Neoheegeria astragali, Minaei & Fekrat & Mound, 2018

Minaei, Kambiz, Fekrat, Lida & Mound, Laurence, 2018, The genus Neoheegeria with a new species from Iran exhibiting wing-dimorphism (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae), Zootaxa 4455 (3), pp. 563-570 : 564-565

Neoheegeria astragali sp.n.

Female microptera. Body and legs dark brown ( Fig. 1 ), fore tibia and fore tarsi yellow, mid and hind tarsi paler than their tibia, antennal segments III–V light brown, VI darker ( Fig. 5 ), major setae including sub-basal wing setae light brown; fore wing clear, weakly shaded around sub-basal setae ( Fig. 2 ).

Head longer than wide, weakly transversely striate but without sculpture between ocelli; post ocular setae finely acute, extending beyond hind margin of eye; maxillary stylets long and slender, retracted to eyes ( Fig. 11 ) (in a few specimens including holotype this is retracted to basal half of head length ( Fig. 12 )), almost one third of head width apart, maxillary bridge well developed; mouth cone relatively pointed. Antennae 8-segmented, segment III and IV with 3 and 4 sense cones respectively; segment VIII narrowed at base but not constricted ( Fig. 5 ). Pronotum with 5 pairs of well-developed pointed major setae (anteromarginals, anteroangulars, midlaterals, epimerals, and posteroangulars). Epimeral sutures complete ( Fig. 11 ). Prosternal basantra and ferna developed, ferna wider than long. Fore tarsal tooth absent or a minute fore tarsal tooth present ( Figs 3, 8 ). Mesopraesternum weakly joined medially. The mesonotum has a short postero-median cleft. Metanotum very weakly sculptured, median setae arising on anterior half of sclerite ( Fig. 14 ). Metathoracic sternopleural sutures extend posteriorly from the midcoxal cavities ( Fig. 15 ). Fore wings with three sub-basal setae situated in a triangle. Pelta usually D- shaped, with weak sculpture ( Fig. 24 ), campaniform sensilla present at posterior; abdominal tergites II–VII with two pairs of wing-retaining setae ( Fig. 19 ); tergite VII with two campaniform sensilla close together ( Fig. 23 ); segment IX with seta S1 and S2 acute, smaller than tube; tube short, length less than twice basal width ( Fig. 22 ), shorter than head; anal setae about as long as tube or a little longer.

Measurements of holotype micropterous female (in microns): Body distended length 2344, Head length (width across cheeks) 257 (208), post ocular setae 69. Pronotum, length 160; median width 305; major setae, anteromarginal 32, anteroangulars 36, midlaterals 43, epimerals 63, posteroangulars 40. Mesonotal lateral setae 27. Fore wing, length 330; sub-basal setae S1 36, S2 40, S3 59. Tergite IX setae S1 85, S2 86. Tube length (basal width) 122 (68). Antennal segments I–VIII length 30, 52, 58, 62, 63, 56, 57, 43.

Female macroptera. Colour and structure very similar to microptera. Fore wings with 7–10 duplicated cilia.

Measurements of a macropterous female (in PPSU) (in microns): Body distended length 2182, Head length (width across cheeks) 234 (224), post ocular setae 63. Pronotum, length 154; median width 311; major setae, anteromarginals 30, anteroangulars 33, midlaterals 33, epimerals 63, posteroangulars 40. Mesonotal lateral setae 28. Fore wing, length 795; sub-basal setae 36, 65, 60. Tergite IX setae S1 81, S2 85. Tube length (basal width) 121 (70). Antennal segments I–VIII length 31, 46, 57, 62, 63, 54, 51, 45.

Male macroptera. Generally similar to female but smaller. All antennal segments are almost brown ( Fig. 13 ), fore tarsal tooth well developed ( Fig. 4 ). Fore wings with 7–10 duplicated cilia. The tube is long and pseudovirga divided at the apex.

Measurements of a macropterous male (in PPSU) (in microns): Body distended length 1935, Head length (width across cheeks) 221 (196), post ocular setae 63. Pronotum, length 154; median width 294; major setae, anteromarginal 27, anteroangular 30, midlateral 40, epimeral 70, posteroangular 54. Mesonotal lateral seta 23. Fore wing, length 766; sub-basal setae 51, 47, 66. Tergite IX setae S1 143, S2 45. Tube length (basal width) 149 (56). Antennal segments I–VIII length 33, 47, 59, 56, 51, 46, 40, 32.

Material studied. Holotype micropterous female, IRAN, Fars province, Sepidan, Barme Firooz Mountain, Astragalus sp., 24.v.2013 (KM 1021) (in NHM).

Paratypes: 9 female micropterae, 1 female, 1 male macropterae, same data as holotype (in ANIC and PPSU) ; 2 female micropterae, 2 female, 1 male macropterae, same place, same plant, 16.v.2014 (KM 1193) (in PPSU); 8 female micropterae, same place, same plant, 12.v.2017 (KM 1627) (in PPSU).

Non type specimens: 8 female micropterae (2 in PPSU, 6 in PPFU), IRAN, Khorasan-e-Razavi , Tandooreh National Park, Tivan, same plant, 14.vi.2013, Lida Fekrat.

Comments. Among Haplothripini species, the tenth abdominal segment of Neoheegeria species, the tube, is characteristically long, being at least 2 times as long as the median length of the ninth abdominal segment. The new species is thus unique among Neoheegeria species, not only in its short wings but also in having the tube scarcely 1.8 times as long as the ninth abdominal segment. Moreover, three of the five Neoheegeria species have no metathoracic sternopleural sutures, whereas micropterae and macropterae of N. astragali have these sutures long and slender. The presence of metathoracic sternopleural sutures is shared with gigantea , but astragali has smaller body size, shorter tube, and in females antennal segments III–V are clearly paler. The micropterous condition in most specimens distinguishes this new species. N. astragali is also distinct in metanotum sculpture which is almost not reticulated ( Fig. 14 ) in contrast to other species of the genus that have weak reticulation ( Fig. 16 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1–11. Neoheegeria spp. N. astragali female microptera 1–2: (1) Adult; (2). Fore and hind wings. Fore leg 3–4: (3) N. astragali (female without fore tarsal tooth); (4) N. astragali (male). Antenna (female) 5–7: (5) N. astragali; (6) N. dalmatica; (7) N. persica. Fore leg 8–10: (8) N. astragali (female with minute fore tarsal tooth); (9) N. dalmatica (female without fore tarsal tooth); (10) N. dalmatica (female with small fore tarsal tooth). N. astragali female microptera: (11) Head, pronotum and fore legs.

FIGURES 12–19. Neoheegeria astragali. (12) Head and fore legs (female microptera); (13) Antenna, head and fore legs (male macroptera); (14) Meso and metanotum (female microptera); (15) Meso and metasternum (female microptera) (arrows indicate metathoracic sternopleural sutures). N. persica (16) Meso and metanotum; (17) Meso and metasternum. N. sinaitica (18) Head and fore tarsal tooth. N. astragali (female microptera) (19) Tergites III–VI.

FIGURES 20–24. Neoheegeria spp. Ninth abdominal segment and tube (female) (20–22): (20) N. dalmatica; (21) N. persica; (22) N. astragali. N. astragali female microptera (23–24): (23) Tergites VII–VII (arrows indicates campaniform sensilla); (24) Pelta and tergite II.