Liophloeothrips acaciae sp. n.

(Figs. 1–7)

Female (macroptera and brachyptera). Body including legs dark brown, fore tibia brownish yellow, tarsi yellow. Antennal segments I–II and VII–VIII dark brown, III yellow, IV–VI yellow basally and brown apically. Fore wing transparent.

With character states indicated for genus. Body stout. Head longer than broad (Fig. 1); postocular setae shorter than eyes, expanded at apex; maxillary stylets not close together. Pronotal anteromarginals (am) longer than anteroangulars (aa), epimerals (ep) longer than posteroangulars (pa) (Fig. 1). Metanotum with longitudinal sculpture lines, median setae with apices expanded (Fig. 7). Mesopresternum with two lateral triangles (Fig. 2). Fore wing parallel sided, with 6–10 duplicated cilia; sub-basal wing setae arranged in a one row. Fore tarsus without tooth (Fig. 1). Pelta bell-shaped, broader than in male (Figs. 4, 6).

Male (brachyptera). Colour similar to female. Fore tarsus with small tooth.

Measurements (holotype female in microns): Total body length 2350. Head, length 220; width at cheeks 205; eye length 95; postocular seta length 70. Pronotum, length 153; width 300; length of major setae - aa 25, am 40, ml 25, pa 70–78, ep 63–87, coxal 25. Length of antenna 275; L(W) of antennal segments I 37 (37), II 55 –57(37), III 75 (35), IV 75 (37), V 65 –70(30–35), VI 63 –65(27–32), VII 48 –50(25), VIII 30–32 (12). Fore femur width 95. Fore wing basal setae, length S1 35, S2 50, S3 55. Tergite IX, length 95; setae S1 110–113, setae S2 100–113. Tube, length 193; width at base 90, at apex 50.

Paratype male (brachyptera): Body length 1900. Fore wing length 175; basal setae length S1 37, S2 42, S3 42. Tergite IX setae, S1 105, S2 38.

Material studied. Holotype female (macroptera), India: Karnataka (IIHR, Bangalore), on bark of Acacia auriculiformis, 10.iv.2006 (Vikas Kumar), deposited in National Bureau of Agriculturallly Important Insects (NBAII), Bangalore.

Paratypes: 10 females: 8 (macroptera), 2 (brachyptera), 10 males (brachyptera), 18 larvae collected with holotype (two females and two males deposited in NPC, New Delhi, rest at NBAII, Bangalore, Karnataka).

Comments. This species is closely related to L. succinctus and L. pavettae. However, it can be differentiated from these by the shape of the pelta, the metanotal sculpture, and differences in length of the pronotal setae. In the holotype of L. succinctus the anteroangulars and anteromarginals are subequal, but in the holotype of L. pavettae the anteroangulars are longer than the anteromarginals. In L. acaciae the anteromarginals are longer than the anteroangulars. The metanotum has reticulate sculpture and pointed setae in L. succinctus and L. pavettae, but has longitudinal lines and expanded setae in L. acaciae.