Maoripsocus wedgei, Schmidt & New, 2008

Schmidt, Evan R. & New, Timothy R., 2008, The Psocoptera (Insecta) of Tasmania, Australia, Memoirs of Museum Victoria 65, pp. 71-152 : 94-97

Maoripsocus wedgei sp. nov.

Figures 57–65

Material examined. Holotype: Tasmania, Cradle Mtn - Lake St Clair National Park, Weindorfers Forest , Athrotaxis selaginoides , 26 Nov 1986.Four and 5 paratypes:same data as holotype.Additional records: site 179B, 2, 26 Feb 88; site 219A, 1, 1 nymph, 26 Nov 86; 1, 7 Feb 87; site 219C (holotype locality), 5, 5, 26 Nov 86; site 219D, 12, 24

, 2 nymphs, 27 Nov 86; 1, 7 Feb 87; site 219E, 1, 26 Nov 86; site 219F, 10, 3, 27 Nov 86; 4, 23 Jan 87; 3, 7 Feb 87; 1, 2 Mar 87; site 219G, 1, 1 nymph, 23 Jan 87; site 221, 6, 9, 4 nymphs, 27 Nov 86.

Description of female. Coloration (after ca 6 years in alcohol). Head pale brown with the following brown: markings dorsal to eyes, across back of vertex, along median epicranial suture, ocellar region, frons, striae on postclypeus, antenna and labrum. Maxillary palpi brown, apical segment darker. Centripetal margins of ocelli and eyes black. Thorax dark brown, paler ventrally, sutural lines dark. Fore wing (fig. 57) light brown with hyaline areas, hind wing (fig. 58) hyaline. Legs: coxae, tibiae and tarsi brown, claws black, femora pale brown merging brown apically. Abdomen pale mauve dorsally, slightly paler ventrally. Terminal segments brown.

Morphology. IO:D = 3.8.Median epicranial suture distinct. Basal flagellar segment not enlarged, slightly bent. Labrum: stylets small, spiculate; distal anterior margin with 5 sensilla; internal sclerotisation present. Lacinia broad, flat, expanded preapically on one side, with apical denticles. Mesothoracic precoxal suture absent. Setae on fore wing (fig. 57) veins short, in single rank, slanting distally; vein cu 2 of fore wing setose. Abdomen with two eversible vesicles. Epiproct (fig. 59) semicircular, setose. Paraproct (fig. 59) with rounded field of 16 trichobothria. Subgenital plate (fig. 60): simple, setose, with median transverse margin; single large seta at each posterolateral margin; sclerotised pigment arms diverging anteriorly. Gonapophyses (fig. 61). Spermatheca (fig. 62) with long glandular area, sac moderately large and sclerotised.

Dimensions. B 2.5, FW 2.80, HW 2.24, F 0.61, T 1.06, t

1

0.308, t

2

0.142, rt 2.2:1, ct 21,0, f

1

0.474, f

2

0.269.

Description of male. Coloration (after ca 6 years in alcohol). As in female. Fore wing pigmented as in fig. 63, hind wing hyaline.

Morphology. IO:D = 2.5. Eyes small, not reaching top of vertex when looking at side of head. Median epicranial suture distinct. Labrum and lacinia as female. Tibiae of uniform width, swellings absent. Mesothoracic precoxal suture absent. Epiproct and paraproct with small fields of papillae, latter with oval field of 26 trichobothria. Hypandrium (fig. 64) simply rounded, posterolateral margins with field of strong setae. Phallosome (fig. 65).

Dimensions. B 2.3, FW 2.98, HW 2.36, F 0.66, T 1.17, t

1

0.355, t

2

0.150, rt 2.4:1, ct 21,0, f

1

0.624, f

2

0.387.

Remarks. M. wedgei was found mainly on Nothofagus and conifer rainforest habitats at Cradle Mountain. This species is similar to M. semifuscatus in details of genitalia and fore wing pigmentation. Considerable variation occurs in the extent of fore wing pigmentation (light brown to prominent dark brown pattern), particularly in the pterostigma. The fore wing of M. semifuscatus is densely setose, and veins r and an have two incipient rows of setae. The fore wing of M. wedgei is more sparsely setose, and all veins have a single row of setae. The eyes of males of M. semifuscatus (IO:D = 1.1, eyes are level with the top of the vertex when looking at the side of the head) are larger than those of M. wedgei .

M. wedgei is a seasonal species, being found only from November to March.

Etymology. Named for John H. Wedge, an early surveyor and explorer in Tasmania.

Figures

Figures 57-65. Maoripsocus wedgei. Female: 57, fore wing; 58, hind wing; 59, epiproct and paraproct; 60, subgenital plate; 61, gonapophyses; 62, spermathecal sac. Male: 63, fore wing; 64, hypandrium; 65, phallosome. Figures 57, 63; 59, 64 and 61 and 62 to common scales.