Urothrips kobroi, Ulitzka, Manfred R. & Mound, Laurence A., 2014

Ulitzka, Manfred R. & Mound, Laurence A., 2014, New generic synonyms in the Palaeotropical genus Urothrips (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripinae) with one new species from Seychelles, Zootaxa 3755 (6), pp. 595-600 : 598-599

Urothrips kobroi sp.n.

Female aptera. Body bicolored brown and yellow; mainly yellow except as follows: head, pronotum and mesonotum, fore legs, coxae of the second legs, basal and terminal antennal segment, and tip of tube dark brown ( Figs 5, 7 ); abdominal tergites II–VIII each with a pair of light brown dots, one on either side and medially with weak brownish shadings; segment IX laterally with longitudinal brown shadings.

Head broadly rounded in front, without any longer setae on anterior margin; tuberculate dorsally; maxillary stylets deeply retracted to compound eyes ( Fig. 5 ). Eyes with about 8 facets dorsally but only 2 facets ventrally near the antennal base. Antennae arising ventrally, with 5 visible segments; sutures between morphological segments III–V weakly indicated, VII and VIII fused into one unit ( Fig. 6 ).

Pronotum with all setae small, epimeral setae scarcely distinguished ( Fig. 5 ); fore tarsi with a sharply recurved hamus on external margin. Mesoeusternum anterior margin entire. Abdominal segment IX slightly shorter than tube, all major posterior setae minute; tube slender, straight sided ( Fig. 7 ).

Measurements (holotype female, in microns). Body length 1140. Head, length 168; maximum width 145. Pronotum, length 100; median width 190; epimeral setae 5. Tergite VIII, length 50; maximum width 140. Tergite IX, length 98; basal width 87; distal width 45. Tube, length 118; median width 28; dorsal terminal setae 415; lateral terminal setae 430. Antennae, length of 5 visible segments: 22, 31, 73, 22, 34.

Derivatio nominis: This species is dedicated to Dr. Sverre Kobro (Bioforsk Plantehelse, Norway) to honor his scientific work on the order Thysanoptera .

Material studied: Holotype female, Seychelles, Praslin Island, from Carex sp., 10.xi.2012 (Sverre Kobro) in Senckenberg Museum, Frankfurt. Paratypes: Two females with same data as holotype, in the Natural History Museum, London and Collection Ulitzka.

Comments. The paradoxus -group comprises three species from South and East Africa, bagnalli , minor and paradoxus . These have been distinguished from each other on weak character states, including relative lengths of antennal segments VI–VII, and form of sculpture on the head.

They all have antennal segments III–V broadly joined but clearly articulated from each other. In contrast, these segments in kobroi are fused and non-articulated but with the constrictions between them distinct. Examination of these antennae suggested initially that this new species should be placed in Biconothrips , a genus known only from Australia. However, B. reedi , the only species in that genus, is remarkable amongst urothripines in having the mesoeusternum fully divided longitudinally in the midline. Moreover, the anterior margin of the head bears a pair of tubercles that overhang the first antennal segment ( Fig. 3 ), and the terminal segment of the antennae is spindleshaped, long and slender.

Figures

FIGURES 5 – 7. Urothrips kobroi sp. n. (5) head and thorax; (6) antenna; (7) abdomen.

FIGURES 1 – 4. Urothrips species, head, thorax and antennae. (1) tarai; (2) paradoxus; (3) reedi; (4) junctus.