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Journal 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