Aeolothrips tatari, Alavi & Minaei, 2018

Alavi, Jalil & Minaei, Kambiz, 2018, Studies on the genus Aeolothrips (Thysanoptera: Aeolothripidae) in Iran, with a key to species, Zootaxa 4446 (3), pp. 343-360 : 351-353

Aeolothrips tatari sp. n.

( Figs 12–19 )

Female macroptera. Body brown; legs wholly brown including tarsi; fore tarsi somewhat lighter. Antennal segment II slightly lighter at apex, III slightly lighter in basal half, others dark brown ( Fig. 12 ). Fore wings pale with two brown transverse bands connected posteriorly by cloudy brown marginal vein; apex of fore wings clear, surrounded with cloudy brown ring vein ( Fig. 13 ). Vertex with 6–7 pairs of preocellar setae, 3 pairs of setae between ocellar triangle and eyes, and 1 pair of setae within ocellar triangle situated between anterior and posterior ocelli; postocular area with 8–10 pairs of setae in two transverse rows ( Fig. 14 ). Antennal segment III with linear sensorium long, extending to near basal third of segment; segment IV with sensorium extending to basal third of segment; strongly curved distally, distinctly cane shape with a rather long handle stretched along margin of tip; the sensoria slightly wavy with uneven edges; segment V as long as or slightly shorter than VI–IX together ( Fig. 12 ). Frontoclypeus with fewer small setae (about 10 pairs), with mid-lateral pair of distinct setae beside eyes ( Fig. 15 ). Pronotum with about 30 scattered setae and 5–6 pairs of posteromarginal setae, three inner pairs stouter than others ( Fig. 14 ). Mesonotum with 1 pair of median setae ( Fig. 16 ). Metascutum reticulation equiangular, without internal markings ( Fig. 16 ). Fore wing first cross vein lies in middle of first transverse band; second cross vein at beginning of second transverse band ( Fig. 13 ). Abdominal tergite I with median paired campaniform sensilla. Sternite I eroded medially to paired lateral triangles ( Fig. 17 ); II with 3 pairs (in holotype, 4 pairs) of submarginal posterior setae; III–VI with 4 pairs of setae, of which the two lateral pairs are submarginal; VII with 4 pairs of submarginal setae; with 2 pairs of accessory setae medially arising between setae S1 and S2, inner pair in front of outer; distance between setae S1 is equal to distance between each of them to setae S2; sternite VII with one (rarely 2) discal setae on each side (in holotype: 1 seta on left and 2 setae on right) ( Fig. 18 ), VI sometime with 1 discal seta laterally (in two paratypes: 1 seta on left side). Each of abdominal hemisternites VIII with 1 (rarely 0 and 2) discal seta ( Fig. 19 ). Spermatheca small and gutter shaped, without spiniform chitinous processes ( Fig. 18 ).

Measurements (holotype female, in microns). Body distended length 2075. Head length (width across cheeks) 142 (195), Antenna segments I–IX length (width): 40 (37), 58 (30), 110 (25), 87 (25), 57 (26), 20 (22), 15 (17), 15 (12), 12 (7). Dorsal mesonotal setae length (interval) 20 (55), strong lateral setae length 35, metascutum anteromarginal setae length (interval) 27 (50), posterior setae length (interval) 22 (22). Fore wing length 1000, width across first anterior cross vein 135, across second cross vein 150; transverse bands length along the anterior margin 200 and 250; intervening white area length 170. Fore to hind tibiae length 170, 150 and 240, respectively. Tergite IX median length 110, setae S1 length 157, setae S2 length 168. Ovipositor length 400.

Male. Unknown.

Material studied. Holotype female: IRAN, Khorasan-e Shomali province, Bojnourd, Tatar village, from flowers of Sinapis arvensis (Brassicaceae) , 2.v.2014, J. Alavi.

Paratypes: 3 females, same data as holotype.

Comments. The female of A. tatari in the general colouration of the body and fore wing colour pattern, is similar to the Euro-Mediterranean species A. citricinctus , A. deserticola , A. manteli , A. melisi , A. saharae , A. tenuicornis , as well as an American species A. duvali . However, it can be distinguished from these as follows: the sensorium on antennal segments IV is unique in being distinctly cane-shaped with a long handle stretched along margin of tip, while in other species the sensorium has less curvature distally and a shorter handle. In A. deserticola and A. saharae the pronotum is covered by distinct anastomosing transverse lines, whereas in A. tatari as well as other species the lines are seen only at marginal areas of pronotum.

Moreover, abdominal sternite I is eroded medially to paired lateral triangles in A. tatari , while it is entire in A. deserticola , A. manteli , A. saharae , A. tenuicornis (and likely in A. citricinctus , A. melisi and A. duvali ). In A. tatari , sternite VII and hemisternite VIII have one (rarely 0 or 2) discal setae on each side, also sometimes sternite VI with one discal setae laterally, while in A. deserticola , A. manteli , A. saharae , A. tenuicornis , and most probably in A. citricinctus , A. melisi and A. duvali there are no discal setae on the sternites. The presence of discal setae on abdominal sternites is rare among Aeolothrips species ( Alavi et al. 2016; Mound et al. 2016). This condition can be seen in at least three other species, the Indian species, A. moundi , the African species A. scabiosatibia , and the other Iranian species A. gundeliae , but A. tatari is readily distinguishable from them by its fore wing colour pattern.

Furthermore, the spermatheca in A. tatari is small and gutter shape without spiniform chitinous processes ( Fig. 18 ), whereas in A. deserticola , A. manteli , A. tenuicornis , A. saharae it is boat-shaped with some spiniform chitinous processes on either side. In A. melisi this structure is tubular with expanded base (see Bhatti 1988b, Fig. 20 ).

Finally A. manteli is further distinguished from the new species as well as other allied species by the significantly longer sensorium on antennal segments V.

Etymology. This species name refers to the place of the collection. Tatar is a village in 10 Km west of Bojnourd, the capital of Khorasan-e Shomali province, Iran

Figures

FIGURES 12–19. Aeolothrips tatari sp. n. Female: (12) Antenna, (13) Fore wing, (14) Head & pronotum, (15) Ventral surface of head (arrows indicate mid-lateral pair of distinct setae on frontoclypeus), (16) Meso- and metanotum, (17) Abdominal sternite I, (18) Abdominal sternite VII, (19) Hemisternite VIII (arrows indicate discal setae on hemisternites).

FIGURES 20–30. Aeolothrips tenuicornis. Female (20–25): (20–22) Abdominal sternite VII of Iranian specimens, (23) Abdominal sternite VII of European specimen, (24) Antenna of Iranian specimen, (25) Antenna of European specimen. Male (26–30): (26) Abdominal tergite IX of Iranian specimen, (27) Abdominal tergite IX of European specimen, (28) Abdominal tergite III–VII of European specimen, (29–30) Abdominal tergite III–VII of Iranian specimens.