Psalidothrips postlei, Wang & Mound & Tree, 2019

Psalidothrips postlei View in CoL sp.n.

( Figs 11 View FIGURES 10–18 , 28 View FIGURES 19–37 , 46 View FIGURES 38–49 )

Female aptera. Head, prothorax and abdomen segments II–VIII light brown, posterior part of metathorax and abdominal segment I paler, segment IX and tube yellowish; tibiae and tarsi mainly yellow but femora darker; antennae brownish yellow. Head without sculpture medially but with weak transverse lines laterally; genae not clearly constricted behind eyes; ocelli absent, compound eyes with three facets; postocular setae bluntly pointed, longer than half the distance between their bases, postocellar setae minute; maxillary stylets retracted almost to postocular setae, about one-third of head width apart ( Fig. 11 View FIGURES 10–18 ). Antennal segments III and IV each with 2 slender sense cones, III–VII each with pedicel; VIII broadly joined to VII with suture sometimes weakly developed; segment III longer than IV, VIII as long as VII. Pronotum without sculpture; setae ml, epim and pa well-developed, aa much longer than median setae, am minute; mesonotum and metanotum without sculpture. Mesopresternum absent, mesoeusternal anterior margin eroded. Fore tarsal tooth absent. Pelta strongly eroded, even absent ( Fig. 46 View FIGURES 38–49 ); tergites II–VII each with one pair of minute straight wing-retaining setae; median setae minute on II–VII but long on VIII; tergite IX setae S1 shorter than tube, anal setae shorter than tube. Sternites with one pair of minute discal setae.

Measurements ( holotype female in microns). Body length 2088. Head, length 148; width 156; postocular setae 68, distance between their bases 119; postocellar setae 10, distance between their bases 27. Pronotum, length 144; median width 246; major setae am 7, aa 44, ml 68, epim 80, pa 79. Mesonotum posteromarginal setae 9. Metanotum median setae 27. Tergite IV median marginal setae 102; tergite VIII median setae 94, tergite IX setae S1 122, S2 122. Tube length 131; anal setae 116. Antennal segments III–VIII length 51, 42, 42, 42, 34, 33.

Male aptera. Similar to female but antennal segments III–VIII brown, tergite IX yellow; fore tarsal tooth absent; sternite VIII pore plate transverse but very slender and not reaching lateral margins of sternite ( Fig. 28 View FIGURES 19–37 ).

Measurements (in microns). Body length 1435.Head, length 143; width 122; postocular setae 60, postocellar setae 6. Pronotum, length 111; median width 187; major setae am 5, aa 41, ml 60, epim 69, pa 65. Tergite VIII median setae 66. Tergite IX setae S1 75, S2 68. Tube length 114; anal setae 94. Antennal segments III–VIII length 37, 29, 32, 32, 30, 25.

Specimens studied. Holotype female aptera. Western Australia, Dwellingup , from litter, 24.x.1980 ( A. Postle), in ANIC.

Paratypes: 1 female and 1 male, same locality as holotype, 24.ii.1981 and 20.vii.1981 .

Comments. The body structure and sclerites of this species are similarly pale and eroded to greensladeae , and these two differ in the character states given in the key. The pore plate on sternite VIII of the male is unusually slender.