Pseudanaphothrips araucariae Mound & Palmer, 1990

Pseudanaphothrips araucariae Mound & Palmer View in CoL

( Figs 20 View FIGURES 18–26 , 29 View FIGURES 27–34 )

Pseudanaphothrips araucariae Mound & Palmer, 1990: 5 View in CoL .

This species was described from about 140 females and 60 males found on the male cones of Araucaria View in CoL species, at Imbil, SE Queensland, Australia, and on the Pacific islands of Oahu and Hawaii. Subsequently, one female has been seen from Maui on Vaccinium View in CoL , two females from Tahiti-Nui on Lantana View in CoL , and one female from Lord Howe Island from dead twigs. In Australia, at Cardwell, NE Queensland, 13 females and four males have been studied from the male cones of Pinus caribaea View in CoL , and at Tin Can Bay in SE Queensland 12 females from Xanthorrhea resinosa flowers, also at Surfers Paradise five females on Callitris View in CoL male cones. These females are all in ANIC . However , the four males are in QDPC , together with about 40 females from various sites in eastern and southeastern Queensland, and with a single female from Cairns. These records suggest that although the species breeds in the male cones of Araucaria View in CoL and Pinus spp. , the females are highly dispersive. The only specimens taken as a series from any other plant were 10 females taken from tomatoes at Childers in Queensland in QDPC .

As indicated in the key above, both sexes of P. araucariae usually have ocellar setae pair III long, although the length of these setae varies between individuals in the same sample. In contrast, other members of this genus have these setae rarely longer than 1.5 times the diameter of on ocellus. Moreover, one pair of pronotal anteromarginal setae is usually considerably longer than in any other species of the genus. Antennal segment II is sometimes yellowish brown, particularly in teneral specimens. The metanotal sculpture lines are similar to those of P. casuarinae , not closely converging near the posterior ( Fig. 20 View FIGURES 18–26 ) in contrast to other species in the genus. When many specimens of this species are studied it becomes clear that the posteromarginal comb on tergite VIII comprises unusually weak and slender microtrichia that are all equidistant from each other ( Fig. 20 View FIGURES 18–26 ). The males have transverse slender pore plates similar to those of P. achaetus ( Fig. 14 View FIGURES 10–17 ).