Deplorothrips deuae, Mound, Laurence A. & Tree, Desley J., 2016

Mound, Laurence A. & Tree, Desley J., 2016, Australian mycophagous species of the genus Deplorothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae), Zootaxa 4208 (3), pp. 201-220 : 211

Deplorothrips deuae sp.n.

( Figs 13 , 18 , 22 , 39 )

Male aptera: Body and all femora brown, tibiae and tarsi light yellowish-brown; antennal segments I–II light brown, III variably yellowish brown, IV–VIII darker brown.

Antennal segment VIII broadly joined to VII ( Fig. 22 ), IV–VII narrowed to pedicel; III and IV each with two sense cones. Head longer than wide ( Fig. 13 ), ocelli absent, cheeks with weak setae; vertex with little or no sculpture except near posterior margin; po setae long and weakly capitate; maxillary pillars about 70 microns long with the levers curving mesad, stylets retracted almost to po setae, subparallel medially and about one third of head width apart with faint maxillary bridge. Pronotum with strong median longitudinal apodeme, without sculpture; am setae minute, remaining setae capitate. Mesonotum with weak transverse lines, lateral setal pair minute, no wing lobe. Metanotum without sculpture, median setal pair slender and acute. Fore femora stout, fore tarsal tooth as long as tarsal width, fore tibia with small subapical tubercle. Prosternal ferna not meeting medially, mesopraesternum eroded to two small sclerites ( Fig. 18 ). Pelta eroded, broadly hat-shaped, weakly reticulate; tergites with no sculpture, II–VII with 2 pairs of very small, straight wing-retaining setae, lateral major setae weakly capitate; tergite IX setae S1 long and capitate, S2 short and pointed. Sternites III–VI with transverse rows of reticulation anterolaterally, VIII with oval pore plate ( Fig. 39 ).

Measurements (holotype male aptera in microns). Body length 1400. Head, length 175; width 150; po setae 60. Pronotum, length 150; width 210; major setae—am 5, aa 50, ml 25, epim 43, pa 43. Tergite IX setae S1 70, S2 30. Sternite VIII pore plate dimensions 40 x 12. Tube length 90. Antennal segments III–VIII length 47, 45, 50, 47, 40, 30.

Female aptera: similar to male but slightly larger, fore tarsal tooth small, pronotum without median longitudinal apodeme ( Fig. 13 ), pelta broadly D-shaped.

Female macroptera: similar to female aptera, antennal segments III and IV each with two sense cones; fore wing with two small sub-basal setae but no duplicated cilia; tergite IX setae S1more than 0.75 as long as tube.

Material studied. Holotype male aptera, New South Wales, Batemans Bay, from dead Casuarina with lichen, 26.x.1985 ( LAM 1932 ).

Paratypes (apterae except where indicated): New South Wales, 8 females, 2 males taken with holotype; Yamba , 2 males from dead wood, 23.xi.2012 ; Mossy Point , 1 female macroptera from dead wood, 15.ix.2012 . Australian Capital Territory, Namadji , 1 female, 4 males from dead twigs, 29.viii.2005 ; same site, 1 male, 18.xii.2005; same site, 1 female macroptera, 2 males from dead twigs with lichen, 27.xii.2005.

Comments. The stylets are more deeply retracted into the head than in any other member of this genus, and there is a distinct maxillary bridge. However, the other characters are shared with species of Deplorothrips , indicating that deuae is a member of the same lineage and should thus not be segregated to a separate genus. The type series comprises apterae and two macropterae, whereas the types of capitalis comprise micropterae and macropterae. These two species are similar to each other, and there is a possibility that the differences between them are due to the differences in wing morph. Moreover, deuae is particularly similar in structure to minaei , although that has long pointed major setae. One female and one male micropterae, together with one female macroptera have been studied from Tasmania, Mt . Wellington, that cannot be securely identified because the stylets are disrupted. One male and two female apterae have been studied from South Australia, Meningie, that have stylets as deeply retracted as deuae , but have the mid and hind legs and antennal segment III dark brown.

Figures

FIGURES 8 – 13. Deplorothrips species, head and thorax. (8) chydaeus female; (9) capitalis holotype; (10) howei holotype; (11) minaei female; (12) retis holotype; (13) deuae female.

FIGURES 14 – 19. Deplorothrips species, head and thorax. Large males 14 – 17: (14) makrus holotype; (15) minaei holotype; (16) mongai holotype; (17) villosus. Prosternum 18 – 19: (18) deuae (holotype); (19) makrus.

FIGURES 20 – 32. Deplorothrips species, antennae. (20) diaphorus, macroptera, segments IV – VIII ventral; (21) chydaeus; (22) deuae (holotype); (23) howei; (24) makrus; (25) minaei; (26) mongai; (27) norfuki; (28) paspalus; (29) regina; (30) retis; (31) virgulatus; (32) villosus.

FIGURES 33 – 47. Deplorothrips species, metanotum and male sternites. (33) howei, large male, meso and metanotum. (34) regina, metanotum and tergites I – II. (35) retis, metanotum and pelta. (36) villosus, large male, metanotum and tergites I – II. (37) norfuki, holotype metanotum and tergites I – II. Male sternite VIII pore plate 38 – 44: (38) chydaeus; (39) deuae; (40) diaphorus; (41) howei; (42) makrus; (43) mongai; (44) villosus. (45) howei, male fore tarsus & tibia. Male sternites V – VI 46 – 47: (46) capitalis; (47) diaphorus.