Haplothrips ordi, Mound & Minaei, 2007

Mound, Laurence A. & Minaei, Kambiz, 2007, Australian thrips of the Haplothrips lineage (Insecta: Thysanoptera), Journal of Natural History 41 (45 - 48), pp. 2919-2978 : 2960-2962

Haplothrips ordi sp. nov.

Female macroptera. Body and legs brown, fore tarsi and apices of fore tibiae yellow; antennal segment III largely yellow, IV pale brownish yellow, V–VIII brown; pronotal major setae and fore wing pale. Head longer than wide, maxillary stylets retracted to compound eyes, one-quarter of head width apart, maxillary bridge complete ( Figure 53 ); postocular setae capitate, extending beyond posterior margin of compound eyes. Antennal segment III with two sensoria, IV with four sensoria; segment VIII broad at base. Pronotum with four pairs of capitate setae, ml setae no longer than discals. Mesonotal lateral setae capitate. Metanotum reticulate medially, median setae arise on anterior half of sclerite. Mesopresternum eroded to two small lateral triangles. Fore tarsal tooth very small, at inner apex of tarsus. Fore wing with no duplicated cilia, sub-basal setae capitate, their bases arranged in a triangle. Pelta triangular ( Figure 54 ); tergites II–IV lateral to wing-retaining setae with sculpture and one or more discal setae; tergites II–VIII with posteromarginal setae S1 long and capitate; tergite IX setae S1 and S2 long and capitate.

Measurements of holotype female (in M m). Body length 1650. Head, length 160; median width 144; postocular setae 30. Pronotum, length 102; width 114; major setae am 30, aa 32, ml 3, epim 32, pa 44. Fore wing length 640; sub-basal setae 40, 40, 44. Tergite IX setae S1 70, S2 56, S3 68. Tube length 110; basal width 54; anal setae 116. Antennal segments III–VIII length 40, 40, 42, 40, 34, 28.

Male macroptera. Similar to female; fore tarsal tooth well developed; tergite IX setae S2 short and pointed; pseudovirga with small apical lobe.

Measurements of paratype female (in M m). Body length 1550. Head, length 164; median width 142; postocular setae 30. Pronotum, length 110; width 240; major setae am 28, aa 30, ml 3, epim 36, pa 36. Fore wing length 640; sub-basal setae 30, 34, 38. Tergite IX setae S1 72, S2 30, S3 80. Tube length 120; basal width 48; anal setae 122.

Material examined

Holotype ♀ macroptera: Western Australia, Kununurra, Ivanhoe, from Distichostemon hispidulus (Sapindaceae) , 25 February 2005 (LAM 4610). Paratypes: 5♀, 6 „ collected with holotype.

Comments

This is a typical member of the Haplothrips (Trybomiella) group, with short stout antennal segments. It is smaller than the two common species, H. robustus and H. varius , with distinctively paler antennae, and the pseudovirga of the male has an unusual, small, terminal lobe.

Haplothrips robustus Bagnall

Haplothrips robustus Bagnall 1918, p 209 .

Haplothrips (Trybomiella) robustus Bagnall ; Pitkin 1973, p 333.

Recorded only from Australia, and taken widely between Tasmania and Torres Strait Islands, this species is known only from females. Moreover, it has been collected from a wide range of flowers, including many that are not native to this continent. These observations suggest that H. robustus may have been introduced to Australia from some other part of the world, such as eastern Africa. The females are closely similar to the females of H. clarisetis Priesner , an Afrotropical species that is known between South Africa, Egypt, and Iran. In that species, the fore wing sub-basal setae S3 are at least 1.5 times as long as the other sub-basal setae, and setae S1 on the ninth abdominal tergite are acute. In contrast, in H. robustus , the fore wing sub-basal setae S3 are much shorter, scarcely 1.3 times as long as the nearest seta, and setae S1 on the ninth tergite have blunt apices.

Recognition

Macropterous female, body and legs dark brown, fore tarsi, apices of fore tibiae, and sometimes antennal segment III lighter; pronotal major setae and fore wings pale except at base. Maxillary stylets about one-quarter of head width apart; antennal segment III with two sensoria, IV with four sensoria. Pronotum with four pairs of capitate setae, ml setae no larger than discals; mesopresternum eroded medially into two lateral triangles. Fore tarsal tooth very small. Mesonotal lateral setae capitate. Metanotum reticulate medially, median setal pair arising on anterior half. Fore wing exceptionally broad distally, with no duplicated cilia; sub-basal setae capitate with bases forming a triangle. Pelta broadly triangular; tergites II–IV lateral to wing-retaining setae with lines of sculpture and several small setae; tergites II–VIII with setae S1 capitate; tergite IX setae S1 and S2 bluntly rounded.

Measurements of one female (in M m) (New South Wales, Hillston, September 1959). Body length 2040. Head, length 190; median width 168; postocular setae 44. Pronotum, length 128; width 284; major setae am 38, aa 32, ml 3, epim 48, pa 52. Fore wing length 850; subbasal setae 38, 48, 64. Tergite IX setae S1 100, S2 100, S3 90. Tube length 138; basal width 70; anal setae 134. Antennal segments III–VIII length 50, 56, 50, 46, 42, 34.

Haplothrips salicorniae Mound and Walker

Haplothrips (Trybomiella) salicorniae Mound and Walker 1986, p 54 .

Described from New Zealand on the saltmarsh plants known as marsh samphire or glasswort, identified at that time as a species of Salicornia , this thrips has been found widely across Australia. It is associated with the flowers of the native plants in the genera Halosarcia or Sarcocornia (Chenopodiaceae) that grow both near the coast and on inland salt flats. Males have not been seen.

Recognition

Macropterous. Body and legs brown, fore tarsi and base of antennal segment III paler; major setae and fore wings pale. Head longer than wide, maxillary stylets close together medially ( Figure 55 ), maxillary bridge complete; postocular setae variable, usually and capitate and extending beyond posterior margin of compound eyes but sometimes short and pointed. Antennal segment III with two sensoria, IV with four sensoria. Pronotal am, aa, and ml setae variable, pa and epim setae capitate. Mesonotal lateral setae capitate. Metanotum weakly reticulate medially, median setae arise on anterior half of sclerite. Mesopresternum eroded to two lateral triangles. Fore tarsal tooth very small at inner apex of tarsus. Fore wing with no duplicated cilia, sub-basal setae capitate with bases in a triangle. Tergites II–IV with sculpture and discal setae lateral to wing-retaining setae; tergites II–VIII with posteromarginal setae S1 weakly capitate to blunt; tergite IX setae S1 and S2 blunt.

Measurements of one female (in M m) (Western Australia, Jerramungup, December 1999). Body length 2050. Head, length 206; median width 170; postocular setae 30. Pronotum, length 112; width 304; major setae am 24, aa 10, ml 3, epim 40, pa 30. Fore wing length 780; subbasal setae24, 38, 36. Tergite IX setae S1 78, S2 68, S3 55. Tube length 116; basal width 66; anal setae 134. Antennal segments III–VIII length 44, 50, 50, 42, 40, 30.

Figures

Figures 48–58. (48) Haplothrips howei holotype. (49) H. howei, male. (50) H. howei, pelta. (51) H. leucanthemi, head and pronotum. (52) H. lyndi, head and pronotum. (53) H. ordi, head and pronotum. (54) H. ordi, pelta. (55) H. salicorniae, head and pronotum. (56) H. timori, head and pronotum. (57) H. salicorniae, pelta. (58) H. timori, pelta.