Paracholeothrips phillipsi, Mound & Tree, 2025

Paracholeothrips phillipsi sp. nov.

( Figs 3, 6 View FIGURES 1–6 , 11 View FIGURES 7–12 , 14, 16, 18–21 View FIGURES 13–21 )

Female macroptera. With most of the generic character states indicated above. Body dark brown, fore tibiae and fore tarsi paler; antennal segments brownish-yellow and variably slightly shaded on apical third; major setae pale but anals slightly shaded; fore wings pale. Antennal segments III–IV with sense cones short and stout ( Fig. 14 View FIGURES 13–21 ), V–VI with apex ventrally bearing several small sense cones; segment VIII short and broadly joined to VII. Head exceptionally long, eyes large, genae convex but scarcely constricted at base ( Fig. 3 View FIGURES 1–6 ); postocular setae distant from eyes. Pronotum long and slender, narrowed at apex, with median longitudinal ridge ( Fig. 6 View FIGURES 1–6 ); epimeral and posteroangular setae well-developed but not long, remaining major setae not longer than discal setae. Mesonotal median division weak and variable, sometimes incomplete at anterior ( Fig. 16 View FIGURES 13–21 ). Metanotum reticulate medially, except on anteromedian triangular area. Prosternal basantra absent, ferna elongate with long pointed apex, sometimes partially fused medially ( Fig. 11 View FIGURES 7–12 ); mesopresternum of two very small sclerites; metathoracic sternopleural sutures long, extending almost to posterior margins of metasternum ( Fig. 19 View FIGURES 13–21 ). Fore tarsus with stout, robust, tooth ( Fig. 20 View FIGURES 13–21 ); fore tibia short, inner apex with small tubercle. Fore wing broad, parallel sided, with more than 24 duplicated cilia, terminal cilia short, sub-basal setae short. Pelta reticulate, long and slender ( Fig. 18 View FIGURES 13–21 ); tergites II–VI each with two pairs of sigmoid wing-retaining setae placed laterally, these setae weaker or absent on VII; tergite IX setae shorter than tube; fustis short, about 1.5 times as long as wide ( Fig. 21 View FIGURES 13–21 ); tube about half as long as head.

Measurements. ( Holotype female in microns) Body length 4200. Head, length 450; width across genae 150. Pronotum, length 450; width 300; epimeral setae 120; posteroangular setae 30. Fore wing, length 1700; sub-basal setae 50, 30. Tergite IX setae S1 145, S2 155; tube length 250. Antennal segments III–VIII length: 78; 75; 75; 78; 55; 25.

Male macroptera. Similar in structure to females but head and pronotum less elongate, prosternal basantra also slightly shorter with apex rounded. Sternite VIII without pore plate; tergite IX setae S2 about two-thirds as long as setae S1. Teneral males much paler than mature adults.

Specimens studied. Holotype female, Queensland, nr Esk , from phyllode gall on Acacia fasciculifera , 4.vii.2025 ( DJ Tree 2124), in Australian National Insect Collection.

Paratypes. With same data as holotype, 11 females each taken in a separate gall. Queensland, two sites 60 km northwest of Brisbane: Glamorgan Vale , 6 females 1 male from phyllode galls on Acacia fasciculifera , 21.vii.2025, ( DJ Tree 2125); Lark Hill, 1 female 3 males from phyllode galls on Acacia fasciculifera , 21.vii.2025 ( DJ Tree 2127), in Australian National Insect Collection and Queensland Primary Industries Insect Collection .

Comments. There are several character states that distinguish this species from its congeners: Head slender, 2.5 times as long as wide and not sharply constricted at base; pronotum long and narrow, not extending across prothorax ( Fig. 6 View FIGURES 1–6 ); prosternal ferna long with apex acute; anterior of mesonotal median division incomplete or weakly complete; metathoracic sternopleural sutures very long; pelta longer than wide. Despite these differences that at first sight appear to be distinctive, the head in other species of Paracholeothrips varies in length as do the metathoracic sternopleural sutures and the prosternal ferna ( Figs 7–12 View FIGURES 7–12 ). In neither P. mulgae nor P. gracilis is the pronotum transverse but is similarly elongate as in the new species. However, the pronotal sclerite of P. phillipsi is much narrower than in any other member of the genus ( Fig. 6 View FIGURES 1–6 ). Each of the females in the type series was taken separately, in low numbers in varying shaped galls, including pea-pod shaped galls and twisted/dimply galls. No glued phyllodes, new or old, were seen on any of the sampled trees, despite thoroughly searching over several months. The number of specimens found makes it unlikely that these have drifted in from other Acacia trees nearby. Another possibility is that the specimens represent an overwintering population, and that they glue together pairs of phyllodes in pairs in a different season. At present there is no evidence whether the species invades or induces these phyllode galls. But it appears that this species may, within Paracholeothrips , be as unusual in its biology as in its body structure.