Liothrips piceae sp. n.

(Figs 13, 35, 60, 66, 76)

Female macroptera. Body brown; all legs brown (Fig. 60), just fore tarsi and apices of fore tibiae lightly brown; antennal segments I–II brown, III yellow at basal half and light brown at apical half, IV–VI largely brown with base pale, VII–VIII brown (Fig. 35); major setae pale; fore wing hyaline.

Head slightly wider than long (Fig. 13); postocular setae acute, scarcely reaching to posterior margin of eyes (Fig. 13); eyes dorsally and ventrally equal in length; maxillary stylets close together medially, retracted to eyes; mouth cone blunt and short. Antennal segment III more than twice as long as apical width (Fig. 35); IV with 3 major sense cones; VIII small, distinct from VII (Fig. 35). Pronotum transverse, with 4 pairs of long softly pointed setae, am minute; surface almost smooth, weakly sculptured near margins. Fore femora not enlarged. Fore wing with 3 slightly blunt sub-basal setae arising in straight line, with 10 duplicated cilia. Mesonotum transversely reticulate, lateral setae developed, slightly blunt. Metanotum longitudinally reticulate, major setae fine and acute (Fig. 76). Mesopresternum eroded medially, metathoracic sternopleural sutures short (Fig. 66). Pelta broadly triangular, weakly reticulate, with a pair of CPS (Fig. 76); tergite II with 3 pairs of lateral setae; tergite VIII posterolateral setae well-developed, slightly shorter than posteroangulars; tergite IX setae S1–S3 shorter than tube, acute; tube slightly shorter than head, anal setae longer than tube.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 3160. Head length (maximum width) 270 (295); postocular setae length 40; antennal segments I–VIII length (width): 50 (45), 55 (40), 90 (35), 100 (45), 90 (40), 80 (35), 65 (25), 30 (20); sense cone on III length 30. Pronotum length (width) 170 (355); am 5, aa 35, ml 45, epim 130, pa 100. Fore wing length 1210; sub-basal setae S1?, S2 90, S3 100. Tergite VIII posterolateral setae 70; tergite IX setae S1 195, S2 200, S3 195; tube length 225, basal width 110, apical width 75; anal setae length 245.

Male. Unknown.

Specimens studied. Holotype female, CHINA, Xinjiang, on leaves of Picea, 9.vi. 1981 (NZMC).

Paratype: 1 female with same data as holotype (SNUT).

Etymology. The species epithet “ piceae ” refers to the plant genus Picea on which the type specimens were found.

Comments. This new species has all legs brown including all tarsi (Fig. 60). This colouring does not occur in other Chinese Liothrips except for L. floridensis. From the latter L. piceae sp. n. can be distinguished by the relatively short head and short postocular setae which do not reach the posterior margin of the eyes (Fig. 13).