Table Of ContentJournal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 104 (1), Jan-Apr 2007 68-71
ON THE DISCOVERY OF A NEW THRIPS RELATED TO
THE GENUS HAPLOTHRIPS AMYOT & SERVILLE FROM DELHI'
Vikas Kumar2’3, KaomudTyagi2-4,andJ.S. Bhatti2’5
‘Accepted September 06, 2005
'Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007, India.
'Present address: Division of Entomology & Nematology, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta, Lake
Post, Bengaluru 560 089, Karnataka, India. Email: [email protected]
'Present address: Insect Sysytematics Laboratory, Project Directorate of Biological Control, Bellary Road, Hebbal, Bengaluru
560 024, Karnataka, India. Email: [email protected]
'Email: [email protected]
A new genus and speciesofthrips,Ahamothripsmaxima collectedfrom the monocot Urochloamaxima (Jack) R.D.
,
Webster(Poaceae) have been described.The new genus is relatedtothe genus Haplothripsexceptforthe absence of
ectoentarcinepseudunguisonthemidandhindtarsi.
Keywords:Ahamothripsmaxima newgenusandspecies, Phlaeothripidae, Urochloamaxima
,
The genus Haplothrips Amyot and Serville 1843 is a Prothorax. Notopleural sutures complete. All dorsal
large cosmopolitan genus of the Family Phlaeothripidae in prothoracicsetae(aa,am,ml,pa,ep)welldeveloped,pointed,
the Order Tubulifera. The species of this genus possess an bluntorexpandedatapex, posteroangular(pa) andepimeral
ectoentarcine pseudunguis on all tarsi in both sexes (Bhatti setae(ep)arethelongest.Coxal seta(cx)well-developedand
1994, 1998a). This structure is present in the type species pointed or expanded at apex. Basantral plates present,
H. aculeatus (Fabricius) and in other species of the genus transverse(Fig. 1).
that have been examined and in species of most genera of Mesoacrotergitedeeplyconstrictedatmiddle. Median
Phlaeothripidae,andisthereforeatubuliferanplesiotypy.The metanotal setae of group ‘a’ well-developed and pointed,
new species described here has the habitus of Haplothrips 3 minute setae of group ‘b’ sublaterally on either side are
but lacks a hamus on mid and hind tarsi. In common with present, and setae ofgroup ‘c’ are absent. Mesoprestemum
Haplothrips s. str., this species has asymmetrical antennal degenerateatmiddle.
segment III, 4 sense cones on segment IV, segment VIII not Mesothoracic spiracle ventrally extends down tomost
constrictedatbase,2pairsofsigmoidsetaeonabdominalterga of the posterior margin of infrapreepistemum. Metathorax
II to VII, and transverse prostemal basantral plates. The fore without sternopleural sutures. Anapleural sutures complete.
tarsusisarmedinbothsexes(AnanthakrishnanandSen 1980). Forefemurwithapicalmarginsomewhatraisedexteriorly.
Fore tarsus 1-segmented, mid and hind tarsi 2-segmented.
AbbreviationsUsed Foretarsuswithectoentarcinepseudunguis(H-l hamus),mid
aa-anteroangular,am-anteromarginal,ml-midlateral, and hind tarsi withouthamus (H-3 hamus) (Figs 8-10). Fore
pa - posteroangular, ep - epimeral, cx - coxal, / - length, tarsus armed with a tooth in female (Fig. 1) and a strongly
w- width developedtriangulartoothinoedymerousmale(Fig. 3).
Fore wing constricted at middle, just next to median
Ahamothrips gen. nov. bulge(MB)(Bhatti 1991:46).Duplicatedciliapresent.Wing
basal setae expanded apically and arranged in a triangle.
Head slightly longerthan broad. Postocularsetawell- Abdominal tergum I divided into 7 tergites: median tergite
developedandpointed.Eyesnotbulging,ventrallynotlonger (pelta) triangular; antepeltadivided (Bhatti 1998b: 289, and
thandorsally. Proboscisshortandbroadlyrounded. Maxillary Fig. 10onp.299)into2discretesclerites,thetwohalvesvery
stylets retracted far into the head. Maxillary bridge present wide apart; the spiracles are located on a lateral tergite.
(Fig. 1). Antennae 8-segmented; segment III asymmetrical. AbdominaltergaIItoVIIeachwith2pairsofsigmoidsetae.
Segment VIII not constricted at base, but its base is slightly TergumIXwithS1 andS2setaepointed,aboutaslong
narrowerthantheapexofsegmentVII.AntennalsegmentIII astube. In male the S2 setaearespine-like andmuch shorter
with 1 to2sensecones,IVwith4sensecones.Campaniform than SI. Tube short and conical, much shorter than head.
sensillum on segment II situated in distal half of segment Anal setae as long as tube (Fig. 6). Male without gland area
(Figs4,5). onsternumVIII.
NEW DESCRIPTIONS
Figs 1-7: Ahamothrips maxima n. gen. et. sp. n.:
1. Head and prothorax, dorsal, 9; 2. Head and prothorax, dorsal, <3 (Maximum gynaecoid);
3. Head and prothorax, dorsal, d (Maximum oedymerous); 4. Antenna, dorsal, 9; 5. Antenna, ventral. 9;
6. Abdominal segments 9-10, dorsal, 9; 7. Pseudovirga, <3
1 Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 104 (1), Jan-Apr 2007 69
NEW DESCRIPTIONS
Hind
Fore
ungues+arolium
ectoentarc
pseudunguis
uniguitractor
plate
tarsaltooth
uniguitractor.
apodeme
8
Figs 8-10: Fore, mid and hind tarsi ofAhamothrips maxima n. gen. et. sp. n. $
Etymology: The name of the genus is based on the (24);VII44.3(20.5);VIII25.5 (13)pm.AntennalsegmentIII
absence of hamus (ectoentarcine pseudunguis) on the mid with 2 sensecones, IV with4 sensecones(Figs4, 5).
and hind tarsi. Prothoracic notopleural sutures complete. Pronotum
Typespecies:Ahamothripsmaxima sp. nov. 157 pm long. Pronotal seta am slender and pointed, 14 pm
long; othermajorsetae stout andbluntatapex,aa 17,ml 17,
Ahamothripsmaxima sp. nov. (Figs 1-10) pa39;epimeralseta(ep)41-50;cx 17pmlong.
Forefemurwithapicalmarginsomewhatraisedexteriorly.
Female: Macropterous. Foretarsusarmed,withasmalltooth(Figs 1,2).
Structure: Head249pmlong,uptoanteriormarginof Forewing837pmlong,with5-8duplicatedcilia.Wing
eye 232 pm, widest across middle 194 pm. Postocular seta basalsetaeSI 27;S227;S34 pmlong,expandedapicallyand
W 1
24pmlong,bluntatapex.Maxillarybridge 38pm(1/5times fringed, arranged in a triangle; fringe cilia at apex ofwings
widthofheadatthatlevel).Widthofheadatmaxillarybridge smooth, not plumose.
191 pm. Mediantergite(pelta)triangular.AbdominaltergaIIto
Antennae 8-segmented; segment III asymmetrical. VIIeachwith2pairsofsigmoidsetae.TergumIX89pmlong.
Segment VIII not constricted at base, but base is slightly SI 97; S2 94-99; S3 70 pm long; SI and S2 on tergum IX
narrower than apex ofVII. Antenna 317 pm long; L(W) of pointed.
antennalsegments: III37.5(31);IV41 (32.4);V39(30);VI41 Tube 123 pm long, wat base 65 pm, wat apex 34 pm.
AnalsetaeSI 119-124;S2 143;S392pmlong.
Totalbodylength:2.1-2.3mm.
Male: Macropterous.
General structure similartothatoffemale. Foretarsus
armed, with a small tooth (Fig. 2) (very well-developed in
oedymerousmales.Fig. 3).AbdominalsternumVIIIwithout
glandarea.TergumIXwithS pointedandS2setaespine-like
1
(Fig.6).
Total bodylength: 1.65 mm(maximumgynaecoid)to
1.95mm(maximumoedymerous).
Colour: Body dark brown, including legs, except the
paleyellowtarsianddistalendofforetibia.Antennalsegments
Figs 11-13: Fore mid and hind tarsi of
Haplothrips aculeatus (Fabricius) ? IandIIdarkbrown,VIIandVIIIbrown.IIItoVIyellowtinged
70 J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 104 (1), Jan-Apr 2007
NEW DESCRIPTIONS
withfaintbrown.Wingsclear,unshaded,butwithlightbrown antennal segmentIII, 4 sense coneson segment IV, segment
clavusandadjoining areaofwingblade. VIII not constricted at base, 2 pairs of sigmoid setae on
MaterialStudied.Holotype 9,Delhi,29.vii.2002,from abdominaltergaIItoVII,andtransverseprosternalbasantral
Urochloamaxima(Jack)R.D.Webster(Poaceae),leg.Kaomud plates. The fore tarsus is armed in both sexes, except forthe
Tyagi&VikasKumar. Paratypes89,7c?,withthesamedata. absenceofectoentarcinepseudounguison midandhindtarsi
Etymology: Thespeciesnameisthesameasthatofthe (Figs 11-13).
specific epithet ofits host species Urochloa maxima. Ahamothrips maxima also shows striking sexual
Remarks: The new genus Ahamothrips is closely dimorphism in the width ofmaxillary bridge, a feature also
related to Haplothrips, in the presence of asymmetrical shared by some species in Haplothrips.
Ananthakrishnan T.N. & S. Sen (1980): Taxonomy of Indian (Insecta). Zoology 3(1): 1-95.
Thysanoptera, Zoological Survey of India. Handbook Series Bhatti, J.S. (1998a): New structural features in the Order Tubulifera
No. 1. (Insecta).3.Thetarsalhamusandthoracicappendages.Zoology
Bhatti, J.S. (1994): Phylogenetic relationships among Thysanoptera 5(2): 253-284.
(Insecta), with particularreference to the familiesofthe Order Bhatti, J.S. (1998b): New structural features in the OrderTubulifera
Tubulifera. Zoology 4: 93-130. (Insecta).4.Theovispanandotherabdominalstructures.Zoology
Bhatti, J.S. (1991): Surface patternsofwings in the OrderTubulifera 5(2): 285-352.
J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 104 (1), Jan-Apr 2007 71
