Anaphothrips astrolomi Pitkin, 1978

Mound, Laurence A. & Masumoto, Masami, 2009, Australian Thripinae of the Anaphothrips genus-group (Thysanoptera), with three new genera and thirty-three new species, Zootaxa 2042 (1), pp. 1-76 : 18

Anaphothrips astrolomi Pitkin

( Figs 17–20 )

Anaphothrips astrolomi Pitkin, 1978: 353

This species was described from 40 females taken at one site on the coast south of Adelaide, Aldinga Reserve, South Australia. More recently one male (14.i.2002) and one female (15.i.2008) were collected at this same site, in association with the same Epacridaceae species from which the original series was taken. This thrips is possibly univoltine and host specific in the flowers of Astroloma styphelioides . As is evident from the key, it is not easily recognised in the female sex, although the only known male is readily distinguished from A. epacrida described below by the form of the setae on tergite IX and the greatly enlarged sternal pore plates ( Figs 17, 20 ). A single male that appears to be A. astrolomi has also been seen from Western Australia, Jerramungup, 12.xii.1999.

Female macroptera. Body and legs yellow, tergite X light brown distally; antennal segment I white, II brown, III brownish yellow, IV–IX brown; fore wing weakly shaded; tergite IX major setae brown. Head with weak transverse anastomosing striae behind eyes not extending to ocellar region; ocellar setae III well outside margins of ocellar triangle; eyes without pigmented facets. Antennae 9-segmented; segment II with no microtrichia, III–IV with short, relatively stout, forked sensorium; VI narrowed to base but not pedicellate; suture transverse between VI–VII ( Fig. 19 ). Pronotum with weak sculpture lines, all setae small. Metascutum reticulate; median setae near anterior margin; MCS present. Fore wing first vein with 9–13 setae basally, 2–3 setae medially, 2 setae distally; second vein with 15–22 setae, including 1–3 setae basal to vein fork; clavus with 7–9 veinal setae. Abdominal tergites III–VII with no sculpture medially; laterally with about 8 anastomosing striae bearing short, weak microtrichia, lines not extending mesad of setae S2; tergite VIII with long regular comb ( Fig. 17 ).

Male macroptera. Similar to female; tergite IX medially with two pairs of dark brown, thorn-like setae ( Figs 17–18 ); sternites III–VII with large C-shaped pore plate that is almost confluent with the margins of each sternite ( Fig. 20 ).

Figures

FIGURES 13–23. Anaphothrips of Australia. A. aptilotus 13–16: (13) pterothorax and tergites I–II; (14) tergites VI–VIII; (15) male tergite IX; (16) antenna. A. astrolomi 17–20; (17) male tergite VIII–IX (Nomarski); (18) male tergite VIII–IX (phase-contrast); (19) antenna; (20) male sternites. A. atriplicis 21–23: (21) meso & metanotum; (22) tergites VI–VIII; (23) antenna.