Pezothrips pediculae (Han) Tong & Liu, 2019

Tong, Xiaoli & Liu, Liangxin, 2019, Yaothrips as a new synonym of Pezothrips, with description of the male of Pezothrips pediculae comb. n. (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), Zootaxa 4646 (3), pp. 598-600 : 598-600

Pezothrips pediculae (Han) comb. n. ( Figs 1–9 )

Taeniothrips pediculae Han, 1988: 179 .

Yaothrips shii Mirab-balou, Wei, Lu & Chen, 2011: 47. Synonymised by Mirab-balou et al., 2015.

Male microptera. Body brown to dark brown except antennal segment III, base of IV and all tarsi much paler ( Figs 1, 6 ). Head sculpture transversely striate behind eyes; anterior ocellus vestigial ( Fig. 2 ). Pronotum transverse, with a few discal setae, smooth except weakly transverse striations at anterior and posterior margins ( Fig. 3 ). Mesonotum with median pair of setae near posterior margin; anterior campaniform sensilla present ( Fig. 4 ). Metanotum transversely reticulate, median setae at anterior margin; campaniform sensilla present on posterior third ( Fig. 5 ). Abdominal tergite I transversely striate, II–VIII with weakly sculpture, posterior margin of VIII with discrete row of small microtrichia with triangular bases ( Figs 7–8 ). Sternites without discal setae, II with two pairs of marginal setae, III–VIII with three pairs, VII with S1 at posterior margin; tergite IX with pair of dark brown short stout setae medially ( Figs 7–8 ); sternites III–VII with 30–40 small scattered pore plates ( Figs 5, 9 ).

Material examined: China, Tibet: Shigatse, Xietongmoin (29°25′N, 88°15′E, alt. 4000 m), 2 females, host plant unknown, 13.viii.1983 (Tajie and Basang); Gongbo'gyamda County, Jinda Town (29°58′N, 92°44′E, alt. 4900 m), 2 fe- males from Pedicularis sp. [ Scrophulariaceae ], 16.vi.2015 (Qingjun Wu). Qinghai Province: Yushu City, Zaduo County, Angsai Town (32°44'9"N, 95°38'22"E, alt. 3940 m), 2 males, 4 females from Pedicularis sp., 22.viii.2018 (Xianfu Li); Yushu City (alt. 3920 m), 2 females from Taraxacum mongolicum [ Asteraceae ], 24.viii.2018 (Xianfu Li).

Remarks: The two Pezothrips species from Tibet are distinguished from each other on the following character states, although there remains a possibility that some differences may be due to the wing-morph difference between them.

P. brunicornis : macropterous, head with ocelli; metanotum irregularly reticulate, median setae at or near anterior margin; female with sternite VII setae S1 closely spaced; male sternites III–VII with 40–50 small scattered pore plates.

P. pediculae : micropterous, head with anterior ocellus reduced in male; metanotum transversely reticulate, median setae at anterior margin; female with sternite VII setae S1 widely separated; male sternites III–VII with 30–40 small scattered pore plates.

The host associations of these thrips remain unclear. No information was provided on the host plant with the description of P. brunicornis , but we have seen one slide of non-type specimens labeled “host plant: hulless barley ( Hordeum vulgare L. var. nudum Hook. f.) collected from Shigatse of Tibet ”. In contrast, most specimens of P. pediculae , including the type series were collected from flowers of Pedicularis sp. This plant genus of usually perennial semi-parasitic herbs is distributed mainly in the northern hemisphere, and often conspicuous in the frigid and alpine zone all over the Qinghai- Tibet Plateau and the Himalayan Mountains.

Prior to this study, Zhang et al. (2018) stated that the relationships of Yaothrips pediculae remain in doubt based on the character states of the female, and they thought it possibly represents a reduced, micropterous member of the Megalurothrips group. Our finding confirms their opinion. In the genus Pezothrips , P. frontalis and P. kaszabi also have brachypterous forms ( Priesner 1920; Pelikan 1972), However, in P. kaszabi , the metanotal median setae are behind the anterior margin. In particular, this species has the S1 setae on sternite VII small and closely spaced, situated on a transverse dark stripe ( Pelikan 1972), a condition very different from that found in females of P. pediculae . Within this genus, P. pediculae appears to be most closely related to P. frontalis in colour and structure, and two females listed above from Shigatse, Tibet were misidentified as brachyptera of P. frontalis by Weiqiu Zhang ( Zhang, 1987). However, frontalis can be readily distinguished from pediculae by the color of antennal segments VI–VIII that are much brighter than segments I and II, the metanotal median setae are far behind the anterior margin, and abdominal tergites bear distinct warts laterally ( Pelikan 1972; Dyadechko 1977).

Figures

FIGURES 1–9. Male of Pezothrips pediculae (Han). (1) Habitus of male; (2) head; (3) pronotum; (4) meso and metanotum; (5) sternites I–II; (7–8) abdominal tergites IX–X; (9) sternites VI–VIII.