Nesothrips propinquus ( Bagnall, 1916: 408 )

Eow, Li-Xin, 2014, Australian species of spore-feeding Thysanoptera in the genera Carientothrips and Nesothrips (Thysanoptera: Idolothripinae), Zootaxa 3821 (2), pp. 193-221 : 219

Nesothrips propinquus ( Bagnall, 1916: 408)

( Figs 51 , 57 , 68 )

This species is widespread along the old sailing ship route between New Zealand, Australia and Europe, and Mound & Walker (1986) suggest that it came originally from New Zealand. It is common across Australia in grass tussocks, particularly in southern Australia, although it has been taken in eastern Queensland as far north as the Torres Strait Islands. However, macropterae seem rare in Australia. Amongst the Australian species of Nesothrips , this species is usually distinguishable by the ventral prolongation of the eyes. Several synonyms are indicated in ThripsWiki (2014).

Diagnosis. Usually apterous, body brown, abdomen darker than head and thorax; antennal segments I–V often yellow, but III–V variably shaded toward apex, VI–VIII brown; mid and hind legs usually yellow to brownish yellow. Head wider than long; postocellar setae acute, close to tangent between posterior margin of hind ocelli; postocular setae acute to weakly blunt, eyes ventrally with entire posterior margin prolonged ( Figs 57 , 68 ); ocelli small but often absent; maxillary stylets widely spaced, V-shaped ( Fig. 51 ); maxillary palp segment I as long as wide, segment II about 3 times as long as I. Pronotum with 5 pairs of major pointed setae, am small, notopleural sutures complete ( Fig. 51 ); mesopresternum boat-shaped but partly eroded ( Fig. 68 ); metathoracic sternopleural sutures present, curved. Mesonotum and metanotum transverse, metanotum with no sculpture medially. Pelta variable, median lobe broadly rounded with lateral lobes either connected or not connected; tergites III–VII wingretaining setae small and straight, with transverse row of about 10 discal setae; tergite IX setae short and acute, about 0.6 as long as tube, S3 longest. Major male with large pronotum, swollen fore femora, stout fore tarsal tooth.

Figures

FIGURES 47–55. Nesothrips species. Head: (47) lativentris, (48) badius, (49) barrowi, (50) coorongi, (51) propinquus, (52) minor major male, (53) carveri, (54) brigalowi, (55) rossi.

FIGURES 56–61. Nesothrips species. Maxillary palps: (56) badius. Eye ventral surface: (57) propinquus. Antennal segments III–VIII: (58) yanchepi, (59) badius, (60) barrowi. Antennal segments II–VIII: (61) carveri.

FIGURES 62–68. Nesothrips species. Thoracic features and pelta: (62) coorongi, (63) rossi, (64) brigalowi, (65) barrowi. Pelta: (66) hemidiscus. Pronotum: (67) capricornis. Maxillary palps and mesopresternum: (68) propinquus.