Psalidothrips bipictus

(Figs 1, 47) Female macroptera. Body strongly bicoloured, head and thorax brown, abdomen brownish yellow, legs yellow; antennal segments brown on I and base of II also VII – VIII and apex of VI, but yellow on III – V; fore wing shaded distally. Head without sculpture, genae constricted behind eyes; compound eyes multifacetted; postocular setae shorter than dorsal eye length, apices bluntly pointed; ocelli present, postocellar setae minute; maxillary stylets twothirds of head width apart, retracted half way to postocular setae (Fig. 1). Antennal segments III and IV each with three sense cones, segments III – VII each with pedicel, VIII slender with base narrowed; segment III longer than IV, VIII as long as VII. Pronotum without sculpture, with median longitudinal apodeme; setae aa and am minute, ml, epim and pa well-developed, pa acute, epim weakly capitate. Mesonotum with transverse reticulation; metanotum without sculpture medially, median setae small. Mesopresternum fully transverse and complete, mesoeusternum not eroded. Fore tarsal tooth absent. Fore wings each with 2 small sub-basal setae and without duplicated cilia. Pelta faintly sculptured at anterior part, usually with pair of campaniform sensilla; tergites II – VII each with 2 pairs sigmoid wing-retaining setae; tergite VIII setae S 1 weakly capitate; tergite IX setae S 1 as long as tube (Fig. 47); anal setae a little longer than tube. Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 2183. Head, length 187; width 196; postocular setae 51, distance between their bases 162; postocellar setae 12, distance between their bases 61. Pronotum, length 158; median width 198; major setae am 5, aa 10, ml 36, epim 56, pa 77. Fore wing sub-basal setae, S 1 17, S 2 12. Tergite VI median marginal setae 104; tergite VIII median setae 46, tergite IX setae S 1 131, S 2 131. Tube length 138; anal setae 150. Antennal segments III – VIII length 68, 53, 56, 56, 49, 49. Male macroptera. Similar to female but pronotum with median longitudinal apodeme stronger; small fore tarsal tooth present; sternite VIII with large, arched pore plate extending to lateral margins. Measurements (in microns). Body length 1741. Head, length 179; width 167; postocular setae 63, postocellar setae 12. Pronotum, length 138; median width 219; major setae am 5, aa 10, ml 31, epim 41, pa 56. Tergite VIII median setae 44, tergite IX setae S 1 102, S 2 73. Tube length 104; anal setae 121. Antennal segments III – VIII length 58, 51, 52, 51, 44, 41. Specimens studied. Holotype female macroptera, Queensland, Cairns, Redlynch, Crystal Creek, Piper hederacea leaf roll, 5. xi. 2008 (LAM 5195), in ANIC. Paratypes: 1 female collected with holotype; Cairns, Behana Gorge, 9 females, 3 males from dead branches and leaves, 3. xi. 2008; Cape Tribulation, 1 female, 6 males from beating dead leaves and vine, 7. x. 2012; Lync Haven, 1 female from leaf litter, 6. x. 2012. Non-paratypes: Queensland, Kuranda, 2 females, 2 males from dead hanging leaves, 7. xi. 2008 (in QDPC).

Comments. This species shares with verus the presence of a complete mesopresternum as well as 2 pairs of sigmoid wing-retaining setae on the tergites but is distinguished by having 3 slender sense cones on antennal segments III and IV. The four specimens listed above from Kuranda have antennal segments III – V light brown, and segment IV slightly shorter and broader and bearing four sense cones.