Praepodothrips Priesner & Seshadri

Okajima, Shûji & Masumoto, Masami, 2025, Some Poaceae-inhabiting Phlaeothripinae (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae) in East Asia, with descriptions of six new genera and 18 new species, Zootaxa 5726 (1), pp. 1-68 : 48-49

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5726.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:894F9D4B-2A99-4AC1-8C9A-828006840831
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03E28781-240B-506C-64C5-FD40AFE7FD85
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Praepodothrips Priesner & Seshadri
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Praepodothrips Priesner & Seshadri View in CoL

Praepodothrips Priesner & Seshadri, 1952: 407 View in CoL . Type-species: Praepodothrips indicus Priesner & Seshadri View in CoL , by original designation.

Previously, seven species were listed in this genus, of which four species were described from India, two from China ( Hainan and Yunnan) and one from Palawan, the Philippines. It is very similar to Okajimathrips View in CoL and Podothrips View in CoL in having well-developed metathoracic sternopleural sutures, and these three genera seem to constitute a natural group within the Haplothripini . Moreover, they share the body somewhat flattened and the fore tarsal tooth well-developed in both sexes, and these structures appear to be adapted to live under the leaf sheaths of bamboo and/or grass and preying on scale insects. From Okajimathrips View in CoL and Podothrips View in CoL , Praepodothrips View in CoL can be distinguished by the prosternal basantra shorter than the width and the fore tibiae unarmed. Furthermore, P. indicus View in CoL , type of the genus, has the fore tarsal tooth arising from just behind the tarsal inner margin apex. Three species have been found from Southeast Asia, of which P. causiapeltus View in CoL is recorded from Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, P. indicus View in CoL is recorded from Thailand for the first time, and a remaining species, P. sonlae sp. nov., is described newly from Vietnam. As a result, five species were recognized from East Asia, including two species from China, P. flavicornis View in CoL from Hainan and P. yunnanensis View in CoL from Yunnan.

Among eight species including a new species, two species, P. causiapeltus and P. priesneri , have three (1+2) and four (2+2 +1) sense cones on antennal segments III and IV respectively. In contrast, the remaining species each have two (1+1) sense cones on those segments, but P. nigrocephalus from India has only one (0+1) sense cone on segment III. Most other character states are very similar, and we judge here that these eight species belong to a single genus. Interspecific variation within a genus in the number of sense cones present is not particularly uncommon, and is ubiquitous within the Haplothripini ( Okajima & Masumoto 2025a, 2025b).

Diagnosis. Body slightly flattened, usually macropterous. Head longer than wide, with a pair of postocular setae. Postocular setae arose near cheeks. Eyes and ocelli well-developed. Antennae eight-segmented; segment III with (0+1), (1+1) or (1+2) sense cones, segment IV with (1+1) or (2+2 +1) sense cones. Mouth cone short and rounded; maxillary stylets retracted rather short and wide apart, at least not reaching postocular setae; maxillary bridge present. Prothorax with three or four pairs of expanded setae, am reduced, ml often reduced; notopleural sutures complete. Basantra present, wider than long. Mesopresternum transverse; metathoracic sternopleural sutures well-developed, furcal arms separated from one another (cf. Fig. 252 View FIGURES 241–253 ), without spinula. Fore tarsal tooth present in both sexes, fore tibiae unarmed. Fore wings weakly constricted medially (cf. Fig. 256 View FIGURES 254–257 ), with duplicated cilia. Pelta hat-shaped, often trapezoid. Tergites II–VII with two pairs of wing-retaining setae. Tube shorter than head, straight-sided; terminal setae much longer than tube. Male sternite VIII without pore plate.

Key to Praepodothrips View in CoL species from East Asia

[excluding P. yunnanensis View in CoL ]

1. Antennal segments III and IV with (1+2) and (2+2 +1) sense cones respectively; head a little longer than wide, about 1.1 times as long as wide ( Fig. 180 View FIGURES 178–190 )...................................................................... causiapeltus View in CoL

-. Antennal segments III and IV each with (1+1) sense cones; head longer, much more than 1.1 times as long as wide (cf. Fig. 187 View FIGURES 178–190 )................................................................................................ 2

2. Body bicolored yellow and brown ( Figs 185 & 186 View FIGURES 178–190 ), at least anterior abdominal segments yellowish, in contrast with brown head and thorax.................................................................................. indicus View in CoL

-. Body uniformly brown to dark brown..................................................................... 3

3. Maxillary bridge narrow, about one-fourth as wide as head ( Fig. 193 View FIGURES 191–200 ); postocular and prothoracic major setae blunt or weakly expanded; prothoracic anteroangular setae and midlateral setae well developed; sub-basal wing setae S1 and S2 subequal in length................................................................................... sonlae sp. nov.

-. Maxillary bridge wider, about one-third as wide as head ( Fig. 199 View FIGURES 191–200 ); postocular and prothoracic major setae pointed; prothoracic anteroangular and midlateral setae not developed; sub-basal wing setae S1 much shorter than S2.............. flavicornis View in CoL