Craspedothrips, zur Strassen, 1966

Mound, L. A., Masumoto, M. & Okajima, S., 2012, The Palaeotropical genus Craspedothrips, with new species from Africa and Malaysia (Thysanoptera, Thripinae), Zootaxa 3478, pp. 49-61 : 51

Craspedothrips zur Strassen

Craspedothrips zur Strassen, 1966: 444. Type species Physothrips hargreavesi Karny , by monotypy.

Craspedothrips (Antenothrips) Bhatti, 1995: 76 . Type species Physothrips antennatus Bagnall by original designation.

This genus was erected for a single species that is known to be widespread across Africa. Subsequently, a second species, described originally from India, was transferred into the genus ( Mound 1968), and Bhatti (1978) redefined Craspedothips to include three further previously described species, two African and one Asian, and later ( Bhatti 1995) included another two African species.

The genus is considered to be related to Pezothrips and Ceratothripoides within the Megalurothrips genus-group ( Mound & Palmer 1981), particularly because of the presence of a pair of dorso-apical setae on the first antennal segment. However, in contrast to Megalurothrips species , no species of Craspedothrips has a group of microtrichia in irregular rows anterolateral to each spiracle, and there is no posteromarginal comb on tergite VIII. In contrast, most species of Craspedothrips have a distinct ctenidium-like row of microtrichia anterior to each spiracle on tergite VIII ( Fig. 17 ), these being particularly well-developed in hargreavesi , but absent in antennalis and xanthocerus , and variably weak in the other species. Moreover, Neotropical species currently placed in Retanathrips Mound & Nickle (2009) are also related, and future studies, preferably incorporating molecular data, will need to consider the possibility that a single pantropical lineage is involved.

Also related are the Oriental genera, Aroidothrips and Filipinothrips , in which the species have paired dorsoapical setae on antennal segment I, three sensoria on segment V, an irregular group of microtrichia near the spiracles on tergite VIII, and sexually dimorphic antennae. Mycterothrips species similarly share the character state of antennal segment I, and many species in that genus exhibit sexual dimorphism in the antennae ( Masumoto & Okajima 2006). Species of the grass-associated genus, Plesiothrips , also exhibit these two states, but males of Plesiothrips species have a pair of drepanae on tergite IX, similar to those of Trichromothrips species , and these two genera are possibly less closely related to Craspedothrips . Relationships among these genera of Thripinae remain far from clear.

The subgenus Antennothrips was erected for two African species in which females differ from the other members of the genus in lacking craspeda on the posterior margins of the tergites ( Figs 7 , 32 ) and sternites, and a third species with this condition is described below ( Fig. 25 ). Males are not known for these three species, and males are known for only two species in the nominate genus. The males of one have no craspeda on the tergites or sternites, but the males of the other have craspeda on the tergites but not the sternites; the presence or absence of craspeda is thus probably not a good indicator of relationships in this group of species. One of the two species assigned originally to Antennothrips is unusual in lacking ocellar setae pair I ( Fig. 30 ). This condition is also shared by one species currently placed in Craspedothrips but that is unique in the genus in having a comb of microtrichia on the posterior margin of the eighth tergite. Considering this structural diversity, and the fact that three new species of Craspedothrips were discovered during one short visit to Kenya (by S.O.), it seems likely that the diversity of African Thripinae remains poorly explored. The chaetotaxy of the fore wing is stable among species of Craspedothrips : first vein with 4 setae near base, then a short gap followed by a row of about 14–18 setae (rarely as few as 10), then a sub-apical gap followed by 2 setae; second vein with about 13–17 setae; clavus with 5 marginal and 1 discal setae.

Figures

FIGURES 15–21. Craspedothrips species. C. malaysiae 15–19: (15) holotype - pro, meso and metanota, and tergites I–II; (16) paratype from Bali—head and thorax; (17) tergite VIII; (18) tergites VI–IX; (19) sternites V–VII. C. minor 20–21: (20) antenna; (21) head & pronotum.

FIGURES 1–7. Craspedothrips species. C. antennalis 1–4: (1) antennal segments V–VIII; (2) antennal segments I–IV; (3) pro-, meso- and meta-nota; (4) sternites V–VII. C. antennatus 5–7: (5) antennal segments III–V; (6) pro, meso & metanota, and tergites I–II; (7) tergites VI–IX.

FIGURES 29–33. Craspedothrips species. (29) C. reticulatus male head and antennae. C. xanthocerus 30–33: (30) head and thorax; (31) meso- and meta-nota; (32) tergites VI–X; (33) antenna, head and pronotum.

FIGURES 22–28. Craspedothrips species. C. nyanzai 22–23: (22) pro, meso and metanota, and tergites I–II; (23) antenna. C. poecilus 24–25: (24) pro, meso and metanota, and tergites I–II; (25) tergites V–IX. C. reticulatus 26–28: (26) head and thorax; (27) tergites I–V; (28) sternites V–VII.