Minaeithrips driesseni sp.n.

Apterous female. Colour brown, tarsi, apices of tibiae and basal two-thirds of tube yellow; head sometimes paler medially; antennal segment II apex paler than pedicel of segment III. Head with cheeks convex; eyes rounded, with at least 20 ommatidia on dorsal surface and 15 ventrally; ocelli present but very small; postocular setae weakly capitate, shorter than eye width; one pair of minute interocular setae, vertex without setae medially (Fig. 13). Antennal segment III with two sensoria, pedicel slightly ridged; segments IV–VII each sharply constricted to a basal pedicel (Fig. 17). Pronotal am and ml major setae minute, aa, epim and pa major setae short and weakly capitate. Thoracic sternites extensively eroded (Fig. 15), but mesopraesternum weakly indicated. Meso and metanota with complete transverse suture. Pelta eroded posteromedially; tergites II–VII each with one pair of marginal setae with apices rounded; tergite IX three pairs of major setae rather stout with apices rounded.

Measurements of holotype female in microns. Body length 1400. Head, length 150; width 180; postocular setae 35. Pronotum, length 100; width 220; major setae am 5, aa 20, ml 5, epim 35, pa 20. Metanotal median setae 15. Tergite IX setae S1 45, S2 55, S3 60. Tube, length 95; anal setae?60. Antennal segments III– VII+VIII length, 40, 40, 40, 40, 60.

Material studied. Holotype female, Tasmania, Lake St Clair, ii–iii. 2004 (M. Driessen).

Paratypes: same date and locality as holotype 2 females 1 male; Lake Pedder, 5 females 2 males, ii–iii. 2004.

Comments. This species was collected during a survey of invertebrates associated with “button-grass moorland” in Tasmania. The dominant plant in these areas is Gymnoschoenus (Cyperaceae), and this thrips presumably feeds on fungi at the bases of these sedges.