Litotetothrips gallicola, Mound & Tree, 2021

Mound, Laurence A. & Tree, Desley J., 2021, Litotetothrips Priesner (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae); an Asian genus newly recorded from Australia with two new species and one new combination, Zootaxa 5027 (3), pp. 445-450 : 448

Litotetothrips gallicola sp.n.

( Figs 1, 4, 7 )

Female macroptera. Body and legs brown, head darkest, fore tibiae paler, all tarsi brownish-yellow; antennal segment II yellow distally, III yellow, IV–VII yellow at base and variably light brown distally, VIII uniformly brown; fore wings weakly shaded but brown at base; major setae all pale. Head at least 1.3 times as long as wide ( Fig. 1 ), widest across eyes, genae narrowed to base without setae; all eye facets equal in size; vertex irregularly transversely striate; stylets retracted about half-way to postocular setae; po setae weakly capitate. Antennal segment IV with 3 sense cones. Pronotum with a few sculpture lines at anterior and posterior, smooth medially; am setae varying, about half as long as aa setae; notopleural sutures complete; epim and pa setae long and capitate. Mesonotal lateral setae capitate; metanotal median setae small and acute ( Fig. 4 ). Prosternal ferna as wide apart as their diameter; mesopresternum variably eroded, rarely slender and complete medially. Pelta elongate triangular; tergite lateral setae weakly capitate, setae on IX long and finely pointed; tube with straight sides, anal setae shorter than tube.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 2550. Head, length 250; width behind eyes 190; po setae 65. Pronotum, length 170; width 250; major setae—am 15, aa 35, ml 30, epim 80, pa 90. Fore wing, length 1000, width 90, 11 duplicated cilia; sub-basal setae 35, 50, 50. Mesonotal lateral setae 35; metanotal median setae 20. Tergite VI lateral setae 100. Tergite IX setae 210, 200, 180. Tube length 240. Antennal segments III–VIII length 60, 65, 55, 55, 50, 50.

Male macroptera. Similar to female but slightly smaller; tergite IX setae S2 short but varying in length and stoutness.

Measurements (paratype male in microns). Body length 2150. Head length 220. Fore wing length 800. Tergite IX setae 200, 50, 200. Tube length 180.

Specimens studied. Holotype female, Queensland, Brisbane Forest Park, Mt Nebo, from marginal leaf-roll galls on Elaeocarpus obovatus [ Elaeocarpaceae ], 9.vii.2002 (LAM4182) (in ANIC).

Paratypes: taken with holotype, 10 females, 6 males (in ANIC & QDPC) .

Comments. This species has the head and maxillary stylets in the form indicated in the generic diagnosis of Thlibothrips by Okajima (2006). However, that author indicated that Thlibothrips species were not associated with galls, whereas this new species was found in leaf-roll galls. Moreover, in contrast to the original diagnosis of Thlibothrips ( Priesner 1952) there are no enlarged eye facets. It is particularly similar in structure to Okajima’s description and illustrations of Thlibothrips antennalis from Honshu and the Izu Islands, Japan, but differs in having capitate major setae and a more elongate pelta.

Figures

FIGURES 1‒10. Litotetothrips species. Head & pronotum 1–2: (1) gallicola; (2) caledonensis. Mesonotum to tergite II 3–5: (3) caledonensis; (4) gallicola; (5) tareei. Antenna 6-8: (6) caledonensis; (7) gallicola; (8) tareei. Thoracic sternites 9–10: (9) tareei; (10) caledonensis.