Sophiothrips mongae, 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 : 189-190

Sophiothrips mongae sp. n.

( Figs 5 , 17, 22 , 25 )

Female macroptera: Weakly bicoloured; mainly brown, but abdominal segments II–IV yellowish, tube golden; coxae brown, tarsi and fore tibiae yellow, mid and hind femora and tibiae brown with apices yellow; antennal segments I–III yellow, IV–VI brown in apical half, VII–VIII brown; fore wing shaded at base and on distal half.

Head wider than long, without sculpture except near posterior margin; ocellar and lateral postocular setae bluntly pointed, two pairs of minor postocular setae ( Fig. 5 ); stylets not retracted into head capsule; antennal segment II with pair of blunt setae at dorsal apex; III with one sensorium also several small transverse ridges near base, IV with 2 stout sensoria, V–VI each with 3 sensoria, VI almost as long as VII+VIII. Pronotum smooth, am setae minute ( Fig. 5 ). Mesonotal lateral setae minute. Metanotum with no sculpture medially ( Fig. 17 ), two pairs of minor setae on anterior third, one pair of major pointed setae on posterior third. Prosternal basantra weakly developed, mesopresternum slender and transverse; mesoeusternum anterior margin entire; metathoracic sternopleural sutures well-developed. Fore tarsus with small blunt tooth. Fore wing parallel sided, no duplicated cilia. Pelta with slender lateral wings ( Fig. 17 ); tergites III–VII each with one pair of sigmoid wing-retaining setae ( Fig. 22 ); tergite IX major setae long and finely pointed; tube almost parallel-sided with apex sharply constricted ( Fig. 25 ), surface with linear furrows on basal half but reticulate on distal half. Sternites II–III each with median pair of posteromarginal setae longer than length of their sternite.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 1550. Head, length 100; width 170; ocellar setae 20; lateral postocular setae 30. Pronotum, length 150; width 225; major setae am 5, aa 15, ml 15, epim 40, pa 30. Fore wing length 650. Tergite VI posteroangular setae 40; tergite IX setae S1 120, S2 125, S3 120. Tube length 170. Sternite II marginal setae S1 85; sternite VIII marginal setae S1 45. Antennal segments III–VIII length 45, 40, 50, 55, 30, 25.

Specimen studied: Holotype female macroptera, New South Wales, Cabbage Tree creek, Monga , from dead branch, 7.xii.1996 ( LAM 3066 ).

Comments. This species differs from the other known members of the genus in the shape and larger size of the tube ( Fig. 25 ).

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 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.