Sophiothrips canberrae, Mound & Tree, 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 : 186

Sophiothrips canberrae sp. n.

( Figs 1 , 8 , 14, 20 )

Female macroptera: Body legs and antennae light brown, tarsi and apices of tibiae yellow, tube golden with brown margins, basal antennal segments paler than distal segments.

Head wider than long, with little sculpture dorsally except near posterior margin; postocular setae short, capitate, placed laterally, only one pair of minor postocular setae medially; maxillary stylets wide apart, retracted slightly into head capsule ( Fig. 1 ). Antennal segment III with one sensorium, IV–V each with 2 short stout sensoria, VI shorter than VII ( Fig. 8 ). Pronotum smooth, notopleural sutures irregular, slightly incomplete; epim and pa setae small and capitate, remaining major setae minute. Fore tarsi without tooth. Mesonotal latral setae minute, metanotum weakly reticulate. Fore wing parallel sided, no duplicated cilia, only one small capitate subbasal seta. Prosternal basantra absent, ferna wide apart, mesopresternum and mesoeusternum eroded medially, but mesopresternum fused to mesoeusternum laterally ( Fig. 20 ); metathoracic sternopleural sutures present. Pelta weakly reticulate, with lateral lobes, campaniform sensilla present ( Fig. 14 ); tergites II–VII each with one pair of sigmoid wing-retaining setae and one pair of capitate setae lateral to these; tergite IX major setae all capitate; tube margins slightly concave, apex constricted, anal setae short. Sternites with transverse row of 8–10 small discal setae, posterior margins of II–VII each with 2 pairs of minute setae, VIII with one of these pairs much longer, stout and capitate.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 1400. Head, length 125; width 150; postocular setae 15. Pronotum, length 95; width 210; setae am, aa and ml all 5, epim 20, pa 15. Fore wing length 500. Tergite VI lateral setae 25; tergite IX major setae 30. Tube length 85. Sternite II marginal setae 5; sternite VIII marginal setae 30. Antennal segments III–VIII length 35, 30, 35, 40, 40, 20.

Specimens studied: Holotype female macroptera, Australian Capital Territory, Casuarina Sands , from Epacrid with lichen, 13.viii.1995 ( LAM 2791 ).

Paratypes: Two female macropterae taken with holotype.

Comments. This species is here described in Sophiothrips with some hesitation, because the maxillary stylets are more deeply retracted into the head capsule than any other member of this genus, the mesoeusternum is eroded medially, the sternal posteromarginal setae are unusually small, and antennal segment VI is not enlarged. However, the head shape and chaetotaxy, and the short tube, are typical of this genus.

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.