Teuchothrips kaurna, Mound & Dang & Tree, 2023

Mound, Laurence A., Dang, Lihong & Tree, Desley J., 2023, Structural diversity among the leaf-feeding thrips of Australia in the genus Teuchothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae) with 20 new species, Zootaxa 5383 (4), pp. 441-475 : 459-461

Teuchothrips kaurna sp.n.

( Figs 53–55 )

Female microptera. Body and legs brown, fore tarsi yellowish brown, mid and hind tarsi light brown; antennal segments I–II and VII–VIII brown, III brownish yellow, IV–VI increasingly light brown; major setae pale. Head longer than wide, genae convex, vertex with transverse reticulation; postocular setae no larger than minor setae on head; eyes longer dorsally than ventrally; maxillary stylets retracted almost to eyes, about one quarter of head width apart medially ( Fig. 53 ). Antennal segment III about 1.5 times as long as wide; segment IV with 3 major sense cones; VIII broadly joined to VII ( Fig. 54 ). Pronotum with epimeral setae broadly capitate, remaining major setae minute. Fore femora not enlarged, tarsal tooth very small and at inner apex of fore tarsus. Mesonotum transversely reticulate, lateral setal pair minute. Metanotum reticulate, major setal pair small. Mesopresternum with 2 lateral triangles weakly joined medially; metathoracic sternopleural sutures well-developed. Pelta very broadly triangular across anterior margin of tergite II; all tergal setae small or minute; tergite IX setae S1 and S2 capitate, shorter than basal width of tube; tube margins straight ( Fig. 55 ).

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 1490. Head, length 170; maximum width 155; compound eye dorsal length 65. Pronotum, length 120; width 210; epimeral setae 20. Tergite IX setae S1 30, S2 25; tube, length 150, basal width 65; anal setae, length 90. Antennal segments I–VIII length (width): 30 (25), 35 (30), 35 (25), 35 (25), 35 (30), 40 (30), 30 (25), 25 (15).

Male microptera. Similar to female in colour and sculpture; fore tarsal tooth longer than half tarsal width, fore tibia inner apex with distinct tubercle; sternite VIII with narrow transverse pore plate on posterior third of sternite; tergite IX setae S2 capitate, as long as setae S1.

Measurements (paratype male in microns). Body length 1460. Head, length 175; width 150. Pronotum, length 160; width 235. Tergite IX setae S1 40, S2 35; tube, length 150, basal width 60; anal setae, length 85.

Specimens studied. Holotype female, South Australia, Aldinga , from Calytrix , 15.i.2008 (Alice Wells), in ANIC.

Paratypes: 2 females, 1 male taken with holotype.

Comments. Known only from four micropterae, this species is unusual in having only one pair of major setae on the pronotum ( Fig. 53 ). It is also one of the few species in the genus with the postocular setae not elongate, and the major setae on tergite IX are unusually short ( Fig. 55 ).

Figures

FIGURES 53–62. Teuchothrips of Australia. T. kaurna 53–55: (53) head, thorax & pelta; (54) antenna; (55) tergites IX–X. T. kokatha 56–62: (56) head; (57) head & pronotum; (58) metanotum & pelta; (59) pronotum; (60) antenna; (61) metanotum; (62) pelta.