Liothrips heptapleuricola (Takahashi)

(Figs 6, 36, 72)

Smerinthothrips heptapleuricola Takahashi, 1937: 341 .

Living in Taiwan in leaf galls of Heptapleurum arboricola (possible spelling error in plant name, Wang & Lin 2020: 361), this species has an unusual pelta with no CPS but bearing 3–4 tiny setae posterolaterally (Fig. 72). From Yunnan, 17 females and 6 males on leaves or leaf galls of plants labelled as Schefflera heptaphylla and S. octophylla are here recognized from China. The host plant name Schefflera heptaphylla is more validly Heptapleurum heptaphyllum as the genus Heptapleurum was distinguished from Schefflera in 2020 and accepted by Plants of the World Online (Lowry et al. 2020; POWO 2023). Moreover, Schefflera octophylla is a synonym of H. heptaphyllum (IPNI 2023) .

Specimens studied. CHINA, Yunnan, Kunming, 15 females and 3 males on leaves of Schefflera heptaphylla, 3.viii.2007, H. Zhang (ANIC) ; Yunnan, Kunming, 2 females and 3 males in leaf galls of Schefflera octophylla, 17.vi.2005, L.M. Tie (ANIC) .