Scirtothrips musciaffinis Johansen and Mojica-Guzmán, 1998

Scirtothrips silvicola Johansen and Mojica-Guzmán, 1998: 61–62 syn. n.

Scirtothrips texoloensis Johansen and Mojica-Guzmán, 1998: 63 syn. n.

Scirtothrips totonacus Johansen and Mojica-Guzmán, 1998: 65 syn. n.

The museum material of S. totonacus and S. texoloensis and one paratype of S. musciaffinis have the same collection localities in the State of Veracruz; the holotype of S.musciaffinis was collected in the State of Morelos.The descriptions of S. totonacus and S. texoloensis were compared (pages 61, 63, 65), and no details indicating their distinctiveness were found. The chaetotaxy on the head and pronotum are highly similar, as well as the coloration pattern of bright antennae, reddish-yellow body, and shiny wings. The holotype of S. silvicola is from the State of Puebla, and the authors pointed out the position of interocellar setae present between the posterior ocelli. Nonetheless, the review of the specimen labeled as the holotype shows only one seta on the inner margin of the ocellar triangle, between posterior ocelli; the other one is also inside the ocellar triangle but mid the anterior and hind ocelli.

With this proposal, males of S. musciaffinis are now known. They clearly show drepanae, and until contrary, new evidence on the high variability of the length in posteromarginal setae is presented; this morphological character may be helpful for further distinction between Scirtothrips species (Mound & Palmer 1981). Although Scirtothrips is one of the best-known genera because of the species associated with agricultural production, the genus has presented conflicting nomenclature in México. Complete lists of American biodiversity of the genus are found in a few States in the USA. These include California (11), Georgia (2), Illinois (3), and Florida (5), as well as Costa Rica (10) in Central America. Following the 11 official reports of the genus in California (Hoddle et al. 2019), the species S. albus, S. citri, S. dorsalis, S. longipennis, and S. perseae are shared with México. Only one species of the genus ( Scirtothrips abditus) is shared with Costa Rica (Mound & Marullo 1996).

The diversity of thrips in México is highly recognized (Johansen & Mojica-Guzmán 1996). Thus, an adequate taxonomy of their species corresponds to improving knowledge of the interactions between species and their natural hosts then making comprehensive studies that extension agents can use to help with phytosanitary management. The morphological assessment of the 12 species of Scirtothrips known from México allowed us to establish synonymy of three species; therefore, this genus conforms to 12 species in this country:

S. abditus Mound and Marullo

S. albosilvicola Johansen and Mojica-Guzmán

S. albus (Jones)

S. aztecus Johansen and Mojica-Guzmán

S. bisbravoae Johansen

S. citri (Moulton)

S. cognatoalbus Johansen and Mojica-Guzmán

S. dorsalis Hood

S. longipennis (Bagnall)

S. musciaffinis Johansen and Mojica-Guzmán

S. perseae Nakahara

S. zacualtipanensis Johansen and Mojica-Guzmán