Azaleothrips toshifumii, Okajima, Shûji & Masumoto, Masami, 2014

Okajima, Shûji & Masumoto, Masami, 2014, Species-richness in the Oriental fungus-feeding thrips of the genus Azaleothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae), Zootaxa 3846 (3), pp. 301-347 : 344-345

Azaleothrips toshifumii sp.n.

( Figs 153–156 )

Female macroptera. Body brown to dark brown; prothorax yellowish brown, distinctly paler than head; abdominal segment VIII more or less paler. Antennal segment III yellow; basal 1/4 of segment IV yellowish. Coxae brown, fore coxae slightly darker than prothorax; femora yellowish, outer side usually shaded with brown; mid and hind femora brown with apices yellowish; tibiae yellow, often weakly shaded with brown. Fore wings weakly shaded with brown, paler in basal 1/4.

Head ( Fig. 153 ) almost as long as wide; dorsal surface generally reticulate, reticles with delicate wrinkles. Antennal segments VII and VIII not closely joined; segments VII + VIII almost as long as segment III; segment IV almost as long as segment III; segment III with three (1 + 2), segment IV with four sensoria. Pronotum ( Fig. 154 ) very weakly sculptured with lines of reticulation, median portion without distinct reticulation, not tuberculate, 24 short setae in holotype. Basantra absent. Mesonotum ( Fig. 155 ) with small tubercles along transverse lines of sculpture, weakly coarse among lines. Metanotum ( Fig. 155 ) longitudinally striate anteriorly, longitudinally reticulate posteriorly; anterior half usually with 4 short setae. Fore tarsus with a tooth. Fore wing with 7/7 duplicated cilia in holotype. Pelta weakly reticulate. S1 setae on abdominal tergite IX almost as long as half the length of tube, or a little shorter; S2 setae on tergite IX expanded at apex. Tube about two-thirds the length of head. Anal setae a little longer than tube.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Distended body length 1865. Head length 193, width across cheeks 185. Pronotum length 134, width 220. Fore wing length about 640. Tube length 130, width across base 54. Antenna length about 360, segments III–VIII length (width) as follows: 55 (30), 55 (30), 51 (27), 47 (25), 35 (23), 23 (13). Postocular setae?. S1 setae on tergite IX 62 –63, S2 setae on tergite IX 72 –73. Anal setae 135–137.

Male macroptera. Color very similar to female. Intermediate abdominal segments often paler; fore femora often more or less darker. Structure similar to female, but showing size-related variation (= allometry). Pore plate on abdominal sternite VIII distinct, widely developed. S2 setae on abdominal tergite IX blunt, or nearly pointed at apex.

Measurements (paratype small–large males in microns). Distended body length 1570–1830. Head length 180–191, width across cheeks 163–178. Pronotum length 113, width 132. Fore wing length 580–690. Tube length 105–114, width across base 50–55. Antenna length 345–390, segments III–VIII length (width) as follows: 52–65 (30–34), 51–62 (30–31), 50–55 (25–26), 45–49 (22–25), 32–37 (20–22), 22–23 (13–13). Postocular setae 30–35. S1 setae on tergite IX 52 –65, S2 setae on tergite IX 38 –45. Anal setae about 120–200.

Specimens examined. Holotype female macroptera: Thailand, Chiang Mai, Farm of Chiang Mai University, on dead leaves and branches, 28.viii.1992 (TN & SO).

Paratypes: Thailand, 5 females and 2 males, collected with holotype: Chiang Dao, 1 female, on bamboo, 23.viii.1992 (TN & SO), 1 male, on dead leaves, 23.viii.1992 (TN); nr. Chiang Mai, foot of Doi Pui, 2 females and 4 males, on dead leaves and branches, 24.viii.1992 (TN & SO); Doi Pui, 1 female and 13 males, on dead leaves and branches, 1.ix.1992 (TN); 1 female, nr. Chiang Mai, foot of Doi Saket, 25.viii.1992 (TN & SO); 1 female, nr. Chiang Mai, Hang Dong, on dead leaves and branches, 25.viii.1992 (TN & SO); nr. Chiang Mai, Doi Inthanon, 18 females and 12 males, on dead leaves and branches, 1 female, on bamboo, 29.viii.1992 (TN & SO).

Remarks. This species belongs to the amabilis group, and is very similar to a sympatric species, lepidus . However, it is barely be distinguished from that species by the large yellowish base of the antennal segment IV, weakly reticulate pronotum, and by the darker fore coxae which are tinged with brown and usually paler than the bases of fore femora. Moreover, the dentate microtrichia or tubercles along transverse reticles or striae on outer sides of the abdominal tergite II of this species ( Fig. 156 ) have a tendency to smaller than those of lepidus ( Fig. 72 ). A. bali , described above from Indonesia, is also somewhat similar to this species, but has darker and distinctly reticulate pronotum.

Figures

FIGURES 153 – 161. Azaleothrips species. toshifumii sp. n. female 153 – 156: (153) head; (154) pronotum; (155) meso & metanotum; (156) tergite II. vietnamensis sp. n. female 157 – 161: (157) head; (158) pronotum; (159) meso & metanotum; (160) tergite II; (161) tergite V.

FIGURES 64 – 72. Azaleothrips species. laocai sp. n. female 64 – 67: (64) head; (65) antennal segments III & IV; (66) pronotum; (67) meso & metanotum. lepidus, female 68 – 72: (68) head; (69) pronotum; (70) mouth cone; (71) meso & metanotum; (72) tergite II.