Podothrips Hood

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 : 30-31

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/03E28781-2439-5042-64C5-FDD0AFE7F840
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Podothrips Hood
status

Treatment

Podothrips Hood View in CoL

Podothrips Hood, 1913: 67 View in CoL . Type species: Podothrips semiflavus Hood View in CoL , by monotypy.

This genus belongs to the tribe Haplothripini (= Haplothrips View in CoL -lineage) and previously contained 32 species in the world, most of them from the Oriental region and Australia. Only three species are known from Africa and the New World, although the type-species, P. semiflavus View in CoL , was described from the New World. Undoubtedly, this genus is closely related to two Oriental genera, Okajimathrips View in CoL and Praepodothrips View in CoL , together with a genus newly described below from Thailand, Yurikoazamiuma gen. nov. In particular, Podothrips View in CoL and Okajimathrips View in CoL are very closely related and characterized by having large prosternal basantra (cf. Figs 101 View FIGURES 94–107 & 112 View FIGURES 108–115 ). These four genera can clearly be discriminated from each other by the key provided below (see under Yurikoazamiuma ). In contrast, although Okajima (2006) had indicated a close relationship between Podothrips View in CoL and Karnyothrips View in CoL , recent studies have shown that these two genera are not so closely related ( Okajima & Masumoto 2025a, 2025b). In Indochina, especially in Thailand, Podothrips View in CoL species are abundant on various species of bamboo, and it is not uncommon for several species to coexist. Moreover, there are many species that are very similar in color and structure (cf. Figs 134–143 View FIGURES 134–143 ) especially the bicolored species, and their classification is not always easy. Therefore, it is necessary to pay close attention to the discrimination of species. Especially, the difference in sense cone formula of the antennal segments III and IV is particularly important, but the small sense cone on the outside of segment IV is often difficult to observe. The presence or absence of this small sense cone requires special attention, because there are sometimes intraspecific variations.

Sixteen species are recognized here from East Asia, of which six species are newly described. Among them, only two species, P. ferrugineus and P. lucasseni , are uniformly brown, but the remaining 14 species are sharply bicolored brown and yellow. All species are predators and inhabit bamboos and/or grasses, especially bamboos infested by scale insects. Curiously, despite repeated investigations conducted by Okajima, no species other than a widely distributed P. lucasseni have been observed from Java and Bali, Indonesia.

Diagnosis. Body slightly flattened, usually macropterous. Head a little longer than wide, almost smooth dorsally, often with a pair of lateral teeth at cheeks just behind eyes; cheeks without stout setae; a pair of postocular setae developed; postocellar setae minute. Ocelli developed but small, anterior ocellus situated at inter-antennal projection.Antennae 8-segmented, segment III with (1+1) sense cones, IV with (1+1) or (1+1 +1) sense cones. Mouth cone short and rounded, maxillary stylets at least usually reaching at postocular setae and rather close together, maxillary bridge present. Prothorax with three or four pairs of setae developed, am setae reduced, ml setae often reduced; notopleural suture complete. Basantra well developed (cf. Fig. 112 View FIGURES 108–115 ), usually longer than wide, ferna and prospinasternum developed, mesopresternum boat shaped. Metathoracic sternopleural suture present, but absent in some Australian species; furcal arms usually separated from one another (cf. Fig. 251 View FIGURES 241–253 ), without spinula. Fore tibia frequently with an inner subapical tooth, fore tarsus with well-developed apical tooth in both sexes. Fore wing constricted at middle (cf. Fig. 255 View FIGURES 254–257 ), with or without duplicated cilia. Pelta usually bell-shaped, often semicircular, usually with a pair of campaniform sensilla. Abdominal tergites II–VII each with two pairs of wing-retaining setae, second pair on VII usually reduced to straight setae in female; tube shorter than head, anal setae longer than tube. Male abdominal tergite IX with S2 setae short, sternite VIII without pore plate.

Key to Podothrips View in CoL species from East Asia

[*: P. femoralis View in CoL is based on the original description]

1. Body uniformly brown................................................................................. 2

-. Body bicolored, yellow and brown....................................................................... 3

2. Head 1.5 times as long as width, or longer, cheeks without tooth behind eyes; all tibiae yellow; tergite I with sclerites at both sides of pelta; antennal segment III with (0+1) sense cone; maxillary stylets not reaching postocular setae at all; antennal segment VIII conical, not constricted at base; fore wing without duplicated cilia; sub-basal wing setae S1 reduced. lucasseni View in CoL

-. Head about 1.2 times as long as width, cheeks each with a pronounced tooth behind eyes; mid- and hind tibiae brown; tergite I without sclerites at both side of pelta; antennal segment III with (1+1) sense cones, IV with (1+1 +1) sense cones; maxillary stylets almost reaching postocular setae; antennal segment VIII elongate, narrowed at base; fore wing with duplicated cilia; sub-basal wing setae S1 expanded............................................................... ferrugineus View in CoL

3. Fore wings with at least one duplicated cilium.............................................................. 4

-. Fore wings without duplicated cilia....................................................................... 8

4. Antennal segment IV with (1+1) sense cones; head and pronotum brown......................................... 5

-. Antennal segment IV with (1+1 +1) sense cones; head brown, but pronotum brown or yellow.......................... 6

5. Fore wing usually with 4–5 duplicated cilia; antennal segment I brown, concolorous with head; fore femur with basal half brownish; pterothorax with lateral and anterior margins brown; fore tibia without distinct inner apical tooth.... odonaspicola View in CoL

-. Fore wing with only one duplicated cilium; antennal segment I yellow to brownish yellow, paler than head; fore femur and pterothorax largely yellow; fore tibia with a distinct inner apical tooth.............................. sasacola View in CoL (in part)

6. Abdominal segment VII brown ( Fig. 108 View FIGURES 108–115 ).................................................. abdominalis sp. nov.

-. Abdominal segment VII yellow (cf. Fig. 162 View FIGURES 162–169 )............................................................... 7

7. Pronotum brown ( Fig. 162 View FIGURES 162–169 ); antennal segment VIII slender and elongate ( Fig. 168 View FIGURES 162–169 ), longer than 40µm in female; basantra not fused posteriorly ( Fig. 165 View FIGURES 162–169 ); male unknown…………………………….......................... gracilicornis sp. nov.

-. Pronotum yellow (cf. Fig. 144 View FIGURES 144–153 ); antennal segment VIII short and conical, shorter than 35µm in female; both basantral sclerites usually fused posteriorly (cf. Fig. 149 View FIGURES 144–153 ).............................................................. etsukoae View in CoL

8. Antennal segment IV with (1+1) sense cones............................................................... 9

-. Antennal segment IV with (1+1 +1) sense cones............................................................. 13

9. Pronotum yellow.................................................................................... 10

-. Pronotum brown..................................................................................... 11

10. Body largely yellow ( Fig. 138 View FIGURES 134–143 ), head and apical two-thirds of tube brown..................................... luteus View in CoL

-. Metanotum blackish brown at sides, but pterothorax largely brown in specimens from Uganda, abdominal tergites VIII–IX and tube brown.................................................................................. semiflavus View in CoL

11. Mesothorax and fore femur brown ( Fig. 134 View FIGURES 134–143 )........................................................ bellatulus View in CoL

-. Mesothorax and fore femur yellow ( Figs 136 & 142 View FIGURES 134–143 ), but often mesothoracic pleural regions slightly darker............ 12

12. Antennal segments I and II brown, almost concolorous with head, at least scarcely paler than head; sub-basal wing setae S1 and S2 expanded; the prothoracic setae usually expanded; head distinctly narrowed towards base ( Fig. 137 View FIGURES 134–143 ); tergite IX setae S2 1.4 –1.7 times as long as tube in female; tube shorter, usually shorter than 130µm in female, usually about 0.5 times as long as head.................................................................................... bicolor (in part)

-. Antennal segments I and II yellow, distinctly paler than head; all sub-basal wing setae pointed; prothoracic setae except for epim are pointed or very weakly expanded; head weakly narrowed towards base ( Fig. 143 View FIGURES 134–143 ); tergite IX setae S2 1.0 –1.1 times as long as tube in female; tube longer, usually longer than 140µm in female, usually about 0.6 times as long as head.............................................................................................. sasacola View in CoL (in part)

13. Antennal segment III with (0+1) sense cone; abdominal segment VIII sharply bicolored, largely yellow with posterior third brown in female ( Fig. 116 View FIGURES 116–124 ), uniformly yellow in male ( Fig. 117 View FIGURES 116–124 )................................. antennatus sp. nov.

-. Antennal segment III with (1+1) sense cones; tergite VIII largely brown (cf. Fig. 136 View FIGURES 134–143 ), often yellowish anteromedially; male abdominal segment VIII not uniformly yellow, at least shaded posterolaterally or male unknown..................... 14

14. Pronotum brown; all legs yellow ( Fig. 136 View FIGURES 134–143 ); tube usually shorter than130µm in both sexes…………....... bicolor (in part)

-. Pronotum brown or yellow; fore femur brown, but yellow when pronotum yellow; tube about 140µm long or longer at least in female............................................................................................. 15

15. Pronotum, fore femora and metathorax brown; prothoracic pa expanded, ml developed, almost as long as aa; male unknown............................................................................................ femoralis View in CoL *

-. Pronotum and fore femora brown or yellow, metathorax yellow or brownish yellow except for pleural areas; prothoracic pa pointed, ml distinctly shorter than aa..................................................................... 16

16. Pronotum and fore femora yellow in both sexes ( Fig. 154 View FIGURES 154–161 ); male tergite IX with S1 setae expanded........ flavipes sp. nov.

-. Pronotum and fore femora brown in both sexes, or yellow in male; male tergite IX with S1 setae pointed............... 17

17. Abdominal segment VIII uniformly brown in both sexes ( Figs 125 & 126 View FIGURES 125–133 ); tube slightly narrowed at apex ( Fig. 132 View FIGURES 125–133 ); head rather distinctly narrowed towards base ( Fig. 127 View FIGURES 125–133 ); thorax largely yellow in male ( Fig. 126 View FIGURES 125–133 ), but pleural regions of metathorax brownish............................................................................... asiaticus sp. nov.

-. Abdominal segment VIII brown posterolaterally ( Fig. 170 View FIGURES 170–177 ), but paler in male; tube straight-sided ( Fig. 176 View FIGURES 170–177 ); head weakly narrowed towards base; thorax largely brown in both sexes, but metathorax largely yellowish medially.... taiwanus sp. nov.