Hercinothrips splendens, Goldaracena, 2022

Goldaracena, Arturo, 2022, A key to species of Hercinothrips, with one new species, and a neotype designation for H. trilineatus (Priesner), Zootaxa 5169 (4), pp. 322-330 : 324-328

Hercinothrips splendens sp. n.

( Figs 1–11 )

Female macroptera ( Fig. 1 ). Head yellow ( Figs 2–3 ), pronotum yellow with three pairs of broad dark longitudinal lines, median pair approximately at level of inner margin of eye, lateral pairs wide on the prothorax and narrow at cheeks ( Fig. 4 ). Antennal segment I yellowish brown, segment II dark brown, III yellow ( Fig. 8 ), IV light yellow on basal half but light brown to apex, V 2/3 light yellow with apex brown, VI–VIII dark brown ( Fig. 7 ). Thorax dark brown but with light area on basal part of mesonotum; Tergite I with two pair of campaniform sensillae and complete basal craspedum ( Fig. 5 ), Tergite II with polygonal sculptures as other the tergites ( Fig. 6 ), abdomen dark brown but with posterior part of VIII and X somewhat lighter ( Fig.9 ). Metanotal campaniform sensilla close together ( Fig. 10 ). Fore legs light yellow; mid-legs bicolored with coxa and trochanter brown, femur mainly brown with apex yellow, tibia and tarsi light yellow; hind legs bicolored with coxa, trochanter and femur brown, but tibia and tarsi yellow. Body setae pale. Fore wing almost uniformly dark brown ( Fig. 11 ), basally with white band reaching costal vein and basal vein with a brown area at middle. Sculpture on head, pterothorax and abdomen similar ( Fig. 6 ) to that of H. trilineatus . Fore wing costa with 21 setae, first vein with 5 setae proximal of fork, 12 setae distal to fork; second vein with 11 setae.

Measurements (holotype in microns). Body length 1170. Head, length 115; width across eyes 158; width across cheeks 162; width at basal collar 130; interval between eyes 78. Pronotum, length 90; width 190. Metascutellum, length 78; width 117. Fore wing, length 570; median width 35. Antennal segments II–VIII length (width): 35 (25), 63 (18), 45 (17), 46 (18), 34 (15), 14 (9), 29 (2).

Male macroptera. Tergite IX medially with a pair of stout horns on large bases, each about twice as long as distance between the centres of their bases; posterior to these is one pair of smaller horns with second smaller pair laterally. Sternites III–VII each with one slender oval pore plate, on IV about 40 microns wide.

Measurements (paratype male in microns: Body length 1089. Head, length 102; width across eyes 91; width across cheeks 156. Pronotum, length 62; width 206. Metascutellum, length 57; width 76. Fore wing length 616. Tergite IX horn-like setae lengths: first pair 17, basal interval 17; second pair 10, basal interval 9; third pair 13, basal interval 26. Antennal segments II–VIII length (width): 33 (25), 62 (17), 45 (17), 39 (16), 26 (15), 11 (8), 33 (2).

Specimens studied. Holotype female, Netherlands, Bleiswijk , from Aloe sp. probably imported from Africa , 9.x.2017 (Trudie Coenen), in insect collection of National Plant Protection Organization, Netherlands ( NPPO).

Paratypes: Netherlands, 23 females and 3 males with same data as holotype: 1 each in London NHM , Frankfurt SMF and Hamburg ZMUH . Malawi, 1 female, 1 male in suction trap, iv.1966 (J.K.Farrell) (CIE A1172/188), in NHM .

Remarks. This species is very similar to H. trilineatus but is distinguished in the key above by the colour of the fore wings and the mid and hind tibiae, and the position of the metanotal campaniform sensilla.

Figures

FIGURES 1–8. Hercinothrips splendens n.sp. (1) Habitus female; (2) Head; (3) Pronotum; (4) Head and Pronotum; (5) Tergite I; (6) Tergite II; (7–8) Antennal segments III–VIII.

FIGURES 9–13. Hercinothrips splendens n.sp. (9) Tergites IX–X; (10) Metanotum; (11) Fore wing; (12) Leaf feeding damage on Aloe sp. caused by H. aethiopiae in Holland; (13) Aloe plants attacked by H. splendens in greenhouse in Holland.