Kenyattathrips katarinae, Mound, Laurence A., 2009

Mound, Laurence A., 2009, A new genus and species of Scirtothrips genus-group (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) from Kenya, intercepted by Australian quarantine, Zootaxa 2210, pp. 65-68 : 67-68

Kenyattathrips katarinae sp.n.

Female macroptera. Body bicoloured; head yellow medially, brown on anterior margin and posterolaterally; pronotal lateral thirds brown, yellow medially; meso and metanota with light brown markings laterally; legs yellow; tergites II–VIII brown medially but yellow laterally, tergal lateral setae dark, also terminal setae of abdomen; forewing including clavus dark brown, paler toward apex; antennae mainly brown, segments III–IV yellow at base.

Head broad across eyes, ocellar setae III small and arising on anterior margins of ocellar triangle; maxillary palp with basal segment small and pale. Antennal segment II with few and weak microtrichia dorsally; III and IV with apical neck; inner sensorium on VI extending almost to apex of VII. Metanotal median setae arise behind margin, scarcely longer than lateral pair but stouter. Tergites with no sculpture mesad of setae S2; laterally with at least 12 rows of microtrichia.

Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 1400. Head, length 125; width across eyes 185; ocellar setae I 50; ocellar setae III 25. Pronotum, length 100; width 190; anteromarginal setae 65; posteromarginal setae 25, 70, 65, 15. Tergal setae S1, on I 5; on II 20; on VII 40. Forewing, length 800. Antennal segments I–VII 20, 45, 65, 65, 50, 65, 40.

Male macroptera. Similar to female in structure and colour, but abdomen paler.

Larvae II. Surface of abdomen and thorax, but including only median area of pronotum, finely granulate ( Figs 11, 12 ), remainder of pronotum smooth; on tergite IX the granulation grades into sharply pointed microtrichia at posterior; major setae capitate; head unusually broad.

Specimens examined. Holotype female, Kenya, taken in quarantine at Melbourne, Australia, on leaves of Catha edulis , 2.vi.2009 (AQIS 002971), in the Natural History Museum, London.

Paratypes: 5 females with similar data except, 24.ii.2009, 31.iii.2009, 12.v.2009, 26.v.2009; 2 males with similar data 17.v.2002. Paratype specimens will be deposited in London, also in the Kenya Museum, Nairobi and the Australian National Insect Collection, Canberra.

Comments. More than 10 immature specimens, including second instar larvae as well as both pupal instars, have also been intercepted by Australian quarantine together with the adults on the leaves of Catha . It is therefore evident that this is a plant on which this thrips breeds, but this should not be taken as evidence that the thrips is host specific.

Figures

FIGURES 9 – 12. Kenyattathrips katarinae. (9) Meso and metasterna. (10) Sternites VI – VII (11) Larva II head. (12) Larva II abdomen.