Dendrothrips eastopiDendrothrips eastopiBoth sexes fully winged. Body and legs yellow, only antennal segments V–IX brown; fore wing completely pale. Antennae 9-segmented, segment VI with a complete transverse suture; segments III–IV each with a forked sense cone. Head with ocellar setae pair III about 1.5 times as long as the diameter of an ocellus, and weakly spatulate; maxillary palps 2-segmented. Pronotum with one pair of prominent posteroangular setae that are strongly spatulate. Metanotum with narrow elongate reticulation, median pair of setae small and arising medially. Metathoracic furca lyre-shaped, extending into mesothorax. Tarsi all 1-segmented. Fore wing apex bluntly rounded, antero-marginal cilia arising ventrally behind apparent margin, veinal setae minute, postero-marginal cilia straight. Abdominal tergites II–VIII median setae long and close together; lateral thirds of tergites with transverse striae, of which the posterior striae bear microtrichia-like ridges; VIII with short postero-marginal comb of microtrichia. Sternites III–VII with three pairs of small postero-marginal setae.
There are about 55 species listed in the genus Dendrothrips, of which only four are known from Britain, and a further five from elsewhere in Europe. Most species in this genus are known from Africa, Asia and Australia. They all have the metathoracic furca elongate and "lyre-shaped", as do other members of the Dendrothripinae (Mound & Tree, 2016). However, in Dendrothrips species the fore wing is unusual with the antero-marginal cilia arising ventrally and well-behind the apparent anterior margin. D. eastopi is similar to saltator in having a pair of short but conspicuous posteroangular setae on the pronotum, but the tergal sculpture is transversely elongate not reticulate.
Apparently associated only with Hedera helix [Araliaceae], and feeding, breeding and pupating on the leaves.
In Britain, known only from the type specimens taken in Kew Gardens (Pitkin & Palmer, 1975), but this species has also been reported from Germany (zur Strassen, 2003) and is possibly more widespread.
THRIPIDAE - DENDROTHRIPINAE
Dendrothrips eastopi Pitkin & Palmer
Dendrothrips eastopi Pitkin & Palmer, 1975: 75
Mound LA & Tree DJ (2016) Genera of the leaf-feeding Dendrothripinae (Thysanoptera, Thripidae), with new species from Australia and Sulawesi, Indonesia. Zootaxa 4109 (5): 569–582.
Pitkin BR & Palmer JM (1975) A new species of Dendrothrips Uzel (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on ivy in Kew Gardens, Surrey. Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine 110: 75–78.
zur Strassen R (2003) Die terebranten Thysanopteren Europas und des Mittelmeer-Gebietes. Die Tierwelt Deutschlands 74: 1–271.
