Thrips quadridentatus Trybom

Thrips quadridentata Trybom, 1910: 164

This species is known only from the two original males, collected in the flowers of Acacia horrida in the Kalahari, in January, 1905. These specimens are preserved in the collections of the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, and mounted onto slides by J.S. Bhatti in 1970. Long preservation in alcohol has caused serious deterioration in the two specimens. The most complete specimen, labelled “ Lectotype “, has a single metanotal campaniform sensillum, although a pair of sensilla is present on the incomplete specimen (Fig. 44). Microtrichial rows are visible on the anterior pleurotergites of the Lectotype, but these are not visible on the second specimen. Males in the genus Thrips typically have a row of four setae medially on tergite IX, but on neither specimen of T. quadridentatus can these setae be seen. Unfortunately tergite IX is severely distorted in both specimens, but one pair of short stout setae can be seen sub-medially on the posterior margin. The identity of this species remains in doubt, but the type specimens are possibly aberrant individuals of Thrips acaciae, with which species they were collected.