Aeolothrips bhattii, Alavi, Jalil, Awal, Mehdi Modarres, Fekrat, Lida, Minaei, Kambiz & Manzari, Shahab, 2015

Alavi, Jalil, Awal, Mehdi Modarres, Fekrat, Lida, Minaei, Kambiz & Manzari, Shahab, 2015, The Holarctic genus Aeolothrips (Thysanoptera: Aeolothripidae) from Iran, with description of two new species, Zootaxa 3972 (1), pp. 93-100 : 94-95

Aeolothrips bhattii sp.n.

( Figs 1–13 )

Female macroptera. Body bicolored, generally yellow, head and abdominal segments IX and X brown, abdominal segment VIII somewhat shaded; all legs yellow with dark spot at tarsal apex ( Fig. 1 ). Antennae extensively greyish yellow, segment I pale brown, lighter than head, II grey yellow, III yellow, slightly grey at apex, IV yellow with apical third grey, V–IX greyish yellow ( Fig. 5 ). Fore wings pale with two brown transverse bands which are not connected ( Fig. 3 ). Head wider than long, not produced in front of eyes, with weak transverse lines of sculpture, cheeks slightly convex, vertex with 3–4 pairs of pre-ocellar setae, 3 pairs of setae between ocellar triangle and eyes, and 1 pair of setae within ocellar triangle arising between posterior ocelli, postocular area with 8–9 pairs of setae in 2–3 irregular transverse rows, one pair just behind posterior ocelli ( Fig. 2 ). Antennal segment III 3.7–3.9 times as long as broad, with linear sensorium extending to apical fourth of segment (or less); IV 3 –3.3 times as long as broad, with sensorium somewhat curved distally and broadened at apex, extending from apex to basal half of segment; V thicker than any of the following segments, shorter than VI–IX together. Pronotum not sculptured, with about 30 minute hyaline setae, with 3–4 pairs of posteromarginal setae ( Fig. 2 ). Mesonotum with 1 pair of median setae, with rather wide transverse reticulations ( Fig. 4 ), with no markings between the transverse lines. Metanotum with weak transverse reticulation medially, without internal markings. Vestigial first cross vein situated in middle of first transverse band, second cross vein indistinguishable ( Fig. 3 ), posterior marginal fringe of fore wings dark; clavus with 6–7 veinal setae. Abdominal tergite I with 2–3 faint transverse striae anteromedially, without median paired campaniform sensilla, median setae almost 0.3 times as long as the tergite; tergites II–VII and X with no transverse striations; IX with numerous faint transverse striations; tergites II–VII with median setae arising anteromedial to campaniform sensilla ( Fig. 7 ); tergite IX setae S1 somewhat shorter than tergite length ( Fig. 6 ). Sternites II–VII without transverse striations, sternite II with 3 pairs of submarginal setae, median pair longest; III–VI with 4 pairs of setae, of which 2 median pairs are marginal and 2 lateral pairs situated far from margin; II–VI without discal setae; VII with 4 pairs of submarginal setae, S1 as long as S2 or somewhat shorter, S1 arising closer to S2 than to each other, with 2 pairs of widely separated median accessory setae, inner pair in front of outer ( Fig. 8 ).

Measurements (holotype female, in microns). Body distended length 1450, Head length (width across cheeks) 120 (157), interocellar setae length 9. Eye length, dorsal 62, ventral 95. Antenna length 340; segments I–IX length (width): 15 (30), 50 (25), 70 (18), 64 (20), 43 (22), 15 (16), 15 (15), 19 (12), 11 (7). Pronotum median length (width) 125 (165). Pterothorax ventral length (width) 280 (240). Mesonotum median setae length (interval) 15 (26), strong lateral setae length 20. Metanotum anterior marginal setae length (interval) 23 (35). Posterior setae length (interval) 10 (32). Fore wing length 750, width across first anterior cross vein 90, across second cross vein 95; transverse bands length along the anterior margin 87 and 112, intervening white area length 130; tibia length: 153, 145 and 225. Tergite IX median length 92, S1 length 88, S2 length 102. Ovipositor length 330.

Male macroptera. Color and structure similar to female but smaller ( Fig. 9 ). Antennal segments I–II yellow, III–IX greyish yellow, III white in basal fourth (or more), pedicel of segment IV somewhat darker ( Fig 10 ). Major terminal setae on tergites IX–X brownish yellow. Fore wing with two brown transverse bands, not connected at posterior margin. Antennal segment III 3.3–3.7 times as long as broad, sensorium not reaching distal fourth of segment; IV 2.9–3.4 times as long as broad, sensorium occupying apical third (or less) of segment; V distinctly shorter than last four segments together, with a minute sensorium. Middle coxae with neither a series of strong ridges ventrally nor a hump (“stridulatory structure” in Bhatti 2006) ( Fig. 13 ). Abdominal tergites IV–VI without paired tubercles; IX without claspers, and without sickle-shaped setae laterally, with 3 pairs of lateral setae of which posterior pair longest; tergite IX with 2 submarginal and 1 sublateral pairs of setae, median pair lacking, campaniform sensilla situated far in front of medial setae; tergite X with two minute setae between marginal setae S1 and S2, trichobothria situated behind S2 ( Fig. 11 ). Sternites II–VIII without discal setae; IX with 6 pairs setae, four submarginally, two sublaterally, and one medially, arranged in two lateral longitudinal parallel rows ( Fig. 12 ).

Measurements (paratype male, in microns). Body distended length 1150. Head length (width across cheeks) 120 (142). Antenna length 280; segments I–IX length (width): 15 (27), 40 (23), 63 (18), 58 (18), 44 (20), 11 (14), 10 (12), 13 (10), 10 (5). Pronotum median length (width) 105 (149), Pterothorax median length (width) 250 (200). Mesonotum dorsal setae length (interval) 15 (31), strong lateral setae length 17. Metanotum anteromarginal setae length (interval) 17 (25); posterior setae length (interval) 7 (27). Fore wing length 610. Tibia length: 122, 127, and 190. Abdominal tergite I length 96, dorsal plate anteriorly width 37, posteriorly 49, tergite IX median length 122, median setae length (interval) 39 (27), length of longest lateral seta 51, segment X length 39, S1 length 32, S2 length 82.

Material studied. Holotype female: IRAN, Khorasan-e-shomali province, Garmeh, Dasht village, from flowering Caroxylon dendroides (Amaranthaceae) , 18.vi.2014, J. Alavi.

Paratypes (all from IRAN, Khorasan-e-shomali province, from flowering C. dendroides , collected by J. Alavi): 24 females, 4 males, same data as holotype; 17 females, 6 males, Bojnourd, Sar-cheshmeh village, 17.vii.2014.

Comments. Aeolothrips bhattii is similar to the South African species faurei , that is also generally yellow in body color with dark head and last three abdominal segments ( Hood 1935). However, the new species is readily distinguished from faurei by the colour of the middle and hind legs (yellow versus blackish brown) and last six antennal segments (greyish yellow versus blackish brown). The male of A. faurei is unknown.

Etymology. This new species is named in recognition of numerous valuable works of Prof. J.S. Bhatti, who has made laudable contributions to advance the study of Thysanoptera in the world.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 13. Aeolothrips bhattii sp. n. Female (1 – 8): (1) Body, (2) Head & pronotum, (3) Fore wing, (4) Meso- and metanotum, (5) Antenna, (6) Abdominal tergites VII – X, (7) Abdominal tergites I – III, (8) Abdominal sternite VII. Male (9 – 13): (9) Body, (10) Antenna, (11) Abdominal tergites VIII – X, (12) Abdominal sternites VIII – X, (13) Middle coxae.