Haplothrips aliakbarii sp. nov. (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae): a new thrips on oak trees from Ilam Province (western Iran)

* Correspondence: m.mirabbalou@ilam.ac.ir Species of the large genus Haplothrips Amyot & Serville (Phlaeothripinae: Haplothripini) are found worldwide, with 242 extant species (Mound and Matsunaga, 2017). This genus is divided into two subgenera, Haplothrips and Trybomiella, which are distinguished by the presence or absence of fore wings with duplicated cilia (Minaei and Mound, 2008). Species of this genus are usually brown and are readily recognized from the head gradually narrowed towards base, postocular setae pointed, blunt or expanded; antennae 8-segmented, segment III with one or two sense cones, segment IV with 4 or 5 sensoria; maxillary stylets long, retracted far into head, and maxillary bridge present; pronotum usually with five pairs of major setae; fore tarsi each with or without small tooth; fore wings constricted in middle, and with or without duplicated cilia; pelta small, generally triangular; abdominal tergites III–VII each with 2 pairs, or in a few taxa one pair of well-developed, wing-retaining setae. Males with tergite IX setae S2 short and stout; pseudovirga of aedeagus slender. Most of the Haplothrips species are phytophagous with some important pests such as Haplothrips tritici (Kurdjumov) (zur Strassen, 1975; Tunç, 1992; Özsisli, 2011), and a few are predators especially on spider mites (Bailey and Caon, 1986; zur Strassen, 1995) and on scale insects (Palmer and Mound, 1990). The family Phlaeothripidae includes 59 species in 22 genera recorded from Iran (Mirab-balou, 2018). Among them, the genus Haplothrips with 30 species is the largest genus in the country (Mirab-balou, 2018), with 10 predatory species (Minaei and Mound, 2008) including H. andresi Priesner, H. flavitibia Williams, H. globiceps Bagnall, H. kurdjumovi Karny, H. longipes Bagnall, H. maroccanus Priesner, H. minutes Uzel, H. phyllophilus Priesner, H. rabinovitchi Priesner, and H. subtilissimus (Haliday). In this paper, we describe a new species of Haplothrips that was collected on the leaves of oak trees in Ilam Province, western Iran. An identification key is also provided for 21 species of Haplothrips from Iran (Minaei and Mound, 2008), and an updated key is provided for Iranian species of this genus. Specimens were collected on the leaves of oak trees (Quercus brantii) (Fagaceae) (Figure 1) from Ilam Province (Western Iran) during July and August 2017. The thrips specimens were extracted and placed in a conservation fluid. Adult thrips were macerated in 5% KOH and subjected to dehydration in an ethanol series before being mounted onto glass slides in Hoyer’s medium [see Mirab-balou and Chen (2010) for details on slide mounting of thrips], and some specimens were mounted on slides in Canada balsam. Morphological terminology follows Mound and Minaei (2007). The type specimens were deposited in the Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture, Ilam University, Iran (ILAMU). All measurements are in micrometers. A key is provided according to examined specimens and description from original publications. Haplothrips aliakbarii Mirab-balou and Miri sp. nov. (Figures 2–4) Material examined: Holotype female, IRAN: Ilam Province, Eyvan, Khoran (33°82.49′N, 46°24.71′E), on oak tree (Quercus brantii), 20.vii.2017, Leg. B. Miri. Abstract: Haplothrips aliakbarii sp. nov. (Phlaeothripidae: Phlaeothripinae) is described and illustrated from Ilam Province, western Iran. This new species was collected on the leaves of oak trees (Quercus brantii). An identification key for Iranian species of Haplothrips is presented.