Aeolothrips richardi, Alavi & Kasatkin & Farashiani, 2024

Alavi, Jalil, Kasatkin, Denis & Farashiani, M. Ebrahim, 2024, Two new species of the genus Aeolothrips (Thysanoptera: Aeolothripidae) from Iran, Zootaxa 5489 (1), pp. 129-143 : 138-140

Aeolothrips richardi sp. n.

( Figs 15–25 )

Female macroptera. Body brown; legs wholly brown including tarsi; fore tarsi somewhat lighter ( Fig. 15 ), majority of body setae dark. Antennal segment II lighter to yellow at apex, III lighter in basal half, others dark brown, the same color as I ( Fig. 16 ). Fore wings pale with two brown transverse bands connected posteriorly by cloudy brown marginal vein; apex of fore wings clear, surrounded with brown ring vein, veinal setae dark ( Fig. 25 ), scale brown in basal half with 9 veinal setae. Vertex with 5–6 pairs of preocellar setae, 5 pairs of setae between ocellar triangle and eyes, 1 pair of setae within ocellar triangle situated between anterior and posterior ocelli, 3 setae arranged in a triangle between posterior ocelli, in which two of them are stouter than third; postocular area with microtrichia on lines of sculpture, with 8–10 pairs setae arranged in 2 irregular rows, with 1 pair of stout setae behind posterior ocelli ( Fig. 17 ). Frontoclypeus with 13 pairs of small discal setae, with a pair of distinct mid-lateral setae beside eyes ( Fig. 18 ). Antennal segment III with linear sensorium long, extending to near basal fourth of segment; segment IV with linear sensorium extending to basal fifth of segment, strongly curved distally, distinctly cane shape with a rather long handle stretched along margin of tip; segment V with sensorium extending to basal fifth of segment, edges of the linear sensoria wavy, segment V longer than VI–IX together ( Fig. 16 ). Pronotum with about 40 scattered setae and 8 pairs of posteromarginal setae, four inner pairs stouter than laterals, with few weak microtrichia rows posterior area ( Fig. 17 ). Mesonotum with 1 pair of median setae ( Fig. 19 ). Metascutum reticulation equiangular medially, longitudinal laterally, without internal markings, sculpture lines of median reticulation with microtrichia ( Fig. 19 ). Fore wing first cross vein at third end of first transverse band; second cross vein at third beginning of second transverse band ( Fig. 25 ). Abdominal tergites II–X with rows of microtrichia on lines of sculpture medially and laterally, the number of microtrichia rows at anteromedial area increased towards the anal segments ( Fig. 20 ); tergite I with microtrichia lines laterally, with median paired campaniform sensilla. Abdominal sternites II–VIII covered with microtrichia on lines of sculpture; sternite I strongly reduced medially, with 2 pairs of microsetae ( Fig. 27 ), II with 4 pairs of posteromarginal setae; III with 6 pairs, IV–VI with 7 pairs, VII with 6 pairs of which the four lateral pairs are sub-marginal, the accessory setae inseparable from the numerous discal setae, distance between setae S1 equals to distance between each of them to setae S2 ( Fig. 24 ); sternites II–VII with 1, 7, 10, 10 and 15 pairs of discal seta, respectively ( Fig. 22 ). Each of abdominal hemisternites VIII with 5–6 discal seta. Spermatheca elongated and eggplant-shaped, without spiniform chitinous processes ( Fig. 21 ).

Measurements (holotype female, in microns). Body distended length 2000. Head length 138, two stout interocellar setae length 25. Antenna segments I–IX length (width): 38 (38), 63 (30), 115 (28), 110 (28), 80 (30), 19 (21), 13 (19), 15 (14), 14 (9). Mesonotal median setae length (interval) 35 (68), strong lateral setae length 43, metascutum anteromarginal setae length (interval) 33 (45), posterior setae length (interval) 15 (29). Fore wing length 1100, width across first anterior cross vein 150, across second cross vein 200; first and second transverse bands length along the anterior margin 300 and 300, respectively; intervening white area length 150. Fore to hind tibiae length 212, 212 and 325, respectively. Tergite IX median length 118, setae S1 length 103, setae S2 length 93. Ovipositor length 420.

Male. Unknown.

Material studied. Holotype female: IRAN, Lorestan province, 24 km S Azna, 33.279639 N / 49.499288 E, on Cynoglossum sp. or Anchusa sp. [ Boraginaceae ], 17.v.2017, D. Kasatkin.

Comments. A. richardi sp. n. is a unique species by having distinct microtrichia on the sculpture lines of the body. Moreover, this species is especially characterized by the numerous (up to 10 pairs) distinct discal setae on all abdominal sternites II–VIII. So far, the discal setae on abdominal sternites have been recognized only for 4 species: the Indian species, A. moundi Kulshrestha & Vijay Veer , with one pair on sternite VII, the African species, A. scabiosatibia Moulton , with 2–3 pairs on sternites VI–VII, the two Iranian species, A. gundeliae , with 0–3 on sternites II–VII and A. tatari with 0–2 on sternites VI–VIII ( Alavi et al. 2016; Alavi & Minaei 2018).

A. richardi sp. n. is similar to the European species, A. manteli Titschack , in having a long sensorium on antennal segment V ( Figs 16, 26 ). This character is also seen in the four North American species A. major Bailey , A. mexicanus Priesner , A. nitidus Moulton and A. vittipennis ( Bailey 1951; Mound & Marullo 1996; Mound et al. 2019). The new species is also close to A. manteli in the colour of antenna and the shape of sensorium on antennal segment IV, which is extended to the basal third of the segments, distinctly cane shape with a long handle stretched around the tip. However, the sensoria on antennal segments II–V in A. richardi sp. n. are relatively broad and wavy, while in A. manteli they are narrow and smooth ( Figs 16, 26 ).

These two species are similar in another character as well; abdominal sternite I is strongly reduced medially in both species ( Figs 23, 27 ). However, the number of microsetae on sternite I in A. richardi sp. n. is two pairs ( Fig. 27 ) versus one pair in A. manteli ( Fig. 23 ). The new species is also very similar to A. manteli in colour pattern of the forewing. These two species are clearly different in spermatheca features: in A. richardi sp. n. spermatheca elongated in form eggplant without spiniform chitinous processes ( Fig. 21 ), while in A. manteli it is boat-shape with 5 spiniform chitinous processes dorsally on either side ( Fig. 28 ). A. richardi sp. n. and A. manteli are probably similar in host-plant relationship; A. manteli is collected mostly on Anchusa officinalis [ Boraginaceae ] ( Kobro 2005). The single specimen of the new species was probably collected from the same plant genus.

Etymology. The species is named in honor of the late Richard zur Strassen, in recognition of his efforts and help to Iranian entomologists in the studies of Iranian thrips.

Figures

FIGURES 15–28. Aeolothrips richardi sp. n. (Female, 15–25) & Aeolothrips manteli (Female, 26–28): (15) general habitus, (16) antenna, (17) head & pronotum, (18) Ventral surface of head (arrows indicate mid-lateral pair of distinct setae on frontoclypeus), (19) mesonotum and metascutum, (20), abdominal tergites VI–VII, (21) spermatheca, (22) abdominal sternite I–VII and hemisternie VIII, (23) abdominal sternite I, (24) abdominal sternite VII, (25) Fore wing. Aeolothrips manteli (Female, 26–28): (26) antenna, (27) abdominal sternite I, (28) spermatheca.