Hydatothrips aliceae, Mound, Laurence A. & Tree, And Desley J., 2009

Mound, Laurence A. & Tree, And Desley J., 2009, Identification and host-plant associations of Australian Sericothripinae (Thysanoptera, Thripidae), Zootaxa 1983, pp. 1-22 : 4-5

Hydatothrips aliceae sp.n.

( Figs 1–7 )

Female macroptera. Strongly bicoloured; body and legs mainly brown, abdominal segments V–VI largely yellow with dark tergal antecostal ridge; tarsi yellow, tibiae variably yellow at base and apex; antennal segments I–III yellow, IV pale near base, V–VIII light brown; forewing sub-basal pale area with stout costal setae, distal half of wing almost uniformly shaded, sometimes with one seta on second vein. Head with occipital carina close to eyes; ocellar triangle transversely striate; ocellar setae III arise outside ocellar triangle; three pairs of postocular setae, median pair long; postoccipital area transversely striate. Pronotum anterior third transversely reticulate with markings inside reticles; blotch with narrow transverse reticulation with markings between main striae. Metanotal reticulation almost equiangular medially, with many markings inside reticles. Forewing swollen at sub-basal area. Tergite I medially with prominent microtrichiate craspedum, II–VIII with complete microtrichiate craspedum. Sternites with no discal microtrichia mesad of marginal setae S2; posterior margins with lobed craspeda bearing long microtrichia between each pair of marginal setae; sternite VII medially with neither discal nor marginal microtrichia, three pairs of setae arise submarginally.

Measurements of holotype female in microns: Body length 1370. Head, length 250; width across eyes 195. Pronotum, length 145; width 240. Forewing length 830. Antennal segments III–VIII length 75, 70, 50, 53, 10, 12.

Male. Similar to female, abdominal segment VII brownish yellow; sternites without glandular areas. Material studied. Holotype female, Lord Howe Island, from leaves of Parsonsia howeana , 21.xii.2001 (LAM4070), in ANIC.

Paratypes: 3 females, 3 males collected with holotype; same host and locality, 2 females 1 male, 27.xii.2001; 3 females, 3 males, 21.xii.2007; same locality from grass, 1 female, 20.xi.1996. Comments. The host plant of this thrips is endemic to Lord Howe Island, and is considered to be closely related to Parsonsia straminea (Apocynaceae) , although the two Hydatothrips that these plant species support are readily distinguished. This new species is remarkable for the expansion of the sub-basal area of the forewing, and it also differs from other members of the genus in the complete craspedum on the first abdominal tergite.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 7. Hydatothrips aliceae. (1) Head & pronotum; (2) Forewing; (3) Meso & metanotum; (4) Sternites; (5) Tergites; (6) Metasternum; (7) Female.