Carientothrips snowi, Eow, 2014

Eow, Li-Xin, 2014, Australian species of spore-feeding Thysanoptera in the genera Carientothrips and Nesothrips (Thysanoptera: Idolothripinae), Zootaxa 3821 (2), pp. 193-221 : 209-210

Carientothrips snowi sp.n.

( Figs 13 , 21 , 34 , 46 )

Female aptera. Bicoloured, head yellow, thorax and abdomen brown ( Fig. 13 ), legs variably yellowish brown, tarsi brown; antennal segment I brown but yellow basally, II variably light brown to brown, III–VIII brown III sometimes paler near base [one paratype with legs and most antennal segments yellow]; tube paler in distal third ( Fig. 21 ). Head longer than wide, strongly projecting in front of eyes, weakly reticulate laterally; ocelli absent; postocellar, postocular and mid-dorsal setae long and finely acute; compound eyes smaller ventrally than dorsally; maxillary stylets about 0.5 of head width apart, retracted almost to postocular setae; maxillary palp segment I about 3 times as long as wide, segment II about 0.5 as long as I with transverse lines, terminal sensorium small. Antennal segment VIII not constricted at base. Pronotum transverse, weakly reticulate near margins, notopleural sutures complete ( Fig. 13 ); with 5 pairs of long, slender, acute major setae; mesopresternum transverse almost boatshaped; metathoracic sternopleural sutures long and curved. Metanotum weakly reticulate, median setae welldeveloped, slender and acute ( Fig. 34 ). Fore femora not enlarged, fore tarsal tooth absent. Fore wing lobe not developed. Pelta extending across 90% of tergite II anterior margin, median lobe broadly flattened with edges rather angular, broadly connected with lateral lobes ( Fig. 34 ), campaniform sensilla absent; tergal setae S1 long and finely acute arising posterior to transverse row of discal setae; tergal wing-retaining setae very long and straight ( Fig. 46 ); tergite IX setae long and acute. Tube shorter than head. Sternites with median transverse row about 10 minute discal setae, posteromarginal setae small and arising in front of margin.

Measurements (holotype female aptera in microns). Body length 2500. Head, length 300; width 210; postocellar setae 85; po setae 125; mid-dorsal setae 85. Pronotum, length 160; width 275; major setae am 55, aa 100, ml 110, epim 125, pa 135. Tergite IV setae S1 120, wing-retaining setae 75; tergite IX setae S1 150, S2 165. Tube length 170. Antennal segments III–VIII length 60, 75, 70, 55, 45, 35.

Male. Similar to female but smaller, with stout, acute fore tarsal tooth, fore tibia stout in larger males; tergite IX setae similar to female.

Specimens studied. Holotype female aptera. Australia, Norfolk Island, Palm Grove Track , from dead palm fronds, 27.xii.2012 (LAM5731).

Paratypes all from Norfolk Island on dead palm fronds : 4 females, 2 males taken with holotype, also 4 females, 1 male, same site and date, 1 female same site, 22.xii.2012, 4 females, 1 male with larvae at same site, 23.xii.2013; 1 female Red Road , 27.xii.2012 ; 1 female, Mt. Bate , 24.x.2013 .

Comments. The tergal chaetotaxy of this species is unique in this genus, with the median pair of setae exceptionally long and situated toward the posterior margin of each tergite ( Fig. 46 ). This thrips has been found breeding only on the dead fronds of Rhopalostylis baueri , the endemic Norfolk Island palm.

Figures

FIGURES 10–15. Carientothrips species. Head: (10) horni, (11) calami, (12) semirufus, (13) snowi, (14) palumai, (15) vesper.

FIGURES 21–30. Carientothrips species. Tergites VIII–X (tube): (21) snowi. Tergites IX–X (tube): (22) miskoi female, (23) calami. Antenna segments III–VIII: (24) horni, (25) reedi, (26) vesper, (27) magnetis, (28) pedicillus. Antennal segments III–IV: (29) acti, (30) pictilis.

FIGURES 31–36. Carientothrips species. Metathorax and pelta: (31) calami, (32) tasmanica, (33) mjobergi, (34) snowi. Pelta: (35) flavitibia. Thoracic sternites: (36) alienatus.

FIGURES 44–46. Carientothrips species. Tergites: (44) semirufus female segments II–III, (45) loisthus segments III–V, (46) snowi pelta and segment II–IV.