Hoplandrothrips quadriconus (Girault)

Mound, Laurence A. & Tree, Desley J., 2013, Fungus-feeding thrips from Australia in the worldwide genus Hoplandrothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae), Zootaxa 3700 (3), pp. 476-494 : 491

Hoplandrothrips quadriconus (Girault)

( Figs 24, 26 )

Horistothrips quadriconus Girault, 1928: 4

The original, 4-line, description was based on an unspecified number of specimens with the published data: “Under bark, Bogong Plains, 6000ft., Victoria, Jany., F.E.Wilson”. One slide bearing the name quadriconus was found in the Girault collections at the Queensland Museum labelled “ Types. F.E.Wilson”. The slide carried seven females and three males under one cover glass. These ten specimens were considered syntypes, and remounted onto individual slides, with one female here designated LECTOTYPE. This species has been found in large numbers under the bark of dead Eucalyptus branches at various sites in the ACT and eastern NSW as far north as Narrabri. Specimens have also been seen from Brisbane Forest Park, and also from Narrogin in Western Australia. Within this genus, quadriconus is unusual in the short pronotal setae, and it shares with some other species discussed here the presence of reticulate sculptured areas on the sternites of some males.

Diagnosis. Both sexes macropterous, varying in body size; body and legs dark brown with red internal pigment; antennal segments III–IV scarcely paler at base; major setae all pale, except stout setae on fore coxae; fore wing very faintly shaded medially. Head longer than wide, slightly constricted behind large eyes, cheeks with a few small setae each arising on a tubercle; postocular setae short in female, as long as eye width in male; maxillary stylets retracted to postocular setae, close together medially ( Fig. 24 ). Antennal segments slender, III with 3 sensoria, IV with 4 sensoria; VII pedicellate, VIII scarcely constricted at base. Pronotum almost without sculpture, male with median longitudinal apodeme; am and ml setae scarcely larger than discal setae, aa, pa and epim setae acute, shorter than width of antennal segment I. Fore tarsus with long slender tooth in both sexes; fore femora swollen, without tubercles. Prosternal basantra absent, chitinous islets often large; female with mesopresternum transverse across mesoeusternal margin, male with mesopresternum of two lateral triangles and mesoeusternal margin angulate. Mesonotum transversely reticulate, lateral setae small and acute. Fore wings parallel sided, with about 20 duplicated cilia. Metanotum weakly reticulate ( Fig. 26 ), median setae acute, wide apart, on anterior third of sclerite. Pelta broadly bell-shaped with small slender lateral wings ( Fig. 26 ); median tergites with row of 4 small discal setae anterolaterally, two or more pairs of small setae medially near campaniform sensilla; anterior pair of wing retaining setae weak; lateral setae S1 and S2 blunt or acute, S2 on VI– VII long and acute, S2 on VIII weakly capitate; tergite IX S1 short and acute, S2 weakly capitate in female, acute in male, intermediate setae small; male sternite VIII with no pore plate, sternites III–V commonly with paired areas of specialised reticulation anterolateral to discal setae.

Figures

FIGURES 22 – 28. Hoplandrothrips from Australia. Head & pronotum 22 – 24: (22) ibisci sp. n.; (23) oreillyi sp. n.; (24) quadriconus. Meso & metanotum, pelta & tergite II, 25 – 26: (25) ibisci sp. n.; (26) quadriconus. Mesopresternum of xanthocnemis, 27 – 28: (27) female; (28) male.