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A SYNOPSIS OF THE THYSANOPTEROUS FAMILY 

 ^OLOTHRIPIDiE. 



By Richard S. Bagnall, F.L.S., Hope Dept. of Zoology, 

 University Museum, Oxford. 



The JEolothripidœ are a small but abundantly characterised 

 family of the Tcrchrantia, of which only about two dozen species 

 are described. The fact that the species of this family are 

 moderately large, and would therefore not be overlooked, goes 

 to show that though widespread in their distribution the family 

 is not largely represented, otherwise more material would have 

 come into the hands of Thysanopterists. 



The group is an interesting one, as it is apparently composed 

 of the most primitive Thysanopterous insects, which, con- 

 sidering recent discoveries made in the United States of America, 

 would seem to have originated in the New World, 



Unlike most families of the order, the genera and species 

 of MolothripidcB can be separated on very satisfactory and 

 definite structural characters. 



Sub-order Terebrantia. 



Family .-Eolothripidcv. 



Antennae nine-segmented, either freely movable or with the 

 apical joints connate ; intermediate segments usually cylindrical, 

 without specialised chaetotaxy, but uniformly clothed with 

 short setae. No sense-cones present ; membranous, longitudi- 

 nally elongated sensory areas on segments three and four, and 

 smaller areas on certain other segments. Maxillary palpi genicu- 

 late, 3-8 segmented ; labial palpi 2-5 segmented. Wings, when 

 present, large, broad and rounded apically ; forewing with a 

 heavy ring-vein and two longitudinal veins reaching from base 

 to tip and each uniting with the ring-vein before tip ; cross 

 veins usually present ; front margin of forewings without, or 



