Compsothrips timur (Pelikan)

Dang, Lihong, Guo, Fuzhen, An, Yiyan & Mound, Laurence A., 2023, Ant-mimicking thrips of the genus Compsothrips Reuter from China (Phlaeothripidae, Idolothripinae), Zootaxa 5353 (2), pp. 187-195 : 194

Compsothrips timur (Pelikan)

( Figs 25–30 )

Oedaleothrips timur Pelikan, 1961: 302 .

This species was described from a single female taken in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Based on that detailed description and illustrations, the specimens listed below from Tashkent are here also identified as this species. Furthermore, two females and two males from Tibet, China are similar to the specimens from Tashkent except as follows: antennae brown with segment III yellow on basal 2/3 ( Fig. 26 ), legs dark brown ( Figs 27, 28 ), and metanotum brown on anterior 1/4 ( Fig. 19 ). In contrast, the specimens from Tashkent have antennal segment III all yellow also basal half of IV ( Fig. 25 ), the femora and tibiae are extensively yellow, and the whole of the metanotum is white ( Fig. 29 ). Furthermore, the males from Tibet are larger with broad body and fore legs expanded ( Fig. 28 ). However, no structural differences were observed, and the differences in body coloration are here interpreted as intraspecific variation. This species appears to be similar to C. sumatranus Priesner (1928) in having the major setae on tergite IX capitate and shorter than the tube, but the description of that species states that the antennal segments are dark brown with only segment III yellow. It is possible that sumatranus may be the same species as timur , but the unique holotype from Sumatra was destroyed in 1943 during the partial destruction of the Hamburg Museum.

Specimens studied. China, Tibet, Chayu , 2 females and 2 males on grasses, 12.vii.2022 (Yanqiao Li) ( SNUT) ; Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Ohangaron , 2 females and 1 male, 24.ix.2018 (Jun Chen) ( SNUT) .

Figures

FIGURES 25–30. C. timur. (25) antennae, Tashkent specimen; (26) antennae, Tibet specimen; (27) head and foreleg, female from Tibet; (28) head, pronotum and foreleg, male from Tibet; (29) mesonotum, metanotum, pelta and tergite II, Tashkent specimen; (30) mesonotum, metanotum, pelta and tergite II, Tibet specimen.

FIGURES 18–24. Type specimens. ‘C. tenebronus’ 18–20: (18) holotype female; (19) head, antennae and forelegs, allotype male; (20) holotype and allotype slides. C. reticulates 21–24: (21) antennae, holotype; (22) head and foreleg, holotype; (23) tergites IX–X, paratype male; (24) holotype and paratype slides.