taxonID	type	description	language	source
03B88D7CAD58FF9EFF0FFC68CAAFFE79.taxon	type_taxon	Haplothrips Amyot & Serville, 1843: 640. Type species Phloeothrips albipennis Burmeister [= Thrips aculeatus Fabricius], by monotypy.	en	Minaei, Kambiz, Mound, Laurence (2021): Character-state evaluation when discriminating Thysanoptera taxa (Insecta). Zootaxa 5061 (2): 377-382, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5061.2.10
03B88D7CAD58FF9EFF0FFC68CAAFFE79.taxon	diagnosis	The genus Jironiella was erected for a single species collected from Cyperaceae in Costa Rica, and was distinguished from Haplothrips on the grounds that the maxillary bridge between the maxillary stylets in the head is “ absent ”. Goldarazena et al. (2008) disputed this statement, claiming that fragments of the maxillary bridge could be seen in a paratype of saidi, and they regarded Jironiella as a synonym of Haplothrips. Unfortunately, these authors also erroneously synonymized saidi with Haplothrips graminis Hood, a common species on grasses in Central America. In contrast, Bhatti et al. (2020) rejected the generic synonymy and re-validated the genus Jironiella, as discussed below. We have now re-examined the saidi paratype and confirm that the maxillary bridge is “ not visible ”, and that saidi is a valid species distinguishable from graminis.	en	Minaei, Kambiz, Mound, Laurence (2021): Character-state evaluation when discriminating Thysanoptera taxa (Insecta). Zootaxa 5061 (2): 377-382, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5061.2.10
03B88D7CAD58FF9EFF0FFC68CAAFFE79.taxon	discussion	In rejecting the synonymy of Jironiella with Haplothrips Bhatti et al. (2020) provided no other discriminating character state to distinguish these genera apart from the lack of a maxillary bridge. No comment was made on the phylogenetic relationship between them, despite the many shared character states and the fact that many Haplothrips species also live on Poaceae and Cyperaceae. Although the paper by Bhatti et al. (2020) was published in an Indian journal, no mention was made of a genus from India, Aphlothrips Tyagi & Kumar (2006), that was also described for a single species taken from grass. That genus was also distinguished from Haplothrips only by the absence of a maxillary bridge. Thus, even if the “ absence ” of a maxillary bridge is considered phylogenetically significant, the genus Jironiella might need to be considered a synonym of Aphlothrips. Given that the species involved share most of their character states with the species of Haplothrips, there are two ways of interpreting this situation: either these two species from disparate parts of the world represent an ancient lineage in which the maxillary bridge that is typical of Haplothripini had not yet evolved, or the absence of the maxillary bridge in the two species is a reversal – that is, a “ loss apomorphy ”. There being no evidence to support the first possibility, the second is here considered to be the most sensible as it is in accordance with the well-established philosophical principle of parsimony known as Occam’s Razor. Curiously, Bhatti et al. (2020) stated in the “ ABSTRACT ” to their paper “ Jironiella is related to Bamboosiella ” another genus associated with Poaceae. But the authors give no information in support of this statement in the main text of the paper. They ignored that the species of Bamboosiella lack prosternal basantral sclerites, the antennae have two sense cones on the third segment and three on the fourth, and the maxillary stylets are scarcely retracted into the head capsule anterior to the post-occipital ridge. Currently, because of these character states, the genus Bamboosiella is not considered to be a member of the tribe Haplothripini (Okajima 2006; Mound & Minaei 2007). We therefore conclude that the apparent absence of a maxillary bridge in the Costa Rican species Haplothrips saidi is yet another “ loss apomorphy ”, a reversal that has arisen more than once among Haplothrips species, and is thus of limited significance in indicating systematic relationships within this species-rich genus.	en	Minaei, Kambiz, Mound, Laurence (2021): Character-state evaluation when discriminating Thysanoptera taxa (Insecta). Zootaxa 5061 (2): 377-382, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5061.2.10
03B88D7CAD5BFF9FFF0FFC29CDB1FE96.taxon	discussion	The recently described Haplothrips aliakbarii was stated by the authors to be “ most similar ” to H. aculeatus (Fabricius), but with the further comment “ In addition, the new species looks like H. andresi and H. subtilissimus ”. However, following the description of the new species the authors presented a well-organised key to the species of Haplothrips from Iran. In this key the new species tracks cleanly to couplet 22 that is shared only with H. globiceps (Bagnall). In this couplet, aliakbarii is distinguished from globiceps by the two character states: the male has “ no fore tarsal tooth ” whereas globiceps has a “ very small tooth ”, and the major body setae are “ shaded ” in contrast to “ dark brown ” in globiceps. Unfortunately, no indication is given of how many specimens of globiceps were studied to support these statements, in particular, how many males. The description of aliakbarii was based on 14 females but only a single male. In contrast, Minaei & Mound (2008), having studied 14 males of globiceps from various sites, state that these males “ rarely have a minute fore tarsal tooth ” (Figs 1 – 3). The holotype female and the single paratype male of aliakbarii have been re-examined. We confirm that the male lacks a fore tarsal tooth, as do several males of globiceps that we have studied and list below. Moreover, despite the original description quoted above, there appears to be no significant difference in the colour of the major setae of the holotype or paratype from various non-type specimens of globiceps. We therefore conclude that the species aliakbarii is a new synonym of the eastern Mediterranean species globiceps, a thrips that is recorded from foliage in Turkey and Iran and is considered to be predatory on other small arthropods (Minaei & Mound 2008). Haplothrips globiceps was described from Turkey (Bagnall 1934) and later reported from Iran (see Minaei & Mound 2008), but the species is not reported from any other country, and all of the slides of this species in the museums in Frankfurt and London are from Turkey. The number of plants from which this species has been collected in Iran is much greater than indicated in the revision of Haplothripini from Iran (Minaei & Mound 2008), as indicated by the following list.	en	Minaei, Kambiz, Mound, Laurence (2021): Character-state evaluation when discriminating Thysanoptera taxa (Insecta). Zootaxa 5061 (2): 377-382, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5061.2.10
03B88D7CAD5BFF9FFF0FFC29CDB1FE96.taxon	materials_examined	Specimens studied (other than those mentioned in Minaei & Mound, 2008) (all collected on leaves): IRAN, Fars province, Noorabad Mamasani, 2 females from Ficus carica, 31. iii. 2008, (KM 32); Kazerun, 3 females, 1 male from Quercus sp., 17. vi. 2008, (KM 146); Sepidan, 4 females, 1 male from Juglans regia, 29. viii. 2011, (KM 524); Sepidan, 2 females, 2 males from Prunus sp., 31. v. 2012, (KM 831); Shiraz, 2 females, 2 males from Ulmus sp., 13. vii. 2012, (KM 872); Sepidan, 1 female from Tamarix sp., 19. vii. 2012, (KM 880); Shiraz, 1 female from Ficus carica, 5. ix. 2012, (KM 892); same place, 1 female from Ficus carica (leaves), 25. iv. 2014, (KM 1168); Mahrloo, 3 females, 2 males from Amygdalus scoparia, 2. iv. 2018, (KM 1779). Isfahan province, Isfahan, 3 females from Prunus sp., 29. iii. 2012, (FH 75); same place, 4 females from Prunus cerasus, 8. iv. 2012, (FH 93); same place, 3 females, 2 males from Rumex sp., 1. vii. 2012, (FH 149). Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, Keryak, 2 females, 1 male from Platanus orientalis, 23. viii. 2017, (KM 1699).	en	Minaei, Kambiz, Mound, Laurence (2021): Character-state evaluation when discriminating Thysanoptera taxa (Insecta). Zootaxa 5061 (2): 377-382, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5061.2.10
