Mycterothrips arabicus, Rasool & Alattal & Aldhafer, 2023

Rasool, Iftekhar, Alattal, Yehya Zaki & Aldhafer, Hathal M., 2023, Faunistic inventory, identification keys and zoogeographical analysis of the Thysanoptera-Terebrantia of Saudi Arabia, including two new species, Zootaxa 5306 (2), pp. 151-200 : 180

Mycterothrips arabicus sp. n.

( Figs 3–11 )

Female macroptera: Body unicolorouos yellow; antennal segment I pale, II–VIII light brown. Head smaller than pronotum, compound eyes with five pigmented-facets; ocellar setae pair III long, arising inside the triangle at inner margin of hind ocelli; postocular S1–S3 setae arising close to each other. mouth cone with slender maxillary palps extending to posterior margin of pronotum ( Fig. 6 ). Antennae 8-segmented, segment II with 2–3 rows of microtrichia ( Figs 3, 4 ), sense cones on segment III–IV forked. Pronotum with 20–25 discal setae and two pairs of postero angular setae; mesonotum with median pair of setae at posterior margin; metanotum irregularly sculptured medially, longitudinally striate laterally, median pair of setae behind anterior margin, without CPS. Fore wing first vein with long gap before two distal setae. Abdominal tergites II–VIII with numerous ciliate microtrichia, smooth medially, tergites VII–VIII with S4 setae minute ( Figs 7, 8 ), posterior margin of VIII with comb of microtrichia complete; tergite IX with a few microtrichia at posterior margin medially, without CPS ( Fig. 8 ). Sternites II–VII with 2–14 discal setae arranged almost in line ( Fig. 9 ).

Male macroptera ( Fig. 11 ). Male sexually dimorphic in antennae, color similar to females; antennae 7– segmented, VI comparatively longer than in females ( Fig. 4 ), mouth cone shorter, not reaching to posterior margin of pronotum.

Measurements. Female holotype ( Fig. 10 ): Body length 1140; head length 80, width 140; pronotum length 120, width 170; fore wings 730; antennal segments I–VIII, 22, 35, 50, 45, 35, 40, 11, 16; ocellar setae pair III 40; pa inner setae 42, pa outer 40; tergite IX S1 setae 65; Mt 41.

Male paratype: Body length 825; head length 75, width 120; pronotum length 80, width 125; fore wings length 510; antennal segments I–VIII, 20, 30, 35, 30, 20, 52, 10; ocellar setae pair III 30; pa inner setae 32, pa outer setae 30.

Material studied. Holotype female, SAUDI ARABIA, Al Baha. Biljurashi , from Acacia sp. , 22.ix.2020, ( BT) [ KSMA] . Paratypes. four females, 21 males, same data as holotype [one male with this data in ANIC]; Jarab- Biljurashi Rd ., 20 females Acacia sp. , ( BT); Raghadan , seven females, 22.ix.2020, ( BT) ; three females, 16 males, 4 larvae Acacia gerrardii leaves, 23.ix.2020, ( BT); Shada al Aala , six females, Acacia laeta leaves, 26.ix.2020, ( BT). Riyadh, Rawdat Tinhat , from Acacia ehrenbergiana leaves, 20.iii.2020 [one female same data and locality in ANIC] .

Comments. The new species is related to acaciae species-group( M.acaciae , M.laticauda and M.imbimbiachetae ) based on long and slender mouth cone, reaching at least to posterior margin of pronotum; tergites with numerous rows of microtrichia laterally, tergite IX with a few microtrichia at posterior margin medially; sternites with discal setae (except M. imbimbiachetae ) and male antennal segment VI longer than that of female, with numerous setae but without microtrichial rows. The new species is close to M. acaciae based on setae S4 minute on tergites VII–VIII and regular row of discal setae on sternites. However, it can be distinguished based on the characters given in the key above. The new species can be separated from M. imbimbiachetae by prescence of discal setae on sternites (absent in M. imbimbiachetae ) and from M. laticauda by S4 setae minute on tergites VII–VIII and regular row of discal setae on sternites (S4 setae normal on tergites VII–VIII and discal setae on sternites arranged in irregular rowsin M. laticauda ).

Figures

FIGURES 3–9. Mycterothrips arabicus sp. n.: Antennae 3–4: (3) Female (4) Male. (5) Head; (6) Mouth cone; (7) Tergites VI–VII; (8) Tergites VIII–X; (9) Sternites V–VII.

FIGURES 10–11. Mycterothrips arabicus sp. n.: (10) Female (11) Male.