Distinguishing features

Female macroptera. Body yellow with orange pterothorax, ocelli bright red; antennal segments II-VIII dark brown; tergites shaded anteromedially and along antecostal line, IX-X shaded; fore wing and scale greyish brown, base of wing paler. Antenna 8-segmented, III-IV with exceptionally stout forked sense cone; segment I with 2 dorsal apical setae. Head slightly wider than long, vertex with a few transverse striae; ocellar setae I absent, setae III no longer than length of an ocellus, arising between anterior margins of posterior ocelli; three pairs of postocular setae, pairs I and II close together behind ocelli; compound eyes without pigmented facets. Pronotum with few or no lines of sculpture medially, 4-10 discal setae; posterior margin with 5 pairs of setae, none longer than discal setae. Mesonotum without anterior campaniform sensilla, median setae far ahead of posterior margin. Metanotum without sculpture medially, one pair of small setae far from anterior margin, campaniform sensilla absent. Prosternal ferna not divided; mesothoracic sternopleural suture not developed; meso- and metasternum each with well-developed spinula. Tarsi 2-segmented. Fore wing veinal setae short, first vein with 2 setae near apex; second vein with about 10 setae; posterior fringe cilia wavy; fore wing clavus with 4 marginal and one discal setae. Abdominal tergites without posteromarginal craspeda or lateral ctenidia; tergites II-VIII without sculpture medially, lateral to seta S2 with about 7 anastomosing transverse lines bearing tuberculate microtrichia; tergite VIII without posteromarginal comb; tergite X undivided. Sternites without discal setae, marginal setae on VII arise in front of margin.
Male aptera. Body paler than female, structure similar except: forked sensoria on III-IV small and slender; mesonotum transverse with 4-5 setae near lateral margins; tergite IX posterior margin with horn-like paired drepanae extending beyond segment X; sternites III-VIII each with about 50 small pore plates; sternal marginal setae arise at margin.

Related species

The genus Trichromothrips includes 27 species, and for these Bhatti (2000) recognised 10 species-groups. Although T. veversae shares with these species the many character states listed by Bhatti in his diagnosis of Trichromothrips, it lacks any long pronotal setae, the metasternal spinula is well developed not weak, and females have unusually stout antennal sense cones.

Biological data

Feeding and breeding on new fronds of Pteridium esculentum [Dennstaedtiaceae].

Distribution data

Known only from Australia (Tasmania, South Australia, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Western Australia).

Family name

THRIPIDAE - THRIPINAE

Species name

Trichromothrips veversae Mound & Masumoto

Original name and synonyms

Trichromothrips veversae Mound & Masumoto, 2004: 68.

References

Mound LA & Masumoto M (2004) Trichromothrips veversae sp.n. (Insecta, Thysanoptera), and the botanical significance of insects host-specific to Austral bracken fern (Pteridium esculentum). Proceedings of the Linnean Society of NSW 125: 67–71.