Apostlethrips poaceaeus, Wang & Mound & Tree, 2019

Wang, Jun, Mound, Laurence & Tree, Desley J., 2019, A new species of Apostlethrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae); an Australian genus from grass tussocks, Zootaxa 4688 (1), pp. 144-146 : 145-146

Apostlethrips poaceaeus sp.n.

Female microptera. Body yellow, abdominal segments VIII–X and posterior margin of VII brown ( Figs 2, 6 ); apex of mouth cone shaded with brown; legs yellow shaded with brown; antennal segment I yellow, II and IV shaded with brown, III largely yellow, V–VIII brown.

Head smooth, with few transverse sculpture lines basally ( Fig. 1 ); genae strongly constricted behind compound eyes but with no strong internal apodeme; ocelli absent, compound eyes with about 15 facets ( Fig. 1 ); postocular setae short and asymmetrically expanded at apex, shorter than eye length; one pair of capitate setae on ocellar region; maxillary stylets wide apart and U-shaped, retracted only into base of head. Antennal segment III with 1 small, thin sense cone, IV with 2 sense cones, III–VII each with pedicel, VIII base clearly narrower than VII apex ( Fig. 5 ).

Pronotum without sculpture ( Fig. 1 ); setae aa, am, ml, epim and pa well-developed, asymmetrically capitate. Mesonotum with weak transverse sculpture, lateral setae capitate ( Fig. 4 ); metanotum almost without sculpture. Mesopresternum broad and boat-shaped, mesoeusternum complete ( Fig. 3 ). Fore tarsal tooth small, all femora and tibiae with blunt setae. Pelta with polygonal sculpture at posterior, campaniform sensilla present ( Fig. 4 ); tergites II–VII each with one pair of minute straight wing-retaining setae close to posterior margin; tergite IX setae S1 shorter than tube, anal setae as long as tube ( Fig. 2 ).

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 1580. Head, length 185; width 163; postocular setae 25, distance between their bases 137; ocellar setae 22, postocellar setae 13. Pronotum, length 140; median width 218; major setae am 18, aa 25, ml 33, epim 45, pa 33. Mesonotum lateral setae 18. Metanotum median setae 22. Tergite IV median marginal setae 43; tergite VIII median setae 47, tergite IX setae S1 75, S2 80. Tube length 115. Anal setae 115. Antennal segments III–VIII length 40, 38, 43, 43, 38, 28.

Male microptera. Similar to female but smaller; tergite IX S2 setae shorter.

Measurements (in microns). Body length 1490. Head, length 168; width 137; postocular setae 20, postocellar setae 8. Pronotum, length 128; median width 180; major setae am 13, aa 18, ml 23, epim 36, pa 33. Tergite VIII median setae 43. Tergite IX setae S1 78, S2 50. Tube length 100; anal setae 92. Antennal segments III–VIII length 38, 38, 42, 37, 35, 28.

Specimens studied. Holotype female microptera. Australia, Northern Territory, Litchfield Natural Park, Tolmer Falls , from unknown Poaceae , 7.v.2014 (DJT 1827), in ANIC.

Paratypes: 4 males, same data as holotype; Darwin , East Pt , 1 female, from unidentified green leaves, 5.v.2014 (DJT 1810).

Figures

FIGURES 1–6. Apostlethrips poaceaeus sp.n. (1) Head & pronotum; (2) Tergites VII–X; (3) Thoracic sternites; (4) Pteronota & tergites I–III; (5) Male antenna; (6) Holotype female.