Neandrothrips uniconus, Okajima & Masumoto, 2025

Neandrothrips uniconus sp. nov.

( Figs 299–301 View FIGURES 297–306 , 323–330 View FIGURES 323–330 )

Female (macroptera). Distended body length: 1.5–1.7mm. Body brown ( Fig. 299 View FIGURES 297–306 ). Femora largely pale brown to brown, with apices yellowish; tibiae tinged with brown; tarsi yellow.Antenna brown, segment III yellow to brownish yellow. Fore wing and major body setae pale. Head ( Fig. 323 View FIGURES 323–330 ) much longer than wide, about 1.4 times as long as wide, 1.44 times in holotype, widest across cheeks at middle, dorsal surface smooth, but sculptured posteriorly. Cheeks weakly rounded, weakly serrate. Postocular setae shorter than eyes, expanded, 94µm apart from each other, 7–8µm apart from eyes in holotype. Eyes about 0.3 times as long as head, 0.30 times in holotype. Ocelli relatively small; posterior pair scarcely apart from eyes, about 30µm apart from each other in holotype. Antennae ( Fig. 330 View FIGURES 323–330 ) about 1.6 times as long as head; segment VIII conical, slightly constricted at extreme base; segments III relatively slender, widely truncated at apex, about 1.6 times as long as wide, almost as long as segment VII; segments III and IV with one (0+1) and three (1+2) sense-cones respectively. Maxillary stylets scarcely reaching postocular setae, relatively wider apart, their distance a little wider than 1/3 of head width apart, 45µm apart from each other at the level of maxillary bridge in holotype; maxillary bridge rather distinct. Pronotum ( Fig. 323 View FIGURES 323–330 ) about 0.65 times as long as head, about 1.4 times as wide as long, almost smooth; five pairs of major setae expanded; aa and ml subequal in length, epim much longer than pa, the longest, a little longer than postoculars. Mesopresternum ( Fig. 325 View FIGURES 323–330 ) narrowly boat-shaped; prospinasternum well developed, inverted triangle, 35µm wide in holotype. Metanotum very weakly sculptured with polygonal reticulation, but invisible even using phase contrast illumination; median pair of setae weak, short and acute, about 25µm in length, 40µm apart from each other, 32–33µm apart from anterior margin. Fore tarsal tooth small ( Fig. 327 View FIGURES 323–330 ). Fore wing with 4–5 duplicated cilia; three sub-basal setae expanded, subequal in length. Pelta ( Fig. 326 View FIGURES 323–330 ) triangle, sculptured weakly, 1.2–1.3 times as wide as long. Tergites III – VIII S2 setae: III – VI and VIII expanded, VII finely pointed. Tergite IX S1 setae pointed, shorter than tube, S2 finely pointed, longer than tube. Tube about 0.5 times as long as head, 0.49 times in holotype, about 1.9 times as long as wide. Terminal setae about 2.0 times as long as tube .

Measurements (holotype female in µm). Body length about 1700 (distended). Head length 173, from anterior margin of eyes 160, width across eyes 115, maximum width across cheeks 120, minimum width across base 100; eyes length 52; diameter of posterior ocelli 8–12; postocular setae 35–37. Maxillary bridge width 44. Antenna total length 278, segments III–VIII length (width) as follows: 35 (21), 38 (25), 34 (22), 32 (19), 35 (18), 20 (10). Pronotum length 112, width 158. Setae on prothorax: am 22, aa 21–22, ml 25, pa 28–30, epim 40–42. Fore wing length 590. Sub-basal wing setae: S1 30 –32, S2 32 –33, S3 33. Pelta length 62, width 78. Tergite IX setae: S1 70–75, S2 100. Tube length 84, maximum width 45; terminal setae 170–175.

Male (macroptera). Distended body length: about 1.20–1.55mm. Very similar to macropterous female in color and structure but showing allometric growth. Fore wing with 3–5 duplicated cilia; terminal tube setae much longer than 2.0 times as long as tube. Large male: prothorax and fore leg enlarged ( Fig. 329 View FIGURES 323–330 ); fore tarsal tooth stout.

Measurements (paratype small–large males in µm). Body length 1200–1540 (distended). Head length 141– 153, from anterior margin of eyes 128–141, width across eyes 100–114, maximum width across cheeks 107–115, minimum width across base 84–95; eyes length 48–50; diameter of posterior ocelli 6–12; postocular setae 47–35. Maxillary bridge width 42–41. Antenna total length 240–280, segments III–VIII length as follows: 30–32, 37–40, 32–37, 28–34, 30–35, 18–22. Pronotum length 83–116, width 118–163. Setae on prothorax: am 20–25, aa? –25, ml 25–28, pa 28–33, epim 31–40. Fore wing length 420–580. Sub-basal wing setae: S1 25 –31, S2 25 –32, S3 30 –35. Pelta length 45–60, width 63–73. Tergite IX setae: S1 55 –65, S2 28 –31. Tube length 68–73, maximum width 38–45; terminal setae 150–180.

Type material. Holotype: macropterous female, Thailand, nr. Chiang Mai, Pha Hean , habitat uncertain, 3.ix.1992, SO . Paratypes: Thailand, 1 female, collected together with holotype ; 1 male, Bangkok, Bangkhen, Campus of Kasetsart University , NBCRC, on dead branches, 26.xii.1987, SO ; 1 female, Saraburi, on dead leaves and branches, 10.ix.1991, TN & SO ; 1 female, Fang , on dead leaves and branches, 26.iii.1992, TN & SO ; 1 male, nr. Chiang Mai, Mae-sa , on bamboo, 3.ix.1991, TN & SO ; 2 males, nr. Chiang Mai, Phrow , on bamboo, 22.viii.1992, TN & SO ; 2 males, nr. Chiang Mai, foot of Doi Saket , 25.viii.1992, TN & SO ; 2 males, nr. Chiang Mai, Doi Inthanon , on dead leaves and branches, 29.viii.1992, TN & SO ; 7 males, nr. Chiang Mai, Lam Pang , on dead leaves and branches, 28.viii.1992, TN & SO ; 1 female and 4 males, nr. Chiang Mai, Ka Jan , on dead leaves and branches, 3.ix.1992, SO ; 3 females and 2 males, nr. Chiang Mai, Pha Sang , on dead branches, 31.viii.1992, SO ; 1 female, Chiang Rai, on dead leaves and branches, 4.ix.1992, SO ; 1 female and 1 male, nr. Chiang Rai, Pha Yao , on dead leaves and branches, 5.ix.1992, SO .

Comments. This species has the head somewhat longer, the maxillary stylets rather close together as well as subparallel at basal portion of the head capsule, and the mesopresternum narrowly boat-shaped. Because of these features, uniconus is included in the bamboosae -group. It is peculiar in the genus in having one (0+1) and three (1+2) sense cones on antennal segments III and IV respectively. It is also somewhat similar to the genus Leptandrothrips in having antennal segment III widely truncated at apex. However, uniconus may be not closely related to Leptandrothrips in having antennal segment VIII well separated from segment VII, the fore tarsus armed with a distinct tooth, and the posteromarginal setae S1 shorter than tube. Moreover, the species included in Leptandrothrips do not show male allometric growth.