Thrips Fauna of Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim With First Description of Hitherto Unknown Male Smilothrips productus Bhatti

A survey of thrips fauna in Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim Himalaya, revealed 44 species across altitudes ranging from 899 to 2035 meters above sea level. The study, conducted between 2020 and 2021, documented diverse feeding behaviors including phyllophilous (leaf-feeding), anthophilous (flower-visiting), gall-inducing, mycophagous (fungus-feeding), and grass-inhabiting thrips. Notably, the first description of the hitherto unknown male of Smilothrips productus Bhatti was provided, with observations indicating that Indian populations are exclusively macropterous, unlike Chinese forms which include micropterous and brachypterous individuals.

Remani, R. R., Songomsing Chiru, T. D., Johnson, T., & Varatharajan, R. (2023). Thrips Fauna of Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim With First Description of Hitherto Unknown Male Smilothrips productus Bhatti. Indian Journal of Entomology, 01–10. https://doi.org/10.55446/ije.2023.777