Scirtothrips longifacies, NG & AIN & RAFTI & LAU, 2023

NG, Y. F., AIN, N., RAFTI, N. S. & LAU, K. H., 2023, A new genus and species of Scirtothrips genus-group (Thysanoptera, Thripidae), with two new species of Scirtothrips, from Dipterocarp Forest canopy in Malaysia, Zootaxa 5306 (5), pp. 586-594 : 593

Scirtothrips longifacies sp. n.

( Figs 19–27 )

Female macroptera. Body pale; pronotum pale ( Fig. 19 ), femora, tibiae and tarsi pale; antennal segments I–II pale, III slightly shaded apically, IV shaded apical half, V–VIII uniformly shaded ( Fig. 25 ); fore wings and clavus weakly shaded, apical pale; abdominal tergites II–VIII pale including anterior margins pale; sternites IV–VII with antecostal ridges pale. Antennae 8-segmented, forked sensoria on III–IV short, not reaching more than one-third the length of succeeding segment; Head about twice as wide as long, mouth cone pointed reaching three third the length of pronotum and sometimes reaching mesosternum ( Fig. 22 ); postocular and ocellar region closely striate; ocellar setae I present, ocellar setae III arise on tangent between anterior margins of hind ocelli: Pronotum as wide as long, with closely spaced striae, posterior margin stippled membrane, 4 pairs of almost subequal posteromarginal setae ( Fig. 20 ); Metanotum with closely spaced convex striae lines that produce effect of stippled triangular shaped area, lateral area smooth ( Fig. 23 ). Fore wing first vein with 16+2 minute setae. second vein with 1 seta; fore wing clavus with 3–4 marginal setae, and three discal setae ( Fig. 27 ). Abdominal tergites II–VI with setae S1 close together, distance between bases about the setal length ( Fig. 21 ); VIII with posteromarginal comb complete, without any microtrichia rows anteromedially ( Fig. 24 ). Sternites fully covered by rows of microtrichia across segment; II–VI with 12 posteromarginal setae, complete comb of microtrichia on posterior margin ( Fig. 26 ).

Measurements (female in microns). Distended body length 1050. Head width across eyes 106. Pronotum, length 130, width 130; posteromarginal setae length 10–12. Metanotum median setae 12, submedian setae 12. Fore wing, length 548; setae length on first vein 7–11. Antennae segments III–VIII length 48, 40, 40, 40, 7, 8. Tergites IV–VII S1 length 10–17, distance between bases 5–10.

Material studied. Holotype female: MALAYSIA, Pasoh Research Station, Negeri Sembilan, Yellow Pan Trap at Canopy Tower , 29.xii.2019 (Ain N. & Ng, Y.F.) (in CISUKM). Paratypes: (15 females 9 males), 10 females 9 males collected with holotype, one female collected 22.ix.2019 (Ain N. & Ng, Y.F.), 2 females collected 2.vii.2019 (Ain N. & Ng, Y.F.), one female collected 18.vi.2019 (Ain N. & Ng, Y.F.), one male collected 29.ii.2020 (Ain N. & Ng, Y.F.), (in CISUKM and ANIC) .

Comments

This new species has a very unusually elongate and pointed mouth cone reaching three thirds of the length of pronotum and sometimes reaching the mesosternum. Scirtothrips with elongate mouth cones include drepanofortis, pilbara and tenor from Australia. However, this new species can be recognised by several prominent characters such as: 1. Pronotum posterior margin with stippled membrane; 2. Metanotum with closely spaced convex striae lines and unique stippled, triangular shaped area; 3. Sternites with 4 pairs of posteromarginal setae.

Figures

FIGURES 19–27. Scirtothrips longifacies sp. n. (19) Head; (20) Pronotum; (21) Female abdominal tergites III–VII; (22) Ventral face; (23) Meso- and metanotum; (24) Female abdominal tergites VII–X; (25) Antennal segments I–VIII, female; (26) Sternites III–VII, female; (27) Fore wing.