Mystrothrips nomadus, Mound & Tree, 2018

Mound, Laurence A. & Tree, Desley J., 2018, Asia-Australia distribution patterns among species of Mystrothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae), with two new species, Zootaxa 4526 (3), pp. 347-357 : 353-354

Mystrothrips nomadus sp.n.

( Figs 22–27 )

Female microptera. Body and legs pale brownish yellow, distal antennal segments slightly darker. Head without ocelli, projecting very slightly in front of eyes, strongly reticulate ( Fig. 22 ); compound eyes with only 3 facets; cheeks convex and sharply constricted behind eyes; postocular setae not extending to eyes, apices capitate and fringed; mid-dorsal setae small and acute; maxillary stylets retracted to postocular setae and slightly less than one third of head width apart medially; mouth cone apex round to bluntly pointed. Antennae 8-segmented with reticulate surfaces; segment III with no sense cones, IV with 3 sense cones of which one is sometimes small; III– VIII all strongly pedicellate ( Fig. 26 ). Pronotum reticulate on anterior half but sculpture tuberculate laterally and on posterior half ( Fig. 23 ); 5 pairs of major setae with apices capitate and fringed; notopleural sutures not quite complete. Mesonotum transverse, sculpture lines with dentate microtrichia, lateral setal pair long with capitate, fringed apices. Metanotum reticulate, reticles formed of simple lines, median setae small and bluntly pointed. Fore tarsus apparently without tooth. Fore wing lobes not extending to posterior margin of metathorax, each with 2 large capitate, fringed setae. Prosternal basantra not sclerotized, ferna narrowing to blunt apices in midline ( Fig. 24 ); mesopresternum not sclerotized. Pelta transversely oval, reticulate with small tubercles on sculpture lines; tergites II–VIII transversely reticulate with sculpture lines bearing numerous dentate microtrichia particularly on posterior half of each tergite, with one pair of capitate major setae on posterior margin and one pair on posterior angles; tergite IX setae S1 with apex spoon-shaped ( Fig. 27 ), S2 and S3 finely acute, intermediate setae two-thirds as long as S1; tube shorter than head, anal setae shorter than tube. Sternites II–VII sculptured similarly to tergites, each with up to 24 small discal setae in a transverse row; sternite VIII with fewer and longer discal setae.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 1550. Head, length 165; maximum width 155; postocular setae 35; mid-dorsal setae 10. Pronotum, length 100; maximum width 230; major setae - am 25, aa 35, ml 30, epim 45, pa 25. Mesonotal lateral setae 25. Metanotal median setae 20. Fore wing length 80, sub-basal setae 25, 35. Tergite IX setae, S1 90, intermediate seta 60, S2 105. Tube length 125. Antennal segments III–VIII length 40, 43, 43, 40, 30, 30.

Male microptera. Very similar to female but a little smaller; chaetotaxy of tergite IX as in female; sternite VIII without pore plate.

Measurements (paratype male in microns). Body length 1300. Head length 160. Pronotum length 90. Fore wing length 65. Tube length 100.

Specimens examined. Holotype female, Australia, Queensland, Brisbane, Mt Coot-tha , from leaf litter, 29.vi.2008 (Tree DJ), in ANIC.

Paratypes: 2 females taken with holotype; Brisbane , Gap Creek Reserve, in litter , 2 females 13.viii.2008, 1 female 24.xii.2008, 1 female 8.i.2009 (Tree DJ) ; Brisbane Forest Park, Centre Road, in dry sclerophyll litter , 4 females 2.viii.2008, 1 female 26.iii.2009 (Tree DJ) ; Brisbane Forest Park, Bellbird Grove , 3 females in Eucalyptus litter, 6.ii.2009 (Tree DJ) ; Cape Tribulation, Sth Emmagen Creek , 3 females 2 males in leaf litter, 9.x.2012 (Tree DJ) ; in QDPC and ANIC.

Comments. This species is very similar to brachystylis described above, but has the maxillary stylets long and deeply retracted into the head ( Fig. 22 ), antennal segment III without any sense cones, the prosternal ferna bluntly pointed toward the mid line ( Fig. 24 ), and the metanotal sculpture lines simple ( Fig. 25 ).

FIGURES 16–21. Mystrothrips species. M. dilatus 16–18: (16) head; (17) tergite III; (18) tergite V. M. reteanum 19–21: (19) prosternites; (20) macroptera metanotum & tergites I–III; (21) microptera metanotum & tergites I–III.

Figures

FIGURES 22–28. Mystrothrips species. M. nomadus 22–27: (22) head; (23) pronotum & mesonotum; (24) prosternites; (25) meso & metanota & tergites I–III; (26) antenna; (27) tergites VIII, IX & tube. (28) Mystrothrips levis head of holotype.