Convoluted maxillary stylets and the systematics of some Phlaeothripine thysanoptera from casuarina trees in Australia

Abstract

Twelve species with unusually long, sometimes highly convoluted, maxillary stylets are discussed under four genera. Ten of these species have been collected from Casuarina trees. It is suggested that the elongate stylets are adapted to feeding on the chlorophyllous tissue of Casuavina trees, which lies deep in longitudinal furrows of the stem protected by sclerenchyma. Keys are given to the Phlaeothripine genera and species from Casuarina trees. The systematic changes include four new synonyms, five new combinations, six new species, and three new genera; notes are also given on the genera Pygmaeothrips and Teuchothrips which are affected by these changes.

Saltatorial leaf‐feeding Thysanoptera (Thripidae: Dendrothripinae) from Australia and New Caledonia, with newly recorded pests of ferns, figs and mulberries

“…Casuarina (Mound 1970), and a further female has now been studied from rainforest near Taree, NSW. The abdomen apparently takes some time to attain its mature brown colour, but the sternites are light brown, unlike those of the holotype female of the new species described below.…”

Insect Fluid-Feeding on Upper Pennsylvanian Tree Ferns (Palaeodictyoptera, Marattiales) and the Early History of the Piercing-and-Sucking Functional Feeding Group

“…Although the food canal of the maxillary stylet is from 1 /xm to a few micrometers in diameter (Mound 1971, Chisholm andLewis 1984), much larger in diameter chloroplasts can be sucked up by squeezing the organdíes into the food canal (Chisholm and Lewis 1984). Generally, the maximal depth of penetration of the maxillary stylets into host tissue is from 0.03 to 0.1 mm (Hunter and Ullman 1989;Lewis 1991a, b;Heming 1993); however, Adrothrips intermedius (Bianchi) (Phlaeothripidae), feeding on woody twigs of Australian Casuarina trees, have stylets up to 0.8 mm in length (Mound 1970). Known thysanopteran plant damage is limited to epidermal or mesophyll tissue (Childers and Achor 1991), and is characterized by a figure-8 puncture on a surface depression caused by shrinkage of subsurface tissue due to the sucking out of cell protoplasts (Chisholm andLewis 1984, Lewis 1991a).…”

Thysanoptera (Insecta) of Barrow Island, Western Australia

“…Members of the genera Akainothrips, Brakothrips, Corroboreethrips, Dactylothrips, Katothrips, Kellyia, Ostlingothirps and Rhopalothripoides are all presumably associated with the various Acacia species on the island (Crespi et al 2004). One species of Heligmothrips was found, and this presumably lives on a species of Casuarina or Allocasuarina, as do the other members of that genus (Mound 1970). The single species of Gynaikothrips that was found probably represents an undescribed member of that genus that is known to be widespread across northern Australia, inducing leaf-roll galls on Ficus rubiginosa.…”