Psalidothrips greensladeae, 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 : 61-62

Psalidothrips greensladeae sp.n.

( Figs 9 , 45, 49 )

Female aptera. Body mainly yellow with tube darkest, legs and antennal segments yellow. Head without sculpture, genae scarcely constricted behind eyes; compound eyes with three facets, the smallest of which is displaced posteriorly; postocular setae longer than half of distance between their bases; postocellar setae minute; ocelli absent ( Fig. 9 ). Antennal segments III and IV each with 2 slender sense cones, III–VII each with pedicel, VIII weakly narrowed to base; III longer than IV, VIII as long as VII. Maxillary stylets wide apart, probably retracted to postocular setae (displaced in available specimens). Pronotum with no sculpture; setae aa, ml, epim and pa long and bluntly pointed, am minute. Mesonotum and metanotum without reticulation. Mesopresternum absent, anterior margin of mesoeusternum weakly concave. Fore tarsal tooth absent. Pelta eroded strongly, even absent, posterior margin distinct from tergite II ( Fig. 45 ); tergites II–VI each with one pair of minute straight wing-retaining setae, median setae also minute; VII–IX median setae longer than their tergites ( Fig. 49 ); tergite IX setae S1 shorter than tube, anal setae longer than tube.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 1632. Head, length 136; width 129; postocular setae 65, distance between their bases 109; postocellar setae 9, distance between their bases 27. Pronotum, length 112; median width 204; major setae am 5, aa 34, ml 54, epim 63, pa 64. Mesonotum posteromarginal setae 10. Metanotum median setae 19. Tergite IV median marginal setae 73; tergite VII, VIII median setae 70, 66, respectively, tergite IX setae S1 85, S2 82. Tube length 107; anal setae 107. Antennal segments III–VIII length 44, 33, 37, 34, 32, 34.

Male aptera. Similar to female, fore tarsus without a tooth, sternite VIII pore plate divided in two slender transverse areas.

Measurements (in microns). Body length 1374. Head, length 134; width 119; postocular setae54, postocellar setae 6. Pronotum, length 117; median width 198; major setae am 5, aa 41, ml 51, epim 68, pa 62. Tergite VIII median setae 60. Tergite IX setae S1 68, S2 63. Tube length 80; anal setae 111. Antennal segments III–VIII length 42, 32, 34, 33, 27, 34.

Specimens studied. Holotype female aptera, South Australia, Cambrai, Red Meat Ant Dune , from litter, 15.x.1972 (P. Greenslade), in ANIC.

Paratypes: 1 female same data as holotype , 2 females from same site on 18 and 21.ix.1972. South Australia, Koonamore , 5 females and 2 males from Mallee litter, iv–vi.1971. Victoria, Wyperfield , 1 male, 11.ix.1969.

Comments. Seven of the paratype females have lost their antennae. Two of the male paratypes have the pore plates in the form of transverse ovals, but the male paratype from Victoria has the pore plates prolonged laterally. The species is unusually small, and exceptionally weakly sclerotised, with the pelta and prosternites strongly eroded. The available specimens seem to be extremely reduced apterae, with the posterior facet of the compound eyes small and displaced posteriorly.

Figures

FIGURES 1–9. Psalidothrips species, head & pronotum. (1) bipictus; (2) brittoni macropterous female; (3) brittoni apterous male; (4) cecryphalus holotype; (5) howei; (6) driesseni male; (7) gloriousi; (8) daguilari; (9) greensladeae.

FIGURES 38–49. Psalidothrips species tergites. Pelta & tergites II–III 38–43 (38) gloriousi macroptera; (39) verus macroptera; (40) tritus macroptera; (41) minantennus aptera;(42) howei aptera; (43) wellsae aptera. Pelta 44–46 (44) brittoni; (45) greensladeae; (46) postlei. Tergites & tube 47–49 (47) bipictus; (48) daguilari; (49) greensladeae.