Deplorothrips norfuki, 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 : 216

Deplorothrips norfuki sp.n.

( Figs 7 , 27 , 37 )

Male aptera: Body and all femora brown, mid and hind tibiae yellowish brown with apex pale, tarsi yellow; antennal segment I brown, II paler at apex, III variably yellow toward base but variably light brown toward apex, IV–VIII dark brown.

Antennal segment VIII slightly narrower at base than VII at apex, IV–VII sharply narrowed to pedicel ( Fig. 27 ); III and IV each with two large sense cones. Head longer than wide, posterior ocelli weakly developed, cheeks with weak setae; vertex with sculpture near posterior margin; po setae long and capitate; maxillary stylets wide apart, retracted anterior to occipital ridge ( Fig. 7 ). Pronotum with median longitudinal apodeme, without sculpture; am setae minute, remaining setae capitate with ml setae shortest. Mesonotum with transverse sculpture, lateral setal pair short but capitate, wing lobe minute. Metanotum without sculpture medially but with weak longitudinal ridges on posterior third ( Fig. 37 ), median setal pair slender and acute. Fore femora and fore tarsal tooth stout, fore tibia with small subapical tubercle. Prosternal ferna almost meeting medially, mesopraesternum eroded to three small sclerites, mesoeusternal anterior margin narrow and convex. Pelta hat-shaped, weakly sculptured; tergites with no sculpture, II–VII with 2 pairs of very small, straight wing-retaining setae, lateral major setae weakly capitate but lateral pair on IV–VII acute; tergite IX setae S1 long and capitate, S2 short and pointed. Sternites II–VI with transverse rows of reticulation anterolaterally; VIII with small, almost circular, pore plate.

Measurements (holotype male in microns). Body length 1720. Head, length 170; width 145; po setae 60; longest cheek seta 12. Pronotum, length 170; width 235; major setae—am 5, aa 60, ml 25, epim 50, pa 45. Fore wing lobe 7. Tergite IX setae S1 65, S2 30. Sternite VIII pore plate dimensions 20 x 16. Tube length 100. Antennal segments III–VIII length 50, 45, 50, 40, 40, 30.

Female aptera: similar to male but larger, fore tarsal tooth smaller and more pointed; pronotal am setae weakly capitate; metanotum without longitudinal ridges on posterior half; tergite IX setae S2 long and softly pointed.

Measurements (paratype female aptera in microns). Body length 1730. Head, length 170; width 155. Pronotum, length 130; width 210; major setae—am 27/15, aa 35, ml 35, epim 50, pa 45. Tergite IX setae S1 85, S2 85. Tube length 100.

Female macroptera: similar to female aptera, ocelli well developed, tergites with two pairs of sigmoid setae; fore wing with 2 capitate sub-basal setae and 5 duplicated cilia.

Material studied. Holotype male aptera, Australia, Norfolk Island, Palm grove Track , from old dead branch, 23.xii.2012 ( LAM 5703 ).

Paratypes (apterae except as indicated): Norfolk Island, 1 male , 2 females taken with holotype; same locality , 2 males from Cordyline leaf litter, 21.x.2013, same locality , 2 males from dead branches, 30.xi.2014; Prince Philip Drive , 2 males 2 females from Toona dead branch, 25.xii.2012 ; Bird Rock Track , 1 male from dead branch, 22.xi.2014 ; Mission Road Forest , 1 female macroptera from dead branches, 27.iii.2014 .

Comments. Although similar to chydaeus , this species from Norfolk Island has the maxillary stylets slightly less retracted into the head. The females have capitate pronotal anteromarginal setae, and the males have sternite VIII with a smaller, almost circular, pore plate. Two female macropterae have been studied from coastal New South Wales (Broulee and Nowra) that possibly also represent norfuki .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 7. Deplorothrips species, head and thorax. (1) villosus holotype; (2) diaphorus female macroptera; (3) paspalus holotype; (4) regina holotype; (5) virgulatus male paratype; (6) makrus female macroptera; (7) norfuki holotype.

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.