Apelaunothrips dentiellus, Zhao & Jia & Tong, 2018

Zhao, Chao, Jia, Huimin & Tong, Xiaoli, 2018, Two new records and one new species of the genus Apelaunothrips from China (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae), Zootaxa 4450 (3), pp. 385-393 : 387-388

Apelaunothrips dentiellus sp. n.

( Figs 1–4 , 13, 15 , 18, 19 )

Female macroptera: Body largely brown with red internal pigment; all femora brown, but tibiae and tarsi yellow ( Figs 18, 19 ); antennal segments I–II as brown as head, III mainly yellow, IV–V light brown with basal 1/3 yellow, VI light brown with extreme base yellow, VII–VIII light brown ( Fig. 15 ); fore wing shaded light brown medially ( Fig. 13 ).

Head approximately 1.1 times as long as wide, cheeks straight with prominent pair of setae; dorsal surface with transverse sculpture behind eyes, vertex with no sculpture between eyes ( Fig. 1 ). Eyes approximately 2/5 of head length; ocelli well developed; postocellar setae slightly longer than an ocellus; postocular setae with capitate apex, subequal to eyes in length. Antennal segments III and IV with 3 and 4 sense cones respectively, VIII constricted to basal neck. Maxillary stylets retracted anterior to postocular setae, close together medially on posterior third of head.

Pronotum dorsal surface almost smooth with weakly sculptured posteriorly; notopleural sutures complete; 5 pairs of major setae well developed and capitate. Mesonotum with lateral setae well developed and capitate, and three pairs of short setae arising anterior to posterior margin. Metanotum with polygonal reticulation, median setae long and pointed, rather wide apart from each other ( Fig. 3 ). Fore wing with 8–10 duplicated cilia; sub-basal S1 and S2 setae capitate, S3 longest and blunt at apex. Fore tarsus with a small tooth ( Fig. 2 ).

Pelta hat-shaped with irregular reticulation medially, a pair of campaniform sensilla present ( Fig. 4 ); abdominal tergites II–VII each with 2 pairs of sigmoid wing-retaining setae, posterior pair of wing-retaining setae on tergite II with apex uncinate; tergite IX setae S1 slightly longer than S2, but all shorter than tube, both blunt apically; intermediate setae (iS) pointed, approximately 0.6 times as long as S1; tube length approximately 2.3 times basal width, 0.7 times as long as head; anal setae slightly shorter than tube.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Distended body length 2420. Head length 255, width 230; eyes length 95; postocular setae length 90; diameter of anterior (posterior) ocelli 23; postocellar setae length 19. Antennae length 530, segments I–VIII length (width) as follows: 45 (42); 56 (32); 90 (33); 85 (32); 80 (29); 69 (25); 59 (20); 45 (12). Pronotum median length 125, width across median part 290; length of major setae: am 50, aa 55, ml 65, pa 70, epim 90. Mesonotum lateral setae 40. Fore wing length 950, subbasal setae S1–S3 length: 60, 65, 80. Metanotum median setae 65. Abdominal tergite IX S1 length 132, iS length 84, S2 length 112. Tube length 185, width at base 85, at apex 50; anal setae length 180.

Male macroptera. Very similar to female, but smaller and more slender. Fore tarsus with a small tooth; tergite IX setae S2 approximately 1/3 length of S1, iS approximately 0.7 times as long as S1.

Measurements (paratype male in microns). Distended body length 1780.Head length 225, width 205; eyes length 85; postocular setae length 83; diameter of anterior (posterior) ocelli 16; postocellar setae length 15. Antennae length 495, segments I–VIII length (width) as follows: 35 (42); 47 (30); 77 (29); 81 (26); 82 (24); 74 (20); 54 (19); 44 (11). Pronotum median length 110, width across median part 256; length of major setae: am 41, aa 53, ml 64, pa 66, epim 69. Mesonotum lateral setae 24. Fore wing length 780, subbasal setae S1–S3 length: 47, 53, 59. Metanotum median setae 42. Abdominal tergite IX S1length 118, iS length 86, S2 length 32. Tube length 155, width at base 80, at apex 40; anal setae length 170.

Material examined. Holotype female, CHINA, Yunnan: Pu’er City , Lancang County, Nuozhadu Nature Reseve (22°30'N, 100°34'E, alt. 1840m), from leaf litter of Tectona grandis, 5.xi.2016, Chao Zhao.

Paratypes. 1 female, collected with holotype . CHINA, Yunnan: 2 females and 1 male, Xishuangbanna, Menglun, Tropical Botanical Garden (21°55'N, 101°16'E), from leaf litter, 8.iv.1987, Xiaoli Tong ; 1 female, Pu’er City , Lancang County (22°30'N, 100°21'E, alt. 1070m), from leaf litter, 28.x.2016, Chao Zhao.

Etymology. The specific epithet, dentiellus , is from the Latin adjective, meaning “small tooth”, in reference to the fore tarsus with a small tooth in both sexes.

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Comments. This new species appears to be closely related to Apelaunothrips maculipennis in coloration and structure. However, it differs from the latter mainly by the following characteristics: (1) fore wing without small speckles on apical third ( Fig. 13 ), while maculipennis has some small speckles on fore wing ( Fig. 14 ); (2) all tibiae and tarsi yellow ( Figs 18, 19 ), while those in maculipennis are brown ( Figs 22, 23 ); (3) fore tarsus armed with a small tooth in both sexes ( Fig. 2 ), while the fore tarsus has no tooth in maculipennis ( Fig. 9 ); (4) pelta hat-shaped ( Fig. 4 ), but it is eroded laterally in maculipennis ( Fig. 10 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1–4. Apelaunothrips dentiellus sp. n. (1) head; (2) fore tibia and tarsus; (3) meso- & metanotum; (4) pelta.

FIGURES 13–17. (13) fore wing of A. dentiellus sp. n.; (14) fore wing of A. maculipennis (circle indicates small speckles). Antenna: (15) A. dentiellus sp. n.; (16) A. indicus; (17) A. maculipennis.

FIGURES 18–23. Apelaunothrips species. (18) A. dentiellus sp. n. (female); (19) A. dentiellus sp. n. (male); (20) A. indicus (female); (21) A. indicus (male); (22) A. maculipennis (female); (23) A. maculipennis (male).

FIGURES 7–10. Apelaunothrips maculipennis (Okajima): (7) head; (8) meso- and metanotum; (9) fore tibia and tarsus; (10) pelta.