Parabaliothrips robustus, Masumoto & Okajima, 2020

Masumoto, Masami & Okajima, Shûji, 2020, The genus Parabaliothrips Priesner (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) with three new species from Japan and Taiwan, and two new records of related genera from Japan, Zootaxa 4838 (4), pp. 566-580 : 576-578

Parabaliothrips robustus n. sp.

( Figs 7, 8 , 36–43 )

Female macroptera. Distended body length about 1.7 mm. Body uniformly dark brown with red internal pigment ( Fig. 7 ); antennal segments I–II dark brown, III–V yellow, IV–VIII brown; fore wings brown but slightly pale near base and extreme apex, clavus brown; all femora dark brown, fore tibiae brown with apex slightly pale, mid and hind tibiae dark brown, all tarsi yellow; prominent body setae dark brown. Head 0.7–0.8 times as long as wide, slightly prolonged anteriorly; cheeks almost straight ( Fig. 36 ). Ocellar setae III 3.8–4.6 times as long as their interval. Postocular setae 4 pairs, setae II absent, III and V very long, III shorter than V. Antennal segment II without microtrichial rows, inner dorsal seta much longer than outer one, III and IV rounded at each side and weakly tapering to apex as neck, III longest, V weakly pedicelate, VI gently rounded at basal half and weakly tapering to apex ( Fig. 37 ). Antennal segments I–VIII length/width ratio as follows: 0.8, 1.4–1.5, 2.9–3.0, 2.6–2.7, 1.9–2.1, 2.3–2.4, 1.1–1.3, 2.0–2.2. Pronotum about 0.6 times as long as wide, weakly sculptured medially, with 3 discal setae at each side; a pair of anteromarginal setae well developed, 73–80 μm long, 0.5–0.6 times as long as pronotal median length and subequal length to anteroangular setae; posteroangular setae I 0.8–0.9 times as long as pronotal median length and slightly shorter than setae II; posterior margin with 4 pairs or 7 setae, setae I 0.3 times as long as pronotal median length. Mesonotum without CPS anteromedially ( Fig. 38 ). Metascutum almost smooth medially, with median pair of setae about 0.8 times as long as metascutal median length. Mesosternal spinula weak, rarely almost invisible. Clavus with subapical setae longer than apical setae. Fore tibiae with 2 stout ventroapical setae. Abdominal tergites with S1 setae minute, laterally with lines of sculpture, some lines across middle anterior to S1 setae, II –V with lines between S1 setae ( Fig. 39 ); tergites V–VII with no posteromarginal teeth at outside of S3 setae; tergite VIII with posteromarginal comb complete ( Fig. 40 ); tergite IX with posterior pairs of CPS only; pleurosternites with broad posteromarginal craspeda having no distinct distal teeth ( Fig. 41 ). Ovipositor 2.1–2.2 times as long as pronotal median length.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Distended body length 1700. Head length 125 (length including anterior prolongation 157), width across cheeks 170; compound eyes dorsal length 70, width 50. Ocellar setae III length71–76, interval 25. Postocular setae III length 26–35, setae V length 38–40. Pronotal median length 135, width 218; anteroangular setae length 77–79, anteromarginal setae length 73–78, posteroangular setae I length 113–118, setae II length 129, posteromarginal setae I length 43–44. Metascutal median length 90, median setae length 61–63. Fore wing length 910, width at middle 60. Ovipositor length 290. Antennal segments I to VIII length (wide) as follows: 25 (33), 43 (28), 58 (20), 53 (20), 38 (20), 48 (20), 13 (10), 15 (8).

Male. Colour and structure same as female ( Fig. 8 ); abdominal sternal pore plates oblong (Fig. 60), 53–73 microns wide.

Measurements (paratype males in microns). Distended body length 1320–1390. Head length 103–127 (length including anterior prolongation 140–157), width across cheeks 140–148; compound eyes dorsal length 58–68, width 40–45. Ocellar setae III length 55–65, interval 10–15. Postocular setae III length 26–34, setae V length 28–40. Pronotal median length 108–118, width 173–185; anteroangular setae length 77–79, anteromarginal setae length 73–78, posteroangular setae I length 78–85, setae II length 88–94, posteromarginal setae I length 35–43. Metascutal median length 73–82, median setae length 48–55. Fore wing length 710–770, width at middle 55–60. Antennal segments I to VIII length (wide) as follows: 25–30 (30), 40–43 (25–26), 55 (16–19), 45–48 (18–19), 33–38 (18–19), 40–43 (19), 10–11 (11), 13–15 (8).

Type series. Holotype female, TAIWAN, Nantou-hsien , Tsuifeng, ca. 2,300 alt, on leaves of Alnus sp. [Betulaceae], 2.ix.1993, T. Nonaka & S. Okajima . Paratypes: 146 females & 72 males, same data as the holotype. The holotype and most paratypes are deposited in TUA .

Comments. This new species was referred as an undescribed species by Gillespie et al. (2002) and they indicated the possibility that P. grandiceps might be a damaged specimen of this new species. P. grandiceps was described from Taiwan based on single female collected from Quercus (Fagaceae) ( Priesner 1935) but the holotype appears to be lost ( Gillespie et al. 2002). However, the present authors conclude that these species are distinct because the pronotal anteromarginal setae of P. grandiceps were described as much shorter than in the new species; in grandiceps at most 40 microns and about 0.3 times as long as the pronotum median length. Moreover, the holotype of grandiceps was taken from a different plant. This new species is very similar to P. coluckus in having long pronotal anteromarginal and anteroangular setae but the species are distinguished from each other in the key above.

Etymology. In reference to their stout and long pronotal setae.

Figures

FIGURES 1–8. Frankliniella genus-group. (1) Firmothrips firmus. Iridothrips mariae 2–3: (2) Female; (3) Male. Parabaliothrips betulaceae n. sp. 4–5: (4) Female; (5) Male. (6) P. brevisetosus n. sp. P. robustus n. sp. 7–8: (7) Female; (8) Male.

FIGURES 36–43. Parabaliothrips robustus s n. sp., Female, 36–41: (36) Head & pronotum; (37) Antenna; (38) Mesonotum & metascutum. Abdominal segments 39–41: (39) Tergites V–VII; (40) Tergite VIII; (41) Pleurosternite VI. Male abdominal segments, 42–43: (42) Tergite IX, sculpture omitted; (43) Sternite V, sculpture omitted.