Ectopsocus risdonensis, Schmidt & New, 2008

Schmidt, Evan R. & New, Timothy R., 2008, The Psocoptera (Insecta) of Tasmania, Australia, Memoirs of Museum Victoria 65, pp. 71-152 : 111

Ectopsocus risdonensis sp. nov.

Figures 125–32

Material examined. Holotype: Tasmania, East Risdon, from shrubs, 27 Apr 1961. Thirteen and 6 paratypes: same data as holotype ( V. V. Hickman).

Description of female. Coloration (after ca 32 years in alcohol). Ground colour of head buff, with the following dark brown: patches (some confluent) dorsal to eyes, across back of vertex and on each side of median epicranial suture; round mark on frons between median ocellus and epistomal suture; prominent striae on postclypeus converging towards midline. Apical segment of maxillary palpi brown. Eyes black. Ocelli pale, with brown centripetal margins. Fore wing with strong clouds at the end of veins and at rs and m junction, brownish tinge on membrane (fig. 125). Hind wing hyaline (fig. 126). Thorax brown, pleural sutures dark brown. Thoracic dorsa dark brown, paler along sutures. Legs pale brown. Abdomen buff.

Morphology. IO:D = 4.5. Epistomal suture with median region convex, clypeal shelf absent. Distal margin of labrum with 5 sensilla. Distinct row of 7 trichoid sensilla on anterior margin of outer surface of labrum. Lacinia apically bifid, outer projection larger than median. Head densely covered by setae of various lengths. Anterior margin of postclypeus bearing a row of 6 strong setae, divided medially into 2 groups of 3 setae. Antenna short, setae on flagellar segments differing in length. Placoid sensilla distributed as follows: 2 at base f 1, 1 apices f 4, f 6 and f 10; placoids on f 6 and f 10 bearing a long slender filament. Apex of terminal segment narrowed, bluntly rounded. Fore wing veins bearing a row of distally slanting setae (fig. 125), vein cu 2 glabrous. Hind wing (fig. 126): veins r and m joined by a cross-vein; veins r and m+cu fused for short distance basally; setae on margin absent. Epiproct (fig. 127) bearing 2 prominent apical setae. Paraproct (fig. 127) with 7/8 trichobothria and a median row of strong setae, posterior margin with 2 small cones and associated seta (not apparent on paraproct figured). Subgenital plate as in fig. 128. Gonapophyses and spermathecal plate (fig. 129).

Dimensions. B 1.35, FW 1.27, HW 1.03, F 0.28, T 0.47, t

1

0.166, t

2

0.087, rt 1.9:1, ct 9,0, f

1

0.182, f

2

0.095.

Description of male. Coloration (after ca 32 years in alcohol). As female. Fore wing pigmented as in fig. 130.

Morphology. IO:D = 3.3. General morphology similar to female, except anterior margin of outer surface of labrum bearing distinct row of 6 trichoid sensilla, flagellar segments of antennae much thicker than those of female. Epiproct (fig. 131). Paraproct (fig. 131) with 8 trichobothria, duplex spines and associated seta as on female. Ninth tergite (fig. 131) with two apical combs of long rounded teeth: apical row slightly sinuous, teeth shorter medially than laterally; basal comb straight, teeth shortest laterally; lateral margins bearing prominent rugose areas. Apex of eighth tergite ovoid, bearing scattered tubercles. Ninth sternite lacking ill-defined fields of ornamentation. Hypandrium with lateral apical margins bearing long setae, median margin lightly sclerotised. Phallosome (fig. 132) with a pair of apical outcurving spines, adjacent to a long sclerotised spine.

Dimensions. B 1.3, FW 1.56, HW 1.24, F 0.28, T 0.50, t

1

0.166, t

2

0.087, rt 1.9:1, ct 8,0, f

1

0.241, f

2

0.134.

Remarks. This species appears most closely related to Ectopsocus cetratus Smithers , from Western Australia and South Australia. Males of both species possess a pair of apical combs on the ninth tergite, a characteristic feature of Ectopsocopsis Badonnel , and the female subgenital plate is identical in these species. This species differs from Ectopsocus cetratus in four ways: a narrow ventral valve of the gonapophyses, the ornamentation of the apex of the eighth tergite, the characteristic sclerites of the endophallus, and fore wing pigmentation. Ectopsocus cetratus is also a larger species (body length: 2.0 mm, 1.85; wing length: 2.0 mm, 1.9 mm) than Ectopsocus risdonensis . This species was not collected during the present study.

Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality, East Risdon.

Figures

Figures 125-132. Ectopsocus risdonensis. Female: 125, fore wing; 126, hind wing; 127, epiproct and paraproct; 128, subgenital plate; 129, gonapophyses. Figures 127 and 128 to common scale. Male: 130, fore wing; 131, epiproct, paraproct and ninth tergite; 132, phallosome. Figures 131 and 132 to common scale.