Haplothrips ilamensis, Mirab-Balou & Minaei, 2022

Mirab-Balou, Majid & Minaei, Kambiz, 2022, An unusual new species of Haplothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae) from Iran, Zootaxa 5174 (4), pp. 447-450 : 447-448

Haplothrips ilamensis sp. n.

Female macroptera. Body including antennae and mid and hind tarsi brown, fore tarsi a little paler ( Fig. 2 ); fore wing pale except for basal area ( Fig. 5 ); major body setae including sub-basal wing setae and tergite IX setae S1 pale but shaded at the basal third. Antennae 8-segmented, segment III with two, IV with four sense cones, VII slightly constricted at base, VIII short and not strongly narrowed at base ( Fig. 1 ). Head a little longer than wide with maxillary stylets close together medially and retracted to compound eyes; post ocular setae not developed ( Fig. 2 ). Cheeks weakly rounded. Mouth cone rounded. Pronotum reticulate on anterior corner but smooth medially; notopleural sutures complete; three pairs of major setae developed; anteroangular and anteromarginal setae not developed ( Fig. 2 ). Mesonotum reticulate, with two campaniform sensilla and 2–4 small setae on posterior margin ( Fig. 3 ). Metanotum reticulate, median setae blunt ( Fig. 3 ). Prosternum with paired basantra and ferna as well as a spinasternum; ferna broad; mesopresternum eroded medially; metathoracic sternopleural sutures present but incomplete ( Fig. 4 ). Fore tarsal tooth developed ( Fig. 2 ). Fore wing constricted medially, sub-basal setae S1, S2 and S3 blunt or capitate, their bases arranged in a triangle ( Fig. 5 ), 10–12 duplicated cilia present. Pelta triangular, weakly reticulate ( Fig. 3 ). Abdominal tergites II–VII with 2 pairs of wing-retaining setae, anterior pair weaker than posterior; tergites II–VI with a few lines of sculpture and three discal setae lateral to two pairs of wing-retaining setae ( Fig. 6 ); marginal setae S1 and S2 on tergites VII–VIII long and blunt; tergite VII with two campaniform sensilla closer to each other in comparison to campaniform sensilla on tergite VIII ( Fig. 7 ); tergite IX setae S1 blunt and small; anal setae longer than tube ( Fig. 8 ).

Measurements. Body length 1950. Head length 245; width behind eyes 200. Pronotum, length 155; width 325; major setae, midlaterals 18, epimerals 30, posteroangulars 20. Sub-basal fore wing setae S1 15, S2 18, S3 22. Tergite IX setae S1 40. Tube length 110, basal width 55. Antennal segments I–VIII length 25, 48, 40, 40, 32, 33, 28, 25.

Male not known.

Specimens examined. Holotype female, IRAN, Ilam province, forests near Haft Cheshmeh, from pan trap under oak and almond trees, 07.v.2019, M. Mirab-balou, deposited in the collection of the Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture , Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.

Paratypes: 6 females were collected with holotype, deposited in ILAMU .

Etymology. This species is named after the type of locality (Ilam Province, IRAN).

Comments. The maxillary stylets of this species are similar to those of the New Zealand and Australian species, H. salicorniae , which feeds and breeds on species of Salicornia and related genera ( Chenopodiaceae ). These two species share the following character states: maxillary stylets deeply retracted and close together medially; sense cone number on antennal segments III and IV; pronotal anteromarginal and anteroangular setae small; mesopresternum eroded to two lateral triangles; sub-basal setae capitate with bases in a triangle; tergite IX setae S1 and S2 blunt (see also Mound & Minaei 2007). Among the Iranian species, the new species shares the following character states with H. leucanthemi (Schrank) : maxillary stylets retracted to eyes; postocular setae unusually short; number of sense cones on antennal segments III and IV; pronotal setae small; mesopresternum eroded medially into two lateral triangles; tergite VII with two campaniform sensilla not close to each other; tergite IX setae S1 blunt and small. However, this new species is distinguished from any species of Haplothrips by the combination of these characters: presence of stout pale setae on pronotum and base of fore wing, anteromarginal and anteroangular setae on pronotum not developed; reticulation present on head, pronotum, mesonotum and metanotum; fore tarsal tooth developed, metathoracic sternopleural sutures present but short; S1 on tergite IX short and blunt. The species is also unusual among Haplothrips species because of the presence of short setae on pronotum as well as metathoracic sternopleural sutures.

Figures

FIGURES 1–4. Haplothrips ilamensis sp.n. (1) antenna, (2) head & pronotum, (3) meso, metanotum & pelta, (4) pro, meso & metasternum.

FIGURES 5–8. Haplothrips ilamensis sp.n. (5) fore wing & sub-basal wing setae, (6) abdominal tergites II-V, (7) abdominal tergites VI-VII, (8) abdominal tegite IX & tube.