Thrips alius Palmer, 1992

Patidar, Abhishek, Pal, Shash, Sarma, Madhurima, Kumar, Vikas & Tyagi, Kaomud, 2023, New records of the family Thripidae (Thysanoptera, Terebrantia) from India, Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics 9 (4), pp. 695-702 : 698

Thrips alius Palmer, 1992 ( Figs 11–18)

Diagnosis. Female macroptera. Body brown, setae dark; legs pale, mid and hind femora dark ( Fig. 11); antennal segment III–V pale with IV and V dark apically, VI paler at base ( Fig. 12); forewings paler at base ( Fig. 15). Head broader than long with transverse striations; ocellar setae III outside the ocellar triangle; postocular setae I and III well developed, II minute ( Fig. 13). Pronotum with striations; posteromarginal setae 3 pairs; posteroangular setae 2 pairs. Mesonotum with transverse striations; median pair of setae far away from the posterior margin; anteromedian campaniform sensilla present ( Fig. 14). Metanotum with reticulations having internal markings, arcuate sculpture on the anterior half; median pair of setae placed far behind the anterior margin; campaniform sensilla absent ( Fig. 15). Mesosternum with spinula and metasternum without spinula ( Fig. 16). Forewing first vein with 7 basal and 4 distal setae; clavus with 5 veinal setae and one apical seta, apical seta longer than subapical ( Fig. 15). Abdominal tergite II with 4 setae on each lateral side; VIII with posteromarginal comb absent or with few small microtrichia laterally ( Fig. 18). Abdominal sternites and pleurotergites without discal setae ( Fig. 17).

Material examined. India, West Bengal, Baruipur (22°21'35.3"N 88°25'56.2"E), 2♀, on general vegetation, 22.xi.2022, leg. Madhurima Sarma. (Registration No: 12408/H17 and 12410/H17) .

Distribution. India (New record), China (Mirab-balou et al., 2011), and Philippines.

Remarks. This species is most similar to T. javanicus Priesner, 1934 and can be differentiated from T. javanicus by the following characters: ocellar III outside of the ocellar triangle in alius (inside the ocellar triangle in T. javanicus ); metanotal sculpture with equiangular reticules in T. alius ((elongated reticulations in T. javanicus ); fore wing with 7+2+2+ 1 in T. alius (15+1+ 1 in T. javanicus ) ( Palmer, 1992, Mound, 2005).