Deplorothrips paspalus, Mound, Laurence A. & Tree, Desley J., 2016

Mound, Laurence A. & Tree, Desley J., 2016, Australian mycophagous species of the genus Deplorothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae), Zootaxa 4208 (3), pp. 201-220 : 216-217

Deplorothrips paspalus sp.n.

( Figs 3 , 28 )

Female microptera: Antennal segments III–VI yellow in basal half but each with apex brown ( Fig. 28 ); body and antennal segments I–II and VII–VIII light brown, tube darkest; femora light brown, with apices yellow; tibiae yellow but washed with very faint light brown, tarsi yellow.

Antennal segment VIII very broad at base, IV–VII with narrow pedicel ( Fig. 28 ); III with three sense cones, IV with four. Head slightly longer than wide, ocelli absent, cheeks with weak setae; vertex without sculpture except near posterior margin; po setae long and pointed; maxillary pillars about 40 microns long with the levers scarcely 30 microns, stylets wide apart, retracted to just anterior to occipital ridge ( Fig. 3 ). Pronotum transverse, without sculpture except at posterior margin; am setae minute, epim weakly capitate, remaining setae pointed. Mesonotum transversely reticulate, lateral setal pair minute. Wing lobe small with one seta. Metanotum almost without sculpture, major setal pair small and acute ( Fig. 3 ). Fore tarsal tooth length less than 0.5 of tarsal width. Prosternal ferna not meeting medially, mesopraesternum eroded to two very small sclerites. Pelta small, broadly D-shaped, anterior margin eroded; tergites with no sculpture, II–VII with 2 pairs of small straight wing-retaining setae; both pairs of lateral major setae long and acute; tergite VIII setae S1 and S2, also setae S1 on IX weakly capitate, S2 on IX shorter and pointed.

Measurements (holotype female microptera in microns). Body length 1600. Head, length 170; width 145; po setae 65; longest cheek seta 10. Pronotum, length 135; width 210; major setae—am 5, aa 35, ml 45, epim 50, pa 55. Fore wing lobe 35. Tergite IX setae S1 70, S2 40. Tube length 95. Antennal segments III–VIII length 45, 45, 45, 43, 40, 25.

Female macroptera: Similar to microptera, but ocelli present; mesonotal lateral setae acute, 15 microns long; metanotum without sculpture anteromedially but reticulate on posterior half; fore wing sub-basal setae blunt to pointed, 4–6 duplicated cilia; tergal wing-retaining setae sigmoid.

Material studied. Holotype female microptera, Australia, Norfolk Island, Mission Road Forest , from dead branches, 27.iii.2014 ( LAM 5954 ).

Paratype: Norfolk Island, Palm Glen , 1 female macroptera from dead Citrus , 24.iii.2014.

Comments. Known only from two specimens taken at widely separated sites on Norfolk Island this species is typical of the genus in having antennal segment VIII broadly joined to VII, and the maxillary stylets scarcely retracted anterior to the occipital ridge. However, it is unique in the genus for the pale colour of the antennae, including segment VI, and is also unusual in having most of the major setae with acute, not capitate, apices, and setae S2 on tergite IX of females unusually short and more like S2 setae of males in this genus.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 7. Deplorothrips species, head and thorax. (1) villosus holotype; (2) diaphorus female macroptera; (3) paspalus holotype; (4) regina holotype; (5) virgulatus male paratype; (6) makrus female macroptera; (7) norfuki holotype.

FIGURES 20 – 32. Deplorothrips species, antennae. (20) diaphorus, macroptera, segments IV – VIII ventral; (21) chydaeus; (22) deuae (holotype); (23) howei; (24) makrus; (25) minaei; (26) mongai; (27) norfuki; (28) paspalus; (29) regina; (30) retis; (31) virgulatus; (32) villosus.