Ecacanthothrips coniger Priesner

Okajima, Shûji & Masumoto, Masami, 2024, The genus Hoplandrothrips and its relatives (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) from Southeast Asia and Taiwan, Zootaxa 5489 (1), pp. 22-91 : 29

Ecacanthothrips coniger Priesner

( Figs 7–8 , 84–92 )

Ecacanthothrips coniger Priesner, 1930: 363–364 .

This species was described from Borneo based on 2 syntype females. It is newly recorded here from Peninsular Malaysia, based on a long series of females and males listed below. It has peculiar numerous dark and stout sense cones on the enlarged antennal segment III ( Figs 87 & 88 ) even in small individuals, antennal segments IV and V each with an apical distinct neck, and the mouth cone very long, extending beyond prospinasternum. At least in the specimens from Peninsular Malaysia, about 40 or more dark sense cones occupy about half of each dorsal and ventral surface of antennal segment III. Those sense cones are distributed asymmetrically on the segment, and are biased antero-externally. Large males have a pair of inner apical tubercles on the fore femur, though small males have only one or no apical tubercle. The anteroangular prothoracic setae are elongate in large males, but anteromarginal setae are always not elongate in both sexes. Finally, the fore femur ( Figs 85 & 86 ) has no median inner tubercle, and the fore coxa is not extruded even in large males, suggesting that this species may be more closely related to inarmatus - group than to tibialis -group. According to our observations in Peninsular Malaysia, this species usually occurs on the surface of dead trunks rather than dead leafy branches, in spite of the specimens listed below being labelled as ‘on dead leaves and branches’. The description of males is given below, because males are previously unknown.

Male (macroptera). Colour very similar to female: body dark brown, but bases of antennal segments V and VI and tibiae yellowish. Head ( Fig. 86 ) elongate, 1.70–1.74 times as long as wide; cheeks with some short and pointed setae, onto small tubercles, sub-basal one more or less stout in large male; postocular setae longer than eyes in large male. Pronotal aa setae well-developed, longer than epim in large male, am always much shorter than aa. Fore femur ( Fig. 86 ) with a pair of apical inner tubercles in large male, with only one or no apical tubercle in small male; fore coxa not extruded postero-externally even in large male. Fore wings with 11–19 duplicated cilia. Tergite IX S1 setae almost as long as tube. Tube about half length of head, or a little longer.

Measurements (large/small males in μm). Body length 3400/2600 (distended). Head length 408/340, from anterior margin of eyes 365/310, width across eyes 235/195, maximum width across cheeks 235/200; eyes length 130/113, width 80/70; diameter of posterior ocelli 25–30/25; postocular setae 155–160/105–110. Antenna total length 840/690, segments I–VIII length as follows: 80/63, 70/60, 162/120, 130/115, 130/110, 110/93, 82/64, 52/48. Pronotum length 205/136, width 362/260. Setae on prothorax: am 35–40/30–35, aa 120–125/50–55, ml 85–90/50– 60, pa 130–135/110, epim 95–100/80–83, cox 70/35–40. Fore wing length 1350/1000. Sub-basal wing setae: S1 77–80/63–65, S2 100/65–70, S3 100/70–80. Tergite IX setae: S1 200–208/172–180, S2 50 –55/45–50. Tube length 210/172, maximum width 92/75; terminal setae 235/200.

Specimens examined. Peninsular Malaysia, Cameron Highland , nr. Tanah Rata, Gnung Tengkolok, on dead leaves and branches, 1 female and 3 males, 27.v.1983, T. Senoh; nr. Brinchang, on dead leaves and branches, 1 female and 2 males, 25.viii.1990, 2 females and 1 male, 27.viii.1990, TN & SO; nr. Tanah Rata, Robinson water fall, on dead leaves and branches, 21 females and 22 males, 28.viii.1990, TN & SO; nr. Tanah Rata, on dead leaves and branches, 26 females and 19 males, 30.viii.1990, TN & SO; Tanah Rata, on dead leaves and branches, 4 females and 7 males, 18.ix.1990, TN & SO; foot of Gnung Jasar, 1 male, on dead leaves and branches, 18.ix.1990, TN & SO .

Figures

FIGURES 1–14. Ecacanthothrips species. E. andrei 1–2: (1) female; (2) large male. E. brevicornis sp. n. 3–4: (3) female; (4) male. E. claricornis 5–6: (5) female; (6) large male. E. coniger 7–8: (7) female; (8) large male. E. leai 9–11: (9) female; (10) large male; (11) small male. E. moundi 12–13: (12) fmale; (13) large male. E. nigellus: (14) female.

FIGURES 84–92. Ecacanthothrips coniger. (84) Head and prothorax, female; (85) fore leg, female; (86) head and prothorax, large male; (87) antenna, female; (88) antennal segments III–V, female; (89) metanotum and pelta, female; (90) sub-basal wing setae, female; (91) prosternum and mesopresternum, female; (92) tube, female.