Zootaxa 1604: 53–68 (2007) ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) www.mapress.com/zootaxa/ ZOOTAXA Copyright © 2007 · Magnolia Press ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition) New Australian spore-feeding Thysanoptera (Phlaeothripidae: Idolothripinae) LAURENCE A. MOUND CSIRO Entomology, GPO Box 1700, Canberra ACT, Australia 2601 Abstract Two new genera and six new species of spore-feeding Thysanoptera are described from Australia, with Australian records of two further species, one from California and one from New Zealand. In the Tribe Pygothripini, subtribe Pygo- thripina, Ecacleistothrips glorious gen. et sp. n. is a large and highly polymorphic rainforest thrips: the apterous male has a transverse first abdominal tergite, in contrast to the females that have a reduced pelta as is typical of most Phlaeo- thripidae. Also in this subtribe, Heptathrips cumberi Mound & Walker from New Zealand is recorded widely around the southern coasts of Australia. A key is provided to the six genera of Pygothripini subtribe Allothripina in which the termi- nal sensorium of the maxillary palps is unusually large. In this group, four wingless species are considered: Minaeithrips aliceae gen. et sp. n. and M. driesseni sp.n. in which the maxillary stylets are wide apart, Allothrips hamideae sp. n. in which the third antennal segment has a basal flange unlike any other member of this widespread genus, and Priesneriella citricauda Hood that was previously known only from California. In the Pygothripini subtribe Macrothripina, Polytri- chothrips geoffri sp. n. is described from rainforest; this genus was known previously from a single species in Sarawak. A further rainforest species, Malesiathrips australis sp.n., is described in the Tribe Idolothripini, subtribe Elaphrothrip- ina; this genus was known previously from three species in the Asian and Pacific regions. Key words: Thysanoptera, Idolothripinae, Australia, California, polymorphism Introduction Thrips are commonly thought of as plant pests, yet fungus-feeding species are estimated to comprise almost 50% of the 5500 species listed in the insect order Thysanoptera (Morse & Hoddle, 2006). Of the 700 thrips species listed from Australia (ABRS, 2007) at least 130 feed only on either fungal hyphae or on fungal spores, and this fungus-feeding component is particularly diverse in tropical areas. These thrips live on dead branches and dead leaves, and many live only in leaf litter or at the bases of tussocky grasses and similar plants. The hyphal-feeding species are all members of the subfamily Phlaeothripinae in the suborder Tubulifera, and a few of these have been considered in individual papers (Mound, 1972b, 1995; Mound & Minaei, 2006). However, there is no overview or generic key for this group, and many Australian taxa remain un-described. In contrast, the Australian Idolothripinae, the spore-feeding Phlaeothripidae, have been reviewed (Mound, 1974), and the generic classification of this worldwide subfamily of over 600 species has been revised (Mound & Palmer, 1983). The taxa described below illustrate the disparate elements that comprise the Australian thrips fauna (Aus- tin et al., 2004). Two of the new species represent a northern tropical element that has strong relationships with the South East Asian fauna (see Mound & Tree, 2007). Two species represent a southern element involv- ing faunal relationships with New Zealand (see Mound 2006), and there is an extensive endemic thrips fauna of uniquely Australian taxa (Crespi et al., 2004). The objective of this paper is to describe from Australia six new Idolothripinae species, also two new genera, and to record from Australia for the first time one species Accepted by S. Winterton: 31 Aug. 2007; published: 1 Oct. 2007 53 known only from California, and one New Zealand species that has been taken widely around Australia’s southern coasts. One of the new species is particularly remarkable, not just in being exceptionally polymor- phic with massively broad forewings that bear unusually short marginal cilia, but in having the male wingless with the first abdominal tergite fully transverse and bearing the spiracles laterally (Fig. 7); the systematic sig- nificance of these character states is considered. Four small wingless species are discussed, in each of which the terminal sensorium on the maxillary palps is unusually large (Fig. 9), a condition that has been interpreted as representing a third palp segment devoid of sensoria (Bhatti (1994: 121). Recognition of these taxa brings the total described fauna of Idolothripinae in Australia to 80 species in 23 genera, although several species rich genera such as Ethirothrips Karny and Phaulothrips Hood remain largely unstudied. Tribe Pygothripini, Subtribe Pygothripina The 600 species in almost 80 genera that comprise the subfamily Idolothripinae were assigned by Mound & Palmer (1983) to two Tribes, the Pygothripini and the Idolothripini. The first of these includes a large propor- tion of taxa from Australia and New Zealand, particularly in one of the six subtribes recognized, the Pygoth- ripina, and it is within this group that the following new genus belongs. Ecacleistothrips gen.n. Large bodied polymorphic Idolothripinae, Pygothripini. Antennae 8-segmented, segments III and IV each with 2 sensoria that are scarcely 0.5 as long as maximum width of segment (Fig. 5). Head projecting weakly in front of eyes, with one pair of long preocellar setae (Fig. 2); eyes smaller ventrally than dorsally; vertex with one pair of very long postocular setae between which arises one pair of shorter setae, also one pair of lateral postocular setae almost on cheeks; maxillary stylets broad, retracted to eyes and close together medially; male with stout horn anteroventrally. Pronotum transverse, epimeral sutures complete, ml, epim and pa setae about as long as median length of pronotum. Prosternal basantra anterolateral in position, small, quadrate, bearing one or two setae; ferna large (massive in male), median borders parallel; mesopraesternum complete; met- athoracic sternopleural sutures recurved (Fig. 3); anapleural sutures complete. Metanotum reticulate, median setae very long. Fore femora and fore tarsal tooth stout, particularly in male (Fig. 4). Forewing very broad dis- tally, with more than 50 duplicated cilia; cilia around wing apex very short and coarsely rugose. Pelta in female D-shaped with very short lateral wings (Fig. 6), in male transverse and continuous between the lateral spiracles (Fig. 7); tergites II–VI of macropterae each with one pair of weakly sigmoid wing-retaining setae; tergite IX setae more than 50% as long as tube; tube much longer than head with numerous short setae later- ally, constricted at apex; anal setae short. Type-species: Ecacleistothrips glorious sp.n. Relationships. Among the Idolothripinae, Ecacleistothrips shares with only Cleistothrips Bagnall the combination of characters: tube with prominent lateral setae, metathoracic sternopleural sutures well-devel- oped, anapleural sutures complete. Cleistothrips comprises a single species, C. idolothripoides Bagnall, known only from New Zealand (Mound & Walker, 1986). Nothing is known of its biology, but it has been taken at several sites across North Island, New Zealand, and also in the north west of South Island. The long and very broad maxillary stylets indicate that it feeds by ingesting fungal spores, and collection records sug- gest that it lives in dead hollow twigs. Cleistothrips is considered to be closely related to Heptathrips Moul- ton, another genus from New Zealand that is discussed further below. 54 · Zootaxa 1604 © 2007 Magnolia Press MOUND Ecacleistothrips and Cleistothrips share the following character states: 1. Tube long, constricted distally, with prominent lateral setae; 2. Head long, with 2 pairs of postocular setae; 3. Head with one pair of well-developed preocellar setae; 4. Maxillary stylets long, retracted to level of eyes; 5. Metathoracic sternopleural sutures present; 6. Anapleural sutures complete; 7. Tergites each with only one pair of wing-retaining setae; 8. Antennal segments III and IV each with 2 sensoria; 9. Pronotal anteromarginal setae small; 10. Prosternal ferna large; 11. Mesopraesternum complete; 12. Fore tarsal tooth present in both sexes. Ecacleistothrips and Cleistothrips differ in the following character states: 1. Postocular pairs of setae side-by-side (Cleistothrips: one in front of the other); 2. Antennal segment VIII constricted at base (Cleistothrips: no suture between VII & VIII); 3. Pronotum with 4 pairs of long setae (Cleistothrips: one pair, plus 2 pairs moderately long); 4. Prosternal basantra represented by pair of lateral sclerites (Cleistothrips: absent); 5. Metanotum reticulate medially, median setae long (Cleistothrips: no sculpture medially, setae small); 6. Forewing broader distally than medially, terminal cilia short (Cleistothrips: forewing parallel sided, cilia normal); 7. Wing polymorphic (Cleistothrips: both sexes macropterous) 8. Pelta fully transverse in males, D-shaped in female apterae, D-shaped with small lateral wings in mac- ropterae (Cleistothrips: pelta with long slender lateral wings); 9. Male with enlarged fore legs, head with tubercle anteroventrally, pronotum massive (Cleistothrips: male similar to female except fore tarsal tooth larger). Ecacleistothrips glorious sp.n. (Figs 1–7) Macropterous female. Body and legs brown, tube darkest, tarsi paler, antennal segment III basal 0.6 yellowish brown; major setae pale; forewing light brown with base pale. Head longer