Teuchothrips aliceae, Mound & Dang & Tree, 2023

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 : 447-448

Teuchothrips aliceae sp.n.

( Figs 5–8 )

Female microptera. Body and legs brown, all tarsi yellow, all tibiae with extreme apices briefly yellow; antennal segments II–II and VII–VIII brown, III–V mainly yellow, VI light brown distally; major setae pale; fore wing lobe pale. Head longer than wide, genae convex; vertex with reticulate sculpture; postocular setae softly capitate, extending to posterior margin of eyes; eyes longer dorsally than ventrally; maxillary stylets close together medially, retracted to eyes; mouth cone bluntly pointed ( Fig. 5 ). Antennal segment III less than twice as long as apical width; IV with 2 small major sense cones, VIII small but distinct from VII ( Fig. 6 ). Pronotum transverse, with 4 pairs of short capitate setae, am also capitate but scarcely larger than discal setae; surface with weak reticulate sculpture except medially. Fore tarsal tooth stout, at least half as long as width of tarsus, fore femora slightly enlarged. Fore wing lobe with 3 capitate sub-basal setae arising in straight line. Mesonotum transversely reticulate, lateral setal pair small. Metanotum transverse, evenly reticulate, major setal pair slender ( Fig. 7 ). Mesopresternum paired lateral triangles weakly connected medially, metathoracic sternopleural sutures long. Pelta broadly triangular to D-shaped, with wide base; only tergites IV–VI with 2 pairs of sigmoid setae, lateral setae short, tergite IX setae S1 and S2 capitate; tube lateral margins straight narrowed distally ( Fig. 8 ).

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 1980. Head, length 185; maximum width 170. Pronotum, length 185; width 275; epimeral setae 35. Fore wing, length 120; sub-basal setae S1 15, S2 15, S3 20. Tergite VIII posterolateral setae 45; tergite IX setae S1 60, S2 60; tube, length 145, basal width 70; anal setae, length 120. Antennal segments I–VIII length (width): 35 (30), 45 (30), 40 (30), 40 (30), 50 (30), 50 (30), 50 (25), 25 (15).

Male microptera. Similar to female in colour and sculpture but pronotum and fore legs stouter and postocular setae longer; sternite VIII largely occupied by pore plate; tergite IX setae S2 capitate, slightly shorter than setae S1.

Measurements (paratype male in microns). Body length 1700. Head, length 160; width 155. Pronotum, length 190; width 290. Tergite IX setae S1 60, S2 40. Tube, length 130, basal width 65; anal setae, length 120.

Specimens studied. Holotype female, Australian Capital Territory, Weston , in gall on Melaleuca styphelioides , 14.ii.2012 ( LAM 5551 ), in ANIC.

Paratypes: 2 females, 2 males, also larvae, taken with holotype. A. C. T ., Black Mountain : 1 female from Melaleuca sp. , 13.iv.2003; CSIRO gardens, 5 females, 3 males from Melaleuca styphelioides , 22.x.2023 ( LAM 6563 ) .

Comments. The three female and two male micropterae from Weston were taken from galls on a garden plant. The series of paratypes from CSIRO gardens includes one female in which antennal segment VI is shaded brown and V is also very weakly shaded. The remaining specimens of both sexes all have segments III – VII yellow. The females of this species have antennal segment IV short, and also short tergite IX S1 setae. It is otherwise a typical member of this genus, although it is one of the species with antennal segment IV bearing only two major sense cones .

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.