimeron with two setae. Metaepisternum without setae. Metapreepisternum developed with one seta. Prosternal ferna divided at middle; basantra membranous, without setae (Fig. 7 A). Mesosternum with sternopleural suture weak but complete, reaching at anterior margin; endofurca usually without spinula (Fig. 7 A), sometime weak spinula present; spinasternum reduced medially. Metasternal endofurca with spinula (Fig. 7 A). Fore wing first vein with long gap of setal row; second vein with three setae; clavus with four veinal and one discal setae; posteromarginal fringe hair wavy. Tarsi 2-segmented.

Abdominal terga without ctenidia and posteromarginal craspeda, B1 setae small wide apart each other, not clearly divided from laterotergites (Fig. 8 A); terga II to VII without dense ciliate microtrichial row; terga V to VII with four setae at each lateral sculptured field; tergum VIII with posteromarginal comb complete, long and fine (Fig. 7 B); tergum IX without CPS (Fig. 7 B); tergum X without median slit (Fig. 7 B); sterna without dense microtrichial row, discal setae and posteromarginal craspeda (Fig. 8 B); sterna III to VII with three pairs of posteromarginal setae, but II with two pairs. Ovipositor developed.

Male. Unknown.

Etymology. Derived from Greek prefix para and thrips, thripids, in reference to similarity to Scirtothrips; gender masculine.

Comments. The character states of this genus appear to be indicate relationships with Scirtothrips, including the chaetotaxy of antennal segment II, pronotum, mesonotum and of abdominal terga, however in antennal segmentation and head shape it is similar to Anascirtothrips . This new genus is distinct in the Scirtothrips genus group as follows: pronotum and abdominal terga with widely spaced lines of sculpture, abdominal terga and sterna without dense numerous discal microtrichia, and mesothorax with spinasternum eroded medially and lacking spinula.