Lenkothrips pantanal, Lima & Zamar & Greco & Rocca, 2024

Lima, Élison Fabrício B., Zamar, María I., Greco, Nancy & Rocca, Margarita, 2024, The Neotropical genus Lenkothrips (Thysanoptera: Heterothripidae): additions to the faunas of Argentina and Brazil with an updated key to species, Zootaxa 5489 (1), pp. 184-191 : 189

Lenkothrips pantanal sp. n.

( Figs 15–21 )

Female macroptera. Body extensively yellow ( Fig. 15 ), with abdominal segments VIII–X darker; antennal segments I and II yellow, III and IV yellow with distal half light brown, brown with base light brown, VI–IX brown ( Fig. 17 ). Head about 1.3 times wider than long, with no long setae, ocellar setae minute, pair III just on lateral external margin of ocellar triangle, ocellar area with weak transverse or reticulate striae ( Fig. 19 ). Antennal segment III longer than segment IV, both with a sensorium extending laterally to the midpoint of each segment ( Fig. 17 ). Pronotum with weak sculpture; about 26 discal setae and 6 pairs of short posteromarginal setae ( Fig. 19 ). Mesonotum closely striate, distance between striae less than 4 microns medially, often narrower than discal setal pore. Fore wing clavus with 7 marginal setae and one discal setae ( Fig. 18 ). Abdominal tergites I–VIII with a posteromarginal fringe of microtrichia, well developed laterally on I–V but bearing no or few teeth medially, on VI–VIII complete ( Fig. 20 ); lateral thirds covered with dense rows of fine microtrichia; tergite IX covered with microtrichia in the distal two thirds. Sternites with faint transverse striae medially, lateral thirds with oblique striae with lines of fine microtrichia; 6 pairs of posteromarginal setae arising well in front of posterior margin; VII with 4 pairs of posteromarginal setae arising well in front of posterior margin and 1 pair in the discal area. Pleurotergites striated and with microtrichia.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body, length 1100. Head, length 100; width 125. Pronotum, length 110; width 185. Hind tibia length 140; width 25; hind tarsus length 55; width 15. Fore wing length 580. Antennal segments I–IX length, 20, 28, 60, 48, 20, 22, 14, 12, 12 respectively.

Male macroptera. Smaller than female ( Fig. 16 ); sternites IV–VIII each with an oval pore plate anteromedially ( Fig. 21 ).

Measurements (paratype male in microns). Body, length 870. Head, length 80; width 110. Pronotum, length 85; width 140. Hind tibia length 95; width 20; hind tarsus length 45; width 15. Fore wing length 450. Antennal segments I–IX length, 18, 30, 48, 35, 30, 30, 12, 10, 10 respectively; VII width 8.

Material examined. Holotype female. Brazil: Mato Grosso do Sul: Aquidauana, Nhecolândia, Fazenda Baía das Pedras (interior murundu) (19°11’28.00”S 55°49’27.00”W), from Moericke trap, 16–24.ix.2021 (MYOliveira col.) (CHNUFPI).

Paratypes. Same location and trap, 8 females and 3 males, from Moericke and Pitfall traps 16–24.ix.2021 (MY Oliveira col.) ( CHNUFPI and ESALQ) .

Comments. This species is readily distinguished by the unique pale body colour among its congeners. Some specimens have head darker on anterior two thirds and/or circular light brown areas on tergites III–VI, but at present this is considered an intraspecific variation. It is named by apposition after the biome where it has been collected (Pantanal), the largest floodplain in the world.

Figures

FIGURES 15–21. Lenkothrips pantanal sp. n. (15) female; (16) male; (17) antenna; (18) fore wing; (19) head and pronotum; (20) abdominal tergites VII–X; (21) male abdominal sternites IV–VIII.