Neandrothrips rangi, Okajima & Masumoto, 2025

Neandrothrips rangi sp. nov.

( Figs 238–239 View FIGURES 236–245 , 257–264 View FIGURES 257–264 )

Female (macroptera). Distended body length: about 1.30–1.55mm. Body bicolored yellow and brown ( Fig. 238 View FIGURES 236–245 ); head, thorax and tube brown, tube with extreme base yellowish; abdominal segments I– IX largely yellow, without any markings, but segments VII – IX often somewhat darker, brownish yellow to yellowish brown, gradually darkened posteriorly. Fore femora pale brown, with apices yellowish, mid femora scarcely shaded with brown, with apices paler, hind femora yellow; fore and mid tibiae almost yellow, but scarcely shaded, hind tibiae yellow; tarsi yellow. Antennal segments I– II and V – VIII pale brown to brown, segment II paler antero-externally; segments III and IV largely yellow, but IV scarcely shaded. Fore wing pale, scarcely shaded with brown at middle. Major body setae pale. Head ( Fig. 257 View FIGURES 257–264 ) a little longer than wide, about 1.1 times as long as wide, 1.10 times in holotype, widest across cheeks just behind eyes; dorsal surface almost smooth at middle, weakly sculptured laterally with transverse striae. Cheeks weakly rounded, weakly serrated, anterior end weakly bulged. Eyes normal, about one-third of head length. Posterior ocelli slightly separated from eyes, about 27µm apart from each other in holotype. Postocular setae much shorter than eyes, expanded; 102µm apart from each other, about 12µm apart from eyes in holotype. Antennae ( Fig. 264 View FIGURES 257–264 ) longer than 1.8 times as long as head, 1.84 times in holotype; segment VIII very weakly constricted at base, relatively short, about 0.7 times as long as segment VII; segments III and IV subequal in length, longer than VII; segment IV rather straight-sided; segments III and IV with two (1+1) and four (2+2) sense cones respectively. Maxillary stylets retracted to postocular setae, wider apart, almost V-shaped; maxillary bridge distinct, relatively wide, about two-fifths of head width. Pronotum ( Fig. 257 View FIGURES 257–264 ) about 0.7 times as long as head, 0.67 times in holotype, 1.63 times as wide as long in holotype; almost smooth; five pairs of prothoracic setae expanded. Prospinasternum ( Fig. 258 View FIGURES 257–264 ) rather small, irregularly fan-shaped, about 20µm wide in holotype; mesopresternum entire, boat-shaped. Mesonotal lateral setae well developed, expanded, about 20µm long. Metanotum ( Fig. 259 View FIGURES 257–264 ) weakly sculptured with polygonal reticulation; median pair of setae pointed, less than 20µm, distance between both median setae much wider than distance between that seta and anterior margin of metanotum, 52µm apart from each other, 27–33µm apart from anterior margin in holotype. Fore tarsus with a tooth ( Fig. 261 View FIGURES 257–264 ). Fore wing with 4–6 duplicated cilia, 5–6 in holotype; three sub-basal setae expanded, S2 usually a little shorter than S1; S3 the longest. Pelta ( Fig. 260 View FIGURES 257–264 ) trapezoid with irregular lateral margins, about 1.5 times as wide as long, sculptured weakly. Tergites III – VIII S2 setae: expanded, VII sharply pointed, VIII blunt. Tergite IX S1 setae blunt, much shorter than tube; S2 longer than S1, but shorter than tube; intermediate setae longer than half of Sl. Tube a little shorter than 0.6 times as long as head, 0.58 times in holotype, about 2.0 times as long as wide; terminal setae about 1.5 times as long as tube .

Measurements (holotype female in µm). Body length 1530 (distended). Head length 158, from anterior margin of eyes 146, width across eyes 136, maximum width across cheeks 143, minimum width across base 118; eyes length 53; diameter of posterior ocelli 11–14; postocular setae?25. Maxillary bridge width 60. Antenna total length 290, segments III–VIII length (width) as follows: 39 (23), 40 (24), 37 (21), 37 (18), 32 (16), 23 (10). Pronotum length 106, width 173. Setae on prothorax: am?20, aa?20, ml?25, pa?25, epim 32. Fore wing length 530. Sub-basal wing setae: S1 25, S2?20, S3 50 –53. Pelta length 57, width 85. Tergite IX setae: S1 64–65, S2 80–84. Tube length 92, maximum width 46; terminal setae 140–142.

Male (macroptera). Distended body length: 1.1–1.3mm. Very similar to macropterous female in color and structure, but show allometric growth. Large male: prothorax and fore leg enlarged, fore trochanter with an inner tubercle, fore tibia with a well-developed sub-apical seta-bearing tubercle, fore tarsal tooth stout ( Fig. 263 View FIGURES 257–264 ). Tip of pseudovirga slender, 6µm wide.

Measurements (paratype small-large males in µm). Body length 1100–1280 (distended). Head length 144– 149, from anterior margin of eyes 131–137, width across eyes 118–126, maximum width across cheeks 123–128, minimum width across base 97–102; eyes length 53–55; diameter of posterior ocelli 8–13; postocular setae 24–25. Maxillary bridge width 57–58. Antenna total length 255–284, segments III–VIII length as follows: 30–40, 34–40, 34–38, 34–38, 33–35, 22–22. Pronotum length 82–108, width 137–162. Setae on prothorax: am 17–20, aa 17–20, ml 17–20, pa 20–27, epim 25–37. Fore wing length 440–500. Sub-basal wing setae: S1 25 –28, S2 22 –27, S3 43 –55. Pelta length 42–52, width 59–70. Tergite IX setae: S1 45 –64, S2 24 –28. Tube length 65–82, maximum width 37–42; terminal setae 120–140.

Type material. Holotype: macropterous female, Thailand, Phuket, Rang Hill , on dead leaves and branches, 14.ix.1992, SO . Paratypes: Thailand, Phuket, 24 females and 15 males, collected together with holotype ; 3 females and 1 male, on wild beans, 3 females and 3 males, on dead banana leaf, 17.viii.1976, SO.

Comments. This species is described from Phuket, southern Thailand, based on a good number of females and males taken from dead leafy branches. Although this species has only two sense cones on antennal segment III, it may be included in the pictipes -group. It is very similar to N. spinipes sp. nov. from Bali Is., Indonesia, described below, and their difference is discussed under the latter species.