Heterothrips paulistarum, 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 : 14-15

Heterothrips paulistarum sp. n.

Female winged. Body brown ( Fig. 73 ); femur brown; tibia pale with a brown band in the middle; tarsi pale; antennal segments I and IV–IX brown, II pale, III pale with brown apex ( Figs 75–76 ); fore wing brown with pale band near the base including half of clavus.

Head wider than long, with no long setae ( Fig. 77 ); ocellar region with three pairs of setae, pair III inside the ocellar triangle. Antennae 9-segmented, segment III long with two constrictions, one at union between the pedicel and segment, the other near the base of the segment, IV entire and shorter than III ( Figs 75–76 ), both segments with two rows of circumpolar sensorial pores at apex. Pronotum reticulate-striate with no long setae ( Fig. 78 ); mesonotum striate; metanotum covered with microtrichia and with concentric lines of sculpture, almost forming a triangle ( Fig. 80 ); metapleura covered with several rows of minute microtrichia. Fore wing with two rows of conspicuous brown setae.

Abdominal tergites I–VIII with microtrichia laterally; I–V with lateral posteromarginal microtrichia; II–V with few median teeth. Tergites VI–VIII with continuous fringe of microtrichia (Fig. 1). Sternites II–VII with continuous row of marginal microtrichia; and about 7 pairs of posteromarginal setae; no discal setae on abdominal sternites ( Fig. 79 ).

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 1500 (distended). Head, length 122; width 162. Pronotum, length 170; width 242. Fore wing length 840; median width 38. Abdominal tergites IX and X length 98 and 105, respectively. Antennal segments I–IX length (width), 17 (32), 35 (27), 90 (30), 52 (27), 37 (17), 32 (15), 17 (10), 12 (7), 17 (5).

Male winged. Smaller than female; body sharply bicolored, abdominal segments III–VII clear yellow ( Fig. 74 ). Tergite IX with a pair of stout dorsolateral finger-like projections ( Fig. 81 ). Sternites VII–VIII with large transverse pore plates.

Measurements (paratype male in microns). Body length 1130 (distended). Head, length 120; width 140. Pronotum, length 152; width 210. Fore wing length 690; median width 37. Abdominal segments IX + X length (including anterior margin of sternite IX) 220; width 150.

Material examined. Holotype female, Brazil, São Paulo, Mogi-Guaçu, 30.ix.2011, on Diplopterys pubipetala flowers (A. Cavalleri). Paratypes: 1 female, 4 males collected with holotype; São Paulo, Campinas, iii.2010, 16 females, 4 males on Niedenzuella glabra flowers (A. Cavalleri).

Comments. Collected from two different members of the Malpighiaceae , this species shows variation in antennal segment II coloration, ranging from pale to light brown. As in peixotoa , this species lacks ocellar setae I on the head and antennal segments III–IV bear two rows of well-developed sensorial pores. Both species also have an independent fringe of microtrichia on the posterior margin of the abdominal tergites, and the metapleura are covered with fine and delicate microtrichia. However, paulistarum has the fore wings extensively brown, with a distinct sub-basal pale area. Males are similar to bicolor in coloration and structure, but the paired dorsal processes on abdominal tergite IX are more developed, as in the North American species analis and vitis. These finger-like projections are presumably associated with copulatory behavior.

Figures

FIGURES 73 – 81. Brazilian Heterothrips. H. paulistarum sp. n. female 73, 75 – 80: 73. Dorsal view; 75. Antenna; 76. Antennal segments III – IV; 77. Head; 78. Pronotum; 79. Abdominal sternites II – VI; 80. Mesonotum and metanotum. H. paulistarum sp. n. male 74, 81: 74. Dorsal view; 81. Abdominal tergites IX – X.