Aulacothrips levinotus Cavalleri & Kaminski, 2014: 272.

Originalreference: Cavalleri A & Kaminski LA (2014) Two new ectoparasitic species of Aulacothrips Hood, 1952 (Thysanoptera: Heterothripidae) associated with ant-tended treehoppers (Hemiptera). Systematic Parasitology 89(3): 271–278.

Family

Heterothripidae

Nomenclatural information

http://thrips.info/wiki/Aulacothrips_levinotus

Diagnosis

Body extensively dark brown, including legs and antennae; fore wing uniformly blackish brown, median dark line present; major setae light brown. Head with one pair of long and expanded postocular setae; three pairs of ocellar setae present, pair II long and expanded. Antennae 9-segmented, III & IV enlarged with continuous porous sensoria, curving laterally toward base but not forming loops on dorsal and ventral surfaces; segment III conical in format. Pronotum lacking sculpture medially but weakly reticulate at margins; two pairs of long and capitate posteroangular setae; mesonotum reticulate; metascutum triangular and polygonally reticulate. Fore wing unusually slender, except basally; rows of setae absent. Abdominal tergites with weak polygonal reticulation, bearing a toothed craspedum on posterior margin; tergites II–VIII with median furrow bearing pair of long and pointed setae medially, lateral margin of furrow with two pairs of stout setae, posterior margin with fringe of small microtrichia medially; tergites II–VII with only one pair of long and capitate discal setae; IX with many long and pointed discal setae. Abdominal sternites II–VIII with about six pairs of stout and flattened setae placed laterally, IX with about 10 of such setae each side.

Male unknown.

Intraspecific variation

Not recorded.

Genus and similar species information

The South Americangenus Aulacothrips comprises five described species and its morphology contrasts with the remaining Heterothripidae. The abdominal tergites have a median furrow bearing large wing-retaining setae, and antennal segments III & IV are enlarged, each with a highly convoluted sensorium. Similar convoluted sensoria are also found in Lenkothrips species. Aulacothrips levinotus has only two pairs of long setae on pronotum, whereas the other Aulacothrips species bear at least four pairs of major pronotal setae. A key to species is provided by Cavalleri et al. (2014).

World distribution

Known only from Brazil.

Distribution in Brazil

http://fauna.jbrj.gov.br/fauna/faunadobrasil/97770 

Life history

Larvae and adults are ectoparasitic on Horiola (Membracidae) in Amazonia. This species possibly breeds on various plants species, and it was studied infesting membracids on Theobroma speciosum (Sterculiaceae) trees.

Economic importance

Not recorded.

References suggested

Cavalleri A, Kaminski LA & Mendonça Jr. MS (2010) Ectoparasitism in Aulacothrips (Thysanoptera: Heterothripidae) revisited: host diversity on honeydew-producing Hemiptera and description of a new species. Zoologischer Anzeiger 249: 209–221.

Cavalleri A, Kaminski LA & Mendonca MS (2012) A new ectoparasitic Aulacothrips from Amazon rainforest and the significance of variation in antennal sensoria (Thysanoptera: Heterothripidae). Zootaxa 3438: 62–68.

Cavalleri A & Kaminski LA (2014) Two new ectoparasitic species of Aulacothrips Hood, 1952 (Thysanoptera: Heterothripidae) associated with ant-tended treehoppers (Hemiptera). Systematic Parasitology 89(3): 271–278.