Sophiothrips (ThripsWiki, 2014)

Mound, Laurence A. & Tree, Desley J., 2014, The minute, fungus-feeding species of Sophiothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae) from Australia and New Zealand, Zootaxa 3860 (2), pp. 184-194 : 185

Key to Sophiothrips from Australia and New Zealand

1. Antennal segment III with 2 sensoria...................................................................... 2

-. Antennal segment III with one sensorium................................................................... 4

2. Body largely yellow, with dark brown areas on head and pronotum ( Fig. 4 ); tube and abdominal segments VIII–IX equally yellow; Norfolk Island......................................................................... martinae sp.n.

-. Body uniformly dark brown, yellow tube contrasting sharply with dark brown abdominal segments VIII–IX; New Zealand.... 3

3. Pelta of apterae transversely rectangular with posterior margin entire; antennal segment IV sensoria longer than maximum width of segment; male tergite IX with small tubercle scarcely extending beyond posterior margin............. aleurodisci

-. Pelta of apterae anterior margin broadly convex, posterior margin eroded medially; antennal segment IV sensoria shorter than maximum width of segment; male tergite IX with pointed tubercle extending well beyond posterior margin.......... duvali

4. Fore tarsal tooth absent on female (also male where known); metanotum without a pair of prominent setae; antennal segment VII about 1.5 times as long as VIII ( Figs 8, 10, 13 ); sternites II–III posteromarginal setae much shorter than length of sternite. .................................................................................................... 5

-. Fore tarsal tooth present on female (also male where known); metanotum with pair of prominent setae; antennal segments VII and VIII subequal in length ( Figs 9, 11, 12 ); sternites II–III posteromarginal setae longer than median length of sternite..... 7

5. Maxillary stylets retracted into head anterior to postoccipital ridge ( Fig. 1 ); antennal segment III basal stem no longer than wide ( Fig. 8 ); pronotal pa setae small and capitate; mesoeusternal anterior margin deeply eroded ( Fig. 20 ); tergite IX setae small and capitate; sternite VIII with one pair of posteromarginal setae stout and capitate................. canberrae sp.n.

-. Maxillary stylets not retracted anterior to postoccipital ridge; antennal segment III basal stem long and slender, sub-equal in length to apical swollen part ( Fig. 10 ); pronotal pa setae minute and acute; mesoeusternal anterior margin entire ( Fig. 19 ); tergite IX setae acute; sternite VIII with posteromarginal setae slender and acute....................................... 6

6. Tergite IX setae about as long as basal width of tube ( Fig. 24 ); pronotal epim setae about as long as width of antennal segment III; paired setae on antennal segment II bluntly pointed to weakly capitate ( Fig. 10 ); tube with weak longitudinal furrows ( Fig. 24 ); sternite VIII posteromarginal setae at least 4 times as long as discal setae.............................. greensladei

-. Tergite IX setae less than 0.5 as long as basal width of tube ( Fig. 27 ); pronotal epim setae about 0.5 as long as width of antennal segment III; paired setae on antennal segment II broadly flattened ( Fig. 13 ); tube weakly reticulate; sternite VIII posteromarginal setae minute, less than 15 microns long, scarcely longer than discal setae......................... postlei sp.n.

7. Pedicel of antennal segment III with large flattened band and sharp edged ring, more than 0.5 as wide as maximum width of segment ( Fig. 12 )........................................................................... placodes sp.n.

-. Pedicel of antennal segment III without such a large flattened band............................................. 8

8. Abdomen sharply bicoloured, segments II and VIII–IX yellow in contrast to brown of other segments; antennal segment III with distinct sub-basal ring ( Fig. 9 ); tube tapering to apex, surface with little sculpture ( Fig. 23 )............. darwini sp.n.

-. Abdomen not sharply bicoloured, but II–IV paler than dark brown VII–IX; antennal segment III without a sub-basal ring; tube almost parallel sided, sharply constricted at apex, surface distinctly sculptured ( Fig. 25 ).................... mongae sp.n.

Figures

FIGURES 1–7. Sophiothrips from Australia. Heads and pronota: (1) canberrae sp.n.; (2) darwini sp.n.; (3) greensladei; (4) martinae sp.n.; (5) mongae sp.n.; (6) placodes sp.n.; (7) postlei sp.n.

FIGURES 8–13. Sophiothrips from Australia, antennae. (8) canberrae sp.n.; (9) darwini sp.n. (10) greensladei; (11) martinae sp.n.; (12) placodes sp.n.; (13) postlei sp.n.

FIGURES 14–22. Sophiothrips from Australia. (14) canberrae sp.n., tergites I–III. Metanotum and pelta, 15–18: (15) darwini sp.n.; (16) martinae sp.n.; (17) mongae sp.n.; (18) placodes sp.n. Pro and mesosternites 19–20: (19) darwini sp.n.; (20) canberrae sp.n. (21) martinae sp.n. male sternite VI; (22) mongae sp.n. tergites V–VI.

FIGURES 23–29. Sophiothrips from Australia, tergite IX and tube. (23) darwini sp.n.; (24) greensladei; (25) mongae sp.n.; (26) placodes sp.n.; (27) postlei sp.n.; (28) martinae sp.n. female; (29) martinae sp.n. male.