Ptycta freycineti, Schmidt & New, 2008

Schmidt, Evan R. & New, Timothy R., 2008, The Psocoptera (Insecta) of Tasmania, Australia, Memoirs of Museum Victoria 65, pp. 71-152 : 139-141

Ptycta freycineti sp. nov.

Figures 214–21

Material examined. Holotype: Tasmania, Cape Tourville, Leptospermum grandiflorum , 11 June 1987. One nymph, 2 and 1 paratypes:samedataasholotype.Additionalrecords:manyindividuals collected throughout the year.

Description of male. Coloration (after ca 4.5 years in alcohol). Ground colour of head buff. The following are dark brown: markings on back of vertex, dorsal to eyes and along median epicranial suture; ring surrounding antennae base; central stirrup mark on frons; parallel striae on postclypeus, these becoming obsolete anteriorly except in midline; two apical segments of maxillary palp; antennae. The following are mauve: patch each side of median epicranial suture on top of vertex; band along epicranial arm from lateral ocelli to base of antenna; small patch adjacent to epistomal suture each side of stirrup mark on frons. Labrum and anteclypeus colourless. Eyes purple-black. Ocelli pale purple, internally bordered black. Antedorsum and dorsa of mesothorax with mauve tinge, except anterior margin of antedorsum, both posterior mesad patches and margin of mesothorax dorsa, which are dark brown. Dorsa of metathorax dark brown, pleura dark brown with pale sutural areas. Legs buff except: coxa of meso- and meta-thoracic legs dark brown, femur with basally narrow and apically broader brown bands, tibia merging brown basally and apically, tarsal segments brown.Fore wing with brown pigment (fig. 214). Hind wing (fig. 215) hyaline. Abdomen brown with mauve annulations, terminal segments dark brown.

Morphology. IO:D = 1.5. Eyes large, offstanding, reaching beyond level of vertex when looking from side of head. Median epicranial suture distinct. Ocelli on raised tubercle. Antenna (type incomplete) long, slender, pubescent; sensory placoids: 3 at base f 1, 1 at apices f 4, f 6 and f 10, terminal segment bluntly rounded (from another preparation). Fore wing (fig. 214) and hind wing (fig. 215) with fine setae, veins rs and m fused for a short length. Epiproct (fig. 216) margin well sclerotised, anterior lobe transverse, spiculate. Paraproct (fig. 216) with large terminal spine and round field of 28 trichobothria, small rounded sclerotised area basad of trichobothrial field. Hypandrium (fig. 217). Phallosome (fig. 218) frame closed, with long lateral anteriorly directed projections.

Dimensions. B 2.8, FW 4.45, HW, 3.36, F 0.83, T 1.71, t 1 0.474, t 2 0.197, rt 2.5:1, ct 23,4, f 1 1.008, f 2 0.787.

Description of female. Coloration (after ca 4.5 years in alcohol). As male, with following exceptions:apical segment of maxillary palp brown, apex darker; basal flagellar segment of antennae brown, merging to dark brown apically, remaining segments dark brown. Fore wing (fig. 219).

Morphology. IO:D =2.2. Eyes slightly offstanding.Median epicranial suture distinct. Antennal segments (incomplete) not as thick and less setose than male, sensory placoids: 3 at base f 1, 1 at apices f 2, f 4, f 6 and f 10. Fore wing (fig. 219) as male except incipient spur-vein present from pterostigma. Epiproct setose in apical half, lateral margins sclerotised. Paraproct with round field of 26 trichobothria. Subgenital plate (fig. 220) median lobe apically setose, with small subapical triangular sclerotisation. Gonapophyses and spermathecal plate (fig. 221).

Dimensions. B 3.2, FW 3.92, HW 3.01, F 0.77, T 1.63, t

1

0.434, t

2

0.205, rt 2.2:1, ct 20,3, f

1

0.814, f

2

0.711.

Remarks. This species is closely related to P. glossoptera , P. australis and P. pallawahensis (below). It can be distinguished from the former two species in details of head pattern, as both lack the mauve pigmentation found on P.freycineti . Differences from P. pallawahensis are noted in the comments following that species description (below). The development of the spur-vein from the pterostigma on the fore wing varies from small to absent (see comments on this character under the description of P. glossoptera , New 1974b). Wing length varies from 3.8–4.5mm (), 4.2–4.5mm (). Restricted to the peninsula in which Freycinet National Park forms a large part, this species was taken from only three dry coastal scrub habitats: Hakea epiglottis , Kunzea ambigua and Leptospermum grandiflorum .

Etymology. Named for Louis de Freycinet, a French navigator.

Figures

Figures 214-221. Ptycta freycineti. Male: 214, fore wing; 215, hind wing; 216, epiproct and paraproct; 217, hypandrium; 218, phallosome. Female: 219, fore wing; 220, subgenital plate; 221, gonapophyses and spermathecal plate. Figures 220 and 221 to common scale.