Aesthesiothrips jatrophae Ananthakrishnan

(Figs 15–20, 213)

Aesthesiothrips jatrophae Ananthakrishnan, 1961: 253–254 .

This species was originally described based on two damaged females from northern India, and recorded subsequently from Peninsular Malaysia (Palmer & Mound 1978). It is now recorded from Singapore and Sabah, Borneo, for the first time. The short postocular setae and ventrally prolonged compound eyes are in common with A. elongatus sp. n., but the fore tibia armed with an inner apical tubercle is peculiar in the genus. It is probably more closely related to elongatus rather than breviconus .

Diagnosis. Fore tibiae dark brown, a little paler than femora. Head (Fig. 15) about 2.3 times as long as broad; basal collar weakly protruded at middle. Postocular setae short, much shorter than postocellars; postocellar setae situated on a level of behind margins of posterior ocelli. Eyes prolonged ventrally (Fig. 16). Sense-cones on antennal segment III–V curved and elongate. Pronotum about 1/4 the length of head in female, about 0.3 times as long as head in male. Fore femur with a short dorso-external seta, about 50μm long; fore tibia with an apical inner tubercle (Fig. 18) in both sexes. Prospinasternum moderately developed, circular or oval. Posteromarginal setae on tergite IX almost as long as tube, or a little shorter. Tube weakly convex (Fig. 20).

Specimens-examined. Singapore, 1 female and 1 male, Macritchie Res., on dead branches, 8.viii.1990, TN & SO. Borneo, 1 female, Sabah, Jl. Kimanis, 18km from Keningau, on dead leaves and branches, 3.ix.1990. TN & SO.