272 C. B. WILLIAMS.^ — A NEW THRIPS DAMAGING COFFEE IN BRIT. E. AFRICA. 



Described from numerous females and nine males collected on coffee at Kabete. 

 British East Africa, in May 1915 by Mr. T. J. Anderson. 



Type in the British Museum. 



In the tube with the adults were also a large number of larvae and two prepupae. 

 From the occurrence of the latter it would appear that the pupal stages are passed 

 on the leaves with the larvae, but no doubt notes on the biology will be forthcoming 

 from Mr. Anderson. 



The larvae (described from specimens preserved in alcohol) are pale yellowish 

 in colour with the small eyes and the tip of the mouth-cone dark. There are the 

 usual spines on the ninth and tenth abdominal segments, but no characteristic 

 processes such as are found in some species. The length of the fully- grown larva 

 is 1*1 mm. The antennae (fig. 1 e) are six-segmented and comparatively short 

 (0'16 mm.). The head is a little longer than broad. 



The prepupa is also pale yellowish in colour, about 1*0 mm. in length and with 

 the wing rudiments reaching to the second abdominal segment. 



Amongst the larvae of D. cojjeae was a single larva of some species of thrips of the 

 family Aeolothripidae. The known larvae of this family are largely, if not entirely, 

 predaceous and frequently feed on other thrips and their larvae ; it is therefore 

 quite probable that this one was feeding on the larvae or adults of the coffee thrips. 

 It is similar in colour to the latter (pale yellow), but can easily be separated from 

 this by the larger size (1*4 mm.), the shorter head, which is much broader than 

 long, the longer legs and antennae, and its more active habits. The antenna is- 

 figured (fig. 1 /) for comparison with that of D. cojjeae, at the same magnification. 

 In the present state of our knowledge of the group it is not possible to say definitely 

 to which genus it belongs. 



Among about forty specimens of D. cojjeae examined there are two with abnormal 

 antennae. In the first, a female, the left antenna consists of only five segments, 

 segments 1-4 being normal, while the fifth resembles the fused 6th, 7th and 8th of 

 the normal antenna ; the normal 5th segment seems to have disappeared entirely ; 

 the right antenna is quite normal. In the second, a male, the right antenna consists 

 of seven segments, the reduction in this case being caused by the fusion of the 

 5th and 6th to form one long one ; the last two segments are normal as also is the 

 left antenna. 



[Mr. Anderson states that this thrips has done serious damage to the leaves of 

 coffee in several districts of British East Africa.' — Ed.] 



