Kremnothrips, Mound, Laurence A. & Tree, Desley J., 2017

Mound, Laurence A. & Tree, Desley J., 2017, Two new Australian fungus-feeding thrips in two new Plectrothripini genera (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae), Zootaxa 4273 (3), pp. 443-446 : 443

Kremnothrips gen.n.

Diagnosis. Head twice as long as width across eyes, prolonged in front of eyes over bases of antennae; compound eyes with few and weakly defined facets; cheeks slightly constricted behind eyes, vertex lacking sculpture except weakly reticulate along posterior margin; postocular setae long and finely pointed, maxillary stylets retracted to postocular setae, close together medially, mandible long and robust ( Fig. 1 ). Antennae 8-segmented ( Figs 4, 5 ); segment I the longest; II dorsally with 2 pairs of setae and campaniform sensillum in basal half, ventrally with long apical spur ( Fig. 5 ); III asymmetric with outer margin swollen and base slender, with 3 short stout sense cones, segment IV with 4; V–VI each with 2; IV–VIII bulbous with pedicels narrow. Pronotum with 5 pairs of slender pointed major setae but anteromarginal setae variable in length; notopleural sutures incomplete ( Fig. 2 ); basantra absent but 2 or 3 setae present; ferna narrowing medially and almost meeting ( Fig. 3 ); mesopraesternum and mesoeusternal margin eroded; pair of minute setae medially associated with eroded spinasternum. Mesonotum weakly reticulate on anterior margin; metanotum lacking sculpture with 2 long acute setae medially ( Fig. 2 ). Fore tarsal tooth large and robust, ventro-lateral hamus prominent; mid and hind tibiae without stout setae. Pelta broadly triangular but partly eroded, with weak sculpture ( Fig. 6 ). Tergite II lateral margins not eroded; III–VII with 2 long setae laterally, and anterior pair of wing-retaining setae small but posterior pair long and straight; tergite IX setae slightly longer than tube. Tube shorter than head with straight margins; anal setae shorter than tube. Sternites without reticulate areas.

Type species Kremnothrips epakrus sp.n.

Comments. The basal position of the campaniform sensillum on the second antennal segment suggests that this new genus is a member of the Plectrothripini, although the lateral margins of the second abdominal tergite are not eroded, and the sternites lack any glandular reticulation. The head is elongate and similar in shape to that of species in the two plectrothripine genera, Chiridurothrips from Japan, and Mastigothrips from Java and Fiji (see illustrations in Okajima 1981). However, the available specimens of the new species described below differ from the species in both these genera in having the prosternal ferna (= probasisternum of Okajima 1981) separate instead of fused into a single large plate. Moreover they are micropterous with small compound eyes in contrast to the macropterous members of the other genera with large eyes. Antennal segments I–III of this new species are similar to those found in the single species of Lonchothrips from Brazil, but that has a remarkably short tube with an asymmetric apex, and the pronotum largely membranous. The single species placed in Chiridurothrips also has antennal segment II strongly asymmetric, but with a much shorter prolongation, and the pronotum with only one pair of major setae. As a result, using the key to genera by Okajima (1981) this genus will not progress beyond the third couplet.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Kremnothrips epakrus sp. n. (1) head; (2) pronotum, meso- and metanota; (3) prosternites; (4) antenna; (5) antennal segment II ventral view; (6) pelta and tergite II.