Avithrips yellae, Ulitzka, 2024

Ulitzka, Manfred R., 2024, Late Cretaceous thrips (Thysanoptera) from Hti Lin amber, Zootaxa 5489 (1), pp. 99-106 : 101-102

Avithrips yellae gen. et sp. n.

( Fig. 1 )

Female. Preserved in lateral position in the amber matrix. Body fully distended; fore wings spread backwards, hind wings close to body and thus not assessable; hind legs spread, others bent under thorax. Head slightly turned to the right, with mouth cone directed backwards. Abdomen bent upwards; ovipositor protruding ventrally. Abdomen distally on the left side of the specimen covered with numerous tiny pyrite crystals.

Colour. Body, legs and antennae uniformly brownish, but in some parts difficult to assess due to shiny layers around the fossil; wing veins, fringes and setae dark; membrane of fore wing translucent with a light brownish shade.

Head. Vertex sculptured with transverse striae; without any long setae; compound eyes distinctly protruding at front margin, not prolonged ventrally; ocelli much larger than ommatidia; antennae attached ventrally. Mouth cone exceptionally long, reaching back to the base of abdomen; it could not be assessed whether the stylet-like structures in front of the mouth cone represent maxillae and the mandibula that have been squeezed out or slender maxillary palps. Antennae nine-segmented; segment I not assessable (covered laterally by compound eyes), II barrel shaped; III inversely conical at base and slightly tapering from the middle towards the distal edge; IV–V similarly shaped as III but much smaller (particularly IV), IV with a short pedicle; V–VI long and slender, VII vase-shaped; VIII about as long as VII, style-shaped. Sensoria not clearly assessable; III with a structure that may be interpreted as a transverse sensorium close to the distal edge. Pronotum long and slender; sculptured with transverse striae; with at least one pair of longer (presumably posteroangular) setae at hind margin. Fore wings, with at least two clearly visible cross-veins and two faint structures also interpretable as cross-veins; first vein with number of setae not assessable; second vein with 9 setae; costa with about 25 setae; wing fringes present only on the posterior margin; fringe hairs straight. All legs long and slender; tarsi two-segmented; fore tarsus without a hamus. Abdominal segment VIII with a distinctly strong, broad and upwards curved ovipositor.

Measurements. Female (in microns): Body, length 835. Head, length 80. Eyes, length 65. Hind ocelli, diameter 15; fore ocellus, diameter 10. Mouth cone, length 295. Pronotum, length 140; posteroangular (?) setae about 30 (difficult to measure). Abdomen, length 480. Ovipositor, length 260. Antennae, length about 250; length (largest width) of segment I and II not measurable, III 35 (15), IV 25 (10), V 30 (10), VI 35 (10), VII 35 (10), VIII 30 (10), IX 30 (5). Fore wings, length 525; largest width 65.

Material studied. Holotype female MU-Fos-128/1 ; inclusion in Hti Lin amber, Magway Region, Myanmar. The holotype was donated by Patrick Müller and is located in the author’s collection.

Syninclusions. Some small droplets, air bubbles and brownish stains of unknown origin; numerous pyrite crystals along the left side of the distal abdominal segments of the thrips inclusion.

Etymology. A. yellae gen. et sp. n. is dedicated to Yella Bernet, in gratitude for all the precious moments and her loving and constant companionship.

Figures

FIGURES 1–3. New Terebrantia from Hti Lin amber. (1) Avitrips yellae gen. et sp. n. holotype female (MU-Fos-128/1), lateral view. (2–3) Campanithrips kyakhei gen. et sp. n. holotype female (MU-Fos-129/1); (2) dorsal view, encircled red: pollen grain attached to the antenna of the thrips; (3) left fore wing.