Holopothrips signatus Hood

Lindner, Mariana F., Ferrari, Augusto, Mound, Laurence A. & Cavalleri, Adriano, 2018, Holopothrips diversity-a Neotropical genus of gall-inducing insects (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae), Zootaxa 4494 (1), pp. 1-99 : 81

Holopothrips signatus Hood

( Figs 222–225 )

Holopothrips signatus Hood, 1914: 50 .

Diagnostic features. Body (except antenna) mostly brown, with abdominal segments II–III yellow, hind femora frequently yellow as well; maxillary stylets parallel; one pair of long setae on epimeral region; metanotal sculpture formed by elongate reticles bearing internal markings; pelta reticulate and without internal markings; males with pore plates on sternites V–VIII; female spermatheca enlarged medially.

Comments. This is the type species of the genus, and was described from Panama in Hura crepitans galls, together with H. tenuis . It is one of four Holopothrips species with the body mostly brown, but with a few abdominal segments pale. In H. signatus only segments II–III are yellow, and the hind femora are clear yellow in contrast to the brown tibiae ( Fig. 222 ). However, this seems to be a variable characteristic, as the original description noted that some specimens had the hind femora almost as brown as the body, and at least one of the individuals studied in this work had the hind femora largely shaded brown. Males have pore plates in sternites V– VIII, two anteroangular plates and two lateral plates posterior to the discal setae; however, the posterior plate in sternite VIII may be a complete band or interrupted medially ( Fig. 225 ).

Material studied. 1 male and 1 female paratypes; Panama, Taboga Island , under surface of Hura crepitans leaves, 18.x.1913 (Zetek, J.), at BMNH . 1 male topotype, same collection data, at NMNH.

Figures

FIGURES 221–225. Holopothrips porrosati and H. signatus. (221) Holopothrips porrosati paratype, body; 222–225. Holopothrips signatus paratype and topotype: (222) body; (223) head and pronotum; (224) mesonotum and metanotum; (225) pore plates on abdominal sternites V–VIII.