Hoplandrothrips obesametae Chen

Okajima, Shûji & Masumoto, Masami, 2024, The genus Hoplandrothrips and its relatives (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) from Southeast Asia and Taiwan, Zootaxa 5489 (1), pp. 22-91 : 49

Hoplandrothrips obesametae Chen

( Figs 38–39 , 215–224 )

Hoplandrothrips obesametae Chen, 1980: 177–178 .

H. obesametae was described from Taiwan based on strongly crushed specimens and was recorded subsequently from China ( Tong & Zhang 1989) and Japan ( Okajima 2006). Unfortunately, the type specimens have not been available for this study, and it is very difficult to discriminate not only this species but also most of the species described by L. S. Chen that are known only from the original descriptions that were based on strongly crushed type specimens. However, one female collected from Nanshanchi, Nantou Hsien, Taiwan, listed below could well be identified as H. obesametae . This species may be closely related to H. floresi newly described above, in having antennal segment VIII short and not distinctly constricted basally, the terminal setae much longer than the tube and abdominal sternite VIII of males with a median small pore plate. Okajima (2006) identified as this species several females and males collected from the Ryukyu Islands (Yonakuni Is., Ishigaki Is. and Miyako Is.), and fully described these. They are indistinguishable from the female from Taiwan, but are identified as obesametae with some slight hesitation, due to some small differences from the original description, and further study is required. Five females and one male collected from Mindanao Is., the Philippines, listed below in the doubtful specimens are very similar to this species, in having the head shorter, cheeks swollen, antennal segment III shorter than segment IV, antennal segment VIII short and conical, and abdominal sternite VIII of male with a median small pore plate. However, they have shorter antennal segments III and IV, and shorter mouth-cone, but these differences are probably related to the smaller body size. The bodies of these females are 1.8–2.3mm in length, though those of obesametae from the Ryukyu Is. and Taiwan are 2.2–2.8mm.

Specimens examined. Japan, Ryukyu Islands , 10 females and 7 males (data described in Okajima, 2006) . Taiwan, Nantou Hsien, Nanshanchi , 1 female, on dead leaves, 30.iii.1984, SO .

Doubtful specimens. The Philippines, Mindanao Is., North Cotabato, Ilomavis, 2 females and 1 male, on dead leaves, 26.vii.1979, 1 female, on dead fern, 27.vii.1979, 2 females, on dead leaves, 28.vii.1979, SO .

Figures

FIGURES 29–42. Hoplandrothrips species. E. floresi sp. n. 29–30: (29) female; (30) male. E. formosae sp. n. 31–33: (31) female; (32) small male; (33) large male. E. graminicola sp. n. 34–35: (34) female; (35) male. H. laurencei sp. n. 36–37: (36) female; (37) male. H. obesametae 38–39: (38) female; (39) male. H. quinqueconus sp. n. 40–42: (40) female; (41) large male; (42) small male.

FIGURES 215–224. Hoplandrothrips obesametae. (215) Head and prothorax, female;(216) head and prothorax, large male; (217) metanotum and pelta, female; (218) prosternum and mesopresternum, female; (219) antenna, female; (220) antennal segments III–V, female; (221) fore leg, female; (222) fore leg, large male; (223) sub-basal wing setae, female; (224) tube, female.