Pseudanaphothrips parvus (Bagnall)

Pseudanaphothrips parvus (Bagnall) View in CoL

( Figs 9 View FIGURES 1–9 , 11 View FIGURES 10–17 , 23 View FIGURES 18–26 , 32 View FIGURES 27–34 )

Pseudothrips parvus Bagnall, 1916: 222 View in CoL

Physothrips nativus Girault, 1929: 29 View in CoL . Synonymised by Mound, 2012: 67.

Homochaetothrips pallipennis Sakimura, 1968: 62 View in CoL . Synonymised by Mound, 2012: 67.

Bagnall described this species from an unspecified number of female specimens, from which a lectotype was selected by Mound (1968: 50) bearing the original data, Queensland, Brandon, from flower of Helianthus View in CoL ?, 16.x.1914 (R. Kelly). In contrast, the synonymic species pallipennis View in CoL was described from Renmark, South Australia, based on a holotype and 11 paratype females from Senecio View in CoL , x.1926 (R. Kelly), and nativus View in CoL was based on a single female that apparently flew onto the table of the Government Entomologist A. R. Brimblecombe in Brisbane.

Although described as “yellow brown to brown”, the apparent colour of the type specimens is due primarily to the colour of the body contents because the chitinous surface is seriously decolourised – probably due to storage in ethanol in daylight prior to slide-mounting. The tergal antecostal ridges, also abdominal segments IX to X, are clearly darker than the rest of the abdomen. This pattern is also found in some more recently collected, well-cleared females; two females have been studied that are uniformly brown with brown legs.

In total almost 30 specimens have been studied, collected in recent years from various sites. These comprise two males with one female from Erldunda, Northern Territory, just north of the border with South Australia, also several females from the Simpson Desert. From Queensland, the only recent specimens are a single female from Birdsville, and four females from Blackbutt in the southeast. In contrast, from South Australia a single female has been seen from Kangaroo Island , and two females at Adelaide airport; from southern Victoria two females from Colac have been identified, and from eastern New South Wales a series of females from Coonabarabran. This thrips species has thus been found widely but irregularly in eastern Australia, in a remarkable range of habitats from Queensland coastal areas to semi-desert areas of central Australia. All the available specimens were taken in the flowers of species of various Asteraceae genera .

Pseudanaphothrips parvus has remained poorly defined, both nominal species having been based on poorly preserved specimens ( Mound & Tree 2020). The species has been confused with certain of the other brown coloured members of the genus, particularly P. querci and P. uniformis , also even with specimens of P. casuarinae . However, re-examination of the available specimens has indicated that parvus is distinguished by the following combination of character states: ocellar setae pair III small and arising on or near to line between anterior margins of hind ocelli; pronotum posteromarginal median setae longer and stouter than submedian setae ( Fig. 9 View FIGURES 1–9 ); metanotal sculpture lines closely converging posteriorly ( Fig. 23 View FIGURES 18–26 ); fore wings rather pale; tergite VIII marginal comb with median group of microtrichia closer together than lateral microtrichia ( Fig. 32 View FIGURES 27–34 ); tergite X no longer than its basal width. The males have small transversely oval pore plates.