Azaleothrips apoensis, Okajima, Shûji & Masumoto, Masami, 2014

Okajima, Shûji & Masumoto, Masami, 2014, Species-richness in the Oriental fungus-feeding thrips of the genus Azaleothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae), Zootaxa 3846 (3), pp. 301-347 : 307-309

Azaleothrips apoensis sp.n.

( Figs 1–5 )

Female macroptera. Body brown to dark brown. Antennal segment III pale brown, basal 1/3 yellowish, remaining segments almost concolorous with body, but basal neck of segment IV more or less paler. All femora brown to dark brown, with apices yellowish; all tibiae brown at middle, with bases and apices yellowish. Fore wing shaded with brown, paler in basal 1/4.

Head ( Fig. 1 ) distinctly longer than wide; dorsal surface strongly sculptured with reticles, median longitudinal area, especially the portion between postocular setae asperate, with many small tubercles. Compound eyes comparatively small, about 0.3 times as long as head in holotype. Postocular setae short, shorter than half the length of eyes. Antennal segments VII and VIII closely fused ( Fig. 2 ); antennal segment IV shorter than segment III; segment III with two (1 + 1), segment IV with four (2 + 2) sensoria. Pronotum ( Fig. 3 ) distinctly sculptured with rows of small tubercles, asperate, but median portion distinctly sculptured with circular but irregular lines, with 42 short setae in holotype. Basantra present, but weak. Mesonotum ( Fig. 4 ) with small dentate microtrichia or tubercles along transverse lines of sculpture, almost smooth between lines. Metanotum ( Fig. 4 ) with polygonal reticulations, with delicate wrinkles within reticles; anterior half with 8 to 12 short setae (9 in holotype). Fore tarsus unarmed. Fore wing with 7/7 duplicated cilia in holotype. Pelta distinctly reticulate, almost smooth among reticles. Abdominal tergite VIII with a pair of simply curved short wing-retaining setae ( Fig. 5 ); tergite IX with 5 to 9 short setae at middle (8 in holotype); S1 setae on tergite IX a little shorter than half the length of tube; S2 setae on tergite IX expanded at apex. Tube short, about 0.7 times as long as head. Anal setae longer than tube.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Distended body length about 1900. Head length 238, width across cheeks 193. Compound eye dorsal length 71. Pronotum length 133, width 248. Fore wing length about 710. Tube length 136, width across base 55. Antenna length about 360, segments III–VIII length (width) as follows: 54 (30), 52 (29), 48 (26), 46 (25), 37 (22), 27 (17). Postocular setae about 30. S1 setae on tergite IX 60 –62, S2 setae on tergite IX 70 –74. Anal setae about 170.

Male macroptera. Color and structure very similar to female. Abdominal segment VIII paler; mid and hind tibiae pale brown at middle. Head 1.25 times as long as wide. Fore tarsus unarmed. Fore wings with 5/7 duplicated cilia. Pore plate on abdominal sternite VIII narrow. S1 setae of abdominal tergite IX shorter than half the length of tube; S2 setae well developed, a little shorter than S1, expanded at apex.

Measurements (paratype male in microns). Distended body length1630. Head length 197, width across cheeks 158. Pronotum length 115, width 218. Fore wing length about 660. Tube length 113, width across base 54. Antenna length 335, segments III–VIII length (width) as follows: 50 (28), 50 (27), 45 (19), 44 (19), 35 (20), 25 (15). Postocular setae 25–26. S1 setae on tergite IX 45, S2 setae on tergite IX 43. Anal setae about 150.

Specimens examined. Holotype female macroptera: Philippines, Mindanao Is., Mt. Apo, Agko, alt about 1300m, on dead leaves, 3.viii.1979 (SO).

Paratypes: Philippines, 4 females and 1 male, collected with holotype.

Remarks. This newly described species has the head longer ( Fig. 1 ) and two sensoria on the antennal segment III, and is very similar to another new species, reticulatus , described below from West Malaysia. The difference between them is discussed under reticulatus . The male has the lateral pair of setae (S2) expanded on abdominal tergite IX, though most phlaeothripine species have these setae short and pointed.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 11. Azaleothrips species. apoensis sp. n. female 1 – 5: (1) head; (2) antennal segments VII and VIII; (3) pronotum; (4) meso & metanotum; (5) tergites VIII & IX. atayal sp. n. 6 – 11: (6) head, female; (7) antennal segments III & IV, female; (8) antennal segments VII & VIII, female; (9) pronotum, female; (10) meso & metanotum, female; (11) sternite VIII, male.