Poliaspis waibenensis Hardy & Henderson sp. n. Fig. 15

Material examined.

Holotype: female: Australia, QLD, Thursday Island [-10.58, 142.22], on leaves of Lumnitzera racemosa, 2.9.2004, B Waterhouse (ANIC).

Paratypes: QLD. 10 adult females: Atherton [-17.27, 145.48], on leaves of Parsonsia straminea, 1.2.1982, J Donaldson (QDPI); 6 adult females: Hammond Island [-10.55, 142.21], on leaves of Rhizophora sp., 29.11.1993, J Grimshaw (QDPI); 7 adult females : Thursday Island, on leaves of Pemphis acidula, 6.9.1983, J Donaldson (QDPI); 5 adult females: Thursday Island, ex mangrove, 16.5.1985, J Donaldson (QDPI); 4 adult females: same data as holotype (QDPI). WA. 3 adult females: Sunday Island [-16.4, 123.19], on leaves of Ficus sp., 13.5.2002, A Williams (QDPI); 3 adult females: Willie Creek via Broome [-17.96, 122.24], ex mangrove, 7.8.2003, A Postle, C Brockway (QDPI).

Description, n=10.

Slide-mounted adult female 1101-2040 μm long (holotype 2040 μm long), body outline fusiform to pyriform, with weakly-developed lobes on pre-pygidial abdominal segments. Pygidium with 2 pairs of lobes; median lobes zygotic, divergent, lobes connected via broad (more than half width of lobes) sclerosis, each lobe wider than long, with rounded apex; margin between lobes incised; second lobe bi-lobed, ca. as large as medial lobe, medial lobule larger and with stronger basal sclerosis. Gland spines 25-47 long long, 2-3 × length of median lobes, 1 gland spine on lateral margin of each pygidial segment; pair of setae between median lobes. Conspicuous, duct spur present between medial and second lobe, as long as medial lobe. Dorsal ducts smaller than marginal ducts; present in rows; 4 submedial ducts present on segment 6; ca. 6 submarginal and ca. 6 submedial ducts on segment 5. Perivulvar pores: 2-6 posteromedial, 6-11 posterolateral, 15-28 posterior, 0-3 anteromedial, and 4-7 anterolateral. Trilocular pores in cluster of 1-5 near anterior spiracle; absent near posterior spiracle in most specimens (2 present in specimens from Parsonsia). Microducts absent on dorsal surface of head, scattered on ventral surface of abdomen and thorax. Antenna with 2 fleshy setae.

Comments.

Poliaspis waibenensis is very similar to Poliaspis naamba . See comments under Poliaspis naamba for discussion.

Etymology.

The species name is taken from the Torres Strait Islander name for Thursday Island: Waiben, meaning 'place of no water.'