Anaphothrips dubius (Girault)

Mound, Laurence A. & Masumoto, Masami, 2009, Australian Thripinae of the Anaphothrips genus-group (Thysanoptera), with three new genera and thirty-three new species, Zootaxa 2042 (1), pp. 1-76 : 30-32

Anaphothrips dubius (Girault)

( Figs 69–73 )

Heterothrips dubius Girault, 1926: 2

Anaphothrips 5-guttatus Girault, 1927a: 2.

Anaphothrips regalis Girault, 1928: 2 .

Hemianaphothrips (Anaphothrips) tersus Morison, 1930: 9 .

Type specimens of these four described species have been examined ( Fig. 1 ), to confirm the synonymies indicated by Pitkin (1978). A. dubius has been collected at various sites between Brisbane, Sydney and Canberra in eastern Australia, but the precise host-plant relationships remain unclear. Many females have been collected at two widely separated sites from the leaves of Urtica , and at another site large numbers of both sexes, together with larvae, were taken from young leaves of Pandorea . At Canberra, a large population of this thrips, including both sexes and larvae, was observed severely damaging plants of Xerochrysum bracteatum (Asteraceae) over several weeks between October and December, 2005. A few females have also been studied from Central Australia, west of Alice Springs, from Dodonaea viscosa leaves. Presumably the species is truly polyphagous. The strongly recurved “setae” on the posterior margin of tergite IX in males do not appear to have typical setal bases, and may be homologous with smaller structures in a similar position on A. desleyae and A. epacrida .

Type Specimens examined. ( Fig. 1 ). Syntypes of dubius , 3♀, Queensland , Gympie, 19.x.1924 (QM) . Lectotype ♀ of 5-guttatus (designated Pitkin, 1978), slide without data, but original description indicates locality as Queensland , Gympie, jungle, 14.vii.1924 (QM) . Syntypes of regalis , 2♀ Queensland , Norman

Park, 14.viii.1927 ( QM). Holotype ♀ of tersus . South Australia, Glen Osmond, WARI, from Malva parviflora , 30.vii.1928 ( BMNH).

Female macroptera. Body and legs mainly yellow; abdominal tergite II light across anterior half, III – VI with median and anterolateral dark areas (varying in size and intensity); antennal segment I white, II variable from pale to brown, III yellow to light brown, IV – V brown but sometimes with bases paler; fore wings weakly shaded except at apex; tergite IX setae light brown. Head wider than long with transverse sculpture lines behind eyes, extending weakly into ocellar triangle; eyes without pigmented facets; ocellar setae III varying in position from anterior margins of triangle to close together behind first ocellus. Antennae 9- segmented, III – IV with forked sensorium; II with very few microtrichia; VI pedicellate, suture transverse between VI – VII. Pronotum with transverse lines, discal setae relatively robust. Metascutum reticulate; median setae close to anterior margin ( Fig. 72 ); MCS present. Fore wing first vein with about 9–11 setae on basal half, 2–4 setae medially, 2 setae distally; second vein with 12–16 setae including 1–2 setae basal to vein fork; clavus with 6–7 veinal setae. Abdominal tergites II – IV with a few sculpture lines medially, V – VII usually without such lines ( Fig. 73 ); laterally with about 8 anastomosing lines with broadly based, short microtrichia, sculpture extending just mesad of setae S2; VIII with long regular posteromarginal comb. Sternite VII setae S1 far anterior to posterior margin, S2 sometimes slightly submarginal.

Male macroptera. Similar to female; tergite IX with one pair of stout median thorn-like setae, posterior margin with pair of greatly elongate, recurved “setae” ( Fig. 70 ); sternites III – VII with large C-shaped pore plate ( Fig. 69 ).

Larva II. Body and legs mainly yellow, antennal segments shaded; tergite IX shaded posterior to major setae, X shaded in distal half; all dorsal setae slightly to broadly expanded at apex ( Fig. 71 ); tergites with transverse rows of prominent plaques; IX posterior margin with small but prominent pointed tubercles.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Type slides of some Thysanoptera described by A.A.Girault.

FIGURES 64–72. Anaphothrips of Australia. (64) A. dalbyi antenna. A. desleyae 65–68: (65) clavus with meso & metanotum; (66) male tergite IX; (67) tergites VI–VIII; (68) male sternites. A. dubius 69–72: (69) male sternites; (70) male tergite IX; (71) larva II tergites VII–IX; (72) meso & metanotum.

FIGURES 73–82. Anaphothrips of Australia. (73) A. dubius tergites VI–VIII. A. epacrida 74–77: (74) male sternites; (75) male tergite IX; (76) antenna; (77) forewing base. A. exocarpi 78–79: (78) forewing base with meso & metanotum; (79) antenna. A, eremophilae 80-82: (80) antenna; (81) head; (82) tergites VI–VIII.