Lenkothrips guaraniticus, Cavalleri & Mound, 2014

Cavalleri, Adriano & Mound, Laurence A., 2014, The neotropical flower-living genus Lenkothrips (Thysanoptera, Heterothripidae): three new species and an identification key, Zootaxa 3814 (4), pp. 581-590 : 583-585

Lenkothrips guaraniticus sp. n.

( Figs 5–11 )

Female. Body dark brown; femora largely brown, tibiae brown medially with pale apices; all tarsi yellow; antennal segments largely brown, I & II darker, pedicel of III yellowish; fore wing brown with a large paler area sub-basally. Head about 1.5 times wider than long, with no long setae, ocellar setae minute, pair III inside ocellar triangle, just in front of posterior ocelli, ocellar area weakly reticulate; three pairs of postocular setae arising near inner margin of eyes and three additional pairs close to outer margin. Antennal segment III longer than IV, both with a long and continuous sensorial area extending laterally to almost all of the segment length ( Fig. 7 ). Pronotum with distinct lines of sculpture; about 25 discal setae and 5–6 pairs of short posteromarginal setae ( Fig. 8 ). Mesonotum with transverse elongate reticles, distance between lines about equal to diameter of a discal setal pore; metanotum with irregular sculpture, forming concentric lines posteromedially; microtrichia present ( Fig. 9 ). Fore wing with two complete rows of strong but short, brown setae ( Fig. 12 ); clavus with 7–8 setae and one discal setae.

Abdominal tergites I–VIII with independent fringe of posteromarginal microtrichia, well developed laterally on I–V but with few teeth medially; lateral thirds covered with dense rows of fine microtrichia ( Fig. 10 ). Sternites with 6 pairs of posteromarginal setae arising well in front of posterior margin.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length about 1200 (1025–1220). Head, length 100; width 157. Pronotum, length 147; width 232. Hind tibia length 197; width 32; hind tarsus length 52; width 18. Fore wing length 775. Antennal segments I–IX length (width), 22 (32), 32 (30), 87 (25), 77 (25), 20 (17), 25 (15), 16 (12), 15 (10), 15 (5), respectively.

Male. Smaller and slightly paler than female ( Fig. 5 ); sternites IV–VIII each one with a large transverse pore plate at antecostal ridge ( Fig. 11 ).

Measurements (paratype male in microns). Body length about 1,000 (–0,925). Head, length 115; width 142. Pronotum, length 152; width 195.

Material examined.

Holotype female (UFRGS), Brazil: Rio Grande do Sul: Porto Alegre (30º03’59”S, 51º07’15”W), 12.iv.2012, from Janusia guaranitica flowers ( Malpighiaceae ), A. Cavalleri.

Paratypes ( UFRGS & ANIC): 10 females, 4 males collected with holotype ; 1 female with similar data but 11.ii.2011; 2 females with similar data but 23.ii.2011; Encruzilhada do Sul , 2 females from J. guaranitica flowers, 10.ii.2013.

Comments. This species is possibly closely related to L. kaminskii , described below, which is also found in the flowers of a climbing species of Malpighiaceae . The antennal sensoria on III & IV extend close to base of segment, and the lateral thirds of abdominal tergites are covered with many irregular rows of microtrichia. The sub-basal pale area on the fore wings is present but less distinctive than in L. kaminskii , and the setae on the first and second rows are unusually short. This species was found only on Janusia guaranitica flowers ( Fig. 4 ), particularly during December through February, and the larvae are whitish in colour.

Figures

FIGURES 4–12. Lenkothrips guaraniticus sp. n. and host-plant. (4) Janusia guaranitica (Malpighiaceae); (5) male; (6) antennal segments VI–IX; (7) antennal segments III–IV; (8) pronotum; (9) meso & metanotum; (10) tergites III–IV; (11) male sternites III–VII; (12) fore wing.