Strepterothrips orientalis Ananthakrishnan

Mound, Laurence A. & Tree, Desley J., 2015, Fungus-feeding Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripinae of the Idiothrips genus-group in Australia, with nine new species, Zootaxa 4034 (2), pp. 325-341 : 336

Strepterothrips orientalis Ananthakrishnan

(18, 24, 45)

Strepterothrips orientalis Ananthakrishnan, 1964: 118 .

Apart from the colour details and a large number of measurements, the original description of this species from southern India included few structural details. As indicated above orientalis is similar to okajimai and uenoi in the antennal sense cone arrangement, with one on segment III and three on segment IV. In macropterae, the prosternal basantra are faintly indicated although in apterae they are absent. The mespresternum is not developed in any available specimen, and the mesoeusternum is longitudinally divided, even in macropterae. The tergal posteromarginal setae of apterae are short and broadly capitate, but in macropterae these setae are long with the apex asymmetric and arise close to the enlarged posterior pair of wing-retaining setae. This species has been found widely across the tropical northern areas of Australia, and most of these specimens bear one or more discal setae on the pelta.

Material studied, all apterae. India: Chennai, 1 female from Borassus dead lvs, x.2005; Kallar, 1 female macroptera from dead wood, x.2005. Australia: Queensland, Townsville, 1 female, 16.vii.1995, 2 females, 23.viii.2004; Torres Strait Islands, Boigu, 4 females, 1 male from dead wood, 16.xi.2009; Darnley, 2 females from dead wood, 17.xi.2009; Warraber, 2 males from dead leaves, 19.xi.2009. Northern Territory, Coburg Peninsular, Smith Point, 1 female from dead twigs, 14.v.1999. Western Australia, Kununurra, 3 females, 1 male, 23.ii.2005, 2 females, 1 male, 27.ix.2009; Broome, 20km east, 4 female apterae, 3 female macropterae, 1 male from dead mango branch, 1.iii.2005.