Psalidothrips elagatus, Wang, Jun, Tong, Xiao-Li & Zhang, Wei-Qiu, 2007

Wang, Jun, Tong, Xiao-Li & Zhang, Wei-Qiu, 2007, The genus Psalidothrips Priesner in China (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) with three new species, Zootaxa 1642, pp. 23-31 : 26-28

Psalidothrips elagatus sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–10 )

Female macroptera. Color: Bicoloured, yellow and brown; head brown, mesothorax shaded with brown, metathorax shaded with brown laterally, abdominal segment II shaded with brown laterally, tube light brown, prothorax and the remaining areas yellow; antennal segments II and III light brown, the remaining segments brown; all legs yellow, wings with grayish brown area, major body setae light brown. Head ( Fig. 1 ): Smooth dorsally, almost as long as broad or slightly wider; postocular setae a little shorter than eyes, apices pointed; postocellar setae a little longer than diameter of posterior ocelli; cheeks not rounded, strongly constricted just behind eyes, weakly narrowed at base of head, with some pairs of minute setae. Eyes comparatively large, more than one-third the length of head. Maxillary stylets short and wide apart, V-shaped. Antennae ( Fig. 7 ) 8- segmented, 2.3 times as long as head, segment III the longest, segment VIII constricted basally, segment III with 2 sense cones, segment IV with 3 sense cones. Pronotum ( Fig. 2 ): Major body setae pointed, anteroangular setae and anteromarginal setae reduced to minute setae; midlateral setae longer than epimeral setae and shorter than posteroangular setae; notopleural sutures complete. Foretarsus unarmed. Forewing ( Fig. 5 ): Wide at base, constricted medially, reticulate at base of forewing, with a distinct streak at middle, two sub-basal wing setae minute; without duplicated cilia. Abdomen: Pelta ( Fig. 3 ) weak, hat-shaped, a pair of campaniform sensilla present, faintly sculptured near anterior margin. Abdominal tergum II with two pairs of wing-retaining setae straight and weak; abdominal terga III to VII each with a pair of well developed sigmoid wingretaining setae, and a pair of weak setae; abdominal tergum II to IX each with abnormal sculpture laterally ( Fig. 4 ); B2 on tergum IX much longer than B1, B1 a little shorter than tube, B2 a little longer than tube; tube with faint sculpture near base ( Fig. 6 ), almost two-thirds as long as head, tube length 1.8 times basal width, basal width 3 times apical width; three pairs of anal setae longer than tube, with three pairs of short anal setae.

Measurements, holotype female in micrometres. Head length 175, head maximum width 188; postocular setae length 74. Pronotum median length 134, midlateral setae length 60, posteroangular setae length 46, epimeral setae length 92. Tube length 115, tube basal width 63, apical width 21. Antennal segments I–VII length (width): 35(40); 40(33); 63(33); 56(34); 54(35); 54(28); 45(23); 50(16).

Male aptera. Similar in color and structure to female; ocelli absent; fore tarsus armed with a large tooth ( Fig. 9 ), subequal in length with tarsus, fore legs stronger; abdominal terga III to VII with curved wing retaining setae; abdominal sternum VIII glandular area shuttle-shaped ( Fig. 8 ); male genitalia as Fig. 10 . Tube almost half length of head, length 1.5 times of basal width, basal width a little less than 3 times apical width.

Measurements, paratype male in micrometres. Head length 162, head width 170, postocular setae length 53. Tube length 90, tube basal width 60, apical width 22. Antennal segments I–VII length (width): 33(33); 35(25); 48(25); 38(25); 43(28); 40(23); 35(20); 33(15).

Material examined. Holotype: female macroptera. China: Guangdong Province, Conghua, Shimen National Forest Park (23º 38' 46" N, 113º 45' 17" E), 19.ix.2004, from leaf litter (Wang Jun).

Paratypes: 2 male and 5 females, same data as holotype.

Etymology. The specific name is of Greek origin and refers to the shuttle-shaped glandular area on abdominal sternum VIII of the male.

Remarks. The new species is somewhat similar in appearance to P. chebalingicus Zhang & Tong , but can be distinguished by the following features: Antennal segment IV with 3 sense cones, male usually apterous with ocelli reduced, male glandular area on abdominal sternum VIII shuttle-shaped.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 10. Psalidothrips elagatus sp. nov. 1 – 7. female; 7 – 10. male. (1) head; (2) prothorax; (3) pelta; (4) abdominal tergum VI; (5) forewing; (6) abdominal tergum IX and tube; (7) antenna; (8) abdominal sternum VIII; (9) fore leg; (10) male genitalia.