222 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, '09 



SCIRTOTHRIPS n. gen. (Figs. 2-4). 

 (o-Ktpraw, to leap ; 0pty, a wood-worm.) 



Ocelli present. Head is shorter than broad and shorter than 

 prothorax. Antennae eight-segmented. Maxillary palpi three- 

 segmented. Legs bearing only medium to weak spines. Wings 

 present, with rugose veins bearing weak spines. One spine of 

 moderate length is borne by each posterior angle of the prothorax. 

 None of the body spines stout. 



Species of this genus have the poiver of springing. 



This genus reminds one at once of the genus Anaphothrips 

 Uzel, but can be at once distinguished from that genus by the 

 above italicized characters. It can be further distinguished 

 from our member of that genus, A. striatus (Osborn), by the 

 fact that the sixth antenual segment is not divided by an 

 oblique groove. By proposing the name Scirtothrips , I do not 

 wish to imply that the leaping of this insect is remarkable for 

 its vigor ; on the contrary, its leap is weaker than that of 

 many other springing species. I do wish, however, to empha- 

 size the fact that it does spring, for it is this character, I be- 

 lieve, which most surely marks the new species as belonging 

 to a genus distinct from Anaphothrips. It might be fairly 

 doubted whether two insects so similar in general form and in 

 type of wing should be placed in separate genera merely be- 

 cause the original description of the one genus precluded a 

 short head and a given spine on the prothorax ; but when 

 these structural differences are accompanied by a difference of 

 habit, there is good reason for the erection of a new genus, 

 particularly since the habits of thrips, at least in the matter of 

 springing, are more constant than many of the structural char- 

 acters commonly used to distinguish species. 



Scirtothrips ruthveni n. sp. (Figs. 2-4). 



Female. General color of body lemon-yellow, without any shading. 

 Length of body .85 mm. ; width of prothorax .15 mm. ; width of meso- 

 thorax .21 mm. ; width of abdomen .21 mm. Length of antennal seg- 

 ments 15 //, 36 p, 41 /A, 36 /A, 33 fj., 39 fji, 6 /A, 10 p. 



Head 1.8 times as broad as long. Frons emarginate between antennae. 

 Spines few and weak, those most readily visible being one at each side of 

 the head just behind the eye ; others apparently not constant. Eyes 

 black, slightly protruding, sparsely pilose. Ocelli clustered, with red- 



