Masamithrips williei, Mound, Laurence A., 2011

Mound, Laurence A., 2011, Grass-dependent Thysanoptera of the family Thripidae from Australia, Zootaxa 3064 (1), pp. 1-40 : 27

Masamithrips williei sp.n.

(Figs 67–68)

Female macroptera. Body and legs mainly yellow, abdominal segment X dark brown, lateral margins of IX shaded light brown; antennal segments I–III yellow, IV–VIII dark brown (Fig. 67); fore wing weakly shaded on basal half. Closely similar to M. melinus in body structure and chaetotaxy; prosternal basantra with 2 pairs of setae; tergite IX with median dorsal setae extending well beyond posterior margin of tergite, subequal to posterior median setae in length and thickness; tergite X longer than IX. Sternite II with 2 pairs of marginal setae, 4 females with no discal setae on II, but 1 female with 3 discal setae; sternites III–VII with irregular row of 5–7 discal setae.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 1120. Head length 95; width across eyes 110; ocellar setae III 6. Pronotum, length 110; maximum width 130; pa inner setae 35; pa outer setae 35. Fore wing length 510. Metanotal median setae 25. Tergite IX length 80; median dorsal setae 65; setae S1 70; S2 100. Tergite X length 95; setae S1 80. Antennal segments III–VIII length 25, 20, 20, 35, 6, 10.

Material studied. Holotype female, Western Australia, Broome, Willie Creek , from grass on salt marsh, 2.iii.2005 ( LAM 4662 ).

Paratypes: 2 females taken with holotype; Queensland, Boigu Island , 2 females from grass, 16.xi.2009 .

Comments. The tenth abdominal tergite is dark and elongate in this species, although less so than in M. tanyoeikus described above, and ocellar setae pair III is small. In contrast to the other species of Masamithrips , this species has the fourth and fifth antennal segments uniformly dark brown (Fig. 67), and the second abdominal sternite usually lacks discal setae.