Brakothrips eucalypti, Mound & Wells, 2020

Mound, Laurence A. & Wells, Alice, 2020, Host-shifts at family level in the Australian Acacia-thrips lineage (Thysanoptera Phlaeothripinae) with two new species, Zootaxa 4816 (2), pp. 202-208 : 204-205

Brakothrips eucalypti sp. n.

( Figs 1–5 )

Male aptera. Body light brown with variable areas of yellow; head yellow laterally and between eyes, pronotum yellow laterally, also notopleura; pelta and posterior margin of metanotum yellow, also tergites II–III lateral margins; antennae brown with apical third of segment III yellow; tibiae with distal third or fifth yellow, femora variable. Head with compound eyes much larger dorsally than ventrally, ocelli absent ( Fig. 2 ); vertex reticulate medially, with about 30 pairs of small setae including 2 longitudinal rows between the eyes; postocular setae arising on genae ( Fig. 1 ), with apex as broadly expanded as setal length; mouth cone not extending beyond fore coxal hind margin. Antennae 8-segmented ( Fig. 3 ), III with one sense cone, IV & V each with 2 sense cones; VII & VIII closely joined, VII broadly joined to VI, IV–VI sharply pedicillate, III with basal flange over pedicel. Pronotum with many short stout setae, with 3 or 4 pairs of short, capitate major setae, midlateral pair variable, anteromarginal pair not developed; notopleural sutures complete. Fore femora and fore tarsal tooth of largest male enlarged ( Fig. 1 ), but these are more slender in small males. Mesonotum slender, transverse, lateral setae minute. Metanotum irregularly reticulate with at least 40 small bluntly pointed setae ( Fig. 4 ). Prosternal basantra absent, ferna transverse and fused medially; mesopresternum absent or reduced to pair of small lateral triangles, mesoeusternal anterior margin entire. Pelta transverse, reticulate on posterior third ( Fig. 4 ); tergite II with about 40 bluntly pointed discal setae, III–VIII with fewer discal setae and these are more acute on the more posterior tergites; II–VII each with pair of short, broadly capitate posteromarginal setae and mesad of these a pair of small curved marginal setae ( Fig. 5 ); tergite IX setae S1 and S2 capitate, shorter than basal width of tube, S3 long and acute.

Measurements (holotype male in microns). Body length 1350. Head, length 175; maximum width 160; postocular setae 10. Pronotum, length 150; width 190; major setae, aa 15; epim 25, pa 25. Tergite IX setae, S1 25; S2 25; S3 100. Tube length 125. Antennal segments III–VIII length, 45, 48, 45, 45, 25, 23.

Female aptera. Similar to male in colour and structure; length of fore tarsal tooth less than half tarsal width.

Material examined. Holotype male aptera, AUSTRALIA, Australian Capital Territory, Weston, Oakey Hill (35°20′16″S, 149°04′05″E), from young exfoliating twigs of Eucalyptus cinerea , 21.iv.2011 ( LAM5494 ).

Paratypes: taken with holotype, 5 females, 2 males; from same tree as holotype, 5 females, 3 males, 18.ii.2012 ( LAM5553 ) .

Figures

FIGURES 1–5. Brakothrips eucalypti sp. n. (1) head, pronotum and fore legs (arrow to po seta); (2) head; (3) antenna; (4) meso and metanotum, pelta and tergite II; (5) tergites V–VI.