Cartomothrips abrsi, Mound, Laurence A. & Walker, Annette K., 2012

Mound, Laurence A. & Walker, Annette K., 2012, The Australia-New Zealand connection re-visited, with two new species of Cartomothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae), Zootaxa 3487, pp. 58-64 : 60

Cartomothrips abrsi sp.n.

( Figs 3, 4 , 7, 12, 14 )

Female macroptera. Body and legs brown, fore tarsi paler, tube darkest; antennae dark brown but III yellow in basal third, IV yellow in basal quarter, V with pedicel yellow; major setae all pale.

Head longer than wide, cheeks weakly convex, with few weak setae; postocular setae apically blunt, not extending to posterior margin of eyes ( Fig. 4 ); postoccipital ridge without internal apophyses; maxillary stylets close together medially, retracted to eyes. Antennae 8-segmented, III and IV each with 3 stout sensoria; VIII broad at base. Pronotum transverse, with weak sculpture lines ( Fig. 4 ); notopleural sutures complete; anteromarginal setae minute, midlateral and posteroangular setae small and acute, anteroangular and epimeral setae bluntly pointed. Mesonotum transversely reticulate, lateral setae minute; metanotum reticulate, median setal pair acute ( Fig. 3 ). Fore tarsus with prominent tooth. Fore wing parallel sided, with about 12 duplicated cilia; sub-basal setae S3 minute. Prosternal basantra not developed, ferna small and widely separated ( Fig. 7 ); mesopraesternum reduced to two lateral triangles. Pelta triangular with pair of campaniform sensilla ( Fig. 3 ); tergites II–VII each with 2 pairs of wing-retaining setae, on each tergite the posterior pair larger than anterior pair; major lateral setae blunt to weakly capitate, on IX softly pointed and shorter than tube.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 2250. Head, length 225; width across cheeks 205; maxillary stylets median separation 15. Pronotum, length 130; width 280; major setae—am 5, aa 25, ml 15, epim 40, pa 25. Metanotal median setae 45. Fore wing length 900. Tergite inner and outer lateral setae (S1, S2), on VII 70, 100; on IX 80, 95. Tube length 150; anal setae 200. Antennal segments III–VIII length 70, 60, 60, 50, 45, 35.

Male macroptera. Closely similar to female in colour and structure, except: postoccipital ridge with pair of weak internal apophyses ( Fig. 12 ); fore tarsal tooth large and broadly based; tergite IX S2 setae short; sternite VIII almost fully occupied by pore plate ( Fig. 14 ).

Measurements (paratype male in microns with small male in parentheses). Body length 2050 (1850). Head length 230 (210). Tergite IX setae S1 115 (112), S2 28 (33). Tube length 150 (145).

Specimens examined. Holotype female, Australia, Tasmania, 17 Mile Plain, 20km west of Smithton, from Eucalyptus nuts, 11.iii.2010 (Alice Wells), in ANIC, Canberra.

Paratypes: 5 female 5 male taken with holotype.

Comments. A few damaged specimens that are closely similar in structure to abrsi have been studied from Melaleuca quinquenervia in northern New South Wales (Yamba) and Queensland (Townsville). These specimens differ from the type series in having the setae on tergite IX rather shorter and with broader apices. They share most of the other character states with the type series, including the colour of the antennae and the very short setae S 3 in the sub-basal series of the fore wing.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Cartomothrips species. (1) tofti, pro, meso & metanota, pelta and tergite II. (2) tofti, head of holotype. (3) abrsi, meso & metanota, pelta and tergite II. (4) abrsi, head & pronotum. (5) tofti, female with fustis internally on segment IX. (6) neboissi, male with genital complex internally on segment IX.

FIGURES 7 – 15. Cartomothrips species. Thoracic sternites 7 – 10: (7) abrsi; (8) tofti; (9) browni; (10) neboissi. (11) browni, head showing postoccipital apophyses. (12) abrsi, male head with weak occipital apophyses. Male sternite VIII with pore plate 13 – 14: (13) tofti; (14) abrsi. (15) tofti, tergites VII – IX and tube of female [S 1 & S 2 — major setae (S 3 arises ventro-laterally); Int—intermediate setae].