Ethirothrips malaya, Okajima & Masumoto, 2023

Okajima, Shûji & Masumoto, Masami, 2023, Six genera of the subtribe Macrothripina from Southeast Asia to Taiwan (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae, Idolothripinae), Zootaxa 5291 (1), pp. 1-74 : 35

Ethirothrips malaya sp. n.

( Figs 84–89 , 225 )

Female (?microptera). Distended body length: 3.2–4.0mm. Colour brown to dark brown; thorax and anterior abdominal segments somewhat paler, abdomen darkened distally, tube blackish. Antennal segments I and II dark brown, segment II a little paler at apex; segments III–VIII brown, distinctly paler than segments I and II. Femora and tibiae brown, concolourous with thorax, but fore tibiae a little paler, yellowish brown, tarsi brownish yellow. Prominent setae yellowish. Head ( Fig. 84 ) elongate, swollen dorsally, about 1.9 times as long as broad, broadest across cheeks; dorsal surface sculptured with transverse row of blurry striae. Cheeks sub-parallel, weakly constricted behind eyes, then weakly convex; each with some short (30–40μm) but stout setae. Postocular setae situated behind eyes, usually shorter than eyes, nearly pointed; postocellar setae short but stout, mostly a little longer than diameter of a posterior ocellus, situated behind posterior ocelli. Eyes small, 0.17 times as long as head in holotype, smaller on ventral surface; posterior ocelli small, slightly apart from eyes, 18–20μm in diameter, 87μm apart from each other in holotype. Antennae ( Fig. 85 ) comparatively short, about 1.3 times as long as head; segment VIII slender, weakly constricted basally; segment III 2.14 times as long as broad in holotype, a little longer than segment IV; sense-cones short, not pointed, segment IV with four sense-cones. Maxillary stylets deeply retracted, reaching eyes, closer to each other, sub-parallel. Pronotum ( Fig. 84 ) much shorter than half the length of head, about 0.3 times as long as head in holotype, 2.8 times as broad as long, anterior margin not emarginate, almost straight; dorsal surface wrinkled or roughly reticulate anteriorly and laterally, weakly sculptured with transverse reticulation posteriorly. Prominent setae short, nearly pointed, epim the longest, the remaining setae shorter than 50μm. Notopleural suture usually complete, but often incomplete (incomplete in holotype). Pterothorax broader than long. Mesopresternum ( Fig. 86 ) broad, four lateral corners rounded; prospinasternum small. Metanotum ( Fig. 87 ) sculptured with concentric reticulation, without CPS. Fore femora moderately enlarged, dorso-external setae about 50μm in holotype; fore tarsus ( Fig. 88 ) with a stout tooth. Sub-basal wing setae short, blunt or nearly pointed. Pelta ( Fig. 87 ) broadly triangular. Abdominal tergite II not eroded laterally; without sigmoid wing-retaining setae. Posteromarginal setae on abdominal tergite IX sharply pointed, shorter than tube, S2 a little longer than S1. Tube ( Fig. 89 ) much shorter than head, 0.64 times as long as head in holotype, about 2.1 times as long as broad, evenly narrowed to apex; terminal setae short.

Measurements (holotype female in μm). Body length about 3950 (distended). Head length 590, from anterior margin of eyes 565, maximum width across cheeks 310, width across eyes 300; eyes length 100, width 70–87; postocular setae 70–80. Antenna total length 750, segments I–VIII length (width) as follows: 93 (57), 80 (47), 107 (50), 100 (49), 100 (44), 100 (38), 86 (32), 83 (19). Pronotum length 175, width 485. Setae on prothorax: am 30, aa 45, ml less than 50, pa less than 50, epim 85–100. Fore wing length?. Sub-basal wing setae: S1 43 –47, S2 45, S3 60 –75. Setae on tergite IX: S1 290–300, S2 320. Tube length 380, maximum width 184, width at apex 56; terminal setae 200.

Male (microptera). Distended body length: 3.4 mm. Colour and structure very similar to female. Ocelli vestigial. Prothorax and fore legs stouter, pronotum 0.46 times as long as head; about 1.8 times as broad as long; pa longer than epim. Tube 0.53 times as long as head, about 1.7 times as long as broad.

Measurements (paratype male in μm). Body length about 3350 (distended). Head length 540, from anterior margin of eyes 520, maximum width across cheeks 285, width across eyes 260; eyes length 97, width 75; postocular setae 108–110; postocellars 25–30. Antenna total length 660 (not distended), segments I–VIII length (width) as follows: 83 (51), 75 (43), 105 (50), 102 (47), 100 (42), 92 (37), 80 (30), 60 (19). Pronotum length 250, width 445. Setae on prothorax: am 30–35, aa 40–50, ml 50–60, pa 100–110, epim?80. Fore wing length 110. Setae on tergite IX: S1 280, S2 250. Tube length 285, maximum width 166; terminal setae 150–160.

Type series. Holotype:?micropterous female, Peninsular Malaysia, Pahang, Endau-Rompin Park, Fogging (Trees: Koompassia excelsa , Shorea leprosula ), 8.vii.2003, H. Kojima. Paratypes: Peninsular Malaysia, 4 females and 1 male, collected together with holotype .

Remarks. E. malaya is rather similar to a species-group described from the synonymous genus Uredothrips , such as E. indicola , E. tibialis and E. tirumalaiensis ( indicola -group), in having the head dorsally elevated, eyes small and forwardly directed, maxillary stylets long and close, and somewhat heavy tube. However, in indicola - group antennal segment VIII is short and broadly fused to segment VII, the pronotal anterior margin is distinctly emarginate and the pelta is trilobed with small lateral wings. In malaya antennal segment VIII is long and pedicellate ( Fig. 85 ), the pronotal anterior margin is almost straight ( Fig. 84 ) and the pelta is broadly triangular ( Fig. 87 ). All females listed in the type series have damaged wings with only the basal small parts remaining. Therefore, it is unknown whether these females are macropterae or micropterae. However, they are presumably micropterae because they do not have sigmoid wing-retaining setae and have small eyes and ocelli.

Figures

FIGURES 84–89. Ethirothrips malaya sp. n., female. (84) Head & prothorax; (85) antennal segments III–VIII; (86) prosternum & mesopresternum; (87) metanotum & pelta; (88) fore tibia & fore tarsus; (89) tube.

FIGURES 223–234. Ethirothrips species, female. (223) E. longiceps sp. n.; (224) E. longisetis; (225) E. malaya sp. n.; (226) E. obscurus; (227) E. oculus sp. n.; (228) E. ommatus sp. n.; (229) E. puiensis sp. n.; (230) E. quadratus sp. n.; (231) E. rubeus, paratype; (232) E. rubeus from Thailand; (233) E. saigon sp. n.; (234) E. setosus sp. n.