Dolichothrips reuteri (Karny)

(Figs 4, 15, 29, 33, 38)

Liothrips reuteri Karny, 1920: 40; 1921: 47.

Liothrips karnyi Bagnall, 1924: 631 . Unnecessary replacement name.

Neoheegeria flavipes Moulton, 1928: 317 . Syn.n.

Neither the original 4-line description of reuteri, nor the extensive 1921 description, mention how many specimens were involved, but the species seems to have been based on a single female collected just south of Brisbane (Cedar Creek) in Queensland, Australia. This specimen has been compared to many specimens taken commonly in eastern Queensland, between the New South Wales border and the Torres Strait Islands, also around Darwin. Both sexes have been found in large numbers in the hairy apical buds of both Macaranga tanarius and Hibiscus tiliaceus . A few specimens have also been studied from Malaysia at Kuala Lumpur, and from Singapore, and also from the Solomon Islands. Moulton described flavipes from a series of both sexes taken from Euphorbia in Taiwan, and two females from the type series have been studied. Okajima (2006) interpreted flavipes as having the mid and hind tibiae variable in colour. However, the common species recorded on Mallotus from the Ryukyu Islands is here considered to be indicus, because the yellow area on the tibiae is never extensive. In structure, reuteri is closely similar to indicus, with similar thorax (Figs 4, 15), tergites (Fig. 29) and mouth cone (Fig. 38). On tergite IX of males, setae S2 are moderately stout and about 25 microns long, and about the same length as the iS setae. Most specimens of reuteri throughout its range have long slender almost pointed postocular setae, but a few specimens from around Darwin and also Kuala Lumpur have these setae shorter and distinctly capitate.

Specimens examined. AUSTRALIA, Queensland: Cedar Creek, holotype female, in the Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm .

TAIWAN, Taihoku, xi.1926, from Euphorbia, holotype female of flavipes in California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, paratype female in BMNH, London.

AUSTRALIA, Queensland: Brisbane, Long Pocket, 2 females, 2 males from Macaranga tanarius buds, 6.iii.2006 ; Surfers Paradise, 6 females, 4 males from Macaranga tanarius fls, 31.viii.2009 ; Paluma, 1 female from dead lvs, 15.vii.1995 ; Cape Tribulation, 4 females, 5 males from Macaranga tanarius fls, 7.vii.1995 , 2 females from Melastoma lvs, 8.x.2012; Atherton, 7 females, 4 males from Cissus lvs, 1.viii.2004 ; Torres Strait Islands— Badu, Boigu, Darnley, Thursday Yam— 15 females, 14 males from Macaranga tanarius fls, 18-20.xi.2009 . New South Wales, Crystal Creek, Murwillumbah, 16 females, 6 males from Macaranga tanarius young lvs, 23.xii.2006 . Northern Territory, Darwin, Lee Point, 10 females, 8 males from Hibiscus tiliaceus leaf bracts, 30.xii.1995 ; Litchfield, National Park, 3 females, 3 males from Macaranga tanarius lvs, 31.xii.1995 , 1 female, 1 male from Antidesma ghesembilla curled lvs, 31.xii.1995; Humpty Doo, 2 females, 1 male from Antidesma ghesembilla lvs, 24.xii.1996 . MALAYSIA, Kuala Lumpur, University Botanic Gardens, 3 females, 1 male from Piper lvs, 8.vii.2006 . SINGAPORE, Botanic Gardens, 1 female, 1 male from Melastoma, 28.viii.2001 . SOLOMON ISLANDS, Malaita, 4 females 4 males from Hibiscus tiliaceus lvs, 15.xii.1975 .