Scirtothrips erectus, Rasool & Alattal & Aldhafer, 2023

Rasool, Iftekhar, Alattal, Yehya Zaki & Aldhafer, Hathal M., 2023, Faunistic inventory, identification keys and zoogeographical analysis of the Thysanoptera-Terebrantia of Saudi Arabia, including two new species, Zootaxa 5306 (2), pp. 151-200 : 184-186

Scirtothrips erectus sp. n.

( Figs 12–19 )

Female macroptera: Body yellow, antecostal ridges of abdominal tergites III–VIII and sternites III–VII dark ( Fig. 18 ); antennal segment I pale, II–VIII brown; compound eyes with four pigmented facets; fore wings and legs uniformly pale; body setae dark. Head wider than long, ocellar setae pair III arising at middle of ocellar triangle anterior to hind ocelli, three pairs of postocular setae mesad of posterior inner angle of compound eyes, S1 setae subequal in length to ocellar setae pair III ( Fig. 12 ). Antennal segments II–VI with rows of microtrichia, VI with inner sense cone arising at middle reaching to middle to VIII ( Fig. 14 ). Metanotum striated anteromedially with longitudinal reticulation medially; median pair of setae on metanotum close to anterior margin. Fore wing costal vein with 25–27 setae, first vein with 8–9 setae on basal half and 5 irregularly spaced setae on distal half, second vein with 3 setae; posteromarginal fringe cilia straight. S1 setae on abdominal tergites much longer than distance between their bases; tergites II–VII with posteromarginal microtrichia lateral to S2 setae, III–VII with 5–7 discal setae on lateral microtrichial fields ( Fig. 13 ); tergite VIII with microtrichia anteromedially; posterior half of tergite IX provided with microtrichia; sternites with discal microtrichia restricted to lateral of S2 setae ( Fig. 15 ).

Male macroptera . Similar to females except abdominal tergite with three setae in lateral microtrichial field. Hind femora with a comb of 12 stout dark setae arranged in two rows ( Fig. 17 ). Tergite IX with C-shaped drepanae. tergite IX with four pairs of setar arising near posterior margin

Measurements. Holotype female: body length 880; head length 75, width 145; pronotum length 85, width 170; fore wings length 590; antennal segment I–VIII, 20, 35, 40, 32, 35, 35, 7, 10; ocellar setae pair III 17; tergite IX S1 setae 50; Mt 20.

Male paratype: body length 815; head length 60, width 160; pronotum length 80, width 170; fore wings length 525; antennal segments I–VIII, 24, 35, 45, 40, 35, 40, 6, 10; ocellar setae pair III 15; tergite IX S1 setae 55; Mt 25.

Etymology. The species is named after the plant Conocarpus erectus from which the holotype was collected.

Material studied. Holotype female, SAUDI ARABIA, Al Baha, from Conocarpus erectus leaves, 22.ix.2020, 20°01.079’N 41°27.084’E, ( BT), Rasool, I. [ KSMA] . Paratypes. one female one male same as holotype in [ ANIC] . 26 females, two males three larvae same data as holotype; Aqiq, Wadi, Liyan , two females, four males, four larvae from Acacia sp. 23.ix.2020, ( BT) ; six females, two males, seven larvae from Acacia sp. 22.iv.2020, ( BT); Biljurashi , eight females, three males, 21 larvae from leaves of Acacia sp. 23.iv.2020, ( BT) .

Comments. This new species is close to two African species, S. dodonaeae and S. mugambii , in the absence of microtrichia across the sternal median area and the presence of a comb of stout darker setae in a row on the male hind femora ( Mound & Stiller 2011). The new species is close to mugambii , and can be distuinguished based on yellow female with pale fore wings, posterior cilia straight; abdominal tergites with 5–7 setae on microtrichial field and male with comb of 11–12 stout setae arranged in two rows on hind femora. In contrast, in mugambii the female is brown, fore wings are uniformly shaded brown with wavy posterior cilia, abdominal tergites with 3 setae in microtrichial field and male with single row of 6–8 stout setae on hind femora.

Figures

FIGURES 12–19. Scirtothrips erectus sp. n.: (12) Head; (13) Tergites IV–VII; (14) Antenna; (15) Sternites IV–VII; (16) Male tergites VII–X; (17) Male hind femora; (18) Female; (19) Male.