An illustrated key to the genera of Thripinae (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) from Iran

Abstract An illustrated key is provided for the identification of 35 genera of Thripinae (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) from Iran with comments for each genus. Chirothrips maximi Ananthakrishnan and Limothrips cerealium Haliday are recorded from Iran for the first time. A checklist is provided of Thripinae recorded from this country.


Introduction
The family Thripidae (Thysanoptera: Terebrantia) at present comprises more than 2000 described species, which are classified into four subfamilies, Thripinae, Dendrothripinae, Sericothripinae, and Panchaetothripinae (Bhatti 1989). The present study follows the interpretation of Thripinae in this classification. Another recent classification of Terebrantia (Bhatti 2006) recognizes three superfamilies and 12 families for taxa included in the four subfamilies of Thripidae, and the taxa of the earlier subfamily Thripinae are included in three families (Chirothripidae, Projectothripidae, and Thripidae) (Bhatti 2006).
Thripinae (sensu Bhatti 1989) comprising 1600 species in 230 genera worldwide is the largest subfamily. Members of Thripinae exhibit a wide range of biologies. Many

Agalmothrips Priesner
Remarks. Included here only from descriptions, the sole species in this genus, A. parviceps Priesner, was described from Sudan (Priesner 1964), subsequently reported and re-characterized from India (Bhatti 1978

Bregmatothrips Hood
Remarks. This is a common genus of grass-living species in tropical and subtropical areas (Mound and Marullo 1996;Mound 2011a), with nine species worldwide (Mound 2011a, ThripsWiki 2013) of these B. bournieri Pelikán is found in Iran (Pelikán 1988;Bhatti et al. 2009a). This genus is closely related to Sorghothrips by having antennal segment I with paired median dorsoapical setae, and the abdominal tergites with posteromarginal craspeda and the median campaniform sensilla close to the posterior margin (Masumoto and Okajima 2006).

Chaetanaphothrips Priesner
Remarks. This is an Asian leaf-living genus (Pitkin 1977), and now includes 20 species (ThripsWiki 2013). Several of these are widespread around the world, and are considered pests on their host plants. C. theiperdus is a pest of tea in Java and Peninsular Malaysia; C. leeuweni (Karny), C. orchidii (Moulton) and C. signipennis (Bagnall) are pests of Bananas in some tropical countries (Kudô 1985, Mound andMarullo 1996); C. orchidii is a most widely distributed polyphagous species and is also recorded as a pest of some ornamental plants in greenhouses in Europe and North America (Kudô 1985, Mound andNg 2009). Species of this genus may be distinguished from other Thripinae by the presence of modified spiracles on abdominal tergite VIII. This genus was reported from Iran by Esmaili (1983), based on an undetermined species (Chaetanaphothrips sp.) noted as pest of citrus fruits in Iran.

Chirothrips Haliday
Remarks. Species of this genus breed only in the flowers of grasses and are readily recognized from the shape of the head, pronotum, fore legs and antennae. This genus includes 53 species in the world (ThripsWiki 2013). Six species in Chirothrips and two species in Agrostothrips Hood have been reported from Iran (Bhatti et al. 2009a) but subsquentley Minaei and Mound (2010) considered Agrostothrips as a synonym of Chirothrips and five species and one species-group (manicatus group) have been recognized in this country. A key also to the Chirothrips species from Iran was given by Minaei and Mound (2010).

Chirothrips maximi Ananthakrishnan
Remarks. This species is here recorded from Iran for the first time, based on one apterous male.

Ficothrips Minaei
Remarks. This genus originally described from Iran with only one species, F. moundi (Minaei 2012b). This monobasic genus is superficially similar to Scolothrips or Parascolothrips. Morphologically, Ficothrips is interesting because simultaneously bears two charchter states that have been evolved rarely in Thripidae: nine antennal segments and severall long setae on the pronotum. The species was collected on fig leaves infested by Eotetranychus hirsti Pritchard and Baker (Acari, Tetranychidae) and the low density of species suggest that it may be a predator on that mite (Minaei 2012b).

Florithrips Bhatti
Remarks. This genus includes two species in the world (ThripsWiki 2013), of these F. traegardhi was recorded from Iran on the base of a few specimens collected on corn and wheat in Khozestan Province (Ramezani et al. 2012). Leaf damage to cereal crops is recorded for this species (Mound and Kibby 1998).

Frankliniella Karny
Remarks. This is a large genus of about 230 species, 90% of which are from Neotropics (Mound and Marullo 1996), with only five species recorded from Iran (Mirab-balou and Chen 2011a). The genus can be recognized by having ctenidia anterolateral to each spiracle on abdominal tergite VIII, presence of five pairs of long pronotal setae, and a complete setal row on both upper and lower veins of the fore wings (Mound and Marullo 1996). A key to Iranian species is available in Mirab-balou and Chen (2011a). The species of this genus recorded from Iran are most associated with the family Rosaceae (Mirab-balou and Chen 2011a). The reports of two species from Iran have not been accepted (Bhatti and zur Strassen 2009): F. cephalica (D.L. Crawford) and F. tritici (Fitch).

Kakothrips Williams
Remarks. This genus includes seven species (ThripsWiki 2013), of which three are recorded from Iran (Mirab-balou and Chen 2011a). Kakothrips is included in the Frankliniella genusgroup (Mound and Palmer 1981a;. This genus is distinguished from Frankliniella by moderately developed ctenidia laterally on abdominal tergites VI-VII whereas well-developed in Frankliniella, and the pronotum lacks a pair of minor setae medially on the posterior margin. In addition, males of Kakothrips species have a pair of stout tubercles laterally on tergite VIII, whereas none of the Frankliniella species has such structures (Moritz et al. 2001). Zur Strassen (2003a) provided a key to seven species from Europe; and a key to the three species in Iran is available in Mirab-balou and Chen (2011a).
This species is distinguished from other species by tarsi 1-segmented, absence of ocelli, and antennal segments III and IV with simple sensoria. This European pest of cereal crops is now widespread throughout the temperate and subtropical areas of the world. Adults are usuallymacropterous, but apterae have been recorded from Sardinia (Karny 1914) and Corsica (Mound and Palmer 1973), and now from Iran.

Megalurothrips Bagnall
Remarks. Thirteen species are included in this genus (ThripsWiki 2013), all breeding in the flowers of Fabaceae some as pests of cultivated legumes (Masumoto 2010). Recently, M. distalis (Karny) was recorded from Iran (Mirab-balou and Chen 2011b). The members of this genus all have a pair of dorso-apical setae on the first antennal segment, and abdominal tergite VIII with many scattered microtrichia anterior to the spiracles (Mound and Ng 2009).

Microcephalothrips Bagnall
Remarks. This monobasic genus is included in Thrips genus-group (Mound and Palmer 1981a;, from which it can be distinguished by the key above. M. abdominalis lives in the flowers of various Asteraceae, particularly sunflower, Helianthus annuus (Palmer 1992;Mound and Marullo 1996). The macropterous morph is common in Iran. Recently one micropterous male was collected on grasses from Ilam Province, and is firstly recorded of micropterous morph for Iran.

Mycterothrips Trybom
Remarks. The 27 known species of Mycterothrips (ThripsWiki 2013) are leaf-feeding thrips, and some of them are associated with agricultural crops (Masumoto and Okajima 2006). An identification key to five species from Taiwan was provided by Wang (1999), a key to seven species has been provided by zur Strassen (2003a), and a key to 27 species by Masumoto and Okajima (2006). Up to now, four species have been recorded from Iran, with two new species described recently ).

Odontothrips Amyot & Serville
Remarks. The 31 species of this genus (ThripsWiki 2013) are typical flower-living thrips, and most are associated with plants of the family Fabaceae. They can cause slight damage to the flowers, but only O. confusus is an important pest (Pitkin 1972). Megalurothrips peculiaris which sensorium base is similar to Odontothrips, and recorded from India and Bangladesh. This genus is included in the Megalurothrips genus-group (Mound and Palmer 1981a) and four species have been recorded from Iran (Mirabbalou and Chen 2011b). O. confusus Priesner is widely distributed in Iran, and populations are sometimes high on alfalfa, Medicago sativa.

Parascolothrips Mound
Remarks. This monobasic genus with one predatory species, P. priesneri Mound, has been reported from Iraq (Mound 1967, ThripsWiki 2013. Mound (1967) described the species from Iraq with three pairs of posteromarginal setae on sternites II-VI, but in Iranian specimens, there are three pairs of setae on sternite II and four pairs on sternites III-VI.

Psilothrips Hood
Remarks. Included here only from descriptions, this genus includes five species in the world (ThripsWiki 2013) of which P. bimaculatus (Priesner) has been reported from Iran (Bhatti et al. 2009a

Rubiothrips Schliephake
Remarks. This genus includes seven species (ThripsWiki 2013), and one of these has been recorded from Iran (Bhatti et al. 2009a). The genus is included in the Anaphothrips genus-group (Mound and Masumoto 2009), and is distinguished from Anaphothrips by having abdominal tergites with median pair of setae (S1) longer than interdistance (zur Strassen 2003a).

Scirtothrips Shull
Remarks. The genus Scirtothrips currently includes 103 species (ThripsWiki 2013), and two of these have been recorded from Iran (Bhatti et al. 2009a). It includes several important pest species Palmer 1981b, Mirab-balou et al. 2012b). The report of S. citri (Moulton) from Iran has not been accepted (Bhatti and zur Strassen 2009).

Scolothrips Hinds
Remarks. Species of the genus Scolothrips are well known as predators of mites on the leaves of plants. The genus is easy to recognize by the presence of six pairs of very long setae on the pronotum, and the fore wings with dark bands, although recognition of species within the genus has remained difficult (Mound 2011b). Currently 16 species are recognized (ThripsWiki 2013), of which three are reported from Iran (Bhatti et al. 2009a); but the report of S. sexmaculatus (Pergande) from Iran has not been accepted (Bhatti and zur Strassen 2009).

Sitothrips Priesner
Remarks. This genus includes four species (ThripsWiki 2013) of which S. arabicus Priesner has been recorded from Iran (Bhatti et al. 2009a, Mirab-balou and. This genus is included in the Frankliniella genus-group (Mound and Palmer 1981a). It is distinguished from other members of this group by lack of long setae on the anterior margin of the pronotum, the meso-and metathoracic furcae both without a spinula, the maxillary palps 2-segmented, and the fore tarsi with two small teeth (one at the apex of the tarsus, the other at the end of the first segment) (Mirab-balou and Chen 2011a). A key to three species of Sitothrips is available in zur Strassen (2003a). In some parts of Iran, like as Golestan province, S. arabicus is largely present on wheat and barley (Alavi et al. 2007)

Sphaeropothrips Priesner
Remarks. This monotypic genus includes a single grass-living species, S. vittipennis (Bagnall) that was recorded from Iran by Minaei et al. (2007). It is included in Thrips genus-group (Mound and Palmer 1981a).

Stenchaetothrips Bagnall
Remarks. This genus includes 35 species (ThripsWiki 2013) and it is associated with the plant family Poaceae. S. biformis is widely distributed, and was recorded from Iran by Mirab-balou and Chen (2011a). The genus is included in Thrips genus-group (Mound and Palmer 1981a; and is closely related to Thrips, but it can be distinguished by the length of ocellar setae II as in the above key, and the metanotum is generally longitudinally striate (Mound and Ng 2009).

Stenothrips Uzel
Remarks. The only species in this genus, S. graminum Uzel, was recorded from Iran by Minaei et al. (2007). It is a member of Thrips genus-group (Mound and Palmer 1981a).

Tamaricothrips Priesner
Remarks. Only one species is placed in this genus, is also recorded from Iran (Bhatti et al. 2009a). This species is possibly more widespread in association with Tamarix species (zur Strassen 2003a). The genus is included in Anaphothrips genus-group (Mound and Masumoto 2009).

Tenothrips Bhatti
Remarks. This genus includes 19 flower-living species in the world (ThripsWiki 2013), of which T. frici (Uzel), is widespread around the world in warm temperate areas (Mound and Marullo 1996;Mirab-balou and Tong 2013). Bhatti (2003) reviewed this genus, listing 19 species. Four species are reported from Iran (Bhatti et al. 2009a), especially on the plant family Asteraceae, and T. frici is widely distributed in this country.

Thrips Linnaeus
Remarks. This genus includes about 280 species in the world and is the largest genus in the Thripinae (ThripsWiki 2013), and includes 29 species in Iran (Mirab-balou et al. 2012a;Minaei 2012c). The genus shows extensive diversity in most parts of the world except the Neotropical region, and includes many species of economic importance (Bhatti 1980). Several species of Thrips are considered crop pests in various parts of the world, such as T. angusticeps Uzel, T. flavus Schrank, T. hawaiiensis (Morgan), T. meridionalis Priesner, and T. tabaci Lindeman (Moritz et al. 2001). The latter species is well known as the most important pest of onion crops, greenhouses and ornamental plants in Iran (Mirab-balou andChen 2011a, Mirab-balou et al. 2012b), and is a vector of some Tospovirus diseases on plants.