Phaulothrips flindersi, Mound, Laurence A. & Tree, Desley J., 2013

Mound, Laurence A. & Tree, Desley J., 2013, Australian spore-feeding thrips of the genus Phaulothrips (Thysanoptera, Idolothripinae), Zootaxa 3608 (4), pp. 239-252 : 245

Phaulothrips flindersi sp.n.

( Figs 4 , 11 , 31 )

Macropterous female. Body and legs brown to dark brown, fore tibiae and tarsi paler, also antennal segments III–V; major setae mainly pale, pre-ocellar and postocular cheek setae shaded; fore wing weakly shaded with darker area medially.

Head with cheeks straight to weakly concave; anterior margin with pair of pale pre-ocellar setae with shaded bases, extending to apex of antennal I; postocular setae shorter than dorsal eye length, arising slightly lateral to inner margins of eyes; maxillary stylets retracted to posterior margin of eyes, close together medially in head. Antennal segments II–III with dorso-apical setae weakly capitate; IV–VI ventral apex slightly prolonged with pair of prominent setae, VII prominent longitudinal row of sensoria ( Fig. 4 ); VIII constricted at base.

Pronotum transverse with anterior margin concave; weakly reticulate only around margins; epimeral sutures complete. Fore tarsal tooth recurved, length about half tarsal width. Metanotum reticulate, median setae small. Prosternal basantra small, triangular, lateral to mouth cone; ferna large, median margins rounded and sub-parallel ( Fig. 31 ); mesopraesternum transverse. Fore wings with about 50 duplicated cilia; sub-basal setae S3 longer that S1 and S2.

Pelta with long slender lateral lobes ( Fig. 11 ); tergites reticulate III–VI each with one pair of long but weakly sigmoid wing-retaining setae; tergites II–IV and VIII postero-angular setae much shorter than on V–VII; tergite IX setae finely acute, shorter than tube; tube with tapering margins, apex weakly constricted.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 5900. Head, length 620; median width 370; preocellar setae 100; postocular setae 120; postocular cheek setae 70. Pronotum, length 300; width 650; major setae—am 50, aa 80, ml 90, epim 230), pa 130. Metanotal median setae 60. Fore wing, length 2250. Pelta, length 180; width 700. Tergite IV lateral setae 220. Tergite IX setae S1 440, S2 450. Tube length 650. Antennal segments III–VIII length 270, 180, 150, 120, 100, 90.

Macropterous male. Similar in colour and structure to female; pronotum and fore femora more robust, fore tarsal tooth as long as tarsal width.

Measurements (paratype male in microns). Body length 5100. Head, length 570. Pronotum, length 340; width 650. Fore wing length 2100. Tergite IX setae S1 370, S2 320. Tube length 550.

Specimens examined. Holotype female, Tasmania, Flinders Island, from dead Eucalyptus twigs and nuts, 27.xi.2011 (LAM 5524).

Paratypes: 1 female 1 male taken with holotype.

Non-paratypic specimens: New South Wales, Bungonia 25km south, 2 females from dead Casuarina branches, 4.vi.2011; Barrington Tops, 1 female, 21.ii.2002. Australian Capital Territory, Namadgi, 1 female from dead twigs, 27.xii.2005.

Comments. This species is considerably smaller than daguilaris , with the tube, also the pre-ocellar setae, much shorter. The medial margins of the prosternal ferna are more rounded and less parallel sided. The specimens excluded from the type series are similar in structure, but the ones from New South Wales have longer pre-ocellar setae.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 10. Australian species of Phaulothrips. (1) barretti, antenna; (2) whyallae, antennal segments I – V; (3) daguilaris, antennal segments V – VIII; (4) flindersi, antennal segments V – VIII; (5) anici, pelta of macroptera; (6) anici, pelta of microptera; (7) kranzae, meso & metanotum, pelta & tergite II; (8) agrestis, pelta & tergite II; (9) whyallae, pelta & tergite II; (10) daguilaris, pelta.

FIGURES 11 – 20. Australian species of Phaulothrips. (11) flindersi, pelta; (12) inquilinus, pelta; (13) oakeyi, pelta; (14) sibylla, pelta; (15) agrestis, head; (16) inquilinus, pre-ocellar tubercles; (17) kingae, pre-ocellar tubercles; (18) kranzae, preocellar tubercles; (19) whyallae, pre-ocellar tubercles; (20) vuilleti, pre-ocellar seta;

FIGURES 30 – 35. Australian species of Phaulothrips. Prosternal basantra, ferna and mesopraesternum 30 – 33: (30) daguilaris, (31) flindersi, (32) oakeyi - female, (33) oakeyi - large male. Pronotum 34 – 35: (34) kranzae, (35) oakeyi.