The morphology and distribution of the antennal sensilla of Megalurothrips usitatus Bagnall and Thrips palmi Karny were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). These are serious pests of various economically important crops, and their antennae are important in chemical communication. The antennae of both species consist of a scape, pedicel, and flagellum, but the flagellum of M. usitatus is made up of six sub-segments, whereas that of T. palmi consists of five sub-segments. Seven morphological sensilla types, including Böhm bristle (BB), sensilla campaniformia (Sca), three types of sensilla basiconica (Sb1, Sb2 and Sb3), two types of sensilla chaetica (Sch1 and Sch2), sensilla styloconica (Sst), sensilla trichodea (St), and sensilla cavity (Scav), were recorded in both species. The scape and pedicels exhibited Sch1, BB and Sca. The flagellum exhibited two types of Sch, three types of Sb, St, Sst and Scav. Based on these results, the putative function of the sensilla of M. usitatus and T. palmi are also discussed.

The Coleoscirinae (Acari: Trombidiformes: Cunaxidae) from Pakistan are summarized in this paper. Two species of Scutascirus Den Heyer ( S. pirgus Chaudhri and Akbar and S . tactus Chaudhri and Akbar), ten species of Coleoscirus Berlese ( C. baptos (Chaudhri and Akbar), C. carex (Inayatullah and Shahid), C. carnus Muhammad and Chaudhri, C. comis Muhammad and Chaudhri, C. disparis Muhammad and Chaudhri, C . irroratus Muhammad and Chaudhri, C. mardi (Inatullah and Shahid), C. raviensis Afzal, Ashfaq and Khan, C . tobaensis Bashir, Afzal, Ashfaq, and Khan, and C . trudus Bashir, Afzal and Akbar), and three species of Pseudobonzia Smiley ( P. ashfaqi Bashir, Afzal and Akbar, P. numida Chaudhri and Akbar, and P . parilus Chaudhri) have been previously reported. One new species of Pseudobonzia , Pseudobonzia bakerisp. n. , is herein described and illustrated. A key to the genera of the subfamily and keys to the species in each genus are given to incorporate the new species from Pakistan. Distribution records of all known species in Pakistan are also given.

Megalurothrips usitatus (Bagrall) is an important pest of legumes worldwide, causing great economic loss every year. Beauveria brongniartii and Akanthomyces attenuatus have shown considerable pathogenicity against M. usitatus in our previous studies. The medial lethal concentration (LC50) and the sublethal lethal concentration (LC25) of B. brongniartii isolate SB010 against M. usitatus were 8.38 × 105 and 1.73 × 105 conidia mL−1, respectively, whereas those of A. attenuatus isolate SCAUDCL-53 against M. usitatus were 4.37 × 105 and 2.97 × 104 conidia mL−1, respectively. This study reports the transcriptome-based explanation of the stress responses of M. usitatus following the application of B. brongniartii and A. attenuatus. The analysis of the transcriptomic data revealed the expression of 254, 207, 195, and 234 immunity-related unigenes by M. usitatus in response to B. brongniartii LC50 (SB1), B. brongniartii LC25 (SB2), A. attenuatus LC50 (V1), and A. attenuatus LC25 (V2), respectively. The biological function and metabolic pathway analyses showed that these unigenes were mainly related to pattern recognition receptors, information transduction factors, and reaction factors, such as scavenger receptor, cytochrome b5, cuticle protein, lysozyme, and serine protease.

No abstract