Ankothrips aequalisAnkothrips aequalisBoth sexes fully winged. Body and legs largely brownish yellow, sternites with dark brown antecostal ridge; antennal segments IV–IX light brown, I–III paler; fore wings weakly shaded. Antennae 9-segmented, IX longer than VIII, sensoria transverse on III & IV, segment II apex prolonged ventro-laterally into serrate lobe. Head with ocellar setae I arising on slightly bifurcate tubercle with almost parallel sides, setae III arise within ocellar triangle. Head with 3 pairs of long postocular setae. Pronotum posterior margin with 7–8 pairs of prominent setae, one posteroangular pair at least three times as long as discal setae. Mesonotum with microtrichia on sculpture lines of posterior half. Metanotum medially with sculpture almost linear and bearing microtrichia, median setae near posterior margin. Abdominal tergite VIII median setae more than 0.5 as long as tergite; tergite X with paired trichobothria well developed. Sternite VII posterior margin with pair of lobes each bearing two setae at base.
This species is apparently known only from four females and three males. Currently there are 13 species listed in the genus Ankothrips, seven of which are from western USA , with five recorded from California (Bailey, 1957). Of the others, one is from SW Africa, one from Iran, and four from southern or eastern Europe. Although at one time considered members of the Aeolothripidae, all females of Melanthripidae have a pair of lobes at the posterior margin of sternite VII, a condition that is otherwise found only in females of Merothripidae.
Known only from specimens taken from Prunus flowers [Rosaceae], and presumably breeding in flowers.
Recorded only from California and Washington.
MELANTHRIPIDAE
Ankothrips aequalis Moulton
Ankothrips aequalis Moulton, 1926: 20
Bailey SF (1940) A review of the genus Ankothrips D.L.Crawford (Thysanoptera). Pan-Pacific Entomologist 16: 97–106.
Bailey SF (1957) The thrips of California Part I: Suborder Terebrantia. Bulletin of California Insect Survey 4: 143–220.
