Anaphothrips obscurus (Müller)

Mound, Laurence A. & Masumoto, Masami, 2009, Australian Thripinae of the Anaphothrips genus-group (Thysanoptera), with three new genera and thirty-three new species, Zootaxa 2042 (1), pp. 1-76 : 46-47

Anaphothrips obscurus (Müller)

( Figs 120–121 )

Thrips obscura Müller, 1776: 96

Anaphothrips 6-guttus Girault, 1928: 1

This worldwide grass thrips has been studied from many localities across southern Australia. The abdominal tergites usually bear distinct reticulate markings medially, but on some pale specimens these can be difficult to see. The country of origin of the species remains unknown, and in contrast to most of the Australian species discussed here the second vein of the fore wing does not bear any setae basal to the vein fork. In many parts of the world females can be abundant, but the male has never been found, and the only published reference to males (zur Strassen, 2003) is now thought likely to refer to some other species (zur Strassen in litt. 2008). The species causes feeding damage on the leaves of cereal crops in the form of linear rust-like markings.

Female macroptera. Body and legs brownish yellow, brown markings on pronotum, laterally on mesonotum and metascutum, medially on tergites; antennal segment I yellow, II–IV yellowish brown, V–IX darker brown; fore wings pale, veins weakly shaded; tergites IX–X with dark setae. Head longer than wide, produced in front of eyes; eyes with 6 pigmented facets; ocellar setae III outside ocellar triangle, anterior to hind ocelli; head with sculpture behind eyes, but not near ocelli. Antennae 9-segmented, II without microtrichia, III–IV with sensorium forked, VI–VII broadly joined by oblique suture; VI with pedicel ( Fig. 120 ). Pronotum weakly sculptured medially. Metascutum reticulate, median setae well behind anterior margin; MCS present. Fore wing first vein with about 7 setae near base, 3–4 widely spaced setae on distal half; second vein with about 9 setae, with no setae basal to vein fork; clavus with 5–6 veinal setae and one seta at base. Abdominal tergites with small dentate microtrichia on sculpture lines laterally; II–VII with sculpture medially (rarely very weak), small dentate microtrichia on posterior margin laterally; VIII with posteromarginal comb complete; spiracles occupying no more than 0.3 of lateral margin of tergite VIII ( Fig. 121 ).

Female microptera. Similar to macroptera, wing lobe shorter than thorax width.

Larva II. Tergal dorsal setae capitate, but not broadly expanded; tergite IX faintly shaded at posterior margin with row of small pointed tubercles; X weakly shaded around bases of setae.

Male unknown.

Figures

FIGURES 120–129. Anaphothrips of Australia. A. obscurus 120–121: (120) antenna; (121) tergites VII–VIII left margins. A. occidentalis 122–124: (122) antenna; (123) tergites VII–VIII; (124) male sternites. A. orchis 125–127: (125) antenna; (126) head; (127) tergites VII–VIII. A. parsonsiae 128–129: (128) antenna; (129) tergites VII–VIII.