Holoengythrips kathyae, Mound & Tree, 2014

Mound, Laurence A. & Tree, Desley J., 2014, Fungus-feeding phlaeothripine Thysanoptera in the genus Holothrips from Australia and New Caledonia, with a structurally similar new genus, Holoengythrips, Zootaxa 3860 (2), pp. 125-148 : 139-140

Holoengythrips kathyae sp.n.

( Figs 35 , 54 , 55 , 64 )

Male microptera: Body, legs and antennae light brown, fore tarsi yellow, also extreme base of antennal segment III; tube with transverse yellow band medially; major setae shaded. Head long, slender ( Fig. 35 ), dorsal surface without sculpture except near eyes and in ocellar triangle, ocelli small; cheek setae small but stout, postocular setae longer than eye length with flattened, recurved apices; mouth cone not extending to ferna. Antennal segment III with 3 sensoria, IV with 4; V–VII with parallel-sided pedicel, VIII slightly constricted at base. Pronotum transverse, with weak median apodeme but no sculpture, 5 pairs of major setae, am acute, remaining pairs blunt to weakly capitate. Fore femora slightly swollen, fore tibia slightly thickened at inner apex; fore tarsal tooth longer than tarsal width; fore coxae with small stout setae. Mesonotal lateral setae well-developed, mesothoracic spiracular area weakly protruding laterally; metanotum with one pair of small major setae, weakly reticulate posteromedially. Fore wing lobe relatively long. Prosternal ferna scarcely meeting medially; mesoeusternal margin narrow, mesopresternum of three small sclerites ( Fig. 55 ); metathoracic sternopleural sutures weak. Pelta subquadrate with rounded anterior margin; tergites weakly sculptured, with two pairs of weakly sigmoid wing-retaining setae; major setae bluntly pointed to weakly capitate; tergite IX setae S1 pointed, setae iS slightly shorter than S2. Anal setae about as long as tube. Sternites with one row of about 12 small discal setae; sternites III–VI of largest males sometimes with paired anterolateral areas of weak reticulation; VIII with pore plate occupying most of median area of sclerite ( Fig. 64 ).

Measurements (holotype male in microns). Body length 2680. Head, length 300; median width 180; postocular setae 85. Pronotum, length 170; median width 300; major setae: am 50(25), aa 60, ml 55, epim 60, pa 40. Fore wing lobe 110. Tergite IX setae: S1 100, iS 50, S2 60. Tube length 160. Antennal segments III–VIII length 78, 75, 70, 60, 50, 25.

Female microptera: Similar to male in colour and structure except, fore tarsal tooth very small, less than half of tarsal width (54); postocular setae capitate and straight; coxal stout setae smaller; mesoeusternal margin transverse; tergite IX setae S1 and S2 pointed; sternites without reticulate areas, VIII with large pore plate ( Fig. 64 ).

Measurements (paratype female in microns). Body length 2250. Tergite IX setae: S1 100, iS 50, S2 110.

Female macroptera: Similar to microptera, fore wing with 9 duplicated cilia; tergites each with 2 pairs of sigmoid wing-retaining setae.

Material studied. Holotype male microptera, Queensland, Lamington, O’Reilly’s , from Nothofagus dead branch, 13.iii.2007 ( LAM 5041 ).

Paratypes, all micropterae: Queensland, Lamington, O’Reilly’s , 5 females, 4 males from dead branches, 9.x.2006 ; same locality, 2 females, 2 males from bark spray, 13.iii.2007 ; 1 male from dead branch, 23.ix.2012; 1 female, 2 males from spraying tree buttress, 4.viii.2013; Springbrook, near Lamington , 4 females, 1 male from bark spray, 29.xi.2011 ; Mt Gannon , 2 females, 1 male from bark spray, 29.xi.2010 ; Mt Glorious, 3 females, 3 males, 2007–009; Brisbane, Mt Nebo , 2 females from dead branch, 30.x.2007 ; Mt Mee , 1 female, 30.x.2010 ; Westcott, Bunya Mts , 1 female, 5 males, 1 female macroptera from bark spray, 30.xii.2010 ; Tallegalla Weir Junction , 1 female, 1 male, 22.xii.2011 . New South Wales, Murwillumbah, Crystal Creek , 2 males from dead leaves, 23.xii.2006 .

Comments. The presence of specialized reticulate areas in some of the larger males of this species, anterolaterally on several sternites, is unique among species within this genus. The bicoloured tube distinguishes this species from others in the genus. Four specimens have been studied from Bulburin, NW of Bundaberg that probably represent this species but have the tube darker than the specimens listed above.

Figures

FIGURES 34–42. Holoengythrips from Australia. Heads: (34) barrinei sp.n.; (35) kathyae sp.n.; (36) maynardae sp.n.; (37) monteithi sp.n.; (38) namadgi sp.n.; (39) tallagandai sp.n.; (40) padthawayi sp.n.; (41) tarsalis sp.n.; (42) turcoae sp.n.

FIGURES 43–54. Holoengythrips from Australia. Pterothorax and abdominal tergites 43–49: (43) barrinei sp.n.; (44) maynardae sp.n., male; (45) monteithi sp.n., female; (46) tarsalis sp.n.; (47) namadgi sp.n.; (48) monteithi sp.n., male; (49) turcoae sp.n. (50) monteithi sp.n., fore tarsus and tibia. Antenna 51–53: (51) barrinei sp.n.; (52) maynardae sp.n.; (53) monteithi sp.n. (54) kathyae sp.n., female fore tarsus and tibia.

FIGURES 55–62. Holoengythrips from Australia. Pterothoracic sternites: (55) kathyae sp.n.; (56) maynardae sp.n., male; (57) maynardae sp.n., female; (58) tallagandai sp.n., male; (59) tallagandai sp.n., female; (60) namadgi sp.n.; (61) barrinei sp.n.; (62) padthawayi sp.n.

FIGURES 63–72. Holoengythrips from Australia. Male sternite VIII pore plate 63–70: (63) barrinei sp.n.; (64) kathyae sp.n.; (65) maynardae sp.n.; (66) monteithi sp.n.; (67) namadgi sp.n.; (68) padthawayi sp.n.; (69) tallagandai sp.n.; (70) turcoae sp.n. Tergite IX and tube, 71–72: (71) maynardae sp.n., female; (72) padthawayi sp.n., male.