Liothrips

Mound, Laurence A., Dang, Lihong & Tree, Desley J., 2023, The genus Liothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae) in Australia, Zootaxa 5306 (2), pp. 201-214 : 203

Key to Liothrips species of Australia

(Excluding the nomen dubium Liothrips brevifemur Girault )

1. Postocular setae not developed ( Fig. 4 ) [mid and hind tibiae yellow with brown on basal third ( Fig. 33 ); metanotum with very closely spaced longitudinal striae; mesopresternum transverse and complete] [in leaf galls on Timonius ]....... timonii sp.n.

-. Postocular setae well-developed and long.................................................................. 2

2. Mid and hind tibiae yellow, with no more than weak shading near base [metanotum with very closely spaced longitudinal striae ( Fig. 20 ); mesopresternum transverse and complete] [in leaf galls on Piper spp ]............................... pallipes

-. Mid and hind tibiae brown, or bicoloured with up to distal half yellow........................................... 3

3. Maxillary stylets retracted to eyes or to postocular setae, close together medially in head their separation 0.1–0.2 of head width ( Figs 5, 6 )........................................................................................... 4

-. Maxillary stylets not retracted to postocular setae, their separation at least 0.25 of head width ( Figs 1–3 )................ 5

4. All tarsi yellow, mid and hind tibiae yellow on distal fifth or more; pronotal major setae dark brown; fore wing extensively shaded brown with dark median longitudinal line, sharply paler sub-basally; metanotal sculpture narrowly reticulate to almost striate ( Fig. 25 ); mouth cone not extending beyond prosternal ferna [on bulbs of Lilium ]...................... vaneeckei

-. Mid and hind tarsi brown, mid and hind tibiae uniformly brown; pronotal major setae pale to weakly shaded; fore wing pale or weakly shaded; metanotal sculpture broadly reticulate ( Fig. 24 ); mouth cone pointed, extending beyond prosternal ferna (on Miconia crenata )................................................................................. urichi

5. Tergite II close to lateral margin with irregular row of 8–12 discal setae in female ( Fig. 32 ), fewer in male [leaf gall invader on Ficus spp. ]................................................................................... takahashii

-. Tergite II close to lateral margin with irregular row of 3–7 discal setae in female, sometimes none in male ( Figs 33–35 ).... 6

6. Antennal segments III–VI evenly and increasingly light brown, not paler at their bases ( Fig. 10 ); antennal segments V–VI sharply constricted to basal neck; mouth cone long and pointed; with 2 pairs of epimeral setae [head slightly longer than tube] [leaves of Mallotus philippinensis ]............................................................. burwelli sp.n.

-. Antennal segments III–VI largely yellow but with apices increasingly shaded; antennal segments V–VI evenly narrowing to basal neck; mouth cone rounded; with one pair of epimeral setae............................................... 7

7. Fore tibiae clear yellow; antennal segment VI entirely yellow; metanotal reticles narrow, almost striate ( Fig. 17 ) [in leaf galls on Piper spp ].................................................................................. chavicae

- Fore tibiae shaded more or less; antennal segment VI brown on apical half; metanotal reticles relatively broad but longer than wide ( Figs 18, 23 )..................................................................................... 8

8. Metanotal median pair of setae well-developed, about as long as mesonotal lateral pair of setae ( Fig. 23 ); tergite IX setae as long or longer than tube; pronotal am setae well-developed, 0.5 as long as epimeral setae ( Fig. 9 ) [leaves of rainforest tree]............................................................................................... umbratus

-. Metanotal median pair of setae minute, much smaller than mesonotal lateral pair of setae ( Fig. 18 ); tergite IX setae S1 shorter than tube; pronotal am setae usually minute, less than 0.2 as long as epimeral setae ( Fig. 29 ) [leaves of Chionanthus ]............................................................................................. chionanthes sp.n.

Figures

FIGURES 1–9. Australian Liothrips heads. (1) burwelli; (2) chavicae; (3) pallipes; (4) timonii; (5) urichi; (6) vaneeckei; (7) takahashi; (8) umbratus. (9) Pronotum of umbratus.

FIGURES 26–40. Australian Liothrips. Prosternum 26–28: (26) burwelli; (27) pallipes; (28) timoni. (29) Pronotum of chionanthes. Pelta & tergite II 30–35: (30) burwelli; (31) chavicae; (32) takahashi; (33) timonii; (34) umbratus; (35) vaneeckei. Hind tibiae 36–40: (36) timoni; (37) vaneeckei; (38) chavicae; (39) urichi. (40) Holotype of L. brevifemur.

FIGURES 17–25. Australian Liothrips. Metanotum: (17) chavicae; (18) chionanthes; (19) burwelli; (20) pallipes; (21) takahashi; (22) timonii (23) umbratus; (24) urichi; (25) vaneeckei.

FIGURES 10–16. Australian Liothrips antennae. (10) burwelli; (11) chavicae; (12) pallipes; (13) takahashi; (14) timonii; (15) umbratus; (16) vaneeckei.