Psalidothrips bipictus, 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 : 56-57

Psalidothrips bipictus sp.n.

( Figs 1 , 47 )

Female macroptera. Body strongly bicoloured, head and thorax brown, abdomen brownish yellow, legs yellow; antennal segments brown on I and base of II also VII–VIII and apex of VI, but yellow on III–V; fore wing shaded distally. Head without sculpture, genae constricted behind eyes; compound eyes multifacetted; postocular setae shorter than dorsal eye length, apices bluntly pointed; ocelli present, postocellar setae minute; maxillary stylets twothirds of head width apart, retracted half way to postocular setae ( Fig. 1 ). Antennal segments III and IV each with three sense cones, segments III–VII each with pedicel, VIII slender with base narrowed; segment III longer than IV, VIII as long as VII. Pronotum without sculpture, with median longitudinal apodeme; setae aa and am minute, ml, epim and pa well-developed, pa acute, epim weakly capitate. Mesonotum with transverse reticulation; metanotum without sculpture medially, median setae small. Mesopresternum fully transverse and complete, mesoeusternum not eroded. Fore tarsal tooth absent. Fore wings each with 2 small sub-basal setae and without duplicated cilia. Pelta faintly sculptured at anterior part, usually with pair of campaniform sensilla; tergites II–VII each with 2 pairs sigmoid wing-retaining setae; tergite VIII setae S1 weakly capitate; tergite IX setae S1 as long as tube ( Fig. 47 ); anal setae a little longer than tube.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 2183. Head, length 187; width 196; postocular setae 51, distance between their bases 162; postocellar setae 12, distance between their bases 61. Pronotum, length 158; median width 198; major setae am 5, aa 10, ml 36, epim 56, pa 77. Fore wing sub-basal setae, S1 17, S2 12. Tergite VI median marginal setae 104; tergite VIII median setae 46, tergite IX setae S1 131, S2 131. Tube length 138; anal setae 150. Antennal segments III–VIII length 68, 53, 56, 56, 49, 49.

Male macroptera. Similar to female but pronotum with median longitudinal apodeme stronger; small fore tarsal tooth present; sternite VIII with large, arched pore plate extending to lateral margins.

Measurements (in microns). Body length 1741. Head, length 179; width 167; postocular setae 63, postocellar setae 12. Pronotum, length 138; median width 219; major setae am 5, aa 10, ml 31, epim 41, pa 56. Tergite VIII median setae 44, tergite IX setae S1 102, S2 73. Tube length 104; anal setae 121. Antennal segments III–VIII length 58, 51, 52, 51, 44, 41.

Specimens studied. Holotype female macroptera, Queensland, Cairns, Redlynch, Crystal Creek , Piper hederacea leaf roll, 5.xi.2008 ( LAM5195 ), in ANIC.

Paratypes: 1 female collected with holotype; Cairns, Behana Gorge , 9 females, 3 males from dead branches and leaves, 3.xi.2008; Cape Tribulation, 1 female, 6 males from beating dead leaves and vine, 7.x.2012; Lync Haven, 1 female from leaf litter, 6.x.2012.

Non-paratypes: Queensland, Kuranda, 2 females, 2 males from dead hanging leaves, 7.xi.2008 (in QDPC).

Comments. This species shares with verus the presence of a complete mesopresternum as well as 2 pairs of sigmoid wing-retaining setae on the tergites but is distinguished by having 3 slender sense cones on antennal segments III and IV. The four specimens listed above from Kuranda have antennal segments III–V light brown, and segment IV slightly shorter and broader and bearing four sense cones.

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.