Apostlethrips, Mound, Laurence A. & Minaei, Kambiz, 2006

Mound, Laurence A. & Minaei, Kambiz, 2006, New fungus­feeding thrips (Thysanoptera Phlaeothripinae) from tropical Australia, Zootaxa 1150, pp. 1-17 : 2-4

Apostlethrips gen.n.

Medium sized, winged or apterous Phlaeothripinae . Antennae 8­segmented, VI–VIII distinct but broadly connected (Figs 3, 4); III with no major sense cones, IV with 2 sense cones. Head longer than wide, prolonged in front of eyes, cheeks constricted behind eyes, with almost no sculpture; ocellar and postocular setae stout and weakly capitate (Figs 1, 2); maxillary stylets wide apart, low in head. Pronotum transverse, without sculpture; notopleural sutures incomplete; anteromarginal, anteroangular and midlateral setae no larger than discal setae, notopleural setae stout and weakly capitate. Mesonotal lateral setae small, spiracles large with complex internal sculpture. Metanotum without sculpture medially. Prosternal basantra large with transverse posterior margins, ferna pointed medially, spinasternum with 2 setae, mesopraesternum slender and transverse; metathoracic sternopleural sutures not developed. Forewing without duplicated cilia, three sub­basal setae capitate. Fore tarsus with or without small, slender, curved tooth in both sexes. Pelta without sculpture; spiracles on segment I large but spiracles not developed on VIII; tergites II–VII with one or two pairs of stout weakly capitate marginal setae but no wing retaining setae; tergite IX setae capitate; tube tapering, anal setae shorter than width of tube apex (Figs 5, 6). Sternites with prominent marginal setae; no glandular areas in either sex.

Type species Apostlethrips apostus sp.n.

Comments

This new genus is similar in general appearance to many of the species of Eurythrips Hinds that are so common in leaf litter in eastern North America ( Mound, 1976, 1977). In common with the members of that genus the prosternal basantra are well­developed, and the pronotal anteromarginal and anteroangular pairs of setae are not elongate. Both species described here differ from all Eurythrips (and also most Phlaeothripidae worldwide) in having no major sense cones on the third antennal segment (a minute sense cone is present on the external apical margin in a few individuals). Moreover, there appear to be no spiracles on abdominal segment VIII, whereas the mesothoracic spiracles are greatly enlarged with complex internal structure. Also unusual are the following character states: wing retaining setae absent even in macropterae; major setae stout and capitate; tube slender but with anal setae short. These two species were both found at ground level amongst the tussocks of spinifex grasses in the north of Western Australia, where they probably feed on fungal hyphae. The most common fungus feeding Phlaeothripinae living at ground level in Australia, usually in leaf litter, are members of the genera Psalidothrips Priesner ( Mound 1996) and Zemiathrips Mound (2002) . In both of these, the species have the terminal antennal segments clearly distinct from each other rather than broadly joined. Moreover, Psalidothrips species differ in lacking prosternal basantra, and Zemiathrips species have unusually long body setae. This genus is named in recognition of the efforts of Tony Postle of the Northern Australia Quarantine Service in surveying the insect fauna of the North West.

Key to species

1. Antennal segment III about 1.5 times as long as wide (Fig. 3); head with one pair of stout ocellar setae (Fig. 1); fore tarsus with minute curved tooth in both sexes; notopleural sutures almost complete, posteroangular and notopleural setae equal in size; tergites II–VII with one pair of stout marginal setae; tergite IX with 3 pairs of stout setae (Fig. 5) .............................................................................................. apostus

­. Antennal segment III more than 2.0 times as long as wide (Fig. 4); head with three pairs of stout ocellar setae (Fig. 2); fore tarsus without a tooth in either sex; notopleural sutures very short, notopleural setae arising from tubercle, posteroangular setae minute; tergites II–VII with two pairs of stout marginal setae; tergite IX with at least 6 pairs of stout setae (Fig. 6) ..................................................................................... pygus