Key to Ecacanthothrips species

(*: E. spinipes and E. kolibaci are based on literature)

1. Fore femur with a median tubercle on inner margin in both sexes (cf. Figs 56 & 57), this tubercle present but scarcely visible even in very small female; fore coxa strongly extruded postero-externally in large male (tibialis -group)................. 2

- Fore femur with inner margin almost smooth or with a series of short stout setae on small tubercles; fore coxa not strongly extruded, at most weakly angulate in large male............................................................. 4

2. Antennal segments III and IV brown (Fig. 129); mid and hind femora anterior margins each with 2–4 (or more) dark stout setae with blunt or pointed apices (Fig. 133); pronotal am setae reduced, much shorter than aa in large male; fore tibia with a sub-apical inner tubercle in large male; pelta triangular (Fig. 132).............................................. tibialis

- Antennal segments III and IV largely yellowish; mid and hind femora anterior margins each with one pale stout seta with blunt or dilated apex (cf. Fig. 62); pronotal am setae elongate, longer than aa in large male; fore tibia without inner sub-apical tubercle even in large male; pelta bell-shaped (cf. Fig. 60)............................................................ 3

3. Antennal segment III slender, almost as wide as segment IV, usually with 4 or 5, sometimes 3, rarely 2, sense cones on ventral apex (Fig. 59).................................................................................... andrei

- Antennal segment III heavy, much wider than segment IV, with more than 10 sense cones (Fig. 79)............ claricornis

4. Fore femur with a row of short stout setae on small tubercles; mid and hind femora anterior margins with 5 or more stout setae with blunt or dilated apices; pelta widely triangular................................................... spinipes *

- Fore femur with inner margin almost smooth; mid and hind femora with 8 or more fine short setae with pointed apices; pelta usually bell-shaped.................................................................................... 5

5. Antennal segment III with more than 60 dark stout sense cones distributed asymmetrically on the segment, biased antero-externally (Fig. 88); antennal segments IV and V with distinct apical neck; mouth cone rather long, extending beyond prospinasternum (Fig. 91)......................................................................... coniger

- Antennal segment III with less than 20 sense cones; antennal segments IV and V without distinct apical neck; mouth cone shorter, scarcely reaching prospinasternum (cf. Fig. 99)....................................................... 6

6. Antennal segment III with four thick sense cones, most of which are on ventral apex of segment................ kolibaci *

- Antennal segment III with more than 6 sense cones (inarmatus -group)........................................... 7

7. Head about 1.1 times as long as wide in both sexes (cf. Figs 65 & 120)........................................... 8

- Head longer, 1.2–1.5 times as long as wide in female, 1.2–1.8 times in male (cf. Figs 93 & 103)....................... 9

8. Antenna short, shorter than 1.7 times as long as head in female, 1.9 times in male; segment VIII short, 2.1–2.3 times as long as wide, slightly constricted at base; segment III uniformly brown, swollen laterally, shorter than 1.4 times as long as wide, a little shorter than IV (Figs 67 & 68); mouth cone not reaching prosternal ferna in female; mid and hind tibiae shaded with brown medially; fore wing paler, scarcely shaded medially............................................. brevicornis sp. n.

- Antenna longer, about 2.0 times as long as head in female, 2.1 times in male; segment VIII slender, 2.8–3.3 times as long as wide, distinctly constricted at base, pedicellate; segment III brown with yellowish base, straight-sided, longer than 1.6 times as long as wide, a little longer than IV (Fig. 122); mouth cone extending beyond prosternal ferna; mid and hind tibiae yellow; fore wing shaded with brown........................................................................ tenuicornis

9. Mid and hind tibiae usually yellow, but sometimes brownish; head 1.2–1.3 times as long as wide in female, 1.2–1.4 times in male; cheeks distinctly constricted just behind eyes (Figs 93 & 94)............................................ leai

- Mid and hind tibiae darker, if yellow, head longer than 1.3 times as long as wide in female, longer than 1.5 times in male; cheeks constricted behind eyes, but not distinct (cf. Fig. 102)....................................................... 10

10. Sense cones on antennal segment III dark; inner margin of antennal segment III distinctly swollen at basal half; base of segment IV wider, almost as wide as apical width (Figs 114 & 115)................................................ nigellus

- Sense cones on antennal segment III pale; inner margin of antennal segment III not swollen at basal half; base of segment IV narrower than apical width (cf. Fig. 104).................................................................. 11

11. Head, prothorax and abdominal segments II to VI usually yellowish, a little paler than pterothorax; antennal segment III yellowish, much paler than segment II; hind tibiae dark brown, usually darker than femora.................... inarmatus

- Body uniformly dark brown; antennal segment III dark brown, scarcely paler than segment II; hind tibiae brown to dark brown, almost concolourous with femora, or a little paler....................................................... moundi