The Old-World genus Ceratothripoides (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) with a new genus for related New-World species
Author
Mound, Laurence A.
Author
Nickle, David A.
text
Zootaxa
2009
2230
57
63
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.190287
11283f68-477e-48cf-baf9-98f5a5f44ea8
1175-5326
190287
Ceratothripoides cameroni
(Priesner)
Taeniothrips cameroni
Priesner, 1934
: 28
Bhatti (1990)
indicated that
C. cameroni
has antennal segment V yellow or shaded and legs yellow, whereas
C. claratris
has antennal V brown, and legs extensively brown. This statement concerning
C. cameroni
is true for the original specimens from
Sudan
, but other specimens collected subsequently from that country have the antennae variable in colour, even with segments IV–V light brown, and legs have extensive light brown shadings. Specimens examined from
Senegal
(in BMNH) are similar to these, and are thus slightly darker than the
type
specimens from
Sudan
. Specimens from
Nigeria
and
Saudi Arabia
(in BMNH) have rather darker hind femora, and antennal segment V is also brown. In contrast, all available specimens from
India
and
Thailand
have brown hind femora and brown antennal segment V, and these are identified as
C. claratris
. Whether these slight differences in colour represent two distinct species, or whether they are symptoms of intraspecific variation, as suggested by zur
Strassen (1975)
, remains unclear. The palest specimens, those that would be associated with the name
C. cameroni
, appear to come from the more arid areas, whereas the darker specimens, that would be associated with the name
C. claratris
, come generally from more humid areas. As indicated below, the two names are here retained because
C. claratris
is used for a form that is of economic significance, but the biological reality of these two colour forms requires further field studies.