Mesandrothrips oleariae, Mound & Tree, 2019

Mound, Laurence A. & Tree, Desley J., 2019, Rediagnoses of the Asian genera Xylaplothrips and Mesandrothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae, Haplothripini), with keys to Australian species, Zootaxa 4613 (2), pp. 327-341 : 336

Mesandrothrips oleariae sp.n.

( Figs 15 , 23)

Female macroptera. Body and femora dark brown, tarsi yellow, fore tibiae yellow distally, mid and hind tibiae brown; antennal segments I and II dark brown, remaining segments paler, III–VI yellow in basal third to half ( Fig. 15 ); major setae pale to very weakly shaded; fore wing and hind wings weakly shaded particularly medially. Antennal segments III and IV with sense cones short and stout. Head with cheeks convex, narrowed to base ( Fig. 23 ); postocular setae capitate, arising lateral to mid-point of eyes; maxillary stylets retracted to postocular setae, wide apart with distinct maxillary bridge. Pronotum with 5 pairs of capitate major setae. Mesonotal lateral setae capitate; metanotal median setae finely pointed; mesopresternum broadly transverse. Fore tarsal tooth stout. Fore wing with 4–6 duplicated cilia; sub-basal setae long and capitate. Pelta triangular; tergites III–VI with major setal pairs S1 and S2 capitate, but S2 on VII–IX finely acute, S1 on IX bluntly pointed.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 2000. Head, length 175;width across cheeks 155; postocular setae 55. Pronotum, length 125;width 225; major setae, am 40, aa 55, ml 50, epim 65, pa 65. Fore wing length 800; sub-basal setae 50, 60, 85. Tergite IV posteromarginal setae S1 90, S2 45. Tergite IX setae S1 105; S2 115. Tube length, 125; basal width 55. Antennal segments III–VIII length 45, 50, 45, 40, 38, 33.

Material studied. Holotype female, Australia, Australian Capital Territory, Tidbinbilla , in rolled leaf galls of Klambothrips oleariae on Olearia lirata , 1.iii.1996 (LAM) (in ANIC & QDPC).

Paratypes: two females taken with the holotype (ANIC).

Non-paratypic specimens: 1 female, 1 male from tied leaves of Acacia doratoxylon , New South Wales, Lockhart, Galore Hill, 16.i.2002 (ANIC).

Comments. This species is closely similar in structure to pictipes but with the antennal segments brightly bicoloured. The two specimens from Lockhart are smaller than the types but otherwise very similar.

Figures

FIGURES 9–18. Mesandrothrips species.Antennae 9–14: (9) austrosteensia; (10) clavipes; (11) googongi; (12) inquilinus; (13) kurandae; (14) lamingtoni; (15) oleariae; (16) pictipes. (17) googongi male aedeagus. (18) darci antennal segments II–V.

FIGURES 19–25. Mesandrothrips species. austrosteensia 19–20: (19) head & pronotum; (20) meso & metanota, pelta and tergite II. (21) googongi head & pronotum. (22) lamingtoni head & pronotum. (23) oleariae head & pronotum. (24) pictipes head, thorax & pelta. (25) kurandae pronotum.