Hoplothrips oudeus Mound & Walker, 1986

Mound, Laurence A., Wang, Jun & Tree, Desley J., 2020, The genus Hoplothrips in Australia (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae), with eleven new species, Zootaxa 4718 (3), pp. 301-323 : 314-315

Hoplothrips oudeus Mound & Walker

( Fig. 53 )

Hoplothrips oudeus Mound & Walker, 1986: 62 .

Female microptera. Body light brown, tube dark brown; legs brownish yellow; antennal segments V–VIII brown, I concolourous to head, II–IV variably paler than distal segments. Head sometimes weakly reticulate in ocellar region, more clearly reticulate near posterior margin; genae convex; ocelli absent, compound eyes with about 12 facets; postocular setae capitate, much longer than dorsal eye length; maxillary stylets retracted to eyes and close together medially.Antennal segment III with 2 sense cones, IV with 3 sense cones, IV–VII with pedicel, VII distinct from but closely joined to VIII into a single unit. Pronotum without sculpture; with 5 pairs of long capitate major setae. Mesonotal lateral setae long and capitate; metanotum without sculpture, median setae capitate ( Fig. 53 ). Prosternal basantra absent, mesopresternum eroded and slender, mesoeusternal anterior margin complete. Fore tarsal tooth absent. Fore wing lobes each with two capitate setae. Pelta semicircular; tergites II–VII wing-retaining setae minute and straight ( Fig. 53 ); tergite VIII median setae capitate; tergite IX setae S1 shorter than tube and capitate, S2 similar to S1 or longer than tube and pointed; anal setae longer than tube.

Female macroptera. Similar to microptera, ocelli present, compound eyes with about 24 facets; fore wings without duplicated cilia; tergites III–VII each with one pair of large sigmoid wing-retaining setae.

Male microptera. Similar to female but smaller, fore tarsi with small tooth; sternite VIII almost completely occupied by pore plate; sternite VII without specialised reticulate area; tergite IX S2 setae a little shorter than S1 and capitate.

Specimens studied. Paratype female [collected with holotype]. New Zealand, North Island , West Taupo, 3.xi.1953 . Australian Capital Territory , Black Mountain, 1 female from leaf litter, 29.xi.1967 . New South Wales , Monga Forest, 2 females, 1 male from Eucalyptus litter, 10.iv.2019 . Queensland , Brisbane, The Gap, 4 females, 3 males from dry sclerophyll litter, 13.viii.2008 . Mt Coot-tha , 1 female from dry sclerophyll litter, 12.vii.2008 . Brisbane Forest Park, Centre Road, 1 male from litter, 2.viii.2008 . Cooloola , 1 female macroptera, 1 female, 1 male from litter, 29.iii.1977 . Carnarvon Station , 3 females, 1 male from leaf litter, 15.x.2014 ; 3 females in pitfall trap, x.2014; 6 females in pitfall trap, xii.2010. ( All micropterae except where indicated)

Comments. The original description of this species from New Zealand referred to the three specimens listed above from Cooloola, Queensland, as non-paratypes. Although presumably fungus-feeding as are other members of Hoplothrips , this species has been collected only from leaf litter. It is distinguished from most members of Hoplothrips by the pair of large metanotal median setae with capitate apices, and the pore plate that occupies most of sternite VIII in males. It is also unusual in having the eighth antennal segment broadly based, and the five pairs of equally long pronotal major setae with capitate apices. The original description of the micropterous female of this species states “major setae expanded at apex except for S2 on VIII and IX”, thus indicating that these setae are pointed. However, the female paratype listed above has setae S2 on IX capitate, and this condition is shared by most of the specimens listed here. In contrast, all but one of the females from Carnarvon Station have setae S2 on IX acute and longer than the capitate S1 setae, and the single female listed from ACT shares this condition. There is also considerable difference in the colour of antennal segments II–IV, although V–VIII are consistently brown.

Figures

FIGURES 53–66. Hoplothrips species. Metanotum & pelta 53–54 (53) oudeus; (54) woodsi. (55) tarsus pelta. (56) lamingtoni tergite II. Male sternite VIII pore plate 57–64 (57) corticis; (58) lihongae; (59) wrightae; (60) oakeyi; (61) reedi; (62) melanurus (VII–VIII); (63) poultoni; (64) woodsi. Male sternites 65–66 (65) giganteus (VII); (66) melanurus (V–VI).