Eurynothrips Bagnall, 1908

Mound, Laurence A. & Tree, Desley J., 2021, Eurynothrips Bagnall (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae): a rare and long-lost Australian genus, with one new gall-inducing species, Zootaxa 5005 (3), pp. 251-256 : 253-254

Eurynothrips Bagnall

Eurynothrips Bagnall, 1908: 199 . Type species E. magnicollis Bagnall

Generic diagnosis. Large, macropterous Phlaeothripinae ; head slightly longer than wide ( Figs 9, 10 ), with genae slightly concave, one pair of long postocular setae, compound eyes larger dorsally than ventrally; frontoclypeus posterior margin slightly swollen in small individuals but in large individuals produced into prominent tubercle over base of mouth cone; large individuals with frontoclypeus bearing prominent tubercle either between tentorial pits or at anterior between eyes ( Figs 6, 7 ), small individuals lack this tubercle ( Fig. 13 ); maxillary stylets no more than one-third of head width apart, retracted about half-way to postocular setae. Antennae 8-segmented ( Fig. 11 ), segment III with 1 sense cone, IV with 2 sense cones; III–VII slender, VIII long and slender. Large individuals with prothorax massive, ventro-lateral to midlateral setae with pointed tubercle ( Fig. 14 ) – large individuals with a second tubercle ventral to the first; midlateral setae arising from an almost separate sclerite ( Fig. 14 ); notopleural sutures complete; epimera small but with seta on prominent tubercle; anteroangular setae usually longer than anteromarginals, midlateral, epimeral and posteroangular setae long and slender. Large individuals with fore femora large, bearing a tubercle on inner margin near base and another at inner apex; fore tarsal tooth longer than tarsal width ( Figs 9, 10 ); fore legs more slender in smaller individuals. Metanotum reticulate, with pair of minute setae present, usually just anterior to median major setae ( Fig. 15 ). Fore wing parallel sided, with 3 slender sub-basal setae, at least 30 duplicated cilia present. Prosternal basantra small in large individuals but absent in small individuals ( Fig. 12 ); ferna irregularly sub-circular; mesopresternum reduced to pair of lateral triangles; metathoracic sternopleural sutures present. Pelta broadly triangular ( Fig. 15 ), wider than long, campaniform sensilla usually present; tergites II–VII each with 2 pairs of sigmoid wing-retaining setae placed laterally, particularly on posterior segments; tergite IX setae S1 and S2 slender and as long as tube, tube longer than head. Male macropterous, similar to female; tergite IX setae S2 as long as setae S1; sternite VIII with no pore plate.

Species differences: The two species recognised in this genus are remarkably similar in structure. They both share all the character states indicated above, although on the few available specimens of magnicollis the minute pair of metanotal setae tend to be postero-mesad of the major setae, not antero-lateral. The only significant difference observed between the species is the position of the cephalic ventral tubercle: magnicollis – anteriorly on the frons and between the eyes ( Fig. 6 ); laheyi – medially on the frons between the tentorial pits ( Fig. 7 ).

Figures

FIGURES 8–16. Eurynothrips laheyi sp.n. (8) Female; (9–10) Head and pronotum of large and small females. (11) Antenna. (12) Prosternum. (13) Holotype head ventral surface. (14) Pronotum. (15) Metanotum and pelta. (16) Specimens from Imbil (QDPC Brisbane).

FIGURES 1–7. Eurynothrips species. Leaf galls on Planchonella pohlmaniana 1–5: (1) Young gall; (2) Galls on terminal leaves; (3) Adults wandering on gall surface; (4–5) Mature galls. (6) Head of E. magnicollis paralectotype, lateral view. (7) Head of E. laheyi paratype, lateral view.