Klambothrips myopori, Mound, Laurence A. & Morris, David C., 2007

Mound, Laurence A. & Morris, David C., 2007, A new thrips pest of Myoporum cultivars in California, in a new genus of leaf-galling Australian Phlaeothripidae (Thysanoptera), Zootaxa 1495, pp. 35-45 : 40-41

Klambothrips myopori sp. n.

Macropterous female. Body brown to dark brown, tarsi yellow; antennal segment III yellow with faint shading distally ( Fig. 3 ), IV – VI yellow with apex variably brown, VII varying from entirely brown to yellow with apex as brown as VIII; major setae hyaline, anal setae and tergal wing retaining setae dark; forewing often faintly shaded medially. With the structural characters indicated in the generic diagnosis; head with compound eyes longer dorsally than ventrally; maxillary stylets retracted to postocular setae, at least 0.3 of head width apart with distinct maxillary bridge ( Fig. 2 ). Forewing with seven to nine duplicated cilia; with one or two capitate sub-basal setae. Anal setae longer than tube.

Measurements of paratype female (in microns). Body length 2600. Head, length 250; width 190; postocular setae 15. Pronotum, length 160; median width 300; major setae, aa 55; epim 70; pa 35. Forewing length 900; sub-basal setae 45, 50. Tergite IX setae S1 105; S2 115; S3 130. Tube length 200; anal setae 170. Antennal segments III – VIII length 70, 65, 65, 55, 55, 30.

Macropterous male. Colour and structure generally similar to female, but size range greater; large male with massive fore tarsal tooth and enlarged femora, paired cheek setae prominent, also pronotum with anteroangular setae long, and fore coxae bearing stout setae; small male with minute fore tarsal tooth.

Measurements of holotype male, with smallest male paratype in parentheses. Body length 2150 (1650). Head, length 220 (180); width 170; postocular setae 15. Pronotum, length 160 (100); median width 325 (200); major setae, aa 50; epim 55; pa 40 (15). Forewing length 840; sub-basal setae 40, 45. Tergite IX setae S1 110; S2 105; S3 120. Tube length 175 (130); anal setae 150. Antennal segments III – VIII length 65, 55, 50, 48, 50, 25 (50, 45, 47, 45, 45, 25).

Larvae. Mainly white, but sometimes weakly pink, abdominal segments IX and X dark; pronotum brown; legs and antennal segments light brown, distal antennal segments darkest; abdominal setae long and capitate, each arising from a pigmented area; spiracle prominent on mesothorax and abdominal segments II and VIII.

Material studied. Holotype male, USA, California, Los Angeles, Sylmar, from distorted Myoporum laetum leaves, 13.ii.2006 (R. Orsburn) in Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO, Canberra.

Paratypes: 6 females 4 males collected with holotype; 3 females 23 males, from Myoporum distorted leaves, California, San Diego County, 50 km north east of San Diego, 7.ix.2006 (Mark Hoddle 485); 4 females 3 males, from Myoporum distorted leaves, California, Orange County, Anaheim, 25.i.2006 (N. Nisson).

Specimens will be available in the major thrips collections at University of California Riverside, California Department of Food and Agriculture Sacramento, Washington, London, Frankfurt and Tokyo.

Comments. In all structural details, K. myopori is essentially similar to K. walsinghami , a species that is widespread in south-eastern Australia distorting leaves of Myoporum insulare . Samples from California and Australia exhibit great variation in body size, with several character states correlating with overall body size, including lengths of major setae and antennal segments. The only consistent morphological difference that has been found between samples from the two areas is in the position of the maxillary stylets, as indicated in the key above. This difference needs to be assessed in individuals that have not been macerated, because the natural position of the stylets commonly becomes distorted under chemical treatment. Despite this technical problem, no specimens have been seen from California with the stylets deeply retracted and closely placed as in Australian specimens. Molecular differences between two samples from California, including the type series of K. myopori , and samples of K. walsinghami from south-eastern Australia support the view that these two are separate species ( Fig. 5 ). It seems possible that K. myopori is derived from New Zealand, despite not having been found in that country, and represents a scarcely distinguishable sibling to the common Australian species. If biological control agents were to be considered for use against this pest in California, then it will become important to compare molecular data from multiple samples in California and Australia, and an effective search made for the thrips in New Zealand. Both of these species have the mid and hind tarsi yellow, whereas K. annulosus and K. oleariae have these tarsi dark brown.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Relationships between some Australian Phlaeothripinae based on sequence data from the genes “ wingless ” and “ CO 1 ”.

FIGURES 2 – 4. Klambothrips species. 2, K. myopori male holotype; 3, K. myopori antenna; 4, K. walsinghami.