Avithrips gen. n., 2024

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

Avithrips gen. n.

Type species. Avithrips yellae gen. et sp. n.

Diagnosis. Head with mouth cone exceptionally long, reaching back to the base of abdomen. Antennae nine-segmented with the distal segments fully distinct from each other; segments I–III distinctly stronger than distal segments; III distally with a structure interpreted as a transverse sensorium (sensoria not visible on IV). Setae on head and pronotum not assessable; one longer seta visible at the hind margin of pronotum. Fore wings with broadly rounded tips; front margin without wing fringes; longitudinal veins complete; with cross veins. Wing surface covered with microtrichia. Fore femora slender; fore tarsus without hamus. Abdominal segment VIII with ovipositor curved upwards.

Based on the above-mentioned character states of the fore wings and the shape of the ovipositor Avithrips gen. n. is attributed to Melanthripidae (see Bhatti 2006), even though some of the plesiomorphic features present in members of this thysanopteran family are not visible on the holotype due its lateral position in the amber matrix. Regarding the antennae, the basal segments of Avithrips gen. n. are stronger than usual in Melanthripidae . The shape of the structure on segment III, which is interpreted as a distal antennal sensorium, however, would support the here proposed classification.

With its long mouth cone Avithrips gen. n. resembles Proboscisthrips mammuthoides Ulitzka from Baltic Eocene amber. However, the latter has the major setae on abdominal tergites IX and X much stronger. Moreover, the abdominal segment IX of P. mammuthoides is longer and covered with dense rows of microtrichia ( Ulitzka 2017). Most cephalic and pronotal setae of Avithrips gen. n. are not assessable and at least the head setae might be short. Regarding this feature, Avithrips gen. n. differs from most members of Melanthripidae , except for some species like Cranothrips bellisi Mound & Marullo (see Pereyra & Mound 2009). Compared to those, however, the antennae of Avithrips gen. n. are different.

Etymology. The name of the new genus comes from the Latin word avis, meaning ‘bird’ and -thrips, the usual term for a genus within Thysanoptera . It refers to the long and bird-beak-like mouth cone of the type species.