Holopothrips stannardi Mound & Marullo

Holopothrips stannardi Mound & Marullo

(Figs 254–256)

Holopothrips stannardi Mound & Marullo, 1996: 302.

Diagnostic features. Body (except antenna) uniformly brown; maxillary stylets parallel; pronotal setae with acute to blunt tips, one pair on epimeral region; metanotal sculpture formed by short longitudinal lines, sometimes enclosing thin reticles; pelta without elongate reticles bearing internal markings; males with three pore plates on sternite VIII only; female spermatheca thickened but not enlarged medially.

Comments. This species has body uniformly dark brown and wings slightly shaded. Males have sternite VIII bearing a narrow transverse pore plate and two additional oval anterolateral plates. It shares some similarities with H. erianthi, H. maiae and H. spermathecus, but differs in having po and all major pronotal setae acute to blunt, in contrast to the capitate setae of the other species. This thrips has the most northern distribution of the genus and is known only from leaf-rolled galls of Eugenia axillaris in Florida. It was collected together with Mixothrips craigheadi inside the galls and it is not clear which species is the gall inducer. Stannard (1968: 138) considered this species as the gynaecoid form of Mixothrips craigheadi Stannard.

Material studied. 1 male 2 female paratypes; United States, Florida, Everglades National Park, in Eugenia axillaris leaves, 18.ix.1960 (Craighead, F.C.), at BMNH and NMNH. Slides with code “6110784”.