Leaf-feeding species of the genus Liothrips from China (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae) Author Dang, Lihong 0000-0002-7571-8426 School of Bioscience and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Technology, Hanzhong, 723000, China. danglihong@snut.edu.cn Author An, Yiyan 0009-0002-6134-9188 School of Bioscience and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Technology, Hanzhong, 723000, China. Author Mound, Laurence A. Australian National Insect Collection CSIRO, PO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601. Author Qiao, Gexia Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China. & College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19, Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing 100049, China. text Zootaxa 2024 2024-03-05 5419 1 53 84 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5419.1.2 journal article 292472 10.11646/zootaxa.5419.1.2 4c86fa9e-5cda-46d6-bd48-910ece0acf61 1175-5326 10781919 23F0CA38-AA36-4B65-9D76-E798882ED1EF Liothrips hsuae Wang & Lin Liothrips hsuae Wang & Lin, 2020: 362 . Described from Taiwan on Ficus sp. , this species was stated to be similar to L. piperinus , but it seems to be more similar to L . kuwayamai in body shape and coloration. Both of them have a complete mesopresternum with median protrusion, although in Liothrips species this sclerite is usually eroded medially or divided into two lateral triangles. Wang and Lin (2020) indicated that these two species might be distinguished by length of pronotal am, which was minute in L . kuwayamai but well-developed in L . hsuae . However, the redescription of L . kuwayamai from Okajima (2006) based on 131 females including the holotype showed that both am and aa setae on the pronotum were well-developed, and no other features were found to differentiate these species. Therefore, L. hsuae is possibly a synonym of L . kuwayamai and is excluded from the key given above.