Androthrips Karny

Okajima, Shûji & Masumoto, Masami, 2025, Some Poaceae-inhabiting Phlaeothripinae (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae) in East Asia, with descriptions of six new genera and 18 new species, Zootaxa 5726 (1), pp. 1-68 : 8-9

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5726.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:894F9D4B-2A99-4AC1-8C9A-828006840831
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03E28781-2423-5054-64C5-FD3EAFE7F9A2
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Androthrips Karny
status

Treatment

Androthrips Karny View in CoL

Androthrips Karny, 1911: 560 View in CoL . Type-species: Mesothrips melastomae Zimmermann. View in CoL

Previously, 12 species have been known in the genus Androthrips View in CoL mainly from the Oriental region, but one species, A. obscuratus View in CoL , was described from Cameroon (ThripsWiki 2025, Wang et al. 2025). Most species are well known as the invaders of leaf galls induced by several genera and species classified into the Liothrips View in CoL -lineage, such as Gigantothrips View in CoL , Gynaikothrips View in CoL and Liothrips View in CoL . It is possibly a monophyletic assemblage, and it is characterized by the foreleg armatures. The fore femur is usually armed with a sub-basal inner tubercle or hump and the fore tibia is usually armed with a sub-apical inner flat scale. However, classification of Androthrips View in CoL is highly confused at the species level ( Mound & Minaei 2007; Dang et al. 2014). Especially, six or seven Oriental species that have yellow tibiae are very similar to each other and cannot be distinguished based on the descriptions, because almost all original descriptions are not detailed enough for determining the species. There are many specimens of Androthrips View in CoL species that have yellow tibiae taken from Southeast Asia in the TUA collection, most of which were collected from leaf galls or leaves in association with certain phytophagous phlaeothripine species. They possibly involve several species but have not been determined to species level so far. In addition to those specimens, there are more than 100 specimens collected from bamboos or grasses in Southeast Asia in the collection, and these may comprise seven or eight species. Five of these are distinguished as new species in this study. A. dambriae sp. nov. and A. fuscipes sp. nov., have brownish mid and hind tibiae ( Figs 25 View FIGURES 20–27 & 35 View FIGURES 28–36 ) and are easily distinguished from the confusing species group with yellow tibiae. Two species, A. bambusicola sp. nov. and A. javae sp. nov., are probably related to A. coimbatorensis View in CoL from India and have short and V-shaped maxillary stylets ( Figs 11 View FIGURES 6–19 & 45 View FIGURES 45–52 ). One remaining species, A. graminicola sp. nov., has the sense cone formula peculiar and a bicolored body ( Fig. 9 View FIGURES 6–19 ).

Androthrips View in CoL is included in the tribe Haplothripini and is presumably closely related to Karnyothrips View in CoL , Mesandrothrips View in CoL and Xylaplothrips View in CoL . Okajima and Masumoto (2025a, 2025b) have pointed out that these genera may even be aggregated into a single genus. They share the prothoracic anteromarginal setae reduced to small setae, and the fore tarsal tooth arising at apex of inner margin and directed forward. In addition, Androthrips View in CoL species can be divided into at least two species groups, melastomae View in CoL -group and coimbatorensis View in CoL -group. The melastomae View in CoL - group contains at least 11 species, A. crus View in CoL , A. dambriae sp. nov., A. flavipes , A. flavitibia View in CoL , A. fuscipes sp. nov., A. graminicola sp. nov., A. kurosawai View in CoL , A. melastomae View in CoL , A. monsterae View in CoL , A. ochraceus View in CoL and A. ramachandrai View in CoL . All these have the following character states: maxillary stylets long and rather close together at least in females (cf. Fig. 20 View FIGURES 20–27 ), reaching at least postocular setae; mesopresternum reduced medially (cf. Fig. 23 View FIGURES 20–27 ); metanotum usually with one or more pairs of small setae before a median pair of setae (cf. Figs 31 View FIGURES 28–36 & 39 View FIGURES 37–44 ). The coimbatrensis -group contains four species, A. bambusicola sp. nov., A. coimbatrensis , A. huanglianensis and A. javae sp. nov., and these share the following character states: maxillary stylets rather short and V-shaped (cf. Fig. 11 View FIGURES 6–19 ), not reaching postocular setae; mesopresternum almost complete (cf. Fig. 13 View FIGURES 6–19 ), at least not reduced medially; metanotum without small setae before a median pair of setae (cf. Fig. 47 View FIGURES 45–52 ). For two species, A. collaris View in CoL and A. obscuratus View in CoL , the affiliation is uncertain due to insufficient information.

It is worth noting that A. graminicola exhibits a somewhat intermediate character state between Androthrips View in CoL and Karnyothrips View in CoL , but it is more similar to Androthrips View in CoL (see under A. graminicola ). Conversely, Karnyothrips tenax also exhibits an intermediate character state, but is more like Karnyothrips ( Okajima & Masumoto 2025a) View in CoL . These facts probably confirm the close relation of these two genera.

Diagnosis. Usually macropterous. Head longer than wide, with a pair of postocular setae.Antennae 8-segmented, segment VIII rather long and weakly constricted at base, sense cone formula of segments III and IV variable, but usually (1+2) and (2+2 +1) respectively, but rarely fewer. Maxillary stylets variable, rather close together and retracted to postocular setae or eyes, often V-shaped and not reaching postocular setae. Prothoracic notopleural suture usually complete, rarely incomplete; anteromarginal setae reduced; mesopresternum variable, almost complete or reduced medially. Metanotum with or without a pair of small setae before median pair of setae; metathoracic sternopleural suture absent; both metafurcal arms usually fused medially (cf. Fig. 253 View FIGURES 241–253 ). Fore wings weakly constricted medially, with duplicated cilia. Fore femur with an inner sub-basal tubercle and with several small tubercles before sub-basal tubercle; fore tibia with a sub-apical scale or tubercle; fore tarsal tooth arising at apex of inner margin and directed forwardly.

Key to bamboo- or grass-inhabiting species of Androthrips View in CoL

[*: A. huanglianensis is based on the original description]

1. Mesopresternum complete, not reduced medially ( Figs 13 View FIGURES 6–19 & 46 View FIGURES 45–52 ); metanotum without small setae before a median pair of setae (cf. Fig. 47 View FIGURES 45–52 ); maxillary stylets short and V-shaped, not reaching postocular setae in both sexes (cf. Fig. 11 View FIGURES 6–19 ) ( coimbatrensis - group).............................................................................................. 2

-. Mesopresternum reduced medially, divided into two lateral triangle plates (cf. Fig. 29 View FIGURES 28–36 ) or narrowly boat-shaped (cf. Fig. 30 View FIGURES 28–36 ); metanotum with at least a pair of small setae before a median pair of setae (cf. Figs 31 View FIGURES 28–36 & 39 View FIGURES 37–44 ); maxillary stylets rather close together at least in female, reaching postocular setae or eyes (cf. Fig. 20 View FIGURES 20–27 ), but somewhat shorter and wider apart in male (cf. Fig. 21 View FIGURES 20–27 ) ( melastomae View in CoL -group)............................................................................ 5

2. Pronotal anteroangular and midlateral setae reduced; mid and hind tibiae shaded with brown; fore tibial inner sub-apical scale largely developed........................................................................... coimbatrensis

-. Pronotal anteroangular setae well-developed, midlateral setae reduced or well-developed; mid and hind tibiae yellow (cf. Figs 6 & 10 View FIGURES 6–19 ); fore tibial inner sub-apical scale small (cf. Figs 17 View FIGURES 6–19 & 49 View FIGURES 45–52 )............................................... 3

3. Bicolored yellow and brown ( Fig. 10 View FIGURES 6–19 ), head and thorax yellow; abdominal segments II–VIII bicolored, tinged with brown medially, yellow marginally; tube brown with basal one-fifth yellowish ( Fig. 51 View FIGURES 45–52 ); all femora yellow; prothoracic midlateral setae well-developed, blunt or very weakly expanded............................................... javae sp. nov.

-. Body uniformly brown (cf. Fig. 6 View FIGURES 6–19 ), at least mid and hind femora brown; prothoracic midlateral setae reduced or well-developed........................................................................................... 4

4. Pronotal midlateral setae well-developed, long and slightly expanded at apex; fore femora largely brown, with extreme apices yellow................................................................................. huanglianensis *

-. Pronotal midlateral setae reduced to small setae; fore femora largely yellow, shaded with brown postero-externally ( Figs 15 & 16 View FIGURES 6–19 )................................................................................. bambusicola sp. nov.

5. Antennal segments III and IV each with (1+1) and (1+2) sense cones respectively; body bicolored brownish yellow and brown, head and prothorax brownish yellow, pterothorax and abdomen brown ( Fig. 9 View FIGURES 6–19 )..................... graminicola sp. nov.

-. Antennal segments III and IV each with (1+2) and (2+2) or (2+2 +1) sense cones respectively; body uniformly brown ( Figs 7 & 8 View FIGURES 6–19 ).................................................................................................. 6

6. Antennal segment IV with a small outer sense cone in addition to four major sense cones, (2+2 +1); posterior ocelli well-developed ( Figs 20 & 21 View FIGURES 20–27 ), 17–20µm in diameter in female; tergite IX S1 setae almost as long as tube, or a little shorter.......................................................................................... dambriae sp. nov.

-. Antennal segment IV without small outer sense cone in addition to four major sense cones, (2+2); posterior ocelli rather small ( Fig. 28 View FIGURES 28–36 ), 13–15µm in diameter in female; tergite IX S1 setae longer than tube......................... fuscipes sp. nov.