Mesandrothrips acutisetis, Dang & Zhao & Xie & Zhao & Qiao, 2020

Dang, Li-Hong, Zhao, Lin-Peng, Xie, Dan-Le, Zhao, Le & Qiao, Ge-Xia, 2020, Studies on the genus Mesandrothrips from China, with a new species (Thysanoptera Phlaeothripinae: Haplothripini), Zootaxa 4816 (1), pp. 123-128 : 124

Mesandrothrips acutisetis sp.n.

( Figs 1, 2 , 6, 10–14 , 15, 16, 20 )

Female macroptera. Body brown ( Fig. 15 ); Antennae uniformly brown but basal third of segment III yellow; femora brown, tibiae brown in middle part but yellow at apex and base, tarsi yellow; fore wings pale with light shading; all major setae yellowish brown.

Head a little longer than wide ( Fig. 1 ); postocular setae developed, as long as eye, pointed at apex ( Fig. 1 ); ocellar triangle slightly swollen; mouth cone short and rounded. Antennae 8-segmented, III–VI with distinct pedicel, VIII slightly contract at base but not pedicellate, III with 1+2 sense cones, IV with 2+2, V and VI with 1+1 respectively ( Fig. 6 ). Pronotum with no sculpture, am setae reduced to minute, aa, ml, epim and pa setae well developed and pointed at apex, pa setae the longest ( Fig. 1 ); notopleural sutures complete; basantra developed. Fore tarsal tooth large ( Figs 1 , 15 ). Mesonotum sculptured, lateral setae acute; mesopresternum entire with narrow in the middle; metathoracic sternopleural sutures absent. Fore wings without duplicated cilia ( Fig. 20 ), sub-basal setae acute, S3 longer than S1 and S2 ( Fig. 10 ). Pelta slightly triangular with a pair of campaniform sensilla ( Fig. 12 ); tergites II–VII with two pairs of wing-retaining setae ( Fig. 15 ); tergite IX setae S1, S2 and S3 acute and shorter than tube ( Fig. 13 ); tube 0.7 times as long as head; anal setae shorter than tube ( Fig. 13 ).

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 2210. Head length 195, width across behind eyes 175; eye length 65; postocular setae 70. Antenna length 385, segments I–VIII length 30, 50, 65, 65, 55, 50, 40, 30. Pronotum length 125, width 235, aa 30, ml 60, epim 70, pa 85. Fore wing length 940, sub-basal wing setae 50, 55, 75. Tergite IX setae S1 100, S2 85, S3 75. Tube length 160, basal width 55; anal setae length 95.

Male macroptera. Similar to female ( Fig. 16 ), but postocular setae clearly longer than eye ( Fig. 2 ); tergite IX S1 and S2 short and stout; abdominal sternites without pore plate.

Measurements (in microns). Body length 1885. Head length 170, width across behind eyes 160; eye length 70; postocular setae 85. Antennae length 375, segments I–VIII length 30, 45, 65, 65, 55, 50, 40, 35. Pronotum aa 20, ml 35, epim 75, pa 95. Fore wing length 920, sub-basal setae 50, 70, 75. Tergite IX setae S1 50, S2 30, S3 95. Tube length 125; anal setae length 105.

Material studied. Female holotype, China, Shaanxi Province, Changqing National Nature Reserve, Yangjia ravine, from weeds with some dried leaves, 5.Viii.2017 ( JM2017325-1 ), L.H. Dang (in Shaanxi University of Technology , SUT) .

Paratypes: two females and one male with same data as holotype ( JM2017325-2 , -3, -4) (in SUT & NZMC) ; one female and one male, Sichuan Province, Guangyuan City, Cangwangxia Reserve , on grass, 5.Viii.2018 ( JM2018196- 7 , JM2018195-4 ) , L.H. Dang, Y. Hu & D.L. Xie (in SUT) .

Comments. This new species is defined as a species of Mesandrothrips because, as a species of Haplothripini , it has of the three sense cones on antennal segment III and four on IV. It can be distinguished from the other members of this genus by having all major setae pointed ( Figs 1–2 ) and by lacking duplicated cilia on the fore wings ( Fig. 20 ). It is similar to M. reedi in having postocular setae and the fore wing sub-basal setae S3 acute, but this new species can be recognised by the pointed pronotal setae (which are weakly capitate in M. reedi ) and by the short setal pair S1 on tergite IX, which is shorter than tube.

Figures

FIGURES 1–5. Head, pronotum & fore legs: 1. M. acutisetis sp.n., female; 2. M. acutisetis sp.n., male; 3. M. inquilinus; 4. M. pictipes; 5. M. subterraneus.

FIGURES 6–14. Antennae: 6. M. acutisetis sp.n.; 7. M. inquilinus; 8. M. pictipes; 9. M. subterraneus. M. acutisetis sp.n.: 10. Base of fore wing; 11. Mesopresternum; 12. Pelta; 13. Tergites IX–X; 14. Pelta of male.

FIGURES 15–20. The colour photos of Mesandrothrips: 15. M. acutisetis sp.n., female; 16. M. acutisetis sp.n., male; 17. M. pictipes; 18.M. subterraneus; 19. M. inquilinus; 20. M. acutisetis sp.n., fore wing without duplicated cilia.