Teuchothrips badu, 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 : 449-450

Teuchothrips badu sp.n.

( Figs 13–16 )

Female macroptera. Body and femora brown, all tibiae and tarsi clear yellow; antennal segments I and VII–VIII brown, II yellow distally, III yellow, IV–VI yellow but increasingly light brown on apical half; major setae pale; fore wings uniformly pale. Head about as long as wide, genae convex; vertex with weak reticulate sculpture laterally and on posterior third; postocular setae capitate, extending beyond posterior margin of eyes; eyes slightly longer dorsally than ventrally; maxillary stylets close together medially, retracted to eyes ( Fig. 13 ); mouth cone pointed ( Fig. 15 ). Antennal segment III more than twice as long as apical width; IV with 3 major sense cones, VIII small and distinct from VII ( Fig. 16 ). Pronotum transverse, with 5 pairs of capitate setae; surface weakly reticulate at anterior and posterior thirds. Fore tarsal tooth small or very small and pointed, fore femora not enlarged. Fore wing with about 6 duplicated cilia; sub-basal setae capitate, arising in straight line. Mesonotum transversely reticulate, lateral setal pair small but capitate. Metanotum median area longitudinally reticulate, major setal pair slender ( Fig. 14 ). Mesopresternum paired lateral triangles with slender connection medially, metathoracic sternopleural sutures long. Pelta broadly triangular with broad base; tergites VI–VIII lateral setae long and capitate, tergite IX setae S1 and S2 long and capitate; tube lateral margins straight, some anal setae longer than tube.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 2140. Head, length 200; maximum width 190. Pronotum, length 165; width 265; epimeral setae 50. Fore wing, length 680; sub-basal setae S1 35, S2 25, S3 35. Tergite VIII posterolateral setae 55; tergite IX setae S1 65, S2 85; tube, length 135, basal width 70; anal setae, length 235. Antennal segments I–VIII length (width): 65 (35), 50 (30), 60 (25), 60 (35), 55 (30), 50 (25), 35 (20), 25 (15).

Male macroptera. Similar to female in colour and sculpture; sternite VIII with large transverse pore plate; tergite IX setae S2 capitate, shorter than S1.

Measurements (paratype male in microns). Body length 1400. Head, length 160; width 155. Pronotum, length 130; width 190. Tergite IX setae S1 65, S2 35. Tube, length 90, basal width 55; anal setae, length 200.

Specimens studied. Holotype female, Torres Strait , Boigu Island, taken in trap, 8.ii.2008, in ANIC.

Paratypes: Torres Strait , Badu Island, 1 female, 1 male from Lophostemon suaveolens , 18.xi.2009 .

Non-paratype: Queensland, Brisbane, The Gap , Mt Cootha , 1 female from dead wood, 29.x.2008, in QDPC .

Comments. The two islands in the Torres Straits on which the type specimens were taken are close to the southern border of the island of New Guinea, the island of Boigu being scarcely six kilometres from that territory. This new species is remarkable amongst Teuchothrips in having all tibiae and tarsi clear yellow, but is typical of the genus in structure .

Figures

FIGURES 11–26. Teuchothrips of Australia. T. badiipennis 11–12: (11) metanotum & pelta; (12) prosternites. T. badu 13– 16: (13) head & pronotum; (14) metanotum & pelta; (15) prosternites; (16) antenna. T. bundjalong 17–20: (17) head; (18) metanotum & pelta; (19) tergites IX–X; (20) male sternite VIII. T. burroughsi 21–22: (21) head & pronotum; (22) metanotum & pelta. T. bursariicola (=ater) 23–26: (23) head & pronotum, Female; (24) head & pronotum, Male; (25) metanotum & pelta; (26) male sternite VIII.