Heterothrips pedicellatus, Pereyra, Veronica & Cavalleri, Adriano, 2012

Pereyra, Veronica & Cavalleri, Adriano, 2012, The genus Heterothrips (Thysanoptera) in Brazil, with an identification key and seven new species, Zootaxa 3237, pp. 1-23 : 15-18

Heterothrips pedicellatus sp. n.

Female winged. Body brown ( Fig. 11 ); femora brown; tibiae brown with pale apex; tarsi pale; antennal segments I– II and IV–IX brown, III pale ( Fig. 16 ); fore wing brown with a pale band near the base ( Fig. 20 ).

Head wider than long, with no long setae; ocellar region with three pairs of setae, pair III arising on anterior margin of ocellar triangle ( Fig. 13 ); interantennal projection with widely separated arms. Antennae 9-segmented, segment III long with an elongate pedicel and two constrictions, one at the union between the pedicel and segment, the other near the base of segment; segment IV entire and shorter than III ( Figs 15–16 ), both with two rows of sensorial pores. Pronotum reticulate-striate with no long setae ( Fig. 14 ); mesonotum reticulate-striate; metanotum with concentric sculpture around basal midpoint, covered with microtrichia ( Fig. 12 ). Fore wing with two rows of conspicuous brown setae ( Fig. 20 ).

Abdominal tergites I–VII with sparse microtrichia on lateral thirds and posterior margin with craspedal lobes laterally, each rectangular lobe bearing a fringe of fine, irregular microtrichia ( Figs 17, 19 ). Tergites II–V posterior margin with few microtrichia medially, VI–VII with a complete feinge of microtrichial medially, with no gap between this and the lobes. Tergite VIII with continuous posteromarginal microtrichia. Sternites II–VI posterior margins with well-developed craspedal lobes bearing microtrichia ( Fig. 18 ) and with 7 pairs of posteromarginal setae; few discal setae present.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 1430 (distended). Head, length 120; width 165. Pronotum, length 137; width 210. Fore wing length 730; median width 43. Abdominal tergites IX and X length 72 and 82, respectively. Antennal segments III–IX length (width), 83 (30), 47 (27), 22 (17), 27 (15), 15 (12), 15 (10), 21 (8).

Male winged. Similar to female in coloration but smaller; abdominal tergites II–VI with craspedum interrupted medially, with long and fine teeth; lateral thirds of tergites I–VIII covered with numerous irregular rows of microtrichia. Intermediate abdominal sternites without discal setae, sternites III–VIII with large transverse pore plates.

Measurements (paratype male in microns). Body length 1030 (distended). Head, length 100; width 155. Pronotum, length 137; width 220. Fore wing length 600; median width 37; Abdominal segments IX + X length 107; width 132.

Material examined. Holotype female, Brazil, São Paulo, Mogi-Guaçu, 30.ix.2011, on Diplopterys pubipetala flowers (A. Cavalleri). Paratypes: 11 females, 3 males collected with holotype; Bahia, Ibicoara, iv.2002, 1 female on “native plants” (O. Feiler); São Paulo, Campinas, 26.III.2010, 3 females on Niedenzuella glabra flowers (A. Cavalleri).

Comments. This new species has been collected with paulistarum from two species of Malpighiaceae . The elongated pedicel on antennal segment III is similar to that found in prosopidis, but the segment is much wider at the apex than the base, unlike in prosopidis. The abdominal tergites have similar lateral craspedal lobes, but the microtrichia are smaller in pedicellatus than in prosopidis. The general coloration is similar in these two species, as well as the form of the terminal abdominal segment. The metanotal sculpture of pedicellatus is similar to that found in flavicornis with a central triangular area, although they feature different reticulation patterns. Like the other Brazilian species obscurus , pedicellatus presents lateral craspedal lobes on the posterior margins of the abdominal tergites, although these two species differ in the antennal coloration and the length of antennal segment III pedicel (which is remarkably longer in pedicellatus ). Moreover, the microtrichia on abdominal craspedum are slightly smaller in pedicellatus than in obscurus .

Figures

FIGURES 11 – 20. Brazilian Heterothrips. H. pedicellatus sp. n. female 11 – 20: 11. Dorsal view; 12. Mesonotum and metanotum; 13. Head; 14. Pronotum; 15. Antennal segments II – IV; 16. A ntenna; 17. Abdominal tergites IV – VI; 18. Abdominal sternites IV – VI; 19. Abdominal tergites I – III; 20. Fore wing.