Nesothrips rossi, Eow, 2014

Eow, Li-Xin, 2014, Australian species of spore-feeding Thysanoptera in the genera Carientothrips and Nesothrips (Thysanoptera: Idolothripinae), Zootaxa 3821 (2), pp. 193-221 : 219

Nesothrips rossi sp.n.

( Figs 55 , 63 )

Female macroptera. Body uniformly brown with tube paler at apex, femora paler toward apex, tarsi brownish yellow; antennal segment I and base of II concolourous with head, III yellow, IV–V yellow with apex weakly shaded, VI with yellow pedicel, VII–VIII brown; major setae brown; fore wings pale.

Head wider than long, not projecting in front of eyes, cheeks convex, vertex weakly reticulate ( Fig. 55 ); postocellar setae small and acute posterior to inner margin of posterior ocelli; postocular setae long, acute; compound eyes equal in size dorsally and ventrally; maxillary stylets wide V-shaped, not retracted as deeply as postocular setae; maxillary palp segment I about as long as wide, segment II about 2 times as long as I, without transverse lines, terminal sensorium setaceous. Antennal segment VIII not constricted at base.

Pronotum transverse, weakly reticulate near margins, notopleural sutures complete ( Fig. 55 ); with 5 pairs of major setae, most blunt but am acute; mesopresternum transverse, boat-shaped; metathoracic sternopleural sutures short. Metanotum without sculpture anteromedially but with longitudinal reticulation on posterior half; median setae long. Fore wing with about 16 duplicated cilia, sub-basal setae long and acute.

Pelta with broadly rounded median lobe and short lateral wings curving away from anterior margin of tergite II, extending about 70% across anterior border of tergite ( Fig. 63 ); tergites III–VII each with pair of sigmoid wingretaining setae; tergite IX setae S1 and S2 blunt, shorter than tube, S3 finely acute and almost as long as tube; tube shorter than head.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 2500. Head, length 240; width 250; postocellar setae 30; po setae 100. Pronotum, length 130; width 280; major setae am 35, aa 30, ml 40, epim 105, pa 50. Fore wing, length 1000; sub-basal setae 30, 75, 130. Tergite IX setae S1 115, S2 155, S3 190. Tube length 215. Antennal segments III–VIII length 80, 80, 70, 65, 45, 30.

Male macroptera. Similar to female except fore femora enlarged, fore tarsi with stout tooth; pronotum with strong median longitudinal apodeme; tergite IX setae S3 as long as tube.

Specimens studied. Holotype female. Australia, Queensland, Townsville, Aitkenvale, Ross River , from dead leaf of Melaleuca leucadendra , 17.viii.1993 (L.M.Brown).

Paratypes: 1 female, 1 male taken with holotype.

Comments. This species is similar in general appearance to several other short-headed members of this genus, but is distinguished particularly by the linear sculpture on the posterior half of the metanotum ( Fig. 63 ).

Figures

FIGURES 47–55. Nesothrips species. Head: (47) lativentris, (48) badius, (49) barrowi, (50) coorongi, (51) propinquus, (52) minor major male, (53) carveri, (54) brigalowi, (55) rossi.

FIGURES 62–68. Nesothrips species. Thoracic features and pelta: (62) coorongi, (63) rossi, (64) brigalowi, (65) barrowi. Pelta: (66) hemidiscus. Pronotum: (67) capricornis. Maxillary palps and mesopresternum: (68) propinquus.