Araliacothrips daweishanensis, Li & Li & Zhang, 2018

Li, Yajin, Li, Zhengyue & Zhang, Hongrui, 2018, A new Panchaetothripinae genus and species, also a newly recorded genus, from Southwestern China (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), Zootaxa 4394 (2), pp. 235-242 : 236-239

Araliacothrips daweishanensis sp.n.

( Figs 1–15 )

Female. With the characters in the generic diagnosis above. Body entirely blackish brown ( Fig. 1 ); legs brown except for extreme apex of tibiae and tarsi yellow; antennal segment I yellowish brown, II brown, III–IV and basal half of V yellow; apical half of V and VI–VII entirely brown, VIII light brown ( Fig. 7 ); fore wing brown, white sub-basally and with diffuse paler area sub-apically, clavus brown with apex pale ( Fig. 6 ). Body setae clear in color. Head with ocellar hump slightly elevated ( Fig. 8 ); reticles with a few scattered dot-like thickening area medially on posterior margin; anteocellar, interocellar and four pairs of postocellar setae well-developed; mouth cone broadly rounded.

Pronotum with slightly rounded reticles, with semicircular hind margin with setae about equal in length to postocellar setae ( Fig. 9 ). Fore wing first vein with 7–8 basal setae and 2 distal setae, second vein with 6–8 widelyspaced setae; anterior fringe cilia longer than costal setae; clavus with 4–5 veinal setae but no discal setae ( Fig. 6 ).

Abdominal tergite I with median pair of minute setae near the heavy antecostal line ( Fig. 10 ); tergite II with antecostal line thick and completely covered with polygonal reticulations, but smooth posteriorly ( Fig. 11 ); III–VII with arched sculpture ( Fig. 12 ), sub-median setae becoming stronger gradually on V–VIII; sternites II–VII reticulate medially on anterior half.

Measurements (holotype female in microns): Body length 1567. Head, length 130; width 166. Pronotum, length 140; width 226. Fore wing length 1038. Tergite IX setae length, S1 115; S2 139. Antennal segments III–VIII length 75, 63, 45, 29, 10, 40.

Male. Similar to female in colour, sculpture and chaetotaxy but a little smaller ( Fig. 2 ). Abdominal tergite IX with three pairs of stout thorn-like setae, anterior pair slightly stouter, each posterior pair slightly more slender and lateral to preceding one ( Fig. 3 ). Sternites IV–VII each with a broad transverse pore plate near anterior margin ( Fig. 4 ).

Measurements (paratype male in microns): Body length 1428. Head, length 120; width 155. Pronotum, length 127; width 187. Fore wing length 891. Antennal segments III–VIII length 72, 56, 37, 23, 9, 38.

Specimens examined. Holotype: female, CHINA, Yunnan Province, Pingbian County, Dawei Mountain Nature Reserve, from Eleutherococcus nodiflorus leaves [ Araliaceae ], 3.viii.2017 (Kong Bo & Wu Can), in collection of Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming.

Paratypes: 3 females, collected with holotype ; same locality, 1 female from fern, 2.viii.2017 ; 1 male from Malachium aquaticum , 13.v.2017; 3 females, 3 males from E. nodiflorus leaves, 3.x. 2017 (with about 10 specimens preserved in alcohol); 1 male and 1 female deposited in Australian National Insect Collection, Canberra.

Etymology. The genus is named after the host plant, and the specific epithet is taken from the collecting place.

Comments. All specimens were collected from the same location. Initially, one male was collected from fern, and then one female was collected from Malachium aquaticum , but subsequently this thrips species was collected twice from the medicinal plant Eleutherococcus nodiflorus , although no larvae were collected.

Figures

FIGURES 1–7. Araliacothrips daweishanensis gen. et sp. n. (1) Female; (2) Male; (3) Abdominal tergites IX–X of male; (4) Abdominal sternites IV–V of male; (5) Antennal segments II–IV; (6) Fore wing; (7) Antennae.

FIGURES 8–14. Araliacothrips daweishanensis gen. et sp. n. (8) Head; (9) Pronotum; (10) Abdominal tergite I; (11) Abdominal tergite II; (12) Abdominal tergites V–VII; (13) Mesonotum and metanotum; (14) Abdominal tergites VIII–X of female.

FIGURES 15–20. Panchaetothripinae from China. (15) Araliacothrips daweishanensis gen. et sp. n., meso- and metasterna. 16–20, Helionothrips cephalicus (16) Head and Pronotum;(17)Meso- and metasterna; (18)Abdominal tergites I–III of female; (19) Fore wing; (20) Antennae.