Liothrips reuteri (Bagnall)

Minaei, Kambiz & Mound, Laurence, 2014, The Liothrips-lineage of thrips (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) from Iran with the first record of micropterous morph of a Liothrips species, Zootaxa 3889 (1), pp. 107-117 : 114-115

Liothrips reuteri (Bagnall)

Compsothrips reuteri Bagnall, 1913: 295 .

Ataliothrips reuteri (Bagnall) Bhatti, 1995 .

Described originally from one female collected in Suez, Egypt, without any plant record. Priesner (1964) gave the distribution of this species as North Africa and India living on tamarisk. According to zur Strassen and Harten (2008), the species occurs in Canary Islands, Mediterranean, United Arab Emirates, Iran, India, Mongolia, Niger, and Sudan. Mortazawiha and Dern (1977) reported a few specimens of this species from Tamarix sp. in Iran, at Bam, Kerman Province, and subsequently Barkhordari et al. (1981), also Kheyrandish Koshkoei (2000), collected it on the same plant in Kerman Province.

As indicated below under material studied, macropterae of reuteri have been collected in three Provinces of Iran. Moreover, micropterae were collected on tamarisk at Shiraz during spring, but subsequent collecting in summer yielded macropterae on the same plant. It is possible that production of the two morphs in L. reuteri on this tamarisk bush was controlled environmentally, with the higher population density in spring being micropterae but macropterae being produced during summer. Similarly, Nakao (1999) demonstrated that Thrips nigropilosus Uzel produces short-winged individuals under higher density under laboratory conditions.

Populations of reuteri appear to be strictly associated with Tamarix , and this thrips is widespread in southern and central Iran. Individuals vary in several character states. For example, the tarsi bear apically a stout or a minute recurved hamus-like structure that is sometimes present on all legs but sometimes found on only one or two legs. This hamus-like appendage usually occurs in macropterae ( Fig. 7 ), but has also been seen on one micropterous individual.

Diagnosis. Macropterous or micropterous. Body colour dark brown, antennal segments variable, I–II dark (sometimes II pale distally), III–IV yellow (sometimes yellow-brown), V–VI yellow basally but variably darker in distal half (rarely III–VI yellow basally but variably darker in distal half), VII–VIII dark ( Fig. 3 ); fore wings clear; major body setae dark brown, setae on tergite VIII paler, tergite IX setae yellowish. Head longer than wide, first ocellus directed forwards; major postocular setae short, variable in length ( Figs 14–16 ), with blunt or pointed apices, maxillary stylets retracted to postocular setae, less than one-fifth of head width apart; mouth cone large, rounded but not extending beyond midpoint of prosternum. Antennae 8-segmented, III longer than IV, III with 1 sense cone, IV with 3; VIII not constricted at base.

Pronotum weakly sculptured, with 5 pairs of major setae: am, aa, ml, epim, and pa, all with apices broadly blunt or capitate with white head; notopleural sutures complete, rarely incomplete; fore tarsi usually without tooth, sometimes with stout or short recurved ventral hamus ( Fig. 7 ) which rarely is also present on mid and/or hind legs; mesoprestemum complete; sternopleural sutures short. Metanotum reticulate medially; median setae stout. Fore wing parallel-sided with 7–13 duplicated cilia; sub-basal setae stout with capitate apices.

Pelta broadly triangular, reticulate, campaniform sensilla near postero-lateral angles ( Figs 20–21 ); tergites II–VII each with 2 pairs of sigmoid wing-retaining setae; tergites I–VIII S1 seta capitate to blunt, more pointed toward posterior, tergite IX setae Sl and S2 about as long as tube; tube shorter than head.

Measurements (female macroptera/microptera in microns). Body length 3000/2522. Head, length 390/305; maximum width 260/210, po setae 21/20. Pronotum, length 154/142; median width 387/360; epim, 81/72. Fore wing length 1073/100; sub-basal setae 69/50, 83/63, 86/65. Pelta length 125/107, maximum width 150/155, tergite IX setae S1 120. Tube length 186/140; basal width 80/77; anal setae 145/110. Antennal segments I–VIII length 50/ 43, 62/53, 120/105, 104/88, 85/75, 74/70, 56/52, 38/31.

Male macroptera or microptera, smaller and usually paler; tergite IX setae S2 short and stout; sternite VIII with an extensive pore plate (cf. Fig. 22 ). Pseudovirga with two expanded lobes at the end and very similar to the pseudovirga of austriacus and pragensis ( Fig. 8 ).

Measurements (male macroptera/microptera in microns). Body length 1950/1745. Head, length 288/260; maximum width 203/175. Pronotum, length 115/95; median width 293/288; epim, 80/67. Fore wing length 817/90; sub-basal setae 61/45, 65/48, 70/?. Pelta length 96, maximum width 124, tergite IX setae S1 143/120. Tube length 168/145; basal width 62/60; anal setae 113/75. Antennal segments I–VIII length 34/24, 55/43, 92/69, 78/77, 74/63, 65/60, 54/50, 34/30.

Material studied (macropterae except where stated). IRAN, Hormozgan Province, Bandarabas, Mazra village , 4 females, from leaves of Tamarix sp. , 20.ix.2011 ; 1 female, 3 males, the same place and plant, 9.xi.2011; 2 females, the same place and plant, 8.xii.2011 (all collected by Mohsen Amiri). Isfahan Province, Isfahan, 2 females, 3 males, from leaves of Tamarix sp. , 5.vii.2012 (Farinaz Haftbaradarn) . Fars Province, Shiraz, 2 females (micropterae), from leaves of Tamarix sp. , 21.iv.2012 ( KM 753 ); 4 females, 1 male (microptera), the same place and plant, 26.iv.2012 ( KM 756 , 757 ); 1 female (microptera), the same place and plant, 29.iv.2012 ( KM 764 ); Shiraz, 1 female, 1 male, the same place and plant, 14.vii.2012 ( KM 876 ); Nurabad , 3 females, 3 males, from leaves of Tamarix sp. , 4.vi.2012 ( KM 844 ) .

Figures

FIGURES 1–13. Liothrips from Iran. Antenna, 1–3: (1) austriacus;(2) pragensis; (3) reuteri. Hind leg, 4–6: (4) austriacus; (5) pragensis; (6) reuteri. (7) Fore tarsus, reuteri macroptera. (8) Male genitalia, pragensis. Cephalothrips from Iran. Head: (9) coxalis; (10) monilicornis. Liophloeothrips hungaricus syntype male, 11–13: (11) Antenna; (12) Fore tarsal tooth; (13) Tergite IX and tube.

FIGURES 14–22. Liothrips from Iran. (14–16) Variation in length of reuteri postocular setae. (17) Head, pragensis. (18) Metanotum, austriacus. Metanotum and pelta 19–21: (19) pragensis; (20) reuteri, macroptera; (21) reuteri, microptera. (22) Abdominal sternite VIII, austriacus.