Anaphothrips epacrida, Mound & Masumoto, 2009

Mound, Laurence A. & Masumoto, Masami, 2009, Australian Thripinae of the Anaphothrips genus-group (Thysanoptera), with three new genera and thirty-three new species, Zootaxa 2042 (1), pp. 1-76 : 32-34

Anaphothrips epacrida sp. n.

( Figs 74–77 )

Female macroptera. Body and legs yellow; antennal segment I white, II pale brown, III–V pale brown with base variably yellow, VI–IX brown; fore wing lightly shaded; tergite IX major setae dark. Head with a few transverse anastomosing lines, smooth within ocellar triangle; ocellar setae III just outside ocellar triangle, in front of hind ocelli; eyes without pigmented facets. Antennae 9-segmented; segments III–IV with sensorium forked, VI weakly pedicellate, suture between VI–VII transverse ( Fig. 76 ). Pronotum almost without sculpture lines. Metascutum reticulate, median setae near anterior margin, MCS present usually on anterior half. Fore wing first vein with about 9 setae basally, 2 setae medially, 2 setae distally; second vein with about 15 setae including 1–3 setae basal to vein fork ( Fig. 77 ); clavus with 6–7 marginal setae including one seta near base. Abdominal tergites II–VII smooth medially; laterally with about 8 anastomosing lines with weak microtrichia, lines extend just mesad of S2 setae; VIII with long, fine posteromarginal comb.

Measurements (paratype, in microns). Body length 1300. Head, length 100; width across eyes 135. Pronotum, length 110; maximum width 160. Fore wing, length 720; median width 50; first vein longest seta in basal row 25. Tergite IV S1 setae 12. Tergite IX, MD setae 10; PM S1 setae 70. Tergite X PM S1 setae 90. Antennal segments III–IX, 45, 45, 40, 40, 12, 7, 12.

Male macroptera. Similar to female; tergite IX with one pair of short, stout, dark setae medially, and two pairs of small pale, fine setae posterior to these; tergite IX posterolateral margin with one pair of short, broadly conical, dark brown “setae” ( Fig. 75 ); sternites III–VII with large C-shaped pore plate ( Fig. 74 ).

Measurements (holotype, in microns). Body length 1050. Head, length 85; width across eyes 125. Pronotum, length 85; maximum width 135. Fore wing, length 580; median width 45; first vein longest seta in basal row 25. Tergite IV S1 setae 7. Tergite IX median setae 15.

Specimens examined. Holotype male macroptera, New South Wales, Bermagui Beach, from Monotoca elliptica (Epacridaceae) , 16.ii.2002 (LAM 4117).

Paratypes: 4 males 9 females taken with holotype; New South Wales, Murrah, 15km south of Bermagui , 7 males 16 females, from Monotoca elliptica , 16.ii.2002; Sydney, Castle Hill, NSW Forestry, 4 males 5 females from Epacridaceae , 12.iv.2002; Chichester State Forest , 5 males 6 females from Epacridaceae , 26.xii.2000; Talaganda Forest , 2 males 7 females, from Leucopogon leaves ( Epacridaceae ), 9.iv.2003. Victoria, 20km west of Mallacoota , 4 males 8 females from Leucopogon leaves, 29.xii.2004.

Comments. A male is chosen as the holotype of this species because of the distinctive chaetotaxy of the ninth tergite, and the difficulty in distinguishing females from some other members of the genus. In particular, both sexes share many character states with A. astrolomi and A. desleyae . This species is widespread in eastern Australia in association with the leaves of several species of Epacridaceae . The broadly conical “setae” posterolaterally on tergite IX of males do not appear to have typical setal bases ( Fig. 75 ), and they may be homologous with the pair of spine-like structures arising in a similar position on A. desleyae males, also the recurved structures on A. dubius .

Figures

FIGURES 73–82. Anaphothrips of Australia. (73) A. dubius tergites VI–VIII. A. epacrida 74–77: (74) male sternites; (75) male tergite IX; (76) antenna; (77) forewing base. A. exocarpi 78–79: (78) forewing base with meso & metanotum; (79) antenna. A, eremophilae 80-82: (80) antenna; (81) head; (82) tergites VI–VIII.