Scirtothrips akakia, Hoddle, Mark S. & Mound, Laurence A., 2003

Hoddle, Mark S. & Mound, Laurence A., 2003, The genus Scirtothrips in Australia (Insecta, Thysanoptera, Thripidae), Zootaxa 268, pp. 1-40 : 10-11

Scirtothrips akakia sp. nov.

[ Figs 1 , 33 , 38 ]

Female macroptera. Colour: Yellow, ocellar region brown, also anterior margin of mesonotum and median area of tergites II – VIII; IX­X dark brown; antecostal ridges on tergites III­VIII dark across full width of segments, on sternites III­VII shaded full width of segments; forewings weakly shaded; antennal segment I pale, II brown, III – VIII light brown.

Structure: Vertex with closely spaced and transversely anastomosing striae, ocellar region lacking obvious sculpturing; ocellar setae pair III close together, distance between their bases less than four times the diameter of the basal pores, arising almost on tangent joining anterior margins of posterior ocelli; two pairs of post­ocular setae. Pronotum with transverse striae regular and closely spaced; 4 anteromarginal setae, 8­13 discal setae; 4 pairs of posteromarginal setae, S2 about twice the length of S1, S3 shorter than S1. Metanotal reticulation equiangular anteriorly but longitudinally reticulate on posterior half, median setae posterior of margin. Forewing scale with 3­4 marginal setae; first vein setae 3+2­4+1+1+0­1+0­1; second vein 1­2 setae; basal posteromarginal fringe cilia straight.

Tergite I without setae, tergites III­V median setae short, distance between bases less than two times the length of these setae; tergal microtrichial fields with 3 discal setae; VIII and IX without discal microtrichia medially, posteromarginal comb on VIII complete; tergite IX with paired minor posteromarginal setae between S1 and S2 equally as stout as these setae. Sternites III­VI with 3 pairs of posteromarginal setae; microtrichial fields if present, scarcely extending mesad of S3.

Measurements of holotype female. Body length 1250. Head, length 85; width 165; p.o. S1 18. Pronotum, length 100; width 190; posteromarginal setae S2 30. Forewing length 740. Antennal segments III – VI, 45, 40, 37, 47.

Male macroptera. Pale lacking obvious dark colorations of female especially on abdomen. Sculpture similar to female. Tergite IX with pair of rather short, pale drepanae; aedeagus without stout spines.

Holotype female. Northern Territory, Standley Chasm, West of Alice Springs from Acacia macdonellensis [Leguminosae] 31­x­1999 (LAM 3759). Paratypes: 12 females collected with holotype; same locality and host plant, 9 females, 2 males, 1­xi­1999 (LAM 3771), 13 females, 1 second instar larva, 2­xi­1999 (LAM 3782).

Comments. Scirtothrips akakia is a member of one of the two species­groups within Scirtothrips that inhabit Acacia (the other being the S. albomaculatus group). Together with S. kirrhos , S. moneres and S. quadriseta , this species lacks definite sculpturing in the ocellar region, the first abdominal tergite lacks setae, and females exhibit obvious melanic coloration, which is especially dark on abdominal segments IX and X but with a dark area inside the ocellar triangle. The posteromarginal cilia on the forewing are straight, although a few paratypes have 1­2 of these cilia very faintly wavy.

Figures

FIGURES 1 ­ 10. Scirtothrips heads and pronota. 1, akakia; 2, albomaculatus; 3, aurantii; 4, australiae; 5, casuarinae; 6, dorsalis; 7, dorsalis; 8, drepanofortis; 9, eremicus; 10, dobroskyi.

FIGURES 32 ­ 37. Scirtothrips pro­ meso­ and metanota. 32, pilbara; 33, akakia; 34, solus; 35, helenae; 36, drepanofortis; 37, aurantii male hind leg.

FIGURES 38 ­ 44. Scirtothrips abdominal tergites. 38, akakia; 39, albomaculatus VI­IX; 40, australiae VI­IX; 41, drepanofortis I­IV; 42, kirrhos IV­VI; 43, moneres IV­VI; 44, inermis IV­VIII.