Azaleothrips reticulatus, 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 : 335-337

Azaleothrips reticulatus sp.n.

( Figs 111–116 )

Female macroptera. Body brown to dark brown. Antennal segment III yellowish, shaded with brown distally, basal neck of segment IV somewhat paler at extreme base; the remaining segments concolorous with body. All femora brown; all tibiae brown, with bases and apices yellowish. Fore wing weakly shaded with brown, paler in basal 1/4.

Head ( Fig. 111 ) distinctly longer than wide, about 1.2 times as long as wide; dorsal surface strongly sculptured with reticles, but median longitudinal area and the portion between postocular setae without distinct reticles, asperate; reticles partially with tubercles. Cheeks straight. Compound eyes comparatively small, about one-fourth the length of head. Postocular setae about half the length of eyes. Antennal segments VII and VIII closely fused ( Fig. 112 ); segment IV shorter than segment III; segment III with two (1 + 1), segment IV with four (2 + 2) sensoria. Mouth cone comparatively short. Median portion of pronotum reticulate with lines ( Fig. 113 ), distinctly sculptured with rows of small tubercles at the portion near margins, asperate; with 37 short setae in holotype. Basantra present, but very weak. Mesonotum ( Fig. 114 ) with small dentate microtrichia or tubercles along transverse lines of sculpture, almost smooth among lines. Metanotum ( Fig. 114 ) entirely with polygonal reticulations, almost smooth among lines of reticles; anterior half with 10 to 13 short setae (10 in holotype). Fore tarsus unarmed. Fore wing with 5/6 duplicated cilia in holotype. Pelta distinctly reticulate, almost smooth among reticles. Abdominal tergites entirely distinctly reticulate ( Fig. 116 ), but somewhat weak in median portion of tergite II, dentate microtrichia fewer, but well developed in tergite II ( Fig. 115 ); wing-retaining setae rather short, interdistance of posterior pair of wing-retaining setae on tergite IV less than 90 microns; tergit VIII with a pair of short, but simply curved setae at middle; tergite IX with 6 to 9 short setae at middle (7 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, a little longer than half the length of head. Anal setae much longer than tube.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Distended body length 1650. Head length 212, width across cheeks 178. Compound eye dorsal length 54. Pronotum length 132, width 237. Fore wing length about 700. Tube length 115, width across base 56. Antenna length 315, segments III–VIII length (width) as follows: 48 (27), 43 (26), 42 (23), 42 (22), 32 (21), 27 (16). Postocular setae?. S1 setae on tergite IX about 50, S2 setae on tergite IX 60 –62. Anal setae 175.

Male. Unknown.

Specimens examined. Holotype female macroptera: West Malaysia, about 20km N from Kuala Lumpur, Templer Park, on dead branches, 11.viii.1990 (TN & SO).

Paratypes: West Malaysia, 2 females, collected with holotype.

Remarks. This new species is known from only females, and belongs to the moundi group. It shares some character states with another new species described above, apoensis , from the Philippines. They have the longer head proportion, polygonally reticulate metanotum, unarmed fore tarsus, and closely joined antennal segments VII and VIII. However, this species can easily be distinguished from apoensis by the shorter tube which is shorter than 0.6 times as long as the length of head.

Figures

FIGURES 111 – 122. Azaleothrips species. reticulatus sp. n. female 111 – 116: (111) head; (112) antennal segments VII & VIII; (113) pronotum; (114) meso & metanotum; (115) tergite II; (116) tergite V. richardi sp. n., female 117 – 122: (117) head; (118) antennal segments VII & VIII; (119) pronotum; (120) right fore leg; (121) meso & metanotum; (122) tergite II.