Ankothrips zayandicus, Minaei, Kambiz, Haftbaradaran, Farinaz & Mound, Laurence, 2012

Minaei, Kambiz, Haftbaradaran, Farinaz & Mound, Laurence, 2012, A new Ankothrips species (Thysanoptera: Melanthripidae) from Iran with unusually short setae, Zootaxa 3552, pp. 37-42 : 38-41

Ankothrips zayandicus sp. n.

Female macroptera. Body pale yellow, antennal segments III–IX with apices increasingly darker yellow; fore wing pale with no dark markings, ovipositor brown. Antennae 9-segmented ( Fig. 3 ), segments clearly separate from each other, apex of II prolonged ventrolaterally into acute tooth with smooth margins, sometimes extending to mid-point of III but shorter than apical width of segment II in several specimens ( Fig. 4 ); III and IV long, each with transverse sensorium ventrally at apex ( Fig. 6 ); IX slightly shorter than VIII; II–VIII with transverse rows of microtrichia ( Fig. 3 ). Head wider than long ( Fig. 7 ), produced in front of eyes and extending to apex of antennal segment I; ocellar setae I arising on slightly conical tubercle; one pair of short stout setae on anterior margins of ocellar triangle; one or two pairs of sagittate postocellar setae ( Fig. 7 ); 6–7 pairs of postocular setae in widely spaced irregular rows; vertex with bold transverse lines of sculpture, cheeks convex; anterior tentorial arms stout. Maxillary palps three-segmented; labial palps two-segmented. Compound eyes slightly prolonged ventrally, with no large or pigmented facets. Pronotum with transverse reticulation, posterior margin with 5–6 pairs of small setae ( Fig. 9 ); prosternal ferna entire. Mesonotum transversely reticulate, with no microtrichia ( Fig. 8 ); mesopreepisternum fused to episternum ventrally. Metanotum boldly reticulate, with no microtrichia, small median setae near posterior margin ( Fig. 8 ); campaniform sensilla apparently present. Fore wings with parallel margins, with two longitudinal veins and at least four cross veins ( Fig. 1 ); veinal setae short, scarcely longer than width of a vein, costa with no cilia between the setae ( Fig. 5 ); clavus with 6–8 veinal and one discal setae. Fore tibial apex with two moderately stout ventrolateral setae. Abdominal tergite I with weak transverse lines of sculpture medially; II–VIII with very weak, narrow transverse reticulation medially, bearing small microtrichia on anterolateral lines of each segment; tergite VIII median setae less than 0.5 times as long as tergite ( Fig. 2 ); dorsal setae on IX–X relatively short; tergite X with paired trichobothria. Sternite II with one pair of posteromarginal setae, III–VI with 2–4 pairs, also a transverse row of 12–18 discal setae; VII posterior margin with pair of lobes each bearing two setae.

Measurements (holotype female, in microns). Body distended length 1365. Head length (width) 128 (167), inter antennal projection 13. Pronotum length (width) 149 (195). Fore wing length (median width) 747 (133). Tergite IX median setae 45. Antennal segments length (width) I 30 (36), II, including tooth, 63 (31), III 81 (19), IV 56 (18), V 50 (18), VI 47 (18), VII 40 (16), VIII 26 (10), IX 23 (9).

Male macroptera Similar to female in color and structure, but variable in size; antennal segment II tooth weakly developed in small male; abdomen slender, tergite I with paired longitudinal ridges; tergite IX without stout setae; tergite X with a pair of trichobothria ( Fig. 10 ).

Measurements (paratype male, in microns). Body distended length 1140. Head length (width) 132 (153); interantennal projection 17. Pronotum length (width) 121 (170). Fore wing length (median width) 634 (100). Tergite IX median setae 20. Antennal segments length (width) I 24 (30), II including tooth 52 (24), III 62 (14), IV 47 (15), V 37 (15), VI 35 (15), VII 28 (14), VIII 18 (10), IX 17 (8).

Material studied. Holotype female (right wing is lost) IRAN, Isfahan Province, Isfahan, (32° 30' 986" N; 51° 42' 686" E), 1551 m., from flowers of Suaeda sp. ( Chenopodiaceae ), 26.vii.2012 (F. Haftbaradaran).

Paratypes: 1 female, 2 males taken with holotype; 1 female, 1 male, same data except 6.vii.2012; 3 females, 2 males, same data except 24.vii.2012.

Comments. This species is a member of the Melanthripidae on the basis of the antennae and sternite VII of females, and within that family is recognized as a species of Ankothrips because of the prolongation of antennal segment II. It shares with A. flavidus from Slovakia not only the pale colour of the body and legs, but also the absence of fringe cilia on the costal margin of the fore wings, the non-serrate margins of the tooth on the second antennal segment, and the short mouth cone. However, A. flavidus has the setae on the head and pronotum long and slender ( Pelikan 1958), in contrast to the short and weakly sagittate setae of the new species ( Figs 7, 9 ). Moreover, the metanotum of A. flavidus is described as “mit länglicher sculptur”, that is with longitudinal sculpture, whereas the metanotum of the new species is clearly reticulate ( Fig. 8 ). All other members of Ankothrips have long setae on the head and pronotum, the fore wing costa bears long cilia as well as setae, and the mouth cone of the other three European species is exceptionally long. Tergite IX of males in some of the western American species bears a series of stout setae medially ( Hoddle et al. 2012), but similar setae are not developed in males of the European species. The variation in length of the tooth on the second antennal segment in A. zayandicus is important to consider when considering how to recognize this species.

As in other members of Melanthripidae , A. zayandicus is probably univoltine, emerging in spring or early summer, and is likely to be host specific ( Mound 2012b). It was collected in low numbers on the flowers of a species of Suaeda , together with large numbers of both sexes of Eremiothrips varius (Bhatti) . This species of Thripidae was described originally from Suaeda sp. in India ( Bhatti 1967) , and has previously been reported from this plant family ( Chenopodiaceae ) in Iran ( Minaei 2012b). The presence of an Ankothrips species on this plant is interesting, because three of the European species in this genus live on Cupressaceae ( A. flavidus is known only from a single female). However, the American species of Ankothrips also display considerable differences in host plant associations ( Hoddle et al. 2012).

Separation of the new species from among large numbers of Eremiothrips varius was difficult, because the two species are similar in size and color. Presumably, both are phytophagous, as predation by A. zayandicus on E. varius would be remarkable for a species of Melanthripidae .

Etymology. Zayandeh River is one of the most important rivers of the central plateau of Iran, and it course runs through the city of Isfahan.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Ankothrips zayandicus (1) Fore wing; (2) Female tergites VIII – X; (3) Antenna (sensorium on III – IV is not shown); (4) Basal antennal segments with reduced prolongation on segment II (sensorium on III is not shown).

FIGURES 5 – 10. Ankothrips zayandicus (5) Fore wing, median part; (6) Basal antennal segments; (7) Head; (8) Meso and metanotum; (9) Pronotum; (10) Male tergites IX – X with paired trichobothria on X.