Liophloeothrips arjanicus, Hakimara & Minaei & Sadeghi & Mound, 2019

Hakimara, Mahsa, Minaei, Kambiz, Sadeghi, Saber & Mound, Laurence, 2019, A new species of Liophloeothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae) from leaf litter from Iran, Zootaxa 4571 (1), pp. 138-142 : 139

Liophloeothrips arjanicus sp.n.

Female aptera. Body dark brown ( Fig. 1 ), distal part of tibiae and tarsi yellow, antennal segments II–III light brown, ( Fig. 7 ), major setae light brown. Head longer than wide, weakly sculptured but without sculpture between ocelli; post ocular setae finely blunt, extending beyond hind margin of eye ( Fig. 5 ); maxillary stylets long and slender, very close to each other medially, almost touching, retracted anterior to postocular setae, maxillary bridge absent ( Fig. 5 ). Mouth cone pointed, extending beyond mesosternum ( Fig. 11 ). Antennae 8-segmented, segments III and IV with 1 and 3 sense cones respectively; segment VIII narrowed at base but not constricted ( Fig. 7 ). Pronotum with 5 pairs of well-developed blunt major setae (anteromarginals, anteroangulars, midlaterals, epimerals, and posteroangulars) ( Fig. 12 ). Epimeral sutures complete ( Fig. 12 ). Prosternal ferna developed. Fore tarsal tooth developed. Meso and metanotum very weakly sculptured. Mesopresternum eroded medially. Metathoracic sternopleural sutures extend posteriorly from the mid-coxal cavities ( Fig. 8 ). Pelta trapezoidal, with weak sculpture ( Fig. 4 ), campaniform sensilla present; abdominal tergites II–VII with one pair of wing-retaining setae ( Fig. 3 ); segment IX with seta S1 and S2 pointed; tube short, length less than twice basal width ( Fig. 13 ), shorter than head.

Measurements (holotype female in microns): Body distended length 1600. Head, length 143; width across cheeks 150; post ocular setae 50. Pronotum, length 137; median width 235; major setae, anteromarginals 30, anteroangulars 40, midlaterals 45, epimerals 60, posteroangulars 51. Tergite IX setae S1 75, S2 72, S3 90. Tube, length 105; basal width 70. Antennal segments I–VIII length 28, 44, 48, 44, 41, 44, 35, 25.

Male aptera. Generally similar to female but larger and paler ( Fig. 2 ). Fore legs and fore tarsal tooth well developed ( Fig. 6 ). Metathoracic sternopleural sutures less developed than female ( Fig. 9 ). Sternite VIII with pore plate ( Fig. 10 ).

Measurements (paratype male in microns): Body distended length 1732, Head, length 150; width across cheeks 160; post ocular setae 63. Pronotum, length 145; median width 260; major setae, anteromarginal 44, anteroangular 43, midlateral 52, epimeral 63, posteroangular 60. Tergite IX setae S1 90, S2 35, S3 100. Tube, length 110; basal width 63. Antennal segments I–VIII length 27, 41, 51, 47, 45, 50, 40, 27.

Material studied. Holotype female, IRAN, Fars province, Fasa, Prunus and Pistachio leaf litter, 3.xii.2016 (Mohsen Kiani) (in NHM).

Paratypes: 1 female, same data as holotype (in PPSU) ; 1 male IRAN, Fars province, Arjan protected area, 60 km west of Shiraz , 30 v 2016 (Ali Iran Pour Parizi) .

Comments. The species described here is different from all other members of the genus in having tergite IX setae S1 and S2 almost pointed instead of capitate. It differs from all 13 Indian species in the genus by lacking wings (present in Indian species), and presence of only one pair of wing-retaining setae on tergites II─VII (two pairs in Indian species). It is distinguished from L. hungaricus by antennal segment III length (2.0 times as long as wide versus less than 1.7 times as long as wide in L. hungaricus ), fore tibiae color yellow on apical third (yellow only at apex in L. hungaricus ), male with pore plate on sternite VIII (absent in hungaricus ). From L. pulchrisetis the new species is distinguished by the mouth cone extending to the mesosternum (extending between mesothoracic legs in pulchrisetis ), and antennal segments V–VI almost yellow (versus brown in pulchrisetis ). It is also distinguished from pulchrisetis by the length of antennal segment III as in hungaricus . In L. glaber , the post ocular setae are capitate and shorter than the eye while they are blunt and longer than the eye in L. arjanicus ; tergite IX setae S1 and S2 are almost pointed and about as long as the tube, versus capitate and half as long as the tube in glaber .

Figures

FIGURES 1–7. Liophloeothrips arjanicus (1) Female; (2) Male; (3) Abdominal tergites II–V (female); (4) Pelta and second abdominal tergite (female); (5) Head (female); (6) Head & antennae (male); (7) Antenna (female).

FIGURES 8–13. Liophloeothrips arjanicus (8) Meso & metasternum (female) (arrows indicate metathoracic sternopleural sutures); (9) Meso & metasternum (male) (arrow indicates metathoracic sternopleural suture); (10) Abdominal sternites VII–VIII (male); (11) Mouth cone (female); (12) Pronotum (female); (13) Abdominal tergites IX–X (female).