Aeolothrips zurstrasseni, Minaei, Kambiz, 2013

Minaei, Kambiz, 2013, The genus Aeolothrips in Iran (Thysanoptera: Aeolothripidae) with one new species, Zootaxa 3630 (3), pp. 594-600 : 597-599

Aeolothrips zurstrasseni sp. n.

Female macroptera. Body brown, apex of antennal segment II and antennal segments III–IX all yellow; all tarsi and distal part of tibiae pale, fore wings with posterior margin dark (the dark marking strikingly narrowed at middle) except for basal quarter (including clavus) and distal fifth which are pale, with one sub-basal transverse dark band ( Fig. 3 ). Antennae 9-segmented, segment III with linear sensorium about 0.3 as long as segment, IV with linear sensorium about 0.5 as long as segment and a little curved and wider at the apex, V–IX forming a single unit with V about as long as VI–IX, IX slightly shorter than VIII ( Fig. 7 ). Head a little wider than long ( Fig. 1 ), with no long setae and weak, irregular, transverse striations; 12–16 pre-ocellar setae present, post-ocellar area with about 30 setae; checks convex; compound eyes prolonged ventrally, with no large or pigmented facets; maxillary palps 3- segmented. Pronotum with weak transverse striations, with about 50 discal setae, five to six pairs of pronotal posteromarginal setae present that are stouter than pronotal discal setae ( Fig. 1 ). Mesonotum transversely striate with pair of median setae. Metanotum with equiangular and longitudinal reticulations medially and laterally respectively ( Fig. 2 ). Mesosternum and metasternum with well developed spinula. Abdominal tergites gradually wider towards posterior; tergite I with few striations anteriorly, II–X with weak transverse striations, II–VIII with paired campaniform sensilla posterolateral to median setae; tergite IX setae S1 about as long as length of tergite. Sternite II with 3 pairs of posteromarginal setae, III–VII with 4 pairs of which the two lateral pairs are sub-marginal ( Fig. 4 ); all abdominal sternites without discal setae, sternite VII with 2 pairs of sub-median accessory (“supernumerary paired setae” in Hoddle et al. 2013) setae, arranged one in front of the other ( Fig. 4 ) and with pair of anterolateral campaniform sensilla.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body distended length 1880. Head length (width) 186 (214). Pronotum length (width) 150 (248). Fore wing length (median width) 780 (118). Tergite IX S1 setae 125. Antennal segments I–IX length (width) 30 (36); 50 (29); 90 (20); 70 (21); 52 (22); 20 (19); 12 (15); 15 (11); 12 (6).

Male macroptera. Colour and structure generally similar to female but paler and smaller. Antennal segments I–II pale; III–IX pale-yellow, V–IX paler ( Fig. 8 ); ocellar triangle yellow; all legs pale (except coxae of mid and hind legs). Abdominal tergite I with two longitudinal ridges ( Fig. 5 ), tergites without tubercles; tergite IX without claspers and stout curved setae but with two pairs of lateral setae of which the posterior pair is longer ( Fig. 6 ). Sternite VII without sub-median accessory setae.

Measurements (male, in microns). Body distended length 1220. Head length (width) 152 (174). Pronotum length (width) 130 (190). Fore wing length (median width) 620 (100). Antennal segments I–IX length (width) I 34 (33); II 50 (24); III 82 (21); IV 72 (19); V 54 (19); VI 15 (14); VII 16 (12); VIII 10 (9); IX 10 (5).

Material studied. Holotype female, IRAN, Fars Province, Mohr, Heraj village, from flowers of Suaeda sp. ( Chenopodiaceae ), 21.ix.2012 (Mohsen Abdolahi).

Paratypes, 12 females (including 2 unmacerated), 1 male, collected with holotype.

Comments. A. zurstrasseni is a member of a species-complex in which the fore wing bears a longitudinal dark area along the posterior margin, with or without a transverse area as well (see Bailey 1951; Hoddle et al. 2013). Most of the species in this group are from North America, but a few are Palearctic, such as Aeolothrips vittatus Haliday , a species also introduced to North America (see Bailey 1951; Stannard 1968). Other Palearctic species described in this group are A. asirensis zur Strassen, which remains known only from its type locality of Saudi Arabia (zur Strassen 1979), and A. afghanus Jenser , described from Afghanistan (Jenser 1984) and also recorded from Iran ( Table 1). In the later species, contrary to A. zurstrasseni , A. vittatus and A. asirensis , the fore wing bears a longitudinal dark area along the posterior margin, without a transverse area. In A. zurstrasseni , the longitudinal dark area on the posterior margin of fore wing extends from the first basal quarter (well after the clavus) and does not reach the tip of the wing, in contrast to vittatus and asirensis in which it extends from the clavus to the wing apex. The new species also differs from vittatus and asirensis in having the antennae uniquely yellow in colour, whereas in the other two species only antennal segments III–IV are mostly yellow. Moreover, all tarsi as well as the apex of the tibiae are clearly pale in zurstrasseni , in contrast to vittatus and asirensis that have uniformly dark brown mid and hind tibiae. The same comparison can be made with four North American Aeolothrips species ( crassus Hood , crucifer Hood , hartleyi Moulton , vitipennis Hood) in which the fore wing has a longitudinal dark area along the posterior margin and a transverse band in the basal half. The two pairs of supernumerary setae on sternite VII of A. zurstrasseni and vittatus are arranged one in front of the other rather than side by side as in asirensis (see Fig. 4 in zur Strassen 1979).

Interestingly, males are not described for three Paleractic Aeolothrips species in this species-complex ( afghanus , asirensis , vittatus ). The male of zurstrasseni , contrary to most species in the genus, does not have claspers nor stout setae on tergite IX, and the tergites do not have tubercles. Among the four North American Aeolothrips species mentioned above, the male of A. crassus is not known (Bailey 1951), but of the remaining species only vittipennis lacks claspers, stout setae and tergal tubercles. However, the male of zurstrasseni is readily distinguished from vittipennis by the color of the antennae (segments V–IX mostly brown in vittipennis ), colour of the legs (uniformly brown in vittipennis ) and colour of the clavus (brown in vittipennis ). The pale colour of the antennae in the male of zurstrasseni is unusual among Aeolothrips species.

Etymology. For several years, Dr. Richard zur Strassen had a significant role in identifications of species of Thysanoptera for many Iranian entomology students. Morever, his book (zur Strassen 2003) on identification of the Terebrantia of Europe and the Mediterranean area, is the most important identification reference for this group in Iran. This new species is named in appreciation of his significant contribution on study of Thysanoptera around Iran.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Aeolothrips zurstrasseni sp. n. (1) Head and pronotum; (2) Meso and metanotum; (3) Fore wing; (4) Sternites VI – VII; (5) Male tergite I; (6) Male tergites IX – X.

FIGURES 7 – 9. Aeolothrips zurstrasseni sp. n. (7) Antennal segments III – IX (female); (8) Antenna (male). Aeolothrips sp. nr balati (9) Antenna (male).