Psalidothrips wellsae, Wang & Mound & Tree, 2019

Wang, Jun, Mound, Laurence A. & Tree, Desley J., 2019, Leaf-litter thrips of the genus Psalidothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae) from Australia, with fifteen new species, Zootaxa 4686 (1), pp. 53-73 : 68

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4686.1.2
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A3479CF9-E32A-470D-8F26-6A1A64318564
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5943054
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0394E94C-FF82-5C5C-FF30-FE9D1C47F89F
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Psalidothrips wellsae
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Psalidothrips wellsae View in CoL sp.n.

( Figs 17, 18 View FIGURES 10–18 , 37 View FIGURES 19–37 , 43 View FIGURES 38–49 )

Female macroptera. Body brown including femora and antennae, tibiae paler; fore wing shaded. Head without sculpture, genae weakly constricted behind eyes; compound eyes multifacetted; postocular setae longer than dorsal length of eyes, bluntly pointed; ocelli present, postocellar setae minute; maxillary stylets about two-thirds of head width apart, retracted about half way to postocular setae ( Fig. 17 View FIGURES 10–18 ). Antennal segments III and IV each with two sense cones, segments III–VII each with pedicel, VIII broad at base; segment III as long as IV, VIII longer than VII ( Fig. 37 View FIGURES 19–37 ). Pronotum without sculpture; setae aa, ml, epim and pa well-developed and weakly capitate, am minute. Mesonotum and metanotum without sculpture. Mesopresternum reduced to weak lateral triangles, mesoeusternum anterior margin eroded. Fore tarsal tooth absent. Fore wing with 2 moderately long sub-basal setae. Pelta broad, with lateral lobes and pair of campaniform sensilla ( Fig. 43 View FIGURES 38–49 ); tergites II–VII with 1 pair of wing-retaining setae that are minute on II, VI and VII; tergite VIII major setae bluntly pointed; tergite IX setae S1 a little shorter than tube; anal setae as long as tube. Sternites with about 3 pairs of small discal setae.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 2310. Head, length 190; width 205; postocular setae 80, distance between their bases 150; postocellar setae 10, distance between their bases 38. Pronotum, length 143; median width 288; major setae am 12, aa 63, ml 75, epim 85, pa 85. Fore wing sub-basal setae S1 33, S2 58. Metanotum median setae 22. Tergite IV median marginal setae 98; tergite VIII median setae 80, tergite IX setae S1 133, S2 125. Tube length 153; anal setae 132. Antennal segments III–VIII length 53, 50, 45, 43, 43, 42.

Female aptera. Similar to macroptera, but compound eyes with 3 facets, ocelli absent ( Fig. 18 View FIGURES 10–18 ); wing-retaining setae straight and minute.

Measurements (apterous female in microns). Body length 1820. Head, length 153; width 193; postocular setae 65, distance between their bases 137; postocellar setae 9, distance between their bases 53. Pronotum, length 143; median width 265; major setae am 8, aa 53, ml 68, epim 75, pa 76. Metanotum median setae 15. Tergite IV median marginal setae 97; tergite VIII median setae 75, tergite IX setae S1 125, S2 105. Tube length 145; anal setae 138. Antennal segments III–VIII length 50, 45, 45, 48, 40, 40.

Male aptera. Pronotum without a median longitudinal line, fore tarsus without tooth, sternite VIII without pore plate.

Measurements (apterous male in microns). Body length 1510. Head, length 145; width 153; postocular setae 58, distance between their bases 120; postocellar setae 8, distance between their bases 47. Pronotum, length 113; median width 220; major setae am 8, aa 38, ml 65, epim 65, pa 65. Metanotum median setae 23. Tergite IV median marginal setae 78; tergite VIII median setae 58, tergite IX setae S1 90, S2 70. Tube length 113; anal setae 118. Antennal segments III–VIII length 45, 37, 38, 43, 33, 33.

Specimens studied. Holotype female macroptera, New South Wales, Monga Forest , Eucalyptus litter, 10.iv.2019 (Alice Wells), in ANIC.

Paratype apterae, 6 females, 6 males, collected with holotype . Australian Capital Territory, Stromlo Forest , 5 females, 1 male from leaf litter, 18.iv.1968 . New South Wales, Kanangra Walls , 1 female macroptera from Eucalyptus leaf litter, 3.iv.1968 . Queensland, Carnarvon Station , 1 female in Callitris litter, 8.x.2014 .

Comments. This species is unusual in having pronotal aa setae long but am minute, and antennal segment III with 2 well-developed sense cones. It is particularly unusual in that the male has no pore plate on sternite VIII. The paratypes from Stromlo Forest appear to have been stored in ethanol and are particularly pale, whereas the macropterous female from Kanangra Walls is particularly dark.