Elaphrothrips handlirschii ( Schmutz, 1909 ) Marques & Cavalleri, 2021

Marques, Guilherme A. & Cavalleri, Adriano, 2021, Elaphrothrips handlirschii (Schmutz) comb. n., with notes on Thysanoptera types from Brazil described by Karl Schmutz, Zootaxa 5039 (3), pp. 443-446 : 443-445

Elaphrothrips handlirschii ( Schmutz, 1909) comb. n.

( Figs 1–3 , 6–10 )

Ophidothrips handlirschii Schmutz, 1909: 273

Anactinothrips handlirschii (Schmutz) Moulton, 1933: 416

Female macroptera. Body uniformly dark-coloured, including antennal segments I–II ( Figs 1, 2 ); antennal segments III–VI paler in basal half ( Fig. 7 ); tube paler in the apical fourth ( Figs 1, 2 ).

Head 2.5 times longer than wide (cf. Fig. 6 ), projecting in front of the eyes ( Fig. 7 ); postocular setae well developed and pointed; checks bearing many short and stout spine-like setae; a pair of long and pointed setae arising close to anterior ocellus; median region with no long setae dorsally. Eyes large and ocelli present; mouth-cone rounded at tip and scarcely reaching fore coxae ( Fig. 7 ). Antennae 8-segmented; segment III longest, about 1.25 times longer than segment IV ( Fig. 9 ). Pronotum smooth, with only epimeral and posteroangular setae well developed; notopleural sutures complete. Fore tarsal tooth absent. Prosternal ferna well developed and mesopresternum entire and boat-shaped ( Fig. 7 ). Metanotum with reticulate sculpture, with a pair of short discal setae medially ( Fig. 8 ). Fore wing pale with a dark median line extending along the basal half; duplicated cilia present ( Fig. 10 ). Pelta D-shaped, with broad lateral lobes. Abdominal tergites II–III with several pairs of small wing-retaining setae in addition to the two major pairs; segment X about 3.7 times as long as its basal width and without prominent lateral setae.

Measurements (female in microns). Body length 5075. Head, length 591; width 265. Pronotum, length 276; width 479. Tube, length 500; width 166. Antennal segments II–VIII length(width) 40(53), 237(42), 196(46), 175(42), 127(39), 81(33), 55(21).

Macropterous male: Similar to female ( Figs 3 , 7 ), but with a stout tooth on fore tarsi and fore femur enlarged (width 302 µm). Body length 6130. Head, length 770; width 290. Pronotum, length 310; width 670. Tube, length 560; width 140. Antennal segments II–VIII length(width) 100(40), 250(40), 200(50), 190(40), 110(30), 80(20), 60(10).

Material studied. Type-series containing 2 females and 1 male, Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul state, unknown date (Fr. Stieglmayr, col.), NHMV, in 70% ethanol .

Comments. Elaphrothrips handlirschii was originally described in the monotypic genus Ophidothrips but Moulton (1933) synonymized that genus, also Lophothrips Karny, with the genus Anactinothrips Bagnall. Moulton also stated that such changes were based solely on Schmutz’s original description, which also lacks measurements of general structures.

Considering the redescription presented here, it is clear that this species is a typical member of the diverse and widespread genus Elaphrothrips . All these thrips ingest fungal spores and are characterised by having many pairs of small wing-retaining setae on the abdominal tergites in addition to the two major pairs. Moreover, E. handlirschii clearly lacks the two pairs of stout setae on the vertex of Anactinothrips species , and the imprecise illustration of Fig. 1 provided in Schmutz (1909) possibly caused a misinterpretation of this character. The metanotal median setae in E. handlirschii are also very small, in contrast to the long and stout paired setae on the metanotum of Anactinothrips species.

All three specimens observed were considered as belonging to the same species, but it was not possible to determine if E. handlirschii is one of the 14 Elaphrothrips species reported from Brazil ( Monteiro & Lima 2011), and this will require additional examination under a light microscope. Thus, it was not possible to define the sense cone formula on antennal segments III & IV nor the exact position of the maxillary stylets in the head. The head is only scarcely projected in front of eyes, contrasting with other Brazilian species, as E. nitidus Bagnall and E. palustris Hood , which exhibit head strongly prolonged anteriorly.

Schumutz (1909) did not indicated a holotype from his type series and we here designate the female specimen labelled as ‘3a’ as lectotype ( Fig. 1 ) due to the better preservation of important structures. We still have limited information about the field data, but considering the other species described in the mentioned paper and other insects collected by Fr. Stieglmayr, we suppose that E. handlirschii was found around the municipality of Santa Cruz do Sul (29° 43’ S, 52° 25’ W) in the Atlantic Rainforest .

Figures

FIGURES 1–5. Labels and types from Schmutz (1909): (1–2) Elaphrothrips handlirschii females; (3) E. handlirschii male; (4) labels of E. handlirschii; (5) dry vial and label of Docessissophothrips brasiliensis holotype.

FIGURES 6–10. Elaphrothrips handlirschii types: (6) head, dorsal (male); Female 7–10: (7) head, ventral & pro- mesosternum; (8) metathorax and tergites I–II; (9) antenna; (10) fore wing.