Projectothrips beverlyae, Mound, Laurence A. & Tree, Desley J., 2011

Mound, Laurence A. & Tree, Desley J., 2011, New records and four new species of Australian Thripidae (Thysanoptera) emphasise faunal relationships between northern Australia and Asia, Zootaxa 2764, pp. 35-48 : 38-40

Projectothrips beverlyae sp. n.

Female macroptera. Body uniformly brown ( Fig. 11 ), legs yellow; antennal segments I–II brown, II sometimes paler at apex, III–IV yellow, V brown with base sometimes paler, VI–VIII brown. Forewings shaded with paler base ( Fig. 11 ).

Head wider than long, cheeks slightly incut behind eyes, with narrow transverse reticulation, ocellar triangle reticulate ( Fig. 10 ). Three pairs of ocellar setae present, pair III arising on anterior margins of triangle. Five pairs of postocular setae, pair I as long as ocellar setae III, postocular setae II arising posterior to pair I and subequal in length to pair I, remaining 3 pairs in row, pairs IV–V small. Compound eyes with many small tubercles among dorsal ommatidia, no pigmented ommatidia. Maxillary palps 3-segmented. Antennae 8-segmented ( Fig. 14 ); segment I without dorsal apical setae; II–VI with transverse rows of microtrichia: III–IV with stout forked sensorium; base of sensorium on VI oval; VIII long and slender with many fine microtrichia.

Pronotum with transverse sculpture, reticulate medially; 20–50 discal setae; one pair of elongate posteroangular setae; 3–5 pairs of posteromarginal setae, median pair longest ( Fig. 10 ). Prosternal basantra without setae, ferna entire, prospinasternum complete; sternopleural sutures complete; meso and metafurca each with strong median spinula. Mesonotum transversely striate/reticulate with markings between major lines; anterior campaniform sensilla present ( Fig. 10 ); median setal pair arising well in front of margin. Metanotal sculpture variable, elongate narrow reticulate/striate, usually with markings between the main lines; campaniform sensilla present, wide apart ( Fig. 10 ). Forewing with apex pointed; costal cilia long and wavy; first vein with irregular, almost continuous setal row with distal setae more widely spaced; second vein with continuous setal row; clavus with 5–8 veinal setae, one discal seta; posteromarginal cilia strongly wavy.

Abdominal terga without craspedum or ctenidia; terga II–VI with about 7 rows of discal microtrichia laterally that extend to S2 ( Fig. 13 ), on VII extend to setae S1, on VIII extend across tergum; III–VI with posteromarginal setal pair arising mesad of posterior angle; median setae on II–VI small and wide apart, laterally with posteromarginal comb; VII with posteromarginal comb variable, sometimes complete medially; VIII with long fine complete comb ( Fig. 13 ). Tergum IX elongate, anterior pair of campaniform sensilla present, mid-dorsal paired setae well developed; tergum X short with longitudinal split incomplete ( Fig. 13 ). Sterna II–VII with about 7 rows of microtrichia laterally, no discal setae, 5–6 pairs of marginal setae; ovipositor well developed and serrated.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 1790. Head, length 120; median width, across eyes 170, across checks 170. Pronotum, length 170; maximum width 230; posteroangular setae length 62–72. Metanotal median setae length 45. Forewing length 860. Antennal segments I–VIII, 25, 40, 54, 48, 36, 60, 12, 53.

Male macroptera. Similar to female but smaller and variable; antennae, pronotum, thorax and abdominal segments I–VI yellow; microtrichia on lateral and posterior margins of terga II–VII more sparse than female, VIII with complete comb; sterna II–VI with 3 pairs of posteromarginal setae; sterna III-VI each with transversely elongate pore plate ( Fig. 12 ).

Measurements (paratype males in microns). Body length 1200–1310. Head, length 110–120; median width, across eyes 156–160, across checks 150–160. Pronotum, length 142; maximum width 180–210; posteroangular setae length 54–56. Metanotal median setae length 29–35. Forewing length 630–660. Antennal segments I–VIII, 22–27, 33–36, 49–57, 45–47, 29–37, 48–53, 8–10, 32–38.

Material studied. Holotype female, Australia, New South Wales, Wooyung Beach, S28.456 E153.553, from Pandanus tinctorius flowers, 29.xii.2007 (DJT577).

Paratypes, 12 females taken with holotype; Northern Territory, Little Nourlangie, Kakadu National Park, 27 females, 15 males, from Pandanus basedowi flowers 21.xii.1996 (LAM3073).

Comments. This new species differs from the other members of the genus in having the metanotum reticulate/ striate with markings inside each reticle, instead of linearly striate. Through the courtesy of Dr Masami Masumoto, an undescribed species has been studied from Japan, Okinawa, that is very similar but with more numerous pronotal discal setae, and more closely striate metanotum. Differences have been observed between the specimens taken from P. basedowi and P. tinctorius , but these differences are not consistent either within or between the available samples. Thus in the former sample the posteromarginal comb of microtrichia on terga VI–VII tends to be more complete, and the number of pronotal discal setae fewer than in the latter sample. There remains a possibility that each of the species of this thrips genus is specific to a particular species of Pandanus , but the evidence in support of this is not strong.

Figures

FIGURES 8 – 14. Oxythrips and Projectothrips. O. australopalmae male 8 – 9: (8) terga VIII – IX; (9) sterna VI-VIII. P. beverlyae 10 – 14: (10) head & thorax; (11) female; (12) male sterna V – VIII; (13) female terga VI – X; (14) antenna.