Rohrthrips pandemicus, Ulitzka, 2022

Rohrthrips pandemicus View in CoL sp. n.

( Fig. 16 View FIGURES 16–18 )

Female aptera. Body extended, slightly dorsoventrally compressed; left antenna distally of segment II broken off; all legs spread, tibia and tarsus of left mid leg lacking; some segments of right antenna dorsoventrally compressed; sense cones of right antenna as well as numerous setae of thorax and abdomen torn off but for the most part conserved near the body.

Colour ( Fig. 16 View FIGURES 16–18 ) including antennae, head and legs uniformly light brown.

Head wider than long; sculpture hardly assessable, but rather smooth; produced in front of anterior margin of small eyes, with cheeks slightly rounded behind eyes; cheeks lacking setae. One pair of ocellar setae visible close to base of antennae; pointed, somewhat longer than antennal segment I. Postocular setae far behind compound eyes; pointed, long and stout. Compound eyes reduced to a few facets only. Ocelli not developed.Antennae nine-segmented; segment I barrel-shaped; segment II asymmetrically bent outwards, basally with a short, stout pedicle; III–VI symmetrical and short, inverse conically shaped and tapering distally from level of sense cones, III with very slender pedicle; VII and VIII inverse cone-shaped, distally flat, IX style-shaped. Sensorium on segment II not visible; sense cones of the following segments torn off and preserved close to the segments; one inner and one outer on III–V, one outer on VI and one inner on VII. Mouth cone short and rounded. Palps not assessable. Pronotum broad, wider than long, trapezoidal; posteroangular as well as epimeral setae long and pointed, anteromarginal, mediolateral and posteromarginal setae not visible. Wings not developed. Fore legs with femora stout; fore tarsi with a strong tooth and a hamus. Mid and hind legs slender. All femora with one long ventral and all tibiae with one long dorsal seta; mid and hind tibiae distally each with three spines; mid and hind tarsi two-segmented, with hamus. Abdominal tergites smooth; with lateral setae long, pointed; setae s3 on IV–VII longer than other lateral setae. Abdominal tergite I (pelta) broadly trapezoidal; segment IX conical, with setae s3 about as long as tube. Abdominal segment X (tube) conically extended towards base; its sculpture not assessable; with a terminal crown of anal setae shorter than tube.

Measurements. Female aptera (in microns): Body, length 1686. Head, length 183; width 202. Eyes, length 32; width 32. Ocellar setae 63; postocular setae 76. Prothorax, length 264; width 453; posteroangular setae about 80 (difficult to measure); epimeral setae 94. Abdomen, length 1078; largest width 519 (segments V); segment X (tube), length 235; basal width 100. Setae s3 on tergite IX about 280. Antennae, length 400; length of segment I 53, II 50, III 71, IV 53, V 40, VI 40, VII 40, VIII 34, IX 16 (width not given due to dorsoventral compression). Sense cones, length of inner (outer) on segment III – (19), IV 16 (16), V 14 (16), VI – (19); basal width about 5.

Material studied. Female aptera MU-Fos-146/1 ( Fig. 16 View FIGURES 16–18 ); inclusion in Burmese amber from Hukawng Valley, Kachin State, Myanmar; donated to the author by Patrick Müller; deposited in the author’s collection.

Syninclusions. Two mites, remnants of other arthropods, different plant trichomes, many tiny brownish droplets; some air bubbles and brown streaks of unknown origin.

Etymology. The species epithet pandemicus comes from the Greek words πᾶν ( pan) meaning “all” and δῆΜΟς ( demos) meaning the “common people” in sense of the ‘crowd’. The word “pandemic” is used for an infectious disease that has spread across a large region affecting a substantial number of individuals. The new species is dedicated to all mankind suffering at present under the Covid-19 pandemic.

Note. Despite being described here as a new species this specimen may represent the micropterous form of R. maryae or possibly R. breviceps . If further finds clarify the position the name will disappear in revision, just as hopefully Covid-19 will disappear in a not-too-distant future.