Parexothrips palumai, Mound, Laurence A., 2011

Mound, Laurence A., 2011, Grass-dependent Thysanoptera of the family Thripidae from Australia, Zootaxa 3064, pp. 1-40 : 30-31

Parexothrips palumai sp.n.

( Figs 39–44 )

Female macroptera. Body and legs yellow, tergite X apex dark brown; antennal segments VI–VIII brown, V shaded light brown in distal half; fore wings very weakly shaded in basal half. Antennae 8-segmented, segment I with no dorso-apical setae, sensoria on III–IV forked; II with no microtrichia, III–VI with microtrichia on dorsal and ventral surfaces. Head broadest across eyes ( Fig. 39 ), cheeks short and narrowed behind eyes; compound eyes with 5 weakly pigmented facets; ocellar setae pair I not close together, pair III arising anterior to posterior ocelli; 3 pairs of small postocular setae; maxillary palps 3-segmented. Pronotum weakly trapezoidal, surface with faint transverse reticulation, discal setae small; with 8 pairs of posteromarginal setae of which pair VIII is longer but lies parallel to the pronotal margin. Prosternal basantra with 2–3 pairs of setae; fernal plates not connected medially ( Fig. 44 ); spinasternum transverse, meso and meta furca without spinula, mesothoracic sterno-pleural sutures complete. Mesonotal anterior campaniform sensilla present ( Fig. 43 ), median pair of setae minute and distant from posterior margin. Metanotal sculpture lines form an arch at posterior margin; median setae just behind anterior margin, all four setae about equidistant from each other; campaniform sensilla present ( Fig. 43 ). Fore wing slender, first vein with 6 setae near base, 3 widely spaced setae on distal half; second vein with 4 widely spaced setae; clavus with 5 veinal setae and 1 discal seta; posterior fringe wavy. Tergites weakly sculptured medially, VI–VIII laterally with microtrichia on two sculpture lines and setal pair IV minute ( Fig. 41 ); II–VIII with broad craspedum, campaniform sensilla near posterior margin, median setae minute and far apart, posteroangular setae arising mesad of posterior angle; IX with 2 pairs of campaniform sensilla, median dorsal setae slender ( Fig. 42 ); X with complete median split. Sternites with no discal setae; II–VI posterior margin with craspedum forming large lobes between marginal setae; sternite II with 2 pairs of marginal setae, III–VII with 3 pairs, median 2 pairs on VII arise close together ( Fig. 40 ).

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 1230. Head, dorsal length 75; ventral length to mouth cone tip 200; width across eyes 115; ocellar setae III 10. Pronotum, length 150; maximum width 150; pa setae 15. Fore wing length 600. Metanotal median setae 20. Tergite VI setae S1 length 5, distance between them 60. Tergite IX setae S1 100; S2 115. Tergite X setae S1 85. Antennal segments III–VIII length 37, 33, 35, 40, 10, 12.

Material studied. Holotype female, Queensland, Mt Spec, 80km NW of Townsville, from grass tufts, 20.vii.1968 (LAM 756).

Paratypes: Queensland, 2 females taken with holotype; Darnley Island, 9 females from Cymbopogon citriodorum lvs, 17.ix.2009; same site and date, 3 females from grasses.

Comments. Only two species are described in this genus, tenellus from Egypt and India , and capitis from India . The arcuate sculpture on the posterior half of the metanotum of this new species is similar to that of capitis as illustrated by Bhatti (1975), and that species is also similar in having the fore wing clavus with a discal seta. However, the head shape is more like that of tenellus, although that species lacks ocellar setae pair I and has a reticulate metanotum.

Figures

FIGURES 38 – 45. Grass living Thripinae. (38) Exothrips sacchari, head. Parexothrips palumae 39 – 44: (39) head; (40) female sternites VI – VII; (41) tergites VI – VII; (42) tergites VII-IX; (43) meso & metanota; (44) prosternum. (45) Caprithrips insularis, prosternum.