Mystrothrips dammermanni (Priesner)

Mound, Laurence A. & Tree, Desley J., 2018, Asia-Australia distribution patterns among species of Mystrothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae), with two new species, Zootaxa 4526 (3), pp. 347-357 : 351

Mystrothrips dammermanni (Priesner)

( Figs 9–15 )

Sagenothrips dammermanni Priesner, 1933: 75

This species was described from an unspecified number of micropterous females from Java, but judging from the material listed below dammermanni is possibly more variable than has been considered by previous authors. There are five further species that are here considered as comprising the dammermanni species-group:

Mystrothrips nipponicus Okajima, 2006: 488 ;

Mystrothrips longantennus Wang et al. 2008: 367 .

Mystrothrips moundi ( Bhatti, 1995: 106) comb.n. [ Paramystrothrips ]

Mystrothrips ophthalmus ( Okajima, 2006: 400) comb.n. [ Paramystrothrips ]

Mystrothrips orientalis ( Okajima & Urushihara, 1992: 162) comb.n. [ Eurythrips ]

All five have the head relatively elongate, usually about 1.3 times as long as wide medially, and the antennae rather slender with three sense cones on segments III and IV. According to the original description and illustration, nipponicus has the postocular setae short, less than 25 microns long, and not extending to the posterior margin of the eyes. In contrast, dammermanni and the other four listed species have the postocular setae 40–60 microns long and extending beyond the posterior margin of the eyes. Okajima (2006) placed ophthalmus and orientalis in the genus Paramystrothrips on the grounds that the reticulate sculpture on the head is weak on the posteromedian area, and that metathoracic sternopleural sutures are present. In these two characters these two species are clearly distinct from dammermanni . However, Mystrothrips levis Zhao & Tong is described as having even weaker sculpture on the head. Bhatti (1995) described moundi from a single macropterous female, but provided no measurements other than body length. The published illustration indicates that the major setae on the pronotum are relatively short, but the description does not satisfactorily distinguish the species. The published differences between dammermanni , nipponicus , longantennus , and moundi could well be interpreted as variation between populations of a single species. The first one was described from Java, but has been recorded from Borneo ( Stannard 1955), and is here recorded from Peninsular Malaysia and also northeastern Australia. Okajima described nipponicus from southern Japan (Kyushu) and also the Ryukyu Islands, longantennus is recorded widely in southern China (Yunnan and Guangdong Provinces), and moundi is known only from Delhi, India.

Three syntype females of dammermanni have been examined bearing the data “Buitenzorg, viii.1923, Dammerman”. One of these has subsequently been labelled “ holotype ” and the other two labelled “ paratype ”. All three are uncleared, with two mounted ventral side uppermost. However, the third specimen, labelled “ paratype ”, is mounted dorsal side uppermost, and the paired mid-dorsal setae on the head are clearly short and acute. Among specimens collected in northeastern Australia the length and form of the apices of this pair of mid-dorsal cephalic setae are variable. Sometimes both setae are acute, but sometimes both setae are capitate and as long as the postoculars. The apices of these mid-dorsal setae vary from broadly expanded and fimbriate, to very weakly expanded, to clearly acute. Moreover, in several specimens this pair of setae is not bilaterally symmetrical in position, length, or form of the apex. Similar variation has been observed in specimens identified as dammermanni in the Senckenberg Museum, both from Nepal (Taplejung) and from India (Madras). The variation in this middorsal pair of setae is not correlated with sex- or wing morph, and the variation has been found within individual populations. A further pattern of variation within some of the samples involves the wing length of micropterae. The wing lobe sometimes does not extend to the posterior margin of the pterothorax, but on other specimens it extends to the mid-point of the second abdominal tergite. The form of the pelta is correlated with wing length, macropterae and individuals with longer wing lobes have the pelta with characteristic lateral “wings” ( Fig. 12 ) that are absent in micropterous individuals ( Fig. 13 ). However, ocelli are present on the head of all available specimens, regardless of wing length, in contrast to the species flavidus discussed below.

Specimens examined (micropterae except where stated). Indonesia, Java, Buitenzorg , viii.1923, 3 female syntypes in SMF . Nepal, Taplejung District, Limbudin , 1.ix.1983, 4 female micropterae, 1 female macroptera, 1 male microptera, in SMF . India, Madras , 2.iii.1968, 2 females in SMF . Peninsular Malaysia , Gombak near Kuala Lumpur, 2 females 1 male from leaf litter, ix.1973, in ANIC. Australia, Queensland: Cape Tribulation, 3 females 1 male from bark-spraying, 9.x.2012; Mt Spec, 1 female in pitfall trap, ii.1995; Carnarvon N.P., 1 female in pitfall trap, 9.x.2014; Brisbane, Mt Glorious, 7 females (2 macropterae) in rainforest litter, 29.vi.2008, 1 female same data, 12.vii.2008; Brisbane Forest Park, in leaf litter, 1 female, 2.viii.2008, 1 female macroptera, 27.ii.2009; Brisbane, Indooroopilly, 1 female macroptera in malaise trap, iii.2009; Brisbane, Mt Nebo, 1 male in leaf litter, 12.vii.2008; Lamington N.P., O’Reilly’s, in leaf litter, 2 females, 2 males, vii.2007, 2 females, 2 males, viii.2007, 1 female macroptera in trap, i.2008; in QDPC and ANIC .

Figures

FIGURES 9–15. Mystrothrips dammermanni. (9) head; (10) head & pronotum; (11) prosternites; (12) macroptera metanotum & tergites I–III; (13) microptera metanotum & tergites I–III; (14) macroptera tergites III–VI; (15) antenna.