Tanystigma westae, Schmidt & New, 2008

Schmidt, Evan R. & New, Timothy R., 2008, The Psocoptera (Insecta) of Tasmania, Australia, Memoirs of Museum Victoria 65, pp. 71-152 : 145

Tanystigma westae sp. nov.

Figures 240–48

Material examined. Holotype: Tasmania, Lyell Hwy, 20 kms east Derwent Bridge , Hakea epiglottis , 27 Aug 1991. Two and 2 paratypes: same data as holotype. Additional records: site 242 (holotype locality), 17 nymphs, 3 July 86; 14 nymphs, 12 Aug 86; 1 nymph 15 Sep 86; 1 nymph, 16 Oct 86.

Description of male. Coloration (after ca 3 months in alcohol). Ground colour of head light brown, with darker brown patches dorsal to eyes, across back of vertex and each side of median epicranial suture; broad brown band along arms of epicranial suture, merging with brown band between eye and dark brown ring of antennal socket; epistomal suture and longitudinal postclypeal stripes brown; ocellar protuberance dark brown, ocelli pale with black centripetal borders; large brown patch on frons below anterior ocellus; labrum and anteclypeus dark brown. Maxillary palp dark brown, apices of basal three segments pale. Antennae dark brown. Eyes black. Fore wing (fig. 240): hyaline, pigmentation of pterostigma dark brown; veins dark brown except: base of r 2+3 and r 4+5; cu 1b; distal half of section of m between its leaving rs and joining cu 1a. Hind wing hyaline. Thorax: dorsa dark brown; postnotum light brown dorsally, dark brown ventrally; pleura dark brown, sutural areas pale. Coxae and legs dark brown. Abdomen pale brown with longitudinal brown stripes, one dorsally and two on each side. Terminal segments dark brown.

Morphology. IO:D = 2.5. Eyes small. Ocelli on slightly raised tubercle. Antenna: short (length 2.95mm), strongly setose; terminal segment small with narrow rounded apex; sensory placoids: 2 at base f

1

, 1 at apices f

4

and f

10

. Fore wing (fig. 240) glabrous, hind wing with few setae at margin between veins r 2+3 and r 4+5. First and second sections of cu 1a almost in straight line, both sections approximately equal in length. Distal half of section of vein between its leaving rs and joining cu 1a strongly curved.Spur-vein present on pterostigma.Mesothoracic and metathoracic scutella well developed. Epiproct (fig. 241) sclerotised, fused to ninth tergite; a rounded basal median projection, each side of this a rounded setose lobe; posteriorly arrow shaped, a small central area containing three large setae and numerous smaller setae. Paraproct (fig. 241) with rounded field of 52 trichobothria, distinct curved sclerotised bar and an apical sclerotised spur. Ninth tergite with large lateral anvilshaped projection adjacent to paraproct (fig. 241). Hypandrium (fig. 242): well sclerotised, symmetrical with apical pair of rounded bulbous lobes; at posterior lateral angle plate broadly folded anteriorly, adjacent to a longitudinal sclerotised bar at edge of plate; densely setose. Phallosome (fig. 243) posteriorly open with pair of double, sharp sclerotised spines.

Dimensions. B 3.9, FW 4.5, HW 3.4, F 0.79, T 1.75, t

1

0.474, t

2

0.205, rt 2.3:1, ct 18,3, f

1

0.830, f

2

0.600.

Description of female. Coloration (after ca 3 months in alcohol). As male with the following exceptions: brown band along ventral margin of eye; epicranial suture brown, arms lacking brown band; fore wing (fig. 244) with complete transverse fascia; hind wing (fig. 245) with areas of slight brown tinge; metathoracic scutellum dark brown.

Morphology. IO:D = 3.6. Antenna: less setose than male, shorter (length 2.65mm); terminal segment very small, sensory placoids: 1 at base f 1, 1 at apices f 2, f 4, f 6 and f 10. Epiproct (fig. 246): sclerotised arms directed anteriorly, incipiently bilobed posteriorly with two strong setae apically on each lobe; margin and body heavily setose. Paraproct (fig. 246): round field of 43 trichobothria; ventral surface rugose; apical margin setose. Subgenital plate (fig. 247): median lobe with small apical transverse sclerotised band, surrounding this numerous small setae; pigment band fusing apically, generally divided medially; scattered setae on plate with two larger setae posteriorly. Gonapophyses (fig. 248): ventral valve long, slender, apex narrow, spiculate; dorsal valve broad with narrow spiculate apex; external valve with small dorsal lobe, posterior edge of transverse lobe sclerotised, setose. Spermathecal plate (fig. 248) represented by two large round sclerotised areas.

Dimensions. B 4.2, FW 4.4, HW 3.3, F 0.75, T 1.61, t

1

0.363, t

2

0.198, rt 1.8:1, ct 15,0, f

1

0.670, f

2

0.510.

Remarks. Only nymphs of this species have been collected in the field. The holotype and paratypes were reared in the laboratory and were subsequently killed on 8 Sep 1991.

Males of T. westae differ from other species of this genus by the exaggerated size of the apophyses extending posteriorly from the ninth tergite adjacent to the paraprocts, the peculiar epiproct and shape of the hypandrium. Females differ markedly in the pigmentation of the subgenital plate, the bilobed epiproct and the sclerotisation of the spermathecal plate.

Etymology. Named for Dr Jan West, a friend and former fellow postgraduate student with ERS, who once attempted to collect this species while on a visit to Tasmania.

Figures

Figures 240-248. Tanystigma westae. Male: 240, fore wing; 241, ninth tergite, epiproct and paraproct; 242, hypandrium; 243, phallosome. Figures 241-243 to common scale. Female: 244, fore wing; 245, hind wing; 246, epiproct and paraproct; 247, subgenital plate; 248, gonapophyses and spermathecal plate. Figures 244, 245 and 246-248 to common scales.