The Swedish Aeolothripidae and Melanthripidae (Thysanoptera) with a Redescription of Rhipidothrips niveipennis Reuter, 1899

This study explores the Swedish diversity of the thrips families Aeolothripidae and Melanthripidae. Currently, a total of 12 species in 2 genera of Aeolothripidae occur in Sweden, and 1 in Melanthripidae. The aims of this study include to provide an updated identification key with photographic material and an updated checklist of the country with provincial records. In this study both museum material and new material collected in understudied provinces are included, and a large number of molecular barcodes are produced. The results reveal 26 new provincial records in Sweden, predominantly in northern regions, and 11 provinces in total had new species records. New records of Rhipidothrips brunneus Williams 1913 warranted an examination of distinguishing characters compared to R. niveipennis Reuter, 1899. The original description of R. niveipennis is found to lack sufficient characters to delimit the species, and a redescription based on syntypes is presented.