Holopothrips hambletoni Hood

Holopothrips hambletoni Hood

(Figs 99–101)

Holopothrips hambletoni Hood, 1938: 235.

Holopothrips certus Moulton 1938: 379.

Diagnostic features. Body (except antenna) uniformly brown; maxillary stylets parallel; one pair of long setae on epimeral region; mesonotal and metanotal sculptures formed by broad reticles without internal markings; males with three broad pore plates on sternites VI–VIII, the posterior plate on VI interrupted medially, and the posterior plate on VIII extending towards the tergite.

Comments. Described from some specimens collected in a plant without identification in Southeastern Brazil, H. hambletoni is one of the few uniformly brown Holopothrips species with somewhat equiangular reticles on metanotum, without internal markings (Fig. 100). This trait is shared with H. ananasi (whose reticles are smaller and present on the head as well), H. claritibialis, H. pennatus (with all tibiae clear yellow, while H. hambletoni has the mid and hind tibiae bicoloured or brown), H. punctatus sp. n. (with minute sculptured tubercles laterally on head and a lighter body colour) and H. tillandsiae (with two pairs of ep setae and males without pore plates).

Material studied. 1 male paratype; Brazil, São Paulo, from unidentified plant, ix.1935, (Hambleton, E.J.), at NMNH. Slide with note “No. 10, his letter of June 9, 1936 ”.