Neohydatothrips biconcavus, Rachana, 2021

Rachana, R. R., 2021, A new species of Neohydatothrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) from India, Zootaxa 4920 (2), pp. 297-300 : 297-299

Neohydatothrips biconcavus sp.n.

Female macroptera. Body bicoloured ( Fig. 1 ); head and pterothorax brown; pronotum yellow with blotch shaded; metanotum sharply pale at posterior third ( Fig. 6 ); abdominal segment I yellowish brown with antecostal ridge interrupted medially, II–IV brown, V–VI pale brown, VII brown except anterior 1/3, VIII–IX brown, X yellow with brown infusion; semicircular dark areas on tergites I–VI with anterior margin touching antecostal ridge on both sides ( Fig. 12 ); pale circular area on tergite VII with anterior margin touching antecostal ridge on both sides ( Fig. 13 ); antecostal ridges on tergites II–VII complete and dark brown; sternites II–VI with circular dark patch on both sides ( Fig. 10 ); antennal segments I–II yellow, III–IV yellow with apical brown infusion, V–VIII brown. Fore wing brown with a pale sub-basal and feebly shaded distal third areas, basal ¾ of clavus brown ( Fig. 7 ); fore femora yellow, mid and hind femora brown, all tibiae and tarsi yellow. Antennae 8-segmented ( Fig. 2 ). Head wider than long, without sculpture lines within ocellar triangle; occipital apodeme touching posterior margin of eyes; ocellar setae III close to fore ocellus on tangent between fore and hind ocelli; post-occipital area with transverse striations; three pairs of postocular setae along posterior inner margin of eyes, pair I distinctly longer than others, sub-equal to ocellar setae III ( Fig. 5 ). Pronotum transversely reticulate without internal markings; blotch shaded brown, well defined having transverse striations with internal markings between the striae; deeply concave at anterior and posterior margins, weakly concave at lateral margins; one pair of long blotch posteroangular setae; a pair of blotch posteromarginal setae, half the length of blotch posteroangular setae ( Fig. 4 ). Mesonotum with closely spaced transverse striations, median pair of setae ahead of sub-median pair well anterior to posterior margin ( Fig. 8 ). Metanotum sculptured transversely anteromedially, longitudinally at each side, irregularly reticulate at middle; median setae behind anterior margin ( Fig. 6 ). Metasternal plate with median shallow emargination ( Fig. 9 ). Fore wing first vein with short gap in setal row near apex, second vein with 2 distal setae. Abdominal tergites I–II medially without marginal microtrichia; III–VI with complete marginal microtrichia, but extremely minute medially ( Fig. 12 ); VII with complete marginal microtrichia, but shorter medially ( Fig. 13 ); VIII with complete row of marginal microtrichia ( Fig. 14 ); tergite I with discal microtrichia between median campaniform sensilla and laterally, II with discal microtrichia laterally only, III–VIII with discal microtrichia laterally and extending medially near anterior margin ( Fig. 12 ); IX–X with no discal microtrichia; tergite IX with 2 pairs of mid-dorsal setae ( Fig. 3 ). Abdominal sternites without discal setae and marginal microtrichia; anterior portion of sternite VII forming 2 protuberances ( Fig. 11 ), three pairs of posteromarginal setae arising in front of posterior margin; II–VI with discal microtrichia on lateral thirds.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 1275. Head, length 90; width across eyes 155; eyes length 70, width 45. Ocellar setae III 30. Postocular setae I 27.5. Pronotum, length 125; width 205; pronotal blotch length (30 median, 80 lateral); width 140; blotch posteroangular setae 50; blotch posteromarginal setae 25. Metanotum median setae length 27.5. Fore wing length 810. Antennal segments III–VIII length 62, 60, 50, 60, 12, 12.

Material studied. Holotype female, INDIA, Assam, Jorhat , from flowers of Jasminum sambac , 28.ii.2017 (Rachana R. R.) ( ICAR / NBAIR / THYS/86 ) . Paratypes: 34 females with same data as holotype except three paratypes with 1 seta on second vein of fore wing on one side, one paratype with 3 setae on second vein of fore wing on one side and three paratypes having 3 pairs of mid-dorsal setae on abdominal segment IX on one side .

Etymology. Refers to the deeply concave anterior and posterior margins of pronotal blotch of this new species.

Comments. In the key to Indian species of Neohydatothrips by Tyagi and Kumar (2016) this species tracks to N. chandrai , but can be distinguished by the presence of complete antecostal ridges on abdominal tergites II–VII, discal microtrichia laterally and extending medially near anterior margin of III–VIII, discal microtrichia on lateral thirds of abdominal sternites II–VI, two setae on second vein of fore wing and metanotum with transverse and longitudinal striations.

According to the key to species of Neohydatothrips from China by Mirab-balou et al. (2013) this species runs to N. concavus , but can be differentiated by the presence of ocellar setae pair III on the tangent between fore and hind ocelli, pronotum without internal markings between the reticulations, deeply concave anterior margin of pronotal blotch, transverse and longitudinal striations on metanotum and discal microtrichia laterally and extending medially near anterior margin of abdominal tergites III–VIII.

The key to species of Neohydatothrips from Japan by Masumoto and Okajima (2020) tracks this species to couplet 7 where it shares a few characters of the stem towards medius. It can be differentiated from medius by having ocellar setae pair III on the tangent of fore and hind ocelli, pronotum without internal markings between the reticulations, deeply concave anterior and posterior margins of pronotal blotch.

According to key to species of Neohydatothrips by Wang (2007) this species is similar to surrufus, but can be differentiated by having ocellar setae pair III on the tangent of fore and hind ocelli, deeply concave anterior and posterior margins of pronotal blotch, median pair of setae situated anterior to antecostal ridges of abdominal tergites II–VI.

In the key to Neotropical species of Neohydatothrips by Lima and Mound (2016) this species tracks to chelinus, but can be differentiated by the absence of sculpture lines within ocellar triangle, metanotal median setae placed behind anterior margin, abdominal tergite VII with short median marginal microtrichia, median pair of setae situated anterior to antecostal ridges of abdominal tergites II–VI.

Figures

FIGURES 1–7. Neohydatothrips biconcavus sp. n. (1) Female; (2) Antenna; (3) Abdominal tergites IX–X; (4) Pronotum; (5) Head, dorsal; (6) Metanotum; (7) Fore wing.

FIGURES 8–14. Neohydatothrips biconcavus sp. n. (8) Mesonotum; (9) Metasternum; (10) Abdominal sternites III–VI; (11) Abdominal sternite VII; (12) Abdominal tergite III; (13) Abdominal tergite VII; (14) Abdominal tergite VIII.