Teuchothrips jukun, 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 : 459

Teuchothrips jukun sp.n.

( Figs 49–52 )

Female macroptera. Body and all femora brown, all tarsi yellow, mid and hind tibiae brown with apex yellow, fore tibiae yellow except light brown near base; antennal segment I brown, II yellow distally, III–VII yellow, VIII weakly shaded; major pronotal setae light brown; fore wings uniformly pale, including base. Head longer than wide, genae convex, vertex with transverse sculpture, postocular setae capitate and extending well beyond posterior margin of eyes; eyes longer dorsally than ventrally, mouth cone long and pointed; maxillary stylets retracted to eyes, close together medially, maxillary guides stout ( Fig. 49 ). Antennal segment III a little more than 2.0 times as long as wide; segment IV with 3 major sense cones; VIII short and distinct from VII. Pronotum with few sculpture lines but median longitudinal apodeme stout; with 5 pairs of capitate major setae. Fore femora not enlarged, tarsal tooth small and blunt, less than one-third as long as tarsal width but hamus elongate ( Fig. 50 ). Mesonotum transversely reticulate, lateral setal pair capitate. Metanotum with irregular longitudinal reticulation, major setal pair slender ( Fig. 51 ). Fore wing with 10–11 duplicated cilia. Mesopresternum 2 lateral triangles extend medially; metathoracic sternopleural sutures stout. Pelta irregularly triangular with base flared; tergite IX setae S1, S2 and also S3 capitate; tube margins straight.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 2470. Head, length 230; maximum width 210; compound eye dorsal length 85. Pronotum, length 175; width 325; epimeral setae 60. Fore wing, length 910; sub-basal setae S1 55, S2 60, S3 60. Tergite VIII posterolateral setae 70; tergite IX setae S1 135, S2 125; tube, length 195, basal width 80; anal setae, length 140. Antennal segments I–VIII length (width): 50 (35), 55 (35), 70 (35), 75 (40), 65 (35), 60 (30), 55 (25), 35 (15).

Male macroptera. Similar to female in colour and sculpture, fore tarsal tooth slightly smaller; sternite VIII fully occupied by pore plate that extends across tergal surface as two large areas ( Fig. 52 ); tergite IX setae S2 short and capitate.

Measurements (paratype male in microns). Body length 1950. Head, length 210; width 160. Pronotum, length 150; width 260. Tergite IX setae S1 110, S2 50. Tube, length 165, basal width 75; anal setae, length 140.

Specimens studied. Holotype female, Western Australia, Broome , from Terminalia buds, 28.ii.2005 ( LAM 4641 ), in ANIC.

Paratypes: 2 females, 2 males taken with holotype; same locality , 1 female, 1 male from Terminalia ferdinandiana , 4.iii.2005.

Comments. This species is remarkable amongst Teuchothrips for the extreme reduction in size of the fore tarsal tooth in both sexes ( Fig. 50 ). Also, for the development in males of a large pair of pore plates on tergite VIII as well as across sternite VIII. It is one of only few Teuchothrips species to have the antennae largely yellow, although the pronotal major setae are all shaded.

Figures

FIGURES 44–52. Teuchothrips of Australia. T. jarowair 44–48: (44) head; (45) pronotum; (46) metanotum & pelta; (47) tergites IX–X; (48) male sternite VIII. T. jukun 49–52: (49) head & pronotum; (50) fore tarsus; (51) metanotum & pelta; (52) tergite VIII, male.