Azaleothrips luzonicus, Okajima, Shûji & Masumoto, Masami, 2014

Okajima, Shûji & Masumoto, Masami, 2014, Species-richness in the Oriental fungus-feeding thrips of the genus Azaleothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae), Zootaxa 3846 (3), pp. 301-347 : 327-328

Azaleothrips luzonicus sp.n.

( Figs 73–76 )

Female macroptera. Body brown to dark brown. Antennal segment III yellow, very weakly shaded with brown apically, basal 1/5 of segment IV yellowish. All femora brown to dark brown, extreme apices of fore femora yellowish, apices of mid and hind femora yellow; fore tibiae shaded with brown at middle, mid and hind tibiae very weakly shaded with brown at middle. Fore wing shaded with brown, paler in basal 1/4.

Head ( Fig. 73 ) about 1.1 times as long as wide; dorsal surface asperate and strongly sculptured with reticles, middorsal portion, especially the portion between postocular setae without distinct reticles, strongly asperate, with many small tubercles. Compound eyes comparatively small, about 0.3 times as long as head in holotype. Postocular setae short, shorter than half the length of eyes. Antennal segments VII and VIII closely fused; segment IV shorter than segment III; segment III with two (1 + 1), segment IV with four (2 + 2) sensoria. Pronotum ( Fig. 74 ) asperate, with numerous small tubercles, without lines of reticles, with 42 short setae in holotype. Basantra present, but weak. Mesonotum ( Fig. 75 ) with transverse rows of small tubercles, very weakly asperate among them. Metanotum ( Fig. 75 ) entirely asperate, without lines of reticles; anterior half with 7 or 8 short setae (7 in holotype). Fore tarsus unarmed. Fore wing with 4/5 duplicated cilia in holotype. Pelta distinctly reticulate, with fine wrinkles among reticles. Abdominal tergite VIII with a pair of simply curved short wing-retaining setae; tergite IX ( Fig. 76 ) with 8 to 10 short setae at middle (9 in holotype); S1 setae on tergite IX almost as long as half the length of tube, or a little longer; S2 setae expanded at apex. Tube short, about 0.6 times as long as head. Anal setae much longer than tube.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Distended body length about 1600. Head length 190, width across cheeks 168. Pronotum length 121, width 217. Fore wing length about 560. Tube length 113, width across base 52. Antenna length about 310, segments III–VIII length (width) as follows: 50 (28), 45 (28), 42 (26), 41 (25), 33 (22), 25 (17). Postocular setae 20. S1 setae on tergite IX 58 –59, S2 setae on tergite IX 75. Anal setae 150.

Male macroptera. Color and structure very similar to female. Abdominal segment VIII more or less paler; fore tibiae weakly shaded with brown at middle, mid and hind tibiae yellow. Head 1.1–1.2 times as long as wide. Fore tarsus unarmed. Fore wings with 4–5 duplicated cilia. Pore plate on abdominal sternite VIII weakly developed, narrow. S2 setae on abdominal tergite IX well developed, a little shorter than S1, expanded at apex.

Measurements (paratype male in microns). Distended body length 1360. Head length 170, width across cheeks 148. Pronotum length 105, width 183. Fore wing length about 500. Tube length 84, width across base 45. Antenna length 285, segments III–VIII length (width) as follows: 42 (25), 38 (25), 37 (23), 38 (22), 32 (20), 22 (15). Postocular setae 20. S1 setae on tergite IX 50, S2 setae on tergite IX 35 –38. Anal setae 130.

Specimens examined. Holotype female macroptera: Philippines, Luzon Is., Bicol National Park, on dead branches, 13.viii.1979 (SO).

Paratypes: Philippines, 5 females and 4 males, collected with holotype; Quezon National Forest Park, 1 female, on dead Palmae fronds, 21.viii.1979, 1 female, on dead leaves, 22.viii.1979 (SO).

Remarks. This new species belongs to the moundi group, and shares several character states with apoensis and bulelengi which are described above. They all have long head, unarmed fore tarsus in both sexes and an expanded lateral pair of setae (S2) on abdominal tergite IX in both sexes. From those species, it is easily distinguished by the asperate metanotum ( Fig. 75 ) which is not sculptured with lines of reticulation.

Figures

FIGURES 73 – 76. Azaleothrips luzonicus sp. n. (73) head, female; (74) pronotum, female; (75) meso & metanotum, female; (76) tergite IX, male.