Recognition data

Distinguishing features

Female macroptera. Body light brown, head dark brown, antennal segments I–II dark brown, III–IV largely yellow, V–IX brown, but V slightly paler; wings pale; tergite IX setae shaded. Head wider than long, cheeks almost straight, transversely reticulate behind eyes, ocellar triangle with little or no sculpture; eyes with 6 pigmented facets; ocellar setae III within ocellar triangle, slightly anterior to level of anterior margins of hind ocelli; postocular setae not transverse, setae I–III along inner and posterior margins of eye. Antennae 9-segmented; II without microtrichia; III–IV slender with weakly rounded margins and small forked sensorium; VI weakly pedicellate, suture between VI–VII transverse. Pronotum reticulate; posteromarginal setae subequal in size. Metascutal reticulations small medially; median setae fine and well back from anterior margin; campaniform sensilla present. Prosternal ferna divided medially. Fore wing first vein with about 10 setae on basal half and 2 or 3 setae on distal half; second vein with 15–17 setae irregularly spaced, 2 setae basal to veinal fork; clavus with 6–7 veinal setae and one basal seta. Abdominal tergites I–VII with faint transverse sculpture medially, lateral reticulation bearing small microtrichia; VIII posterior margin with no comb medially but a few small microtrichia laterally, spiracular area small; IX with S1–S2 capitate; X with longitudinal sculpture lines, S1 capitate. Sternite VII median setae far in front of posterior margin.

Male unknown.

Related and similar species

There are 43 species of Anaphothrips known from Australia, out of a total of 79 species worldwide (Mound & Masumoto, 2009). Many of these species have the antennae clearly 9-segmented, others clearly have only 8 segments, but several species have an intermediate condition with segment VI bearing a partial and often oblique transverse suture. The capitate major setae on tergites IX and X of A. whyalla are unique amongst Anaphothrips species. In most species these setae are acute, although in A. parsonsiae and A. westringiae their apices are chisel-shaped.

Distribution data

General distribution

Known only from Australia.

Australian distribution

South Australia.

Biological data

Life history

Feeding on leaves.

Host plants

Acacia oswaldii (Mimosaceae).

Taxonomic data

Current valid name

Anaphothrips whyalla Mound & Masumoto

Original name and synonyms

• Anaphothrips whyalla Mound & Masumoto, 2009: 56.

References

Mound LA & Masumoto M. 2009. Australian Thripinae of the Anaphothrips genus-group (Thysanoptera), with three new genera and thirty-three new species. Zootaxa 2042: 1-76.http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2009/f/zt02042p076.pdf