Azaleothrips laocai, 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 : 325

Azaleothrips laocai sp.n.

( Figs 64–67 )

Female macroptera. Body dark brown, extreme base of tube somewhat yellowish. Antennal segment III yellow ( Fig. 65 ); basal neck of segment IV yellowish. All femora dark brown, extreme apices of fore femora yellowish, apices of mid and hind femora yellow; fore tibiae light brown with bases and apices yellowish, mid and hind tibiae brown with bases and apices yellow. Fore wing shaded with brown in distal 4/5, paler at middle.

Head ( Fig. 64 ) slightly longer than wide, about 1.1 times as long as wide; dorsal surface entirely reticulate, rather smooth among reticles. Postocular setae longer than half the length of compound eyes. Antennal segment VIII distinct from segment VII; segments VII + VIII a little longer than segment III; segment IV comparatively slender, almost as long as segment III, or a little longer; segment III with three (1 + 2), segment IV with four sensoria. Pronotum ( Fig. 66 ) distinctly sculptured with lines of reticles, not tuberculate, with 22 short setae in holotype. Basantra absent. Mesonotum ( Fig. 67 ) with very small dentate microtrichia along transverse lines of sculpture, almost smooth among lines. Metanotum ( Fig. 67 ) longitudinally reticulate, inner marking weak, anterior half usually with 4 (= two pairs) short setae. Fore tarsus with a tooth. Fore wing with 11/12 duplicated cilia in holotype; basal wing setae S1 shorter than S3. Pelta distinctly reticulate. S1 setae on abdominal tergite IX shorter than half the length of tube; S2 setae on tergite IX expanded at apex. Tube 0.74–0.80 times as long as head. Anal setae a little shorter than tube.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Distended body length 2545. Head length 236, width across cheeks 215. Pronotum length 160, width 270. Fore wing length about 1000. Tube length 188, width across base 65. Antenna length about 490, segments III–VIII length (width) as follows: 76 (38), 77 (35), 70 (32), 65 (28), 50 (25), 30 (15). Postocular setae 40–50. S1 setae on tergite IX about 80, S2 setae on tergite IX 90 –95. Anal setae 170–175.

Male macroptera. Color and structure very similar to female. Abdominal segment VIII yellowish. Fore wings with 8/10 duplicated cilia. Pore plate on abdominal sternite VIII distinct, but narrow. S2 setae on abdominal tergite IX pointed at apex.

Measurements (paratype male in microns). Distended body length 2080. Head length 215, width across cheeks 188. Pronotum length 130, width 217. Fore wing length 870. Tube length 150, width across base 59. Antenna length about 410, segments III–VIII length (width) as follows: 70 (35), 71 (32), 65 (28), 58 (27), 45 (23), 31 (13). Postocular setae 40–45. S1 setae on tergite IX 65 –85, S2 setae on tergite IX about 50. Anal setae 145.

Specimens examined. Holotype female macroptera: Vietnam, Lao Cai Province, 15km W from Sa Pa, on dead branches, 2.iii.2000 (SO).

Paratypes: Vietnam, 5 females and 2 males, collected with holotype.

Remarks. This is the largest species in the genus, and belongs to the amabilis group. It is probably related to two Taiwanese species, atayal and formosae , described above, and can be distinguished from formosae by the followings: Prothorax and fore femora dark brown, concolorous with head; tube longer, 0.74–0.79 times as long as head; S1 setae on abdominal tergite IX shorter than half the length of head; anal setae a little shorter than tube. From atayal , it can easily be distinguished by the larger body size, longer head proportion, shorter S1 setae on abdominal tergite IX and the entirely yellow antennal segment III.

Figures

FIGURES 64 – 72. Azaleothrips species. laocai sp. n. female 64 – 67: (64) head; (65) antennal segments III & IV; (66) pronotum; (67) meso & metanotum. lepidus, female 68 – 72: (68) head; (69) pronotum; (70) mouth cone; (71) meso & metanotum; (72) tergite II.