Androthrips graminicola, 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 : 15-17

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5726.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:894F9D4B-2A99-4AC1-8C9A-828006840831
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17869622
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03E28781-242A-504D-64C5-F8F9AB9EFEC0
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Androthrips graminicola
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Androthrips graminicola sp. nov.

( Figs 9 View FIGURES 6–19 , 37–44 View FIGURES 37–44 , 253 View FIGURES 241–253 )

Female (macroptera). Distended body length: 1.8–2.4mm. Body bicolored ( Fig. 9 View FIGURES 6–19 ). Head brownish yellow, paler than abdomen, paler at anterior one-third; pterothorax and abdomen including tube brown, extreme base of tube yellowish; prothorax and legs yellow. Antennal segments I and II pale brown, segments VII and VIII brown; segments III – V largely yellow, but segments IV and V slightly shaded at anterior half, segment VI brown at distal half, yellowish at basal half. Fore wings and major body setae pale. Head much longer than wide ( Fig. 37 View FIGURES 37–44 ), 1.40– 1.55 times as long as wide, 1.49 times in holotype; dorsal surface almost smooth, sculptured laterally, but with a few transverse fine wrinkles at middle. Cheeks sub-parallel, very weakly rounded, serrated. Postocular setae shorter than eyes, weakly expanded, 108µm apart from each other, about 15µm apart from eyes in holotype. Eyes about one-third as long as head. Ocelli normal, posterior pair 25µm apart from each other in holotype. Antennae ( Fig. 44 View FIGURES 37–44 ) about 1.8 times as long as head; segment VIII rather slender, very weakly constricted at base, about 0.8 times as long as segment VII; segments III and IV subequal in length, each with (1+1) and (1+2) sense cones respectively, these sense cones are pale and slender, very difficult to observe. Maxillary stylets retracted to postocular setae, rather close together at middle; maxillary bridge rather distinct, situated far from basal collar of head, much narrower than half of head width. Pronotum ( Fig. 37 View FIGURES 37–44 ) 0.59 times as long as head, 1.57 times as wide as long in holotype, almost smooth; four pairs of major prothoracic setae weakly expanded; aa and ml subequal in length, much shorter than pa; pa almost as long as postocular setae; epim the longest. Prosternal basantra and ferna well-developed ( Fig. 38 View FIGURES 37–44 ). Prospinasternum circular or irregularly fan-shaped, 26µm wide in holotype. Mesopresternum narrowly boat-shaped or scarcely divided. Mesonotal lateral setae well-developed, expanded. Metanotum sculptured with polygonal reticulation ( Fig. 39 View FIGURES 37–44 ), with a pair of small setae before median pair of setae; median pair of setae short and acute, 36µm apart from each other, 57–65µm apart from anterior margin of metanotum in holotype. Fore femora not so enlarged ( Fig. 42 View FIGURES 37–44 ), sub-basal inner tubercle rather small ( Fig. 43 View FIGURES 37–44 ), often reduced to small hump in small individuals; fore tibial inner apical scale small ( Fig. 41 View FIGURES 37–44 ), but it is not visible depending on the angle of the specimen. Fore wing with 3–8 duplicated cilia, with 5–6 in holotype; sub-basal setae S1 and S2 expanded or weakly expanded, S2 longer than S1, S3 much longer than S2, blunt or very weakly expanded, rarely bluntly pointed. Pelta trapezoid ( Fig. 40 View FIGURES 37–44 ), 1.13 times as wide as long in holotype. Tergites II – VIII S1 setae very weakly expanded, but those on VII often blunt or bluntly pointed. Tergites III – VIII S2 setae: III – V short and blunt, VI – VIII pointed or nearly pointed, but those on VII often blunt or very weakly expanded. Tergite IX S1 and S2 setae subequal in length, finely pointed, longer than tube; intermediate setae short, about one-fourth of S1. Tube about 0.6 times as long as head, about 2.0 times as long as wide; terminal setae about 1.2 times as long as tube, or a little longer .

Measurements ( holotype female in µm). Body length 1940 (distended). Head length 217, from anterior margin of eyes 196, width across eyes 143, maximum width across cheeks 146, minimum width across base 125; eyes length 73; diameter of posterior ocelli 13–15; postocular setae 54. Maxillary bridge width 62. Antenna total length 387, segments III–VIII length (width) as follows: 54 (29), 57 (30), 52 (27), 45 (23), 43 (20), 36 (13). Pronotum length 127, width 200. Setae on prothorax: aa about 30, ml 35, pa about 50, epim 70–75. Fore wing length 700. Sub-basal wing setae: S1 33 –35, S2 42, S3 78–80. Pelta length 85, width 98. Tergite IX setae: S1 168, S2 165–167. Tube length 126, maximum width 117; terminal setae 160.

Measurements ( paratype large female from Thailand in µm). Body length 2430 (distended). Head length 230, from anterior margin of eyes 208, width across eyes 145, maximum width across cheeks 150, minimum width across base 132; eyes length 75; diameter of posterior ocelli 15–17; postocular setae 58–62. Maxillary bridge width 52. Antenna total length 415, segments III–VIII length as follows: 60, 60, 55, 50, 45, 37. Pronotum length 148, width 226. Setae on prothorax: aa about 40, ml 35–38, pa 55–60, epim 75. Fore wing length 850. Sub-basal wing setae: S1 40 –43, S2 55 –57, S3 95–100. Pelta length 97, width 110. Tergite IX setae: S1 165–172, S2 165–172. Tube length 138, maximum width 66; terminal setae 165–170.

Male (macroptera). Distended body length: 1.5–1.8mm. Very similar to macropterous female in color and structure. Head 1.35–1.45 times as long as wide; maxillary stylets somewhat wider apart; tergite IX S2 setae shorter than one-fourth of S1; tube a little shorter than 0.6 times as long as head.

Measurements ( paratype male in µm). Body length 1770 (distended). Head length 192, from anterior margin of eyes 172, width across eyes 133, maximum width across cheeks 135, minimum width across base 115; eyes length 68; diameter of posterior ocelli 12–13; postocular setae 40–45. Maxillary bridge width 65. Antenna total length 345, segments III–VIII length as follows: 50, 50, 47, 41, 40, 32. Pronotum length 115, width 183. Setae on prothorax: aa 25, ml 25, pa 35, epim 55. Fore wing length 680. Sub-basal wing setae: S1 32 –33, S2 35, S3 70–72. Pelta length 75, width 80. Tergite IX setae: S1 130–140, S2 27 –28. Tube length 108, maximum width 56; terminal setae 135–138.

Type material. Holotype: macropterous female. Japan, the Ryukyus , Okinawa-hontou Is., Tomigusuku-shi, Tomigusuku-joshi park, on Poaceae , 2.v.2015, K. Minoura . Paratypes: Japan, the Ryukyus, same locality and habitat as in holotype , 6 females, 12.vi.2002, M. Masumoto, 2 females, 21.ii.2015, 2 females and 1 male, 28.ii.2015, K. Minoura; 1 male, Ishigaki-jima Is., Mt. Banna-dake , on grass, 1.ix.1988 , SO; 1 male, Ishigaki-jima Is., Mt. Omotodake , on grass, 2.ix.1988 , SO. Taiwan, 1 female and 1 male, Pingtung Hsien, Kenting Nat. Park , on grass, 22.v.1972 , SO; same locality and habitat as above , 1 female and 1 male, 18.iii.1984, 2 females and 2 males, 19.iii.1984, SO; Chiai Hsien, Kuantzulin , 1 female, on grass, 1 female, on dead leaves, 1.iv.1993, and branches, TN & SO; 1 female, Lan-Yu, 4–6.vi.1980, H. Makihara. Thailand, Chiang Mai, paddy field , 3 females, 4.v.1978, 1 female and 4 males, 24.vi.1979, K. Yasumatsu; Kamphaeng Saen Campus of Kastsart University , on grass , 2 females, 29.xii.1987, 1 female, 12.i.1988, SO; 1 female and 2 males, Sarabri, Farm of Kasetsart University , on grass, 20.viii.1991 , TN & SO; 1 female and 2 males, nr. Chiang Mai, Doi Pui , on grass, 1.ix.1992 , SO. Vietnam, 1 male, Ha Noi, Farm of Ha Noi Agricultural University , 29.vii.2000 , SO; 1 male, Lam Dong Province, Bao Loc, Dam Bri , on bamboo, 27.xii.2001 , SO; 1 male, same locality as above, on grass, 22.viii.2007 , SO. Borneo , 1 female, Sabah, Jl. Kimanis, 15km from Kimanis , on dead leaves and branches, 9.ix.1990 , TN & SO.

Comments. This species is described from a somewhat wider range of eastern Asia based on a good number of females and males collected from grasses, and may be included in the melastomae -group. It is peculiar within the genus in having (1+1) and (1+2) sense cones on antennal segments III and IV respectively, because most congeners have (1+2) and (2+2 +1) or (2+2) sense cones. However, it has the fore femur armed with an inner sub-basal tubercle ( Fig. 42 View FIGURES 37–44 ) and the fore tibia with an inner sub-apical scale ( Fig. 41 View FIGURES 37–44 ) in both sexes; these are important characteristics of the genus Androthrips . The interspecific variation in the number of sense cones within the genus is not unique because it is also observed in other genera included in the Haplothripini , such as Karnyothrips, Neandrothrips and Mirothrips ( Cavalleri et al. 2016; Okajima & Masumoto 2025a, 2025b). A. graminicola is apparently very similar to Karnyothrips species especially in small individuals, because the fore femoral sub-basal tubercle and the fore tibial sub-apical scale are scarcely developed. However, unlike Karnyothrips , the metanotum has a pair of anterior small setae in addition to median pair of setae ( Fig. 39 View FIGURES 37–44 ) and the prosternal basantra are more closely located to the ferna ( Fig. 38 View FIGURES 37–44 ) in this species.