7 8 L. A. MOUND 



DICERATOTHRIPS Bagnall 



Diceratothrips Bagnall, 1908c : 193. Type-species D. bicornis, by monotypy. 



Dichaetothrips Hood, 1914 : 164-165. Type-species D. brevicollis, by monotypy. 



Dichaetothrips Hood as subgenus, Stannard, 1957 : 96-98. 



Ethirothtips Karny, 1925a : 133. Type-species Liothrips thomasseti Bagnall, designated by 



Priesner, 1949 : 129. Syn. n. 

 Percipiothrips Ananthakrishnan, 1964 : 72. Type-species Mesothrips indicus, by monotypy. 



Syn. n. 



The type-species of Dichaetothrips has not been seen by the present author, but 

 Stannard has indicated that the Hawaiian brevicornis Bagnall is congeneric with 

 brevicollis. Stannard has also indicated on a slide in the Bagnall collection that 

 Ethirothrips nigricornis (Bagnall) should be placed in Diceratothrips. Percipiothrips 

 was described in the Phlaeothripinae but can be recognized as a Megathripine from 

 the broad band-like maxillary stylets arranged as a broad V within the head, and 

 also from the three pairs of long setae on tergite IX of the male. Specimens from 

 Zululand identified by J. C. Faure as Scotothrips vitreipennis Priesner also belong on 

 this group. The genus may be redefined as follows : 



Head moderately long, almost parallel-sided, often weakly extended in front of eyes, each 

 cheek with a few setae. Maxillary stylets broad and band-like, wide apart in head. Postocellar 

 setae well developed, usually longer than side of ocellar triangle ; interocellar setae sometimes 

 long. Postocular setae arise behind inner margin of eyes ; vertex usually with one pair of 

 moderately stout setae medially. Antennae eight-segmented, two sense cones on III, and four 

 or five on IV ; segment VIII not strongly constricted basally ; segments V and VI weakly 

 extended ventrally in some species. Pronotum with five pairs of major setae, epimeral sutures 

 complete ; praepectus present, mesopraesternum well developed. Fore tarsus with a large 

 broad-based tooth ; fore wing with numerous accessory cilia. Metanotum and pelta reticulate ; 

 pelta broad, lateral lobes curve forward slightly away from tergite II. Abdominal tergites 

 each with a single pair of wing retaining setae ; tube fairly long, frequently constricted apically, 

 terminal cilia weak. 



Diceratothrips is here interpreted on a broad basis in order to draw together a 

 group of species which have many characters in common but most of which are 

 known from inadequate material. It is possible that the American species can be 

 separated from the African and Oriental species on the basis of the position of 

 insertion of the antennae and the presence of ventral prolongations on antennals V 

 and VI. However brevicollis Hood, the type-species of Dichaetothrips, is not know 

 to the present author. The species in which the tube has straight sides may need 

 to be separated, but this character as well as the presence of sculpturing on the tube 

 and the proximity of the maxillary stylets may be affected by the mounting proce- 

 dure. The African genus Isopterothrips is very close to Diceratothrips but has very 

 slender lateral lobes to the pelta, only three sense cones on antennal IV, and the 

 mesopraesternum is sexually dimorphic. The differences between the species 

 discussed here are summarized in the following key: 



1 Interocellar setae longer than postocellars ; antennals V and VI with ventral apical 

 prolongation ; pelta broad not trilobed ; posterolateral angles of mesopraesternum 

 form a right angle . ....... . armatus and bicornis 



