Aliceathrips mnestes, Mound, Laurence A., 2011

Mound, Laurence A., 2011, Grass-dependent Thysanoptera of the family Thripidae from Australia, Zootaxa 3064 (1), pp. 1-40 : 11

Aliceathrips mnestes sp.n.

( Figs 9–16 )

Female macroptera. Body and legs yellow, fore femora external margins shaded brown, abdominal segments IX–X brownish yellow but particularly shaded near posterior margins; antennal segment I white, II brown, III pale with extreme apex shaded, IV–V pale with apical quarter light brown, VI–VIII brown; fore wings and all major setae pale. With the character states in the generic diagnosis; antennae 7-segmented ( Fig. 16 ), III–IV with sensorium simple. Ocellar setae III 1.0–1.5 as long as an ocellus ( Fig. 9 ); metanotum weakly reticulate medially, median setae varying in distance from anterior margin ( Fig. 13 ); mesosternal anterior margin with about 6 setae; tergite IX median dorsal setae slightly stouter than posterior setae and extending just beyond tergal posterior margin ( Fig. 15 ), posterior setal pair I shorter than pair II; X with median split incomplete; sternite II with 1–3 discal setae, III–VII with 5–9 discal setae ( Fig. 10 ).

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 1280. Head length 135; width across eyes 135; ocellar setae III 20. Pronotum, length 110; maximum width 135; pa inner setae 25; pa outer setae 30. Fore wing length 550. Metanotal median setae 12. Tergite IX median dorsal setae 45; marginal setae S1 75; S2 125. Tergite X setae S1 115. Antennal segments III–VII length 40, 35, 35, 45, 20.

Male macroptera. Smaller and paler than female; tergite IX with pair of elongate curved processes ( Figs 11, 12 ); sternites with no pore plates.

Material studied. Holotype female, Northern Territory, 70km south of Darwin , Litchfield Park , from grasses, 31.xii.1995 ( LAM2941 ).

Paratypes: 11 females, 2 males taken with holotype; same locality, 14 females from grass by pool, 26.xii.1996. Queensland, Badu Island , 1 female, 1 male, 18.xi.2009.

Comments. The females of this species are closely similar to those of A. australiensis , but the antennae are 7- segmented and the males have a unique pair of processes on the posterior margin of tergite IX.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 10. Aliceathrips spp. A. australiensis 1 – 3: (1) head & thorax; (2) tergites V – VIII; (3) male tergites VIII – IX. A. engaius 4 – 8: (4) male tergites VII – IX; (5) head & thorax; (6) tergites I – III; (7) thoraxic sterna; (8) antenna. A. mnestes 9 – 10: (9) head; (10) sternites V – VII.

FIGURES 11 – 22. Aliceathrips spp. A. mnestes 11 – 16: (11 – 12) male tergites VIII – IX; (13) meso & metanota; (14) pronotum; (15) tergites VII – IX; (16) antenna. A. sorghi 17 – 18: (17) sternites V – VII; (18) male tergites VIII – IX. A. palmeri 19 – 22: (19) head & thorax; (20) tergites VIII – X; (21) male tergites VIII – IX; (22) male sternites V – VII.