Psilothrips zygophylli, Minaei & Mound, 2015

Minaei, Kambiz & Mound, Laurence, 2015, Thysanoptera disjunct distribution between western America and the Mediterranean with a new Psilothrips species (Thripidae) from Iran, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 62 (1), pp. 1-7 : 3-5

Psilothrips zygophylli sp. n. Figs 2, 5, 8, 9, 10, 13

Female macroptera.

Body yellow to light brown, antennal segments I, III and IV pale, remaining segments shaded; head and pronotum with posterior margins weakly shaded; pterothorax light brown medially, including metascutellum; abdominal tergites I-VIII yellow laterally but with light brown patch medially; fore wings weakly shaded.

With the character states in the generic diagnosis; antennal segments slender (Fig. 9) with reduced microtrichia. Head weakly reticulate in basal third, ocellar setae III on anterior margins of ocellar triangle (Fig. 2).

Pronotum with irregular transverse sculpture lines; 4 pairs of posteromarginal setae, S1 and S3 longer than S2 and S4 (Fig. 5). Metanotum with equiangular reticulation on posterior half, median setae often asymmetric in position (Fig. 8). Fore wing relatively broad; first vein with two setae distally, second vein with about 11 setae (Fig. 10); apex with small sub-apical lobe bearing many long microtrichia ventrally. Abdominal tergites with transverse reticulation medially (Fig. 13), setae S2 slightly shorter than setae S1; tergites IV-VI with striate sculpture laterally bearing a few short microtrichia; sternites III-VII with about eight discal setae.

Measurements

(holotype female; measurements in micrometer). Table 1 .

Male macroptera.

Similar to female but paler. Tergite IX without any processes or stout setae; sternites apparently without pore plates.

Measurements

(paratype male; measurements in micrometer). Table 1 .

Specimens examined

(slide-mounted). Holotype female, IRAN, Fars Province, Sarvestan, 100 km west of Shiraz, from leaves of Zygophyllum sp. ( Zygophyllaceae ), 17.IV.2014 (KM 1151) (in BMNH).

Paratypes: 7 females, taken with the holotype; 17 females, 6 males, 4 larvae, IRAN, Fars Province, Sarvestan, from leaves of Zygophyllum sp., 9.V.2014 (KM 1185) (in PPSU), 2 females, 1 male, 1 larva, IRAN, Fars Province, Sarvestan, from leaves of Zygophyllum sp. (in ANIC).

Etymology.

This species is named after the genus of plant from which it was collected.

Comments.

This new species shares many character states with the North American species Psilothrips pardalotus . It differs in the form of the metanotal sculpture, longer major setae on the head and pronotum which are more prominently longitudinally grooved, shorter setae S2 on the abdominal tergites, and more slender antennae.