Teuchothrips ater (Girault)

Mound, Laurence A., Dang, Lihong & Tree, Desley J., 2023, Structural diversity among the leaf-feeding thrips of Australia in the genus Teuchothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae) with 20 new species, Zootaxa 5383 (4), pp. 441-475 : 448-449

Teuchothrips ater (Girault)

( Figs 9–10 ; 23–26 )

Liothrips ater Girault, 1927: 2 .

Androthrips niger Girault, 1927: 2 . Synonym in Mound & Houston, 1987: 17.

Teuchothrips bursariicola Priesner, 1928: 647 . Synonym in Mound & Houston, 1987: 17.

Teuchothrips pittosporiicola Bagnall, 1929: 191 . Synonym in Mound, 2008:47.

Smerinthothrips fuscipennis Moulton, 1968: 93 . Synonym in Mound & Houston, 1987: 17.

Teuchothrips ater ( Girault, 1927) ; Mound & Houston, 1987: 17.

There is considerable variation within and between the available samples that are here identified as this species, as discussed by Mound (2008). The most common form of the species induces leaf-roll galls on Pittosporum revolutum and P. undulatum . It has long and closely spaced maxillary stylets, the postocular setae are often very long with the apices softly pointed to weakly capitate ( Fig. 10 ), and tergite IX setae S1 are long and pointed ( Fig. 9 ). However, in any one population a rare individual may be found in which one of the two S1 setae is pointed but the other shorter and capitate. Similarly, although the fore wing sub-basal setae are usually arranged into a triangle, with seta II close to and slightly behind seta III, within a population showing this condition individuals may occur with seta II almost in line with the other two setae. The type specimens of ater , pittosporiicola and fuscipennis all have the tergite IX S1 setae long and pointed, whereas in the types of niger and bursariicola these setae are bluntly pointed to slightly expanded ( Mound 2008). Smaller individuals of ater have the major setae shorter than in large individuals, with the postocular setae shorter than the dorsal eye length in contrast to the typical very long postocular setae. Moreover, males have the pronotal anteromarginal setae shorter than the anteroangulars; this setal pair is particularly small in larger males. Specimens taken from Bursaria ( Figs 23–26 ) tend to have the stylets rather further apart, about one fifth of head width apart. These are here identified as ater because of the long and almost pointed setae on tergite IX. However, a separate species, badiipennis , with shorter and capitate setae on tergite IX seems to be specific to Bursaria . It is possible that some inter-breeding occurs between these species.

Type specimens studied. Holotype female of ater , Australia, Victoria, Melbourne, from Eucalyptus , xii.1925 ( R.Kelly), in QM. Holotype female of niger , Queensland, Tara [20km west of Brisbane], brigalow, 12.ii.1924, in QM. Lectotype male of pittosporiicola (Mound 1968) , New South Wales, Sydney, Botany , 14.iii. 1900 in BMNH. Syntypes of both sexes of bursariicola , Victoria, Healesville , 15.iv. 1926 in SMF. Holotype female of fuscipennis , South Australia, Port Lincoln, no date, in CalAcad .

Other specimens studied. In ANIC: From Pittosporum : Victoria; Melbourne Botanic Gardens , 14.v.2005 ; Montmorency , 12 females, 12 males, 15.xii.1995 . New South Wales; Sydney , 2 females, 4 males, 5.xii.1925 ; Epping , 9 females, 11.viii.1928 . A.C. T., Weston , 3 females, 2 males, 13.v.2012 . South Australia, Adelaide, Glen Osmond , 1 female, 1 male, 4.i.1950 ; Crafers , 8 females, 2 males, xii.1995 ; Adelaide Botanic Gardens , 4 females, 2 males, 21.x.2004 . Queensland, Lamington , 6 females, 2 males, 14.iii.2007 . From Geijera : New South Wales, Gilgandra 100km NE, 15 females, 3 males, vii–viii.1959 ; Queensland, Dalby , 4 females, 4 males, 19.x.1985 and 8.iii.2006 . From Auranticarpa : Queensland, Brisbane, The Gap , 1 female, 2 males with larvae, 28.x.2007 .

In QDPC: Queensland: Brisbane, The Gap , 6 females, 4 males from Auranticarpa rhombifolia leaf galls, 20.xi.2007 ; Carnarvon, Blue water Springs , 2 females, 2 males from Pittosporum sp , 14.x.2014 ; Mt Glorious rainforest, 3 females, 1 male from Clerodendron sp. , 18.i.2006 ; Brisbane Forest Park, Boombana , 1 female, 2 males from Pittosporum undulatum , 16.i.2006 ; Cooloola N.P., 2 females, 1 male from Pittosporum revolutum , 11.ii.2006 .

Teuchothrips badiipennis Hood

( Figs 11–12 )

Teuchothrips badiipennis Hood, 1919: 87 .

Described from three females taken at Brooklyn [Sydney] by “sweeping” in November, 1914, these syntypes were compared to the series listed below from Canberra taken in 1995. This series, from small leafy galls on Bursaria spinosa , comprised numerous winged and wingless morphs of both sexes, together with larvae. The pelta is broad ( Fig. 11 ) and quite similar between the two morphs, but body size in this series varies considerably. Macropterous female body length varies from 2.0 to 2.5mm, and the length of postocular and pronotal setae is positively associated with body size. Large males have the fore legs and fore tarsal tooth much larger than small males. The maxillary stylets tend to be slightly further apart than in ater , and the original description is generally satisfactory. However, the colour of antennal segments IV–VI is best described as bicoloured. The fore wings are deeply shaded, but the major setae are remarkably pale for such a dark brown species. Curiously, many micropterae in this species might best be considered as hemimacropterae because the fore wings are slightly longer than the thorax width. Most of the available specimens were taken from Bursaria , but three specimens are listed below that are recorded as having been taken on Pittosporum about 200km east of Perth, Western Australia.

Specimens studied. In ANIC: Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, Black Mountain , many specimens of both sexes with larvae from small leafy galls on Bursaria spinosa , 22–23.iv.1995 ; same locality and host, 4.i.1960 and 19.xi.2004 . New South Wales, Bungonia , 2 female macropterae, 2 female, 2 male micropterae, 2 male hemimacropterae from Bursaria , 29.i.2012 . Victoria, Nelson , 4 females, 2 males from Bursaria , 5.x.2013 . Tasmania, Buckland , 1 female, 1 male macropterae, 4 female micropterae from Bursaria spinosa , 27.xi.2010 . South Australia, Tankallila , 1 female, 1 male microptera from terminal leaf rolls on Bursaria spinosa , 4.xii.1967 . Western Australia, Tammin , 1 female, 2 male macropterae from Pittosporum angustifolium , viii.2006 .

In QDPC: New South Wales, Bungonia , 3 female 2 male micropterae, 2 female hemimacropterae from Bursaria , 14.iv.2012 . Victoria, Nelson, 2 female 2 male micropterae, 2 female macropterae from Leucopogon flowers, 2 females from Bursaria , 5.x.2013 .

Figures

FIGURES 1–10. Teuchothrips of Australia. T. agonis 1–4: (1) head & pronotum; (2) antenna; (3) metanotum & pelta; (4) tergites IX–X. T. aliceae 5–8: (5) head & pronotum; (6) antenna; (7) metanotum & pelta; (8) tergites IX–X. T. ater 9–10: (9) tergites IX–X; (10) head & pronotum.

FIGURES 11–26. Teuchothrips of Australia. T. badiipennis 11–12: (11) metanotum & pelta; (12) prosternites. T. badu 13– 16: (13) head & pronotum; (14) metanotum & pelta; (15) prosternites; (16) antenna. T. bundjalong 17–20: (17) head; (18) metanotum & pelta; (19) tergites IX–X; (20) male sternite VIII. T. burroughsi 21–22: (21) head & pronotum; (22) metanotum & pelta. T. bursariicola (=ater) 23–26: (23) head & pronotum, Female; (24) head & pronotum, Male; (25) metanotum & pelta; (26) male sternite VIII.