Bactrothrips flectoventris Haga & Okajima, 1989

Okajima, Shûji & Masumoto, Masami, 2025, Two idolothripine genera, Bactrothrips and Megalothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae), from Asia between India and Taiwan, with descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 5696 (4), pp. 491-516 : 497

Bactrothrips flectoventris Haga & Okajima

(Fig. 5)

Bactrothrips flectoventris Haga & Okajima, 1989: 8–11 .

This species was originally described from the warm temperate zone of Japan and subtropical zone of Taiwan based on a good number of specimens, and was recorded subsequently from Hainan, South China, by Dang et al. (2012). It is peculiar in having the compound eyes prolonged posteriorly on the ventral surface, and is commonly observed together with B. carbonarius on the dead leaves of Quercus glauca at least in Japan. Interestingly, both species bend their bodies into J-shape (or vice versa) when they are stimulated by something, but such behavior has not been observed in other species. According to Dang et al., the specimens of Hainan have some differences from the type series especially in the length of the cephalic setae.

Wang et al. (2018) described flectoventris as ‘tergites II–VIII with transparent lateral spots’ in their key to Bactrothrips species based on females (couplet 1). These may be the same structure as the ‘faded windows’ mentioned in this paper (see below under B. honoris ), but flectoventris do not have such a structure.

Specimens examined. Japan, numerous females and males from Honshu, including type series (detailed data are omitted, see Haga & Okajima 1989). Taiwan, 4 paratype females, Nantou Hsien, Nanshanchi , on dead leaves, 24.iii.1984, SO .