Aulacothrips minor Cavalleri, Kaminski & Mendonça Jr., 2010: 214.

Original reference: 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.

Family

Heterothripidae

Nomenclatural information

http://thrips.info/wiki/Aulacothrips_minor

Diagnosis

Body dark brown; tarsi and fore tibiae light brown; antennal segments III–IX light brown; abdominal segments I & II slightly paler than the others; fore wings blackish brown but paler basally, with a dark median line. Head with one pair of long and expanded postocular setae; three pairs of ocellar setae present, pair II long and expanded. Antennae 9-segmented; segment III conical dorsally; III & IV greatly enlarged, the linear sensorium on both segments extended onto both surfaces but widely separated medially. Pronotum reticulate; five pairs of long and capitate setae arising marginally and two pairs arising medially; mesonotum reticulate; metascutum triangular and polygonally reticulate. Fore wing unusually slender, except basally; rows of setae absent. Abdominal tergites with strong polygonal reticulation and with a well-developed craspedum bearing stout teeth; tergites II–VIII with a median furrow bearing two pairs of stout setae at lateral margins; II­–VIII also with posterior margin with a fringe of small microtrichia placed medially and three pairs of long discal setae; IX with numerous long and pointed discal setae. Sternites II–VIII with two to four pairs of stout and flattened setae placed laterally; IX with a row of three or more short and flattened setae on each side.

Male smaller and slightly paler; posterior margin of abdominal tergite VIII with only one pair of long and capitate setae; tergite IX posterior margin extending medially toward X; sternite VII with one very small circular pore plate on anterior margin.

Intraspecific variation

Not recorded.

Genus and similar species information

The South Americangenus Aulacothrips Hood 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. A. minor has antennal segment III conical dorsally, and exhibits sensorial areas intermediate in length when compared to A. amazonicus and A. dictyotus. Although similar to A. dictyotus in general structure and colour, the posterior margin of abdominal tergite VIII of A. minor males lack the group of long setae observed in A. dictyotus. 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/43321

Life history

Larvae and adults are ectoparasitic on several treehopper species (Membracidae), especially Guayaquila and Enchenopa spp. in Brazilian Savannah. Eggs are laid in several plant species, particularly Schefflera vinosa (Araliaceae). It is sympatric with A. dictyotus.

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.