Praepodothrips sonlae, Okajima & Masumoto, 2025

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 : 51-52

Praepodothrips sonlae sp. nov.

( Figs 191–198 )

Female (macroptera). Distended body length: 2.2–2.4mm. Body brown ( Fig. 191 ). Femora brown, fore femora with extreme apices scarcely paler; fore tibiae yellow, mid and hind tibiae brown; tarsi yellow. Antennal segments I–II and VIII pale brown, segment II yellowish antero-externally; segments III–VI yellow; segment VII yellow to pale brown, gradually darkened distally. Fore wings and major body setae pale. Head about 1.2 times as long as wide ( Fig. 192 ), widest across cheeks at a level of postocular setae, dorsal surface with a few transverse wrinkles at middle, with transverse reticulation at base. Cheeks rounded, weakly serrated. Postocular setae shorter than eyes, blunt or very weakly expanded, 168µm apart from each other, 20–24µm apart from eyes in holotype. Eyes about one-third of head length, about 90µm apart from each other. Posterior ocelli slightly separated from eyes, 47µm apart from each other. Antennae ( Fig. 197 ) about 1.5 times as long as head; segment VIII scarcely constricted at base, 0.78 times as long as segment VII; segment III longer than segment IV; segments III and IV each with (1+1) sense cones. Maxillary stylets not reaching postocular setae, rather close together; maxillary bridge distinct ( Fig. 193 ), about one-fourth of head width or a little wider, situated at basal one-fourth of head. Pronotum ( Fig. 192 ) well-developed, 0.74 times as long as head, 1.28 times as wide as long in holotype, almost smooth; four pairs of major prothoracic setae developed, blunt or weakly expanded, am reduced; ml longer than aa, epim the longest, almost as long as postocular setae. Prospinasternum longer than wide ( Fig. 194 ). Mesopresternum transverse. Mesonotum weakly reticulate, lateral setae short and pointed, about 15µm long. Metanotum weakly sculptured with polygonal reticulation; median pair of setae short and acute, 52µm apart from each other, 75–77µm apart from anterior margin of metanotum in holotype. Fore tarsal tooth small ( Fig. 198 ). Fore wing with 5–6 duplicated cilia; sub-basal setae S1 and S2 weakly expanded, S3 blunt or very weakly expanded. Pelta hat-shaped ( Fig. 195 ), sculptured weakly, about 1.8 times as wide as long. Tergite IX S1 and S2 setae pointed or bluntly pointed, shorter than tube, S2 longer than S1; intermediate setae shorter than half of S1. Tube ( Fig. 196 ) about 0.5 times as long as head, about 1.8 times as long as wide; terminal setae long, about 1.8 times as long as tube.

Measurements ( holotype female in µm). Body length 2230 (distended). Head length 243, from anterior margin of eyes 225, width across eyes 194, maximum width across cheeks 203, minimum width across base 150; eyes length 80; diameter of posterior ocelli 15–17; postocular setae 55. Maxillary bridge width 53. Antenna total length 370, segments III–VIII length (width) as follows: 57 (28), 52 (26), 50 (26), 47 (22), 45 (20), 35 (12). Pronotum length 180, width 230. Setae on prothorax: aa 35, ml 38, pa 43–44, epim 56–58. Fore wing length 800. Sub-basal wing setae: S1 29 –30, S2 25 –30, S3 25 –30. Pelta length 72, width 130. Tergite IX setae: S1 105–110, S2 115–118. Tube length 124, maximum width 69; terminal setae 220–225.

Male (macroptera). Distended body length: about 2.0mm. Very similar to macropterous female in color and structure. Pronotum 0.73 times as long as head, about 1.3 times as wide as long; fore wing with 5 duplicated cilia; tergite IX S2 setae a little longer than half of S1.

Measurements ( paratype male in µm). Body length about 2000 (distended). Head length 223, from anterior margin of eyes 207, width across eyes 181, maximum width across cheeks 185, minimum width across base 140; eyes length 78; diameter of posterior ocelli 13–17; postocular setae about 50. Maxillary bridge width 58. Antenna total length 370, segments III–VIII length as follows: 55, 55, 52, 45, 45, 34. Pronotum length 163, width 212. Setae on prothorax: aa about 20, ml about 30, pa 50, epim 55. Fore wing length 760. Sub-basal wing setae: S1 33, S2?, S3?. Pelta length 71, width 117. Tergite IX setae: S1 105–110, S2 55 –60. Tube length 117, maximum width 63; terminal setae 225.

Type material. Holotype: macropterous female, Vietnam, Son La Province, Deo Pha Din , on bamboo, 13.viii.2000, SO . Paratypes: Vietnam, 2 females and 1 male, collected together with holotype .

Comments. This species is described from Vietnam based on three females and one male taken from bamboo. Similar to two previously known species, P. cymbapogoni and P. flavicornis , it has the body uniformly brown and antennal segments III and IV each with (1+1) sense cones. From cymbapogoni , sonlae can easily be distinguished by having brown mid and hind tibiae. From flavicornis , the most similar species, sonlae may can be distinguished by the maxillary bridge much narrower than one-third of the head width, and the prothoracic anteroangular and midlateral setae well-developed.

Figures

FIGURES 191–200. Praepodothrips species. P. sonlae sp. nov., female 191–198: (191) whole body; (192) head and prothorax; (193) maxillary bridge; (194) prosternum and mesopresternum; (195) pelta; (196) tube; (197) antenna; (198) fore tarsus. Maxillary bridge 199–200: (199) P. flavicornis, female; (200) P. indicus.