Maoripsocus hobartensis, Schmidt & New, 2008

Schmidt, Evan R. & New, Timothy R., 2008, The Psocoptera (Insecta) of Tasmania, Australia, Memoirs of Museum Victoria 65, pp. 71-152 : 89-91

Maoripsocus hobartensis sp. nov.

Figures 30–38

Material examined. Holotype: Tasmania, Queens Domain, Hobart, Bursaria sp. , 23 Mar 1961. One and 4 paratypes: same data as holotype ( V. V. Hickman).

Description of female. Coloration (after ca 32 years in alcohol). Head buff with the following dark brown: markings dorsal to eyes, across back of vertex and each side of median epicranial suture, central region of frons, close-set postclypeal striae, labrum, antenna and two apical segments of maxillary palp. Centripetal margins of ocelli and eyes black. Fore wing (fig. 30) suffused with shades of brown. Hind wing (fig. 31) with slight brown tinge. Thoracic dorsum dark brown, remainder of thorax brown, sutural areas paler. Legs brown except pale brown femora. Abdomen pale mauve dorsally, cream ventrally, terminal segments brown.

Morphology. IO:D= 2.8.Median epicranial suture distinct. Basal flagellar segment slightly bent. Labrum: stylets small, spiculate; sensilla 5 in all; internal sclerotisation present.

Lacinia apically broad, preapically expanded on one side, apical margin with denticles. Mesothoracic precoxal suture absent. Fore wing (fig. 30) strongly setose, setae short, slanting distally in a single rank; vein cu 2 setose; short spur-vein from pterostigma present. Epiproct (fig. 32). Paraproct (fig. 32) with round field of 14 trichobothria, posterior margin with small bifid projection and associated seta lying between a short and long seta. Subgenital plate (fig. 33) with transverse margin, two pigmented arms diverging anteriorly from apical margin. Gonapophyses (fig. 34).

Dimensions. B 2.85, FW 2.89, HW 2.27, F 0.56, T 1.0, t

1

0.308, t 2 0.134, rt 2.3:1, ct 17,0, f 1 0.458, f 2 0.316.

Description of male. Coloration (after ca 32 years in alcohol). Head, thorax and legs dark brown. Fore wing as in fig. 35, hind wing as female. Abdomen cream, terminal segments dark brown.

Morphology. IO:D = 2.3. Eyes small, not reaching top of vertex in lateral aspect. Median epicranial suture distinct. Labrum and lacinia as female. Fore wing (fig. 35) as female, except spur-vein from pterostigma absent. Epiproct and paraproct (fig. 36) with small field of papillae, latter with round field of about 22 trichobothria. Hypandrium (fig. 37, torn) with posterolateral group of large setae each side of median area. Phallosome (fig. 38) with blunt-tipped aedeagus, endophallus with 3 membranous lobes.

Dimensions. B 1.7, FW 2.24, HW 1.77, F 0.48, T 0.77, t

1

0.237, t

2

0.103, rt 2.3:1, ct 14,0, f

1

0.355, f

2

0.205.

Remarks. This species is similar to M. spiralosus (below) and M. weindorferi (below) in features of coloration, genitalia and in the distribution of setae on the fore wing. It differs from M. spiralosus (males unknown) in the shape of the basal half of the lacinia. The absence of dark brown pigment in the apical part of the pterostigma of M. hobartensis differentiates it from M. spiralosus and M. weindorferi , but this character is known to vary in other species (e.g. M. semifuscatus and M. wedgei below). M. hobartensis lacks the small distinct hyaline areas in cells An and Cu found in the other two species.

Etymology. Referring to the type locality, Hobart.

Figures

Figures 30-38. Maoripsocus hobartensis. Female: 30, fore wing; 31, hind wing; 32, epiproct and paraproct; 33, subgenital plate; 34, gonapophyses. Male: 35, fore wing; 36, epiproct and paraproct; 37, hypandrium; 38, phallosome. Figures 31, 35; 32, 33 and 36-38 to common scales.