Leptothrips heliomanes Hood 1927

Leptothrips heliomanes Hood

Leptothrips heliomanes Hood, 1927a: 202.

Described from an unspecified number of both sexes taken from an unknown plant near Palm Springs, California, a Lectotype was designated for this species by Pitkin (1978: 282). The number of major sense cones on antennal segment IV was stated by Johansen (1987: 78) to be three plus a minor one. However, re-examination of the lectotype and seven specimens bearing the same data has confirmed that all of them bear four sensilla basiconica (= major sense cones) on this segment. In May, 2015, heliomanes was found in large numbers at Big Morongo Canyon, 50 miles east of Riverside. It was breeding on grasses in association with unidentified mites. Adults collected at the same site but on the leaves of Prosopis trees have shorter antennae with only three sense cones on segment IV and possibly represent papago. Series of heliomanes typically have few or no duplicated cilia on the fore wing, but individuals sometimes have up to 6 cilia on one but not on both fore wings. Moreover, the duplicated cilia on some wings are unusually slender. Samples sometimes include individuals with three major sense cones on segment IV, and if such individuals were collected alone they would be identified as either papago or primigenus, depending on the presence or absence of duplicated cilia. Despite this, judging from the many specimens in ERMR, it appears that heliomanes is a valid species and probably the Western version of the Eastern species mali.