Baenothrips cf. cuneatus Zhao & Tong, 2016

(Figs 12–16)

Specimen examined. New Caledonia, Rivière bleue, 1female macroptera collected by fogging in dense forest, 16.vii.1992, Chazeau et al. (JBOU3530) .

Comments. Comparing this specimen with the original description, and using the key by Zhao & Tong (2016), the female from New Caledonia (Fig. 12) appears to be closely related to B. cuneatus that is known only from a single macropterous female from southern China. Like that species the first abdominal tergite is divided into five plates (two pairs of lateral plates and one median triangular plate). In contrast, this tergite is described as entire in B. ryukyuensis (from southern Japan and Taiwan) and B. murphyi (based on two apterous females from Malaysia). However, in the New Caledonian specimen the dorsal surface of head is not reticulate (Fig. 13); antennal segment V is shaded brown, not pale (Fig. 15); the mesonotum surface is smooth, not sculptured with transverse dotted lines on anterior third; the posterior margin of the acromesosternite is gradually narrowed from the lateral margin to the middle and not sharply indented medially; the entire surface of the meta-epimeron is covered with wart-like tubercules, and not only the posterior half; the mid femora are brown and not pale; the abdominal tergites II–V are devoid of a pair of light brown circular patches on either side (Fig. 12); the inner margins of the ovispan of the sternite IX are straight (Fig. 16) and not abruptly enlarged posteriorly.

Considering that we examined only one specimen, and that the ecology of the species can influence the variability of morphological characters between populations (Mound 1972), we cannot with certainty identify this specimen as the species B. cuneatus . Moreover, as mentioned by Zhao & Tong (2016) species recognition in this genus remains confused and the status of some species is uncertain. Definitive identification requires examination of additional material to measure the variability of the characters within the New Caledonia population.