Belothrips longistylosus Priesner. A 1920, comb. rev.

Belothrips longistylosus Priesner comb. rev. (Figs 1–4) Belothrips longistylosus Priesner, 1920: 53 Nigritothrips zurstrasseni Bhatti, 1978: 97 syn.n. Bhatti provided an extensive description together with an impressive list of seven differences between his new species and the species described by Priesner. However, considering that these comparisons were based mainly on females, and that only one female of zurstrasseni is known, then some of these differences become unconvincing. This applies to the first two characters, the relative lengths of sense cones on antennal segments V and VI, and also to the fifth character—density of microtrichia on the antennal segments surface. The third and fourth characters listed refer to the relative lengths of segments VI and VII, but apply only to the holotype female and not to the two paratype males of zurstrasseni (Figs 1–4). Character state differences six and seven are also based on the single female and could be expected to be due to individual variation. As a result, it is concluded here that there is insufficient evidence to consider the holotype female of zurstrasseni as a different species from longistylosus, and the name is therefore listed as a synonym.