Redescriptions of Anaphothrips orchidaceus and A. orchidearum (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

Abstract

Although both Anaphothrips orchidaceus Bagnall and A. orchidearum Bondar have long been known to be economically significant thrips on orchids, no functional description for separating them has been recorded, and the validity of the latter species has never been scrutinized. An earlier attempt to study them (Sakimura 1955) brought no results because the type specimens of A. orchidearum were not where they were presumably deposited. Upon my recent visit, L. J. Stannard at Urbana, Illinois, showed me the type slide which was on loan from the American Museum of Natural History. Soon thereafter, syntypes of both species as well as a long series of non-type material became available on loan from the U. S. National Museum through arrangement by Kellie O'Neill. S. F. Bailey also provided a loan of some other slides. Acknowledgments are due to all of them for their gracious cooperation. As will be shown in the text, the two taxa are readily separable on the subspecies level by wing color, antennal structure, and other minor differences. They are herewith designated as Antaphothrips orchidaceus subsp. orchidaceus (Bagnall) and Anaphothrips orchidaceus subsp. orchidearum (Bondar).