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Cover: Oribius destructor is one of about 50 species of small, flightless beetles

within the genus Oribius. Most are restricted to the highlands of New Guinea. Oribius

destructor Marshall is a major pest of horticulture in Papua New Guinea and is

particularly damaging to citrus, apples, capsicums, strawberries and avocardos.

Damage is caused by the feeding of the adults, causing leaf shot-holing, stem and fruit

scarring, and branch dieback. Illustration by Amy Carmichael.

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4): 121-128 121

ORSOTRIAENA MEDUS LICIUM (FRUHSTORFER)

(LEPIDOPTERA: NYMPHALIDAE: SATYRINAE) IN

QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA

TREVOR A. LAMBKIN

DPIF, 665 Fairfield Road, Yeerongpillv, Qld 4105 (Email: Trevor.Lambkin@dpi.qld.gov.au)

Abstract

The underside ocelli patterns and the width and prominence of the underside white transverse

lines on 39 specimens of Orsotriaena medus licium (Fruhstorfer) from Papua New Guinea and

9] O. m. moira Waterhouse & Lyell from Torres Strait were examined and their variability

assessed. Based on these assessments, О. m. moira is placed as a new synonym of О. m. licium,

with the latter becoming the appropriate subspecific name for O. medus (Fabricius) in Australia.

In addition, specimens of O. m. licium from Torres Strait, collected throughout the wet season,

showed a higher frequency of extra ocelli on the underside of the wings of both sexes than

specimens from Papua New Guinea, which were mostly collected during the dry. In contrast, the

width and prominence of the underside white transverse lines in both populations did not

correlate with season or gender. Two Torres Strait specimens collected in February 1994, during

the wet season, are similar to a dry season form recorded from India.

Introduction

Orsotriaena medus (Fabricius) is a tropical Indo-Australian satyrine butterfly

occurring from India to southern China and the Philippines, throughout

Malaysia, Indonesia and New Guinea, east to the Solomon Islands and

Vanuatu and south to Australia through Torres Strait, including the

northernmost tip of Cape York Peninsula (Parsons 1998, Braby 2000, Sands

and New 2002). Within Australia, O. m. moira Waterhouse & Lyell is most

frequently encountered on the northern and eastern islands of Torres Strait. It

is considered rare in the south of the Strait and was last recorded at Cape

York in 1976 (Braby 1995, 2000, Sands and New 2002, TAL unpublished

data). It is generally confined to wet grassy areas along the edges of lowland

rainforests and swamps (Braby 1995, 2000, Sands and New 2002) and in

Torres Strait is predominately a wet season butterfly.

Within Torres Strait, O. m. moira is known from Darnley, Dauan, Moa,

Murray, Thursday and Yam Is, which hold stands of monsoonal vine forest,

and from Saibai, which is a flat mud island (Waterhouse and Lyell 1914,

Lambkin and Knight 1990, Valentine and Johnson 1993, Braby 2000, TAL

unpublished data). Dunn er al. (1994) considered it to be threatened by fire

and vegetation clearance, particularly in Torres Strait, but Sands and New

(2002) regarded the species as safe in Australia due to its close association

with damp grassy environments. In Australia, its life history was described

from material collected from Dauan Island by Johnson ef al. (1995), who

successfully reared larvae on the introduced Panicum maximum Jacq.

(Poaceae: guinea grass) after enclosing females on /mperata sp. (Poaceae).

Braby (2000) questioned the validity of O. m. moira and considered it to

differ little from the Papua New Guinea subspecies; he concluded that its

122 Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

status was doubtful. Up until the last decade, few specimens were known

from Australia, but in recent years more systematic collecting of butterflies in

Torres Strait has been done and now more specimens of O. m. moira are

available for study. An assessment of these additional specimens supports the

doubt surrounding the status of O. m. moira. In this paper, the external facies

of a series of O. medus from Torres Strait are examined and their variability

documented, in particular the underside ocelli patterns and the white

transverse lines. This variability is compared with that of specimens of O. m.

licium (Fruhstorfer) from Papua New Guinea and a form of O. medus,

perhaps seasonal, is recorded from Australia for the first time.

Abbreviations used are as follows: PNG — Papua New Guinea; AIK — A.I.

Knight; EC — E. Cameron; EJLH — E.J.L. Hallstrom; MFB — M.F. Braby;

PSV — P.S. Valentine; TAL — T. A. Lambkin; WWB — W.W. Brandt; ANIC —

Australian National Insect Collection, Canberra; QDPI — Department of

Primary Industries and Fisheries Collection, Brisbane; MFBC — M.F. Braby

collection, Palmerston; TLIKC — Joint T.A. Lambkin and A.I. Knight

collections, Brisbane; PSVC — P.S. Valentine collection, Townsville; UQIC —

University of Queensland Insect Collection, Brisbane.

Material examined

QUEENSLAND (TORRES STRAIT): 18 g'o, 10 99, Dauan Island, 2.iv.2001 (07, 9),

4.1у.2001 (3 ОО”, 2 99), 22.1v.2001 (9), 24.iv.2001 (9), 2.v.2001 (9), 10.11.2006 (9),

14.11.2006 (9), 18.11.2006 (©), 20.1.2006 (9), 23.1.2006 (©), 24.1.2006 (0%),

2.11.2006 (07), 8.11.2006 (2 оО", 9), 9.1.2008 (0%), 10.1.2008 (2 O70"), 12.1.2008 (07),

13.1.2008 (3 ОО”), 19.1.2008 (0), AIK (TLIKC); 9 ОО, 5 99, same data except

19.11.2004 (6 сс”, 2 99), 20.11.2004 (9), 21.11.2004 (О, 9), 22.11.2004 (07), 11.1.2006

(9), 17.1.2008 (©), TAL (TLIKC); 6 оо", 3 99, same data except 2.iv.2004 (2 00"),

3.iv.2004 (2 070%, 9), 6.1у.2004 (07, 9), 7.iv.2004 (0%, 9), PSV (PSVC); I о", Green

Hill, Thursday Island, 12-15.1у.1992, TAL (TLIKC); 1 о", Moa Island, 10°11'S,

142°18'Е, 24.11.1975, EC (UQIC); 9 оО”, 3 99, Murray Island, 22-25.iv.1989, TAL

(TLIKC); 6 со", 1 9, same data except 29.iii.-4.1v.1986 (QDPI); 2 О7О”, 3 °°, same

data except 24.1у.1989 (2 СО”, $), 25.iv.1989 (2 99), AIK (TLIKC); 2 со", 4 99,

same data except 17.iii.1993 (9), 14.iv.1993 (9), 16.iv.1993 (9), 18.iv.1994 (2 oo’, 9),

PSV (PSVC); 1 o, 1 2, Saibai Island, 5.iv.2001 (9), 10.11.2004 (0), AIK (TLIKC);

4 ОЛО”, 1 9, same data except 21.11.1994 (2 070%), 22.11.1994 (©, $), 1.111.1996 (O7),

TAL (TLIKC); 2 O'O, 1 9, same data except 11.iv.1994, PSV (PSVC).

PAPUA NEW GUINEA: 3 00”, 1 9, Angoram (Sepik District), 20', 30.11.1950 (0),

6.iv.1950 (9), 2.v.1950 (2 o0), WWB & EJLH (ANIC); 1 о", 2 99, Bubia, nr Lae, no

other collection data (UQIC); 3 ос", Kiunga, Fly River, 2.vii-31.x.1957, WWB

(ANIC); 5 o'o, Lae, 10.vi.1951 (2 оо), 21.vi.1951 (0°), 3.vii.1951 (2 070"), WWB

& EJLH (ANIC); 1 ©", Maprik (Sepik District), 600', 30.vi.1951, WWB & EJLH

(ANIC); 2 СО”, 2 99, Marabi, Lae, Morobe Province, 12.vi.1999, MFB (MFBC); 1 ©,

Normanby Island, Wakaiuna, Sewa Bay, 23.х.1956-11.1.1957, WWB (ANIC); 5 оо",

3 99, Rouku, Morehead River, Western District, no collection date (5 ОО", 2 99),

19.111.-28.у.1962 (9), WWB (ANIC); 7 оо”, 3 99, Subitana (Central District), Rauna,

1800 ft, 6.x.1949 (6 О7О”, 3 99), 16.x.1949 (07), WWB & EJLH (ANIC).

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4) 123

Methods and results

Orsotriaena medus is a variable species (Braby 2000), predominately in the

numbers of ocelli in the subapical, subterminal and subtornal areas of the

underside of both wings and in the width, prominence and length of the

underside white transverse line. The variability of these two features was

investigated in 39 specimens of O. m. licium and 91 of O. m. moira from

PNG and Torres Strait respectively, to determine if differences within these

features could be used to support their subspecific separation.

The number and positions of ocelli on specimens from Torres Strait were

difficult to qualify, with some variation even within groups of specimens

collected from single locations and at single times. Variability in the number

of ocelli in some tropical Satyrinae has been reported previously (Owen

1971, Brakefield and Larsen 1984) and is also known for O. medus, where it

appears to be seasonally influenced, with dry season individuals often having

fewer underside ocelli (Bingham 1905, Woodhouse 1950, Wynter-Blyth

1957, Brakefield and Larsen 1984, Parsons 1998). This seemed to hold true

for the material used in the present study. All Torres Strait specimens were

collected over the wet season between January and May and contained a

proportion of specimens (16/91, about 18%) with additional smaller ocelli

(Fig. 1), whereas most had the more common ocelli pattern (Fig. 2). In

contrast, almost all PNG specimens examined possessed the latter ocelli

pattern (Fig. 3), with only two individuals having some extra small ocelli

(Fig. 4). Almost all PNG specimens (when collection dates were known)

were collected during the latter half of the year, when the season is typically

dry (Parsons 1991). Because of this seasonal influence, the use of ocelli

number as a diagnostic feature in comparing the two populations was

considered unreliable.

The width and prominence of the underside transverse white lines were also

assessed. For each specimen, measurements of the width of the transverse

line were made in the subterminal area of the hind wing in the space between

veins Rs and Mi, to assess if width and prominence of this line might be a

discerning feature between the two populations. This character was also

found to be variable. In both populations, individuals with a distinctive broad

white line (approximately 1 mm wide), somewhat similar in appearance to

that of O. m. medus, were the only specimens that could be reliably tagged

and compared (although the white line in O. m. medus is also known to vary)

(Fleming 1975, Corbet and Pendlebury 1978, D’Abrera 1983). About equal

proportions of this form occurred in both populations, i.e. 8/39 (21%) in O.

m. licium (Fig. 5) and 21/91 (23%) in O. m. moira (Fig. 1) The white

transverse markings on the remaining specimens of both populations were

highly variable and ranged from long, thin white prominent lines not wider

than 0.5 mm (Figs 4, 6) to very faint, almost indistinguishable lines that were

highly variable in length (Figs 2, 3, 7).

124 Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

There was no correlation between the frequency of the morph with a broad

white line and the gender of individual specimens, as this form was

represented in both populations by similar male : female ratios (1: 1 in O. m.

licium and 1 : 1.3 in О. т. moira). This character did not seem linked to

season as specimens from both populations showed the same overall degree

of variability, despite being collected in different seasons. Moreover, a

complete range of band widths was found in a series of 12 specimens,

including both sexes, collected on Dauan Island in February and March 2006.

Two Torres Strait specimens collected on Saibai Island in February 1994

lacked all trace of the transverse lines (Figs 8, 9) and one of these was also

devoid of the typical subterminal white slender lines on the underside of both

wings (Fig. 8). Similar forms of O. medus have been reported from India

during dry seasons (Bingham 1905, Woodhouse 1950, Wynter-Blyth 1957),

wherein the white transverse markings are very much reduced or absent

(Brakefield and Larsen 1984).

Discussion

The type locality of O. medus remains uncertain. Fabricius (1775) had

erroneously indicated ‘Capite Bonae Spei' [Cape of Good Hope, South

Africa]. Waterhouse and Lyell (1914), Vane-Wright and de Jong (2003) and

Tennent (2006) considered the type to have come from southern India but

Edwards et al. (2001) followed Zimsen (1964) in regarding the type locality

as Java, Indonesia. Nonetheless, across the species' range the markings on

the underside of both wings are highly variable, in particular the number of

ocelli and the width, length and prominence of the white transverse band or

line. This variability has led to descriptions of a number of ‘races’ seemingly

based primarily on the thickness of this underside white transverse line. Size

and number of ocelli are highly variable in all races (Bingham 1905,

Woodhouse 1950, Brakefield and Larsen 1984, Parsons 1998).

A number of subspecies have recently been synonymised with O. m. medus

(Aoki et al. 1982, Vane-Wright and de Jong 2003) but Tennent (2006) still

considered O. m. licium to be valid, although he noted that the regional

biogeography of this species required revision.

Figs 1-9. Orsotriaena medus licium (Fruhstorfer). All figures are undersides and not

to scale. (1) female, Dauan I., Torres Strait, 2.v.2001, AIK (TLIKC) [forewing length

= 26 mm]; (2) male, Murray 1., Torres Strait, 24.1v.1989, AIK (TLIKC) [23 mm]; (3)

male, Subitana (Central District), Rauna, 1800 ft, PNG, 6.x.1949, WWB & EJLH

(ANIC) [22 mm]; (4) male, Rouku, Morehead Riv., Western District, PNG (ANIC)

[25 mm]; (5) male, Dauan Island, 2.11.2006, AIK (TLIKC) [24 mm]; (6) male, Dauan

L, 4.iv.2001, AIK (TLIKC) [23 mm]; (7) male, Kiunga, Fly Riv., PNG, 2.vii.-31.x.,

WWB (ANIC) [26 mm]; (8) male, Saibai I., Torres Strait, 21.11.1994, TAL (TLIKC)

[21 mm]; (9) male, Saibai 1., 22.11.1994, TAL (TLIKC) [23 mm].

125

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

126 Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

Overall, the currently accepted subspecies appear to be: O. m. medus ranging

from northern India east to Malaysia and western Indonesia (Bingham 1905,

Corbet and Pendlebury 1978, D'Abrera 1983); O. m. mandata Moore from

southern India and Sri Lanka (Bingham 1905, Woodhouse 1950, Wynter-

Blyth 1957); O. m. licium from Sulawesi to Papua New Guinea (Fruhstorfer

1908, D'Abrera 1978, Parsons 1998); O. m. mutata (Butler) from the

Solomon Archipelago and Vanuatu (Tennent 2002, 2006); and O. m. moira

from Torres Strait and Cape York, Australia (Waterhouse and Lyell 1914,

Braby 2000).

The most boldly marked of these subspecies are О. m. mandata and О. т.

mutata, where the white transverse band is very prominent and broad, so

much so that on some specimens it touches the edges of the ocelli

(Woodhouse 1950, Wynter-Blyth 1957, Tennent 2002). The other races are

highly variable but, as a rule, the transverse band on O. m. medus appears to

be consistently broader and better defined than the band on О. m. licium and

O. m. moira (Fleming 1975, Corbet and Pendlebury 1978, D'Abrera 1978,

1983).

Closer to Australia, Parsons (1998) reported O. m. licium as occurring widely

throughout the PNG mainland and its offshore islands of New Britain, New

Ireland, Bougainville and Daru. The occurrence of O. m. licium on Daru is of

particular interest as it lies just off the southern coast of the Western Province

of PNG, very close to Torres Strait and just 50 km northeast of Saibai Island,

where O. m. moira is known to occur.

The description of O. m. moira by Waterhouse and Lyell (1914) was based

on 22 males and 10 females from Cape York, Banks (Moa) and Darnley

Islands. Waterhouse and Lyell (1914) failed to designate a holotype but

Peters (1971) considered it likely that Cape York was the type locality and

designated a lectotype (Edwards et al. 2001). Within their description,

Waterhouse and Lyell (1914) made no mention of any feature that

distinguished O. m. moira from O. m. licium from PNG, only mentioning

that, on the underside, O. m. moira had ‘a well defined white discal line’,

oddly a feature atypical of the specimens examined in this current study from

Torres Strait and PNG. Furthermore, they indicated that the white line was

‘variable in width and intensity’, somewhat contradictory to their main

character (‘a well defined white discal line’) on which they appear to have

based their description. In addition, they offered no explanation to validate

the grounds they used to erect their subspecies as their description was not

unlike that of Fruhstorfer’s (1908), who indicated that specimens from

Celebes [Sulawesi] to New Guinea had a thin white transverse line on the

underside. Based on my examination of Torres Strait and PNG specimens in

this study, Fruhstorfer’s (1908) description of O. m. licium matches the

majority of specimens reviewed here. It is unknown whether Waterhouse and

Lyell (1914) examined any New Guinea material at the time they described

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4) 127

O. m. moira, but if they had they surely would have noticed the similarity

between O. m. licium and their Torres Strait material. What is possible is that

they were unaware of O. m. licium at the time they described O. m. moira, as

Fruhstorfer's (1908) description was published only six years earlier than

theirs (Waterhouse and Lyell 1914).

The two Saibai Island specimens lacking any trace of an underside white

transverse line were collected in February, which is typically wet in Torres

Strait. This is opposite to that reported by Brakefield and Larsen (1984), who

illustrated a form from Sikkim (in northern India) that was very similar to the

two Torres Strait specimens but specified that it was strictly a dry season

form. They also indicated that this form occurs in Bangladesh and in parts of

Thailand and Burma. If the two Australian specimens reported here are

seasonal in effect, then this is the first report of this dry season form from

Australia.

In summary, the results of this current study indicate that the underside

variability of O. m. moira from Torres Strait is similar to that of O. m. licium

from Papua New Guinea. Ocelli number might be a seasonal character in

both populations and the prominence of the underside white transverse line

does not appear to be influenced by season or gender. Based on the evidence

provided here, O. m. moira Waterhouse & Lyell is placed as a new synonym

of O. m. licium (Fruhstorfer), with the latter name becoming the appropriate

subspecific name for O. medus populations in Australia.

Acknowledgements

Appreciation is given to J.S. Bartlett (QDPI), M. Braby, G. Daniels (UQIC),

E.D. Edwards (ANIC) and P.S. Valentine for access to specimens in their

care. J.S. Bartlett gave valuable support by formatting and preparing the

colour plate.

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Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4): 129-140 129

THOPHA HUTCHINSONI, A NEW CICADA (CICADOIDEA:

CICADIDAE) FROM WESTERN AUSTRALIA, WITH NOTES ON

THE DISTRIBUTION AND COLOUR POLYMORPHISM OF

THOPHA SESSILIBA DISTANT |

M.S. MOULDS

Entomology Department, Australian Museum, 6 College St, Sydney, NSW 2010

(Email: msmoulds@bigpond.net.au)

Abstract

Thopha hutchinsoni sp. n. is described from Western Australia, where it is found near Exmouth

and at the eastern fringe of the Pilbara region. New records of T. sessiliba Distant are given,

confirming the presence of the species west of the Great Sandy Desert. The colour of these

‘western’ sessiliba is different from specimens found east of the Great Sandy Desert and it is

suggested that these ‘western’ sessiliba might represent another new species. A population of

melanic T. sessiliba is recorded from Haliday Bay, near Mackay, Queensland and a melanic

individual from near Chillagoe, Queensland, is also noted. A brief discussion on the size of

Thopha Amyot & Serville species concludes that 7. saccata (Fabricius) remains Australia's

largest cicada.

Introduction

The cicada genus Thopha Amyot & Serville includes four described species

distributed through New South Wales, Queensland, the Northern Territory

and Western Australia (Moulds 2001). All are large to very large species and

include 7. saccata (Fabricius) and T. emmotti Moulds, which vie for the title

of largest Australian cicada species.

Three of these Thopha species, T. saccata, T. sessiliba Distant and T.

colorata Distant, were described 100 or more years ago. T. emmotti was

described as recently as 2001 and its discovery was unexpected. Now, the

discovery of yet another species of Thopha in Western Australia, which rivals

T. saccata and T. emmotti in size, is even more remarkable; the first

specimens were collected only in 2004. This new species, described here as

T. hutchinsoni, appears most closely related to T. sessiliba.

New distribution records for 7. sessiliba are also provided, including a

number of records from west of the Great Sandy Desert, Western Australia.

These western sessiliba are consistently different in colour pattern and it is

suggested that they might represent yet another new species. Melanic colour

morphs of 7. sessiliba are also documented.

Terminology for morphological features follows that of Moulds (2005)

except for timbal structure, which follows Bennet-Clark (1999). The

following abbreviations have been used for collections housing specimens:

AE - collection of A. Ewart; AM - Australian Museum, Sydney; PH -

collection of Paul Hutchinson; MSM - collection of M.S. Moulds; WAM -

Western Australian Museum, Perth.

130 Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

Thopha hutchinsoni sp. n.

(Figs 1, 8-11)

Types. Holotype О”, WESTERN AUSTRALIA: 55 km S of Exmouth, 8.11.2004, Р.

Hutchinson (МАМ). Paratypes: 1 ©, Pinga Ck South, 135 km S of Port Hedland,

21929.889'S, 118?43.935'E, 222 m, 11.11.2006, Hill, Marshall, Moulds (AE) 1 о,

same data (AM); 2 СО, 1 9, same data (WAM); 1 о (molecular voucher

06.AU.WA.PCS.01), 1 9, same data (MSM); 1 С, 1 9, ~40 km S of Newman,

23°44.412’S, 119?43.464' E, 624 m, 13.11.2006, Hill, Marshall, Moulds (MSM); 1 о”,

1 9, same data (WAM); 1 9, same data (AM); 2 СО”, 5 km N of Exmouth, 8.11.2008,

P. Hutchinson (PH); 2 СС, 5 km S of Exmouth, 12.11.2008, P. Hutchinson (PH); 1

©, 291 km S of Port Hedland, 22?37.771'S, 118°42.106’E, 707 m, 11.11.2006, Hill,

Marshall, Moulds (MSM); 1 ©, nr Mt Robinson, 112 km NW of Newman,

23°03.386’S, 118?51.977'E, 12.11.2006, Hill, Marshall, Moulds (MSM); 4 О7О”, same

data (WAM); 1 ©, 13 km SE of Newman, 23°31.091°5, 119°46.216’E, 568 m,

13.11.2006, Hill, Marshall, Moulds (MSM); 1 ©, ~120 km S of Newman,

24?19.238'S, 119?42.330' E, 621 m, 13.11.2006, Hill, Marshall, Moulds (MSM); 1 о”,

same data (WAM).

Description. Male (Figs 1, 8-10). Head pale muddy orange; vertex with a

reddish brown fascia from eye to eye but terminating just short of each eye

and ill-defined around ocelli; much of ventral surface reddish brown.

Postclypeus mostly reddish brown, pale muddy orange dorsally. Anteclypeus

reddish brown tending muddy orange laterally, dark reddish brown along

midline, sometimes very dark apically. Lorum reddish brown with muddy

yellow margin. Rostrum with mentum muddy orange; labium dark to very

dark, dark reddish brown along groove, apical portion partly black; reaching

almost to apices of hind coxae. Antennae with scape and pedicel reddish

brown, the latter very dark to nearly black apically; flagellum black or nearly

so.

Thorax. Pronotum pale muddy orange, the pronotal collar tending slightly

paler; lateral margin of pronotal collar narrowly edged black. Mesonotum

pale muddy yellow; an irregular reddish brown spot against distal inner

margin of each anterior arm of cruciform elevation and usually a similar spot

centrally at base of anterior arms; submedian and lateral sigilla ill-defined,

but anterior outer corner of lateral sigillum usually marked by a small reddish

brown mark; parapsidal sutures marked by a fine black line; silver pubescent

band adjacent to wing groove, tapering posteriorly; lip of wing grove finely

marked black on anterior half. Metanotum pale muddy orange. Thorax on

underside dark reddish brown and muddy orange; extensively covered by fine

white pubescence.

Figs 1-3. Thopha species: (1) T. hutchinsoni sp. n., male paratype from near Mt

Robinson, Western Australia; (2) T. sessiliba, melanic female from Haliday Bay,

Queensland; (3) T. sessiliba, male from 55 km NNE of Meekatharra, WA, i.e. west of

the Great Sandy Desert. Approximately natural size.

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

131

132 Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

Figs 4-7. Thopha sessiliba, male genitalia: (4) lateral view, specimen from Conners R,

SSW of Sarina, Queensland; (5) ventral view, same specimen; (6) lateral view,

specimen from 146 km NNE of Meekatharra, Western Australia; (7) ventral view,

same specimen. bl = basal lobe, ds = distal shoulder, un = uncus, vt = ventral tooth.

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4) 133

Figs 8-10. Thopha hutchinsoni, male genitalia and timbal: (8) male genitalia, lateral

view, specimen from 40 km S of Newman, Western Australia; (9) male genitalia

ventral view, same specimen; (10) left timbal showing the 3 long ribs and one short

rib. ap = apodeme pit, tp = timbal plate, Ir = long rib, sr = short rib, 1-3 = ribs one to

three.

134 Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

Wings hyaline and without infuscations. Fore wing venation pale muddy

orange on basal half or so, otherwise mostly reddish brown; subcosta jet

black along basal cell, jet black along 2A+3A in the vicinity of basal

membrane. Basal cell opaque pale muddy orange but usually with a small

window adjacent to CuA. basal membrane bright orange. Hind wing veins

yellow or orange; plaga following CuP and 2A muddy orange sometimes

tending blackish, following 3A mostly orange but sometimes mixed with

black.

Legs dark reddish brown tending partly muddy orange. Coxae usually with

dense white pubescence on outer face; fore coxae with muddy pale orange

stripe for full length on outer face; mid and hind coxae usually tending pale

orange. Fore femora with similar stripe, the pale orange also covering much

of outer face abutting femoral spines. Pretarsal claws black on distal half or

more.

Opercula dark reddish brown but usually covered by pure white pubescence,

rim narrowly edged black.

Abdomen. Tergites dark reddish brown; tergite 2 with a large central patch of

fine white pubescent ‘dusting’, epipleurites 3-7 usually with similar white

pubescence to varying extent; tergite 8 usually completely covered by white

pubescence. Sternites dark reddish brown; sternites I and II sparsely covered

by white pubescence, usually most distinct on distal margin of II; anterior

margin of sternite III and lateral extremities of sternites III- VIT usually with a

little white pubescence.

Timbals (Fig. 10). Timbal covers dark reddish brown, usually with dense,

pure white pubescence below adjacent to rim. Timbals similar to those of

other Thopha species; three long ribs, the first near the margin of the timbal

plate, broad and irregular in shape, the second narrow, nearly parallel-sided

and joined ventrally with first; the third narrow and nearly parallel-sided; one

short, very broad rib between first and second long ribs.

Genitalia (Figs 8, 9). Distal shoulders of pygofer weakly developed with

distal portion bluntly pointed and turned backwards. Pygofer basal lobes not

well developed, broad and rounded in lateral view. Uncus deeply divided into

a pair of long, gently-tapering, tooth-like lobes, in dorsal view diverging, in

lateral view angled downwards at about 45°; ventral tooth (clasper)

completely fused with uncal lobe except towards apex, in lateral view short,

bluntly pointed, its apex set back a little from apex of uncus.

Female. Similar to male. Tergite 8 with mid dorsal region bearing dense

silver pubescence, remainder covered by pure white waxy 'dusting'.

Abdominal segment 9 black, tending dark reddish brown below, irregular

orange patch laterally on distal half.

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4) 135

Measurements. Range and mean (in mm) for 10 males and 5 females;

includes smallest and largest of available specimens. Length of body: male

46.3 - 51.3 (49.1); female 47.7 - 51.4 (49.5). Length of fore wing: male 56.3 -

64.0 (61.7); female 58.9 - 64.2 (61.2). Width of head (including eyes): male

20.4 - 23.0 (22.1); female 21.5 - 23.0 (22.3). Width of pronotum (across

lateral angles): male 18.4 - 20.7 (19.8); female 19.1 - 20.8 (19.8).

Etymology. Named in honour of Paul Hutchinson, who collected the first

specimens of this new species.

Distinguishing characters. Distinguished from all other Thopha species by

the lack of bold, jet-black markings on the head and thorax in addition to

having the sigilla of the mesonotum ill defined. Also differs from T. sessiliba,

the species that is probably the most closely allied to T. hutchinsoni, in the

lack of dark reddish brown pigmentation on the sigilla; those of T. sessiliba

are always dark reddish brown and similar in colour to the dark fascia across

the head between the eyes. These differences in colour are consistent between

the two species across their ranges including where their known distributions

are almost sympatric (Fig. 11), at which point there is no apparent change in

landform or vegetation. Further collecting is likely to show that the two

species are in fact sympatric.

It is interesting to note that, while T. Autchinsoni clearly differs from T.

sessiliba in colour and markings (and to a lesser extent in size), I could find

no differences in male genitalia. The apparent variation in uncal shape,

position of the ventral tooth, shape of the distal shoulder, basal lobes and

aedeagus (Figs 4-9) all fall within the range of individual variation within the

two species. There is no doubt, however, that T. hutchinsoni and T. sessiliba

are distinct species because the differences in colour and markings are

considerable and consistent. The colour forms of sessiliba discussed below

are essentially differences in background tone, not in the basic markings. For

example, no matter how pale or dark individuals of sessiliba might be the

sigilla and fascia joining the eyes are always distinctly and similarly

coloured. This is not so in /ufchinsoni where the fascia joining the eyes is

always present but the sigilla are never similarly highlighted.

Distribution and habitat (Fig. 11). Confined to Western Australia, where it is

known only from near Exmouth and the eastern fringe of the Pilbara region.

From near Exmouth there are records from 55 km south of Exmouth on the

east coast of the Exmouth Peninsula and from 5 km north and 5 km south of

Exmouth. On the Exmouth Peninsula, Paul Hutchinson also has noted

specimens from Mandu Mandu in Cape Range National Park, Mowbowra

Creek 6 km south of Exmouth, Badjirrajirra Creek 22 km south of Exmouth

and the Charles Knife Canyon, Cape Range. From east of the Pilbara

specimens have been collected at several locations along the Great Northern

Highway between 135 km south of Port Hedland and 120 km south of

136 Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

Newman. Both regions are semi arid, receiving approximately 200-300 mm

average annual rainfall that comes mainly as summer thunderstorms and

cyclones.

Great

Sandy Desert

Fig. 11. Distribution of Thopha hutchinsoni sp. n. and T. sessiliba in Western

Australia. Black dots indicate records of T. hutchinsoni, open triangles new records

for T. sessiliba and closed triangles records from the previously known distribution of

T. sessiliba.

Around Exmouth, adults usually frequent bloodwood, Corymbia

hamersleyana, while east of the Pilbara they inhabit river red gums,

Eucalyptus camaldulensis. Adults prefer the main trunk and limbs,

sometimes perching high up near foliage. On the Exmouth peninsula they are

restricted to stunted trees growing along ephemeral streams in limestone

gullies emanating from the Cape Range. Along the Great Northern Highway

the trees are taller and for the most part grow along sandy or stony stream

banks that are tributaries of the Yule, Fortescue and Ashburton Rivers.

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4) 137

Adults frequently form communal aggregations, often with several occupying

a single tree or group of adjacent trees. The larger a tree, usually the greater

the aggregation within it. At times they can be approached relatively easily

without alarm and sometimes can be taken by hand.

Adults emerge after heavy summer and early autumn rains and have been

taken in mid February and early March. Because of this dependence upon

heavy rain for emergence, combined with the unreliable nature of the rainfall,

the appearance of adults is probably erratic.

Singing occurs during the heat of the day and at dusk. The song is a loud,

drone-like whine, very similar to that of Thopha saccata as described by

Moulds (1990). No recordings of the song are available for detailed analysis.

Relationships. Previously I discussed relationships among the then four

known species of Thopha (Moulds 2001). Thopha hutchinsoni appears most

closely related to 7. sessiliba. The male genitalia of the two species are

similar and what remains of the colour pattern of the head and thorax on

hutchinsoni, that is the dark reddish brown fascia between the eyes and

remnants of thoracic markings, is reminiscent of that of sessiliba, rather than

the jet black markings of 7. saccata, T. emmotti and T. colorata.

Thopha sessiliba Distant

(Figs 2, 3, 4-7, 11)

New records. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: 1 œ, 192 km N of Meekatharra, 7.iii.2006,

P. Hutchinson; 1 О, 146 km N of Meekatharra, 7.11.2006, P. Hutchinson; | 0’, 57 km

N of Meekatharra, 6.11.2006, P. Hutchinson (PH); 1 О”, «167 km S of Newman,

24°42.759’S, 119?36.513'E, 607 m, 13.11.2006, Hill, Marshall, Moulds; 1 ©, 210 km

S of Newman, 25°01.126’S, 119924.560'E, 559 m, 13.11.2006, Hill, Marshall,

Moulds; 1 9, 2221 km S of Newman, 25°06.355’S, 119?22.369' E, 545 m, 14.11.2006,

Hill, Marshall, Moulds; 1 ©, 1 9, 146 km NNE of Meekatharra, 25?35.579'S,

119?14.173' E, 545 m, 14.11.2006, Hill, Marshall, Moulds; 1 О”, 1 9, 55 km NNE of

Meekatharra, 26°08.225’S, 118?41.721'E, 478 т, 14.11.2006, Hill, Marshall, Moulds

(MSM); 1 о, ~221 km S of Newman, 25°06.355’S, 119°22.369’E, 545 m, 14.11.2006,

Hill, Marshall, Moulds (WAM). NEW SOUTH WALES: 1 €, 64 km N of Lightning

Ridge turnoff, 29?13.680'S, 147°52.475’E, 161 m, 24.1.2005, Hill, Marshall, Moulds

(MSM).

The new records listed above show that 7. sessiliba is widespread in Western

Australia west of the Great Sandy Desert. Previously, there was just a single

record from this region (Burns 1962, Moulds 1990), from Mundiwindi, but I

have been unable to trace this specimen. Because Mundiwindi is close to the

known distributions of both 7. sessiliba and T. hutchinsoni, the identity of the

specimen(s) is now in doubt so the record is disregarded here. The record

from near Lightning Ridge. in New South Wales extends the distribution of T.

sessiliba a little further west in that State.

138 Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

Distribution and colour of Thopha sessiliba

T. sessiliba is now known to be distributed across much of northern Australia

from the headwaters of the Gascoyne and Murchison Rivers in Western

Australia and from Nita Station (south west of Broome) to the Kimberley

region of Western Australia (Fig. 11), across much of the Northern Territory

to northern and eastern third of Queensland and in New South Wales along

the inland margin of the Western Slopes south to Narrabri (Moulds 1990,

2001, and records from this paper).

A little south west of Nita Station the Great Sandy Desert ceases to support

eucalypts and T. sessiliba almost certainly does not occur there. Thus, there is

a distinct and significant gap in the distribution of T. sessiliba across this

desert barrier. Specimens from east of this desert are typical sessiliba in

colour and pattern (see Moulds 1990: pl. 7) while those from west of the

Great Sandy Desert are distinctly different (Fig. 3). Western individuals have

the head, pronotum and mesonotum similar in colour to the pronotal collar

whereas typical sessiliba have the pronotal collar distinctly paler. The

midline of the pronotum is always boldly marked by a broad dark reddish

brown fascia that is rarely present in typical 7. sessiliba. Further, the dark

reddish brown fascia across the head between the eyes terminates just before

the eyes, whereas this fascia nearly always meets the eyes in typical T.

sessiliba. а

It is possible that these western sessiliba are a different species but I ат

reluctant to describe them as such without more convincing differentiation. I

could find no clear differences in male genitalia and there are no other

structural differences apart from a tendency to be slightly larger. A study of

DNA or song structure may show sufficient differences to justify species

status but this information is lacking at present.

Thopha sessiliba from east of the Great Sandy Desert, the so-called typical T.

sessiliba, show variation in colour tone across their distribution. I have

previously documented how individuals darken as one goes north from about

Coen on Cape York Peninsula (Moulds 1990: 57, pl. 7, fig. 2b) and how

individuals west of about the Great Dividing Range in Queensland and

through the Northern Territory and Western Australia are paler than

specimens from eastern Queensland (Moulds 1990: 57, pl. 7, figs 2, 2a).

Since that time a population of melanic individuals (Fig. 2) has been

discovered by A.J. Emmott at Haliday Bay, north of Mackay (20°54’S,

148°59’E). Three males were collected on 2 January 2001, all similarly

melanic. They are clearly darker than the darkest individuals from Cape York

Peninsula. A single, even darker, specimen has been taken by Mark Lane

near Chillagoe (17°03’S, 145°21°E) but this was a single melanic individual

amongst an otherwise normal population. It is important to note that none of

these melanic specimens have any markings jet black, but rather there is an

overall darkening of all the normal body markings and pigmentation.

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4) 139

Key to Thopha species

The key to species of Thopha in Moulds (2001: 196) can be modified to

include 7. hutchinsoni and the western form of T. sessiliba by the following

modification of couplet 1.

1 Head and thorax with bold, jet-black markings .............................. 2

= Head and thorax lacking bold, jet-black markings ........................ la

la Mesonotum with thoracic sigilla ill-defined .............. hutchinsoni sp.n.

= Mesonotum with thoracic sigilla boldly marked reddish brown ......... 1b

lb Pronotum with midline always boldly marked reddish brown and colour

of pronotal collar similar to remainder of pronotum ......................

= Pronotum rarely with midline boldly marked reddish brown, if so then

colour of pronotal collar obviously paler than remainder of pronotum

HEAR OCDE GU IUS IU doe o OD de Cun асан eo Ыйар ‘typical’ sessiliba

Australia's largest cicada

The largest Australian cicada species has been regarded as Thopha saccata,

with the largest specimen having a forewing length of 66 mm and a wingspan

of 144 mm (Moulds 1990). I now have a larger specimen with a forewing

length of 67 mm and a wingspan of 151 mm. The discovery of two further

large species of Thopha, T. emmotti (Moulds 2001) and now T. hutchinsoni,

necessitates a review of what is Australia's largest cicada.

At the time of description of T. emmotti there were only 20 known specimens

and the largest attained a forewing length of 61.8 mm, less than the largest

known specimen of T. saccata. Since that time additional specimens have

been collected but the largest of these was only marginally larger.

Specimens of T. hutchinsoni tend to be larger than those of T. emmotti but,

with a maximum forewing length of 64.2 mm and a maximum wingspan of

145 mm, they fail to eclipse the largest 7. saccata. However, the known

number of specimens is not great and it is likely that larger specimens will be

found in the future.

Thus, for the time being at least, T. saccata remains the largest Australian

species, measured by forewing length and wingspan. 7. saccata is also the

heaviest cicada; the dry weight of the largest specimen of 7. saccata (a

female) is 2.14 gm while that of T. hutchinsoni (also a female) is 1.81 gm.

Widest head

The genus Thopha belongs to a lineage of cicadas that includes a number of

genera with very wide heads (Moulds 2005: 412). These exceptionally wide

heads are a result of elongation of the vertex and does not directly relate to

the overall size of the species. For example, the world's largest cicada,

140 Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

Pomponia imperatoria (Westwood), has a relatively narrow head. On the

other hand, Thopha species are not only large cicadas but also possess wide

heads. The head width of the largest 7. saccata specimen is 21.5 mm but that

of the largest 7. hutchinsoni measures 22.5 mm, surpassing that of T. saccata

by 1 mm. Remarkably, this is not only the widest head of any Australian

cicada species, but the widest of any cicada in the world. Interestingly, it also

has the widest head of any Australian insect.

Acknowledgements

I thank Paul Hutchinson for the loan of specimens of this new species in his

collection and for helpful comments on habitat and behaviour. Dr A. Ewart

provided valuable comments on the manuscript. Angus Emmott kindly

provided specimens of the melanic population of 7. sessiliba from Haliday

Bay. Mark Lane provided access to his melanic specimen of 7. sessiliba.

Kathy Hill and Dave Marshall assisted in field work collecting the new

Western Australian records. Figures 6-10 were drawn by Ivan Nozaic and

figures 4-5 by Sally Beech; to both I give my sincere thanks. The Department

of Conservation and Land Management provided permits to collect

specimens in Western Australia. I am grateful to Peter Lillywhite (Museum

of Victoria), Terry Houston (Western Australian Museum) and Mick Webb

(The Natural History Museum, London) for answering enquiries regarding

specimens in their care.

References

BENNET-CLARK, H.C. 1999, Resonators in insect sound production: how insects produce loud

pure-tone songs. Journal of Experimental Biology 202: 3347-3357.

BURNS, A.N. 1962. Revision of the genus Thopha Amyot and Serville Cicadidae, division

Thopharia Homoptera-Hemiptera. Memoirs of the National Museum of Victoria 25: 269-279.

MOULDS, M.S. 1990. Australian cicadas. New South Wales University Press, Kensington; 217

pp, 24 pls.

MOULDS, M.S. 2001. A review of the tribe Thophini Distant (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea:

Cicadidae) with the description of a new species of Thopha Amyot & Serville. Insect Systematics

and Evolution 31: 195-203.

MOULDS, M.S. 2005. An appraisal of the higher classification of cicadas (Hemiptera:

Cicadoidea) with special reference to the Australian fauna. Records of the Australian Museum

57: 375-446.

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4): 141-143 141

LIFE HISTORY NOTES ON BRACCA ROTUNDATA (BUTLER)

(LEPIDOPTERA: GEOMETRIDAE) AND OXYCOPHINA THEORINA

(MEYRICK) (LEPIDOPTERA: THYRIDIDAE)

MURDOCH DE BAAR

10 Hereford Street, Corinda, Qld 4075

(Email: debaar@powerup.com.au)

Abstract

Life history notes are presented and larvae illustrated for Bracca rotundata (Butler) and

Oxycophina theorina (Meyrick) from northern Queensland. Recorded food plants are

Austrobaileya scandens C.T. White (Austrobaileyaceae) and Macaranga tanarius (L.) J. Muell.

(Euphorbiaceae) respectively.

Introduction

Currently, nothing is known of the early stages or food plant of the geometrid

moth Bracca (= Tigridoptera) rotundata (Butler) (Zborowski and Edwards

2007, Common 1990), or of the habits or biology of Oxycophina theorina

(Meyrick), the largest of the Australian thyridid moths (Zborowski and

Edwards 2007, Common 1990, E.D. Edwards pers. comm.). The following

notes and illustrations are based on material from northern Queensland.

Fig. 1. Bracca rotundata larva.

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

(

Figs 2-4. Oxycophina theorina. (2) Macaranga tanarius stems showing stem damage

and borer holes; (3) larva; (4) adult.

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4) 143

Life history notes

GEOMETRIDAE

Bracca rotundata (Butler)

(Fig. 1)

Material examined. QUEENSLAND: 2 specimens, Paluma, pupated 25.xii.1983,

emerged 11.1.1984, M. De Baar and M. Hockey.

Comments. Two larvae were collected on 16 December 1983 at Paluma,

feeding on Austrobaileya scandens C.T. White (Austrobaileyaceae), a vine in

rainforest. The larvae were black with white and orange markings (Fig. 1).

Austrobaileya scandens is a primitive vine, up to 15 m in height and endemic

to northern Queensland rainforests; it is the only species included in the

family Austrobaileyaceae.

THYRIDIDAE

Oxycophina theorina (Meyrick)

(Figs 2-4)

Material examined. QUEENSLAND: | о", Mackay, from several larvae collected

2.11.2001, emerged from pupa 26.111.2001, B. Delaney.

Comments. During the summer of 2000-01, Mackay City Council obtained

potted stock of Macaranga tanarius (L.) J. Muell. (Euphorbiaceae) from

Normanton in NW Queensland for street plantings. Following planting,

several trees about 2 m high showed stem damage. In February 2001, Brian

Delaney sent several of these stems to me and, on examination, they showed

swellings and borer holes (see Fig. 2). Larvae (Fig. 3) were feeding inside the

stems. The stems were kept in the Queensland Department of Primary

Industries and Fisheries insectary in Brisbane and a male (Fig. 4) emerged on

26 March 2001. It is not known if the trees became infested in Mackay or in

Normanton.

Acknowledgements

I thank Dr Gordon Guymer for assistance with the identification. of

Austrobaileya scandens, Brian Delaney (Mackay City Council) for sending

material and Dr Judy King for her support of my projects and her comments

on the manuscript.

References

COMMON, I.F.B. 1990. Moths of Australia. Melbourne University Press, Carlton; 535 pp.

ZBOROWSKI, P. and EDWARDS, E.D. 2007. A guide to Australian moths. CSIRO Publishing,

Collingwood; 214 pp.

144 Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

A NOTE ON SOME HAWAIIAN SPECIES OF TRUPANEA

SCHRANK (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE: TEPHRITINAE)

D.L. HANCOCK

PO Box 2464, Cairns, Qld 4870

Abstract

Trupanea nigripilosa (Hardy), comb. n. and 7. paludosae (Hardy), comb. n. are transferred from

Neotephritis Hendel and placed in a species complex with 7. denotata Hardy.

Introduction

Trupanea Schrank is a cosmopolitan genus of some 215 described species of

tephritid flies that infest the flowerheads, shoots or stems of various genera of

Asteraceae. At least 25 species (2 undescribed) occur in the Hawaiian

Islands, including two currently placed in the New World genus Neotephritis

Hendel. However, all the endemic Hawaiian tephritines are believed to have

arisen from a single ancestor (Hardy and Delfinado 1980, Brown et al. 2006)

and the endemic genus Phaeogramma Grimshaw is likely to be a synonym.

Discussion

Trupanea nigripilosa (Hardy), comb. n. and 7. paludosae (Hardy), comb. n.,

both from Maui, were suggested to belong here by Hancock and Drew

(2003), who removed them from Neotephritis; the male distiphallus is typical

of Trupanea. They differ from all other Trupanea species in the presence of

four scutellar setae rather than two and appear to form a species complex

with T. denotata Hardy, also from Maui. All three species have the scutum

almost entirely black-microsetose and similar wing patterns with numerous

spots and faint brown costal cells. The only confirmed host is Argyroxiphium

virescens with T. denotata, at least, infesting the growing tips.

Contrary to the molecular phylogeny produced by Brown et al. (2006), the 7.

denotata complex does not appear to be closely related to either 7.

limpidapex Hardy or their 7. sp. A, both also from Maui. 7. /impidapex

appears to be the sister-species of 7. pantosticta Hardy from Hawaii; both

infest the shoots of Dubautia spp. but have the scutum covered with scale-

like, yellowish microsetae and short, long-setose male fore basitarsi. 7. sp. A

appears to be the sister-species of 7. joiceyi Hardy from Oahu and Molokai;

both form stem galls on Dubautia. The T. denotata complex shares many

characters, including the elongate and short-setose male fore basitarsi, with 7.

nigripennis Hardy and T. marginalis Hardy from the island of Hawaii.

References

BROWN, J.M., TODD-THOMPSON, M., McCORD, A., O'BRIEN, A. and O'FALLON, B.

2006. Phylogeny, host association, and wing pattern variation in the endemic Hawaiian fruit flies

(Diptera, Tephritidae). /nstrumenta Biodiversitatis (Geneva) 7: 259-274.

HANCOCK, D.L. and DREW, R.A.I. 2003. A new genus and new species, combinations and

records of Tephritinae (Diptera: Tephritidae) from Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

Australian Entomologist 30(4): 141-158.

HARDY, D.E. and DELFINADO, M.D. 1980. Family Tephritidae. /nsects of Hawaii 13: 28-102.

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4): 145-152 145

ALEUROCLAVA BAGAHFORMIS, A NEW SPECIES OF WHITEFLY

(HEMIPTERA: ALEYRODIDAE) FROM SOUTHEASTERN

QUEENSLAND

PETER S. GILLESPIE

Agricultural Scientific Collections Unit, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries,

Orange Agricultural Institute, Forest Road, Orange, NSW 2800

(Email: Peter.S.Gillespie@dpi.nsw.gov.au)

Abstract

Aleuroclava bagahformis sp. n. is described from material collected from rainforests of

southeastern Queensland. It has been found on the leaves of Alangium villosum (Alangiaceae)

and represents the second species of this genus described from Australia. The unusual shape of

the puparium and its systematic placement are discussed.

Introduction

Recent research by several workers has continued to throw light on the

diverse Australian whitefly fauna (Martin 1999, Gillespie 2006, M. Coombs

pers. comm.). The subtropical rainforests of southeastern Queensland have

been the site of some recent collections of unique and interesting whitefly

taxa, of which the new taxon described here forms a small part. Several of the

newly discovered taxa have been found in relationship with only one host.

Given the diverse nature of Australia's flora and the lack of attention given to

whiteflies on Australian plants, this suggests that the Australian whitefly

fauna may contain two to three times the present number of described

species.

The genus A/euroclava Singh is a large and diverse Asian genus of often

small whiteflies. This genus is not well known from Australia, with presently

only one described and a number of undescribed species recognised (Martin

1999). A new species is described below from specimens collected in

southeastern Queensland. This taxon has a very small, dark puparium of a

highly unusual nature, with a rectangular cephalothorax and a long, thin

abdomen. These features, in combination with other characters such as the

granular dorsum, lack of dorsal setation and features of the thoracic and

abdominal tracheal pores, show most affinities with the genus A/euroclava in

which it is placed.

Methods

All slide mounted specimens are preserved in Canada Balsam mountant using

the method outlined by Martin (1999). Database accession number for NSW

DPI deposited specimens is indicated in brackets following specimen details.

Type material is deposited in repositories as listed below. Photomicrographs

were taken with a Micropublisher 5 RTV digital camera (QImaging) attached

to a Leica MZ12.5 dissecting microscope and montaged images produced

with AutoMontage Pro (Synchroscopy P/L). Abbreviations used in this paper

include: ANIC — Australian National Insect Collection, whitefly collection;

146 Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

ASCU ~ Agricultural Scientific Collections Unit, NSW DPI, Orange; BMNH

— The Natural History Museum, London; Qld — Queensland.

Aleuroclava bagahformis sp. n.

(Figs 1-6)

Material examined. Holotype puparium on slide, QUEENSLAND: ex Alangium

villosum, ‘3 stumps’, D'Aguilar N.P., 28.ix.2006, P.S. Gillespie & B.C. McNeil

(ASCT00132260) (ASCU). Paratypes: 2 emerged pupal cases each on a slide, host

unstated, ‘3 Stumps’, Mt Glorious, 8.xii.2006, B.C. McNeil & M. Coombs. (ANIC,

BMNH); 2 puparium slides ex A/angium, Mt Glorious, 7.11.2007, M. Coombs & B.C.

McNeil (ASCT00047573 (DNA-AMI928), ASCT00047541 (DNA=AM1929) —

ASCU); 1 puparium on dry leaf, same data as holotype (ASCT00132255 - ASCU); 5

puparia (3 parasitized) each on leaf fragment, ex Alangium, Mt Glorious, 7.11.2007, M.

Coombs & B.C. McNeil (ASCT00132126 - ASCU).

Description. Puparium (Figs 1, 6) small, black, heavily sclerotised and

requiring bleaching for viewing; shield-shaped with cephalothorax

approximately rectangular in appearance. Pupa with a covering of fine, clear

wax and lacking peripuparial wax. Some specimens with a distinctive

transverse whitish stripe on dorsum between the thoracic tracheal pores and

the moulting sutures and also with some small white markings on abdomen,

particularly in the area of segment VII medially but the extent of these white

markings varies considerably from specimen to specimen (Fig. 6). Puparia do

not appear dimorphic. Length of pupa 890-1,100 um, width 400-540 um;

widest at metathoracic segment (Figs 1, 2, 5).

Dorsum: Puparium with more or less rectangular cephalothorax with

anterolateral corners defining their anterior and lateral aspects (Figs 2-3).

Anterior margin of cephalothorax straight and perpendicular to longitudinal

axis of pupa. Apart from thoracic tracheal pores, lateral margins of

cephalothorax straight and parallel to longitudinal axis of pupa. Abdomen

elongate, narrowed and straight-sided (Figs 2-3). Margin not defined from

subdorsum. Margin irregularly and finely crenulate with invaginations at

thoracic and caudal tracheal openings. Thoracic tracheal invaginations

shallow (wider than distance from margin) and with 4 or 5 finer crenulations.

Puparium covered with coarse granules or rugosities. A pair of submedial

folds or elevated extensions running longitudinally overlying the legs in the

cephalothorax and the anterior part of the abdomen are present; these extend

from anterolateral corner of pupa to abdominal segment IV (Figs 2-3). A

raised ridge/submedial fold of rugose nature running parallel to anterior

margin joins longitudinal folds anterolaterally in the cephalus (Fig. 3). Single

large, course tubercle present medially on abdominal segments I-VIII (Figs 2,

3, 5). Abdominal segments sparingly defined medially although rugosity,

elevation and medial tubercle of each segment masking slight rhachisiform

shape. Abdominal segment VII little more than half the length of the

preceding segment. Simple pores sparsely scattered over cephalothorax and

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4) 147

figs 1-4. A. bagahformis puparium. (1) puparium habitus (holotype); (2) puparium

slide; (3) cephalothorax detail; (4) abdomen detail. (Scale bars 1, 2 = 500 um; 3, 4 =

100 um).

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

148

Fig. 5. A. bagahformis puparium drawing. (Scale bar = 500 um). (A) = ventral detail

of cephalothoracic tracheal pore.

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4) 149

abdomen. Narrow caudal furrow present (Fig. 4). Vasiform orifice rounded

chordate, not elevated above dorsum and appearing to be set into a narrow,

elevated rugose plateau extending posteriorly to the margin and bordering the

caudal furrow (Fig. 4). Posterior margin of plateau between vasiform orifice

and caudal furrow with a few narrow and coarsely serrate teeth. Interior

margin of vasiform orifice with scalloping. Operculum slightly longer than

wide, of rounded quadrilateral shape, filling anterior two thirds of vasiform

orifice. Lingula enclosed and obscured by opercula. Vasiform orifice situated

two or more lengths (90 um) from posterior margin (Fig. 4).

Chaetotaxy: Anterior and posterior marginal setae present as minute, fine

setae, those of the anterior margin being in the anterolateral corners of the

cephalothorax. Cephalothoracic seta present and short (35 um). First

abdominal setae present and short (20 шт) and set more than five setal

lengths apart from each other. Eighth abdominal setae present and twice as

long as first abdominal setae (44 um), situated anterolateral to vasiform

orifice. Caudal setae long (85 um) and situated on posterior margin close

together (30 um apart). No other dorsal setae present.

Venter: Antenna short, only reaching to base of fore leg and situated

immediately anterior to the fore leg (Fig. 5). Ventral abdominal setae short

(20 um) and situated slightly mesad of the vasiform orifice. Mid and hind

legs with small seta at the base. Thoracic tracheal folds present as a small

number of short, linear striations present mesad of invagination (Fig. 5).

Detail of much of the venter, particularly in caudal region, difficult to discern

due to highly rugose nature of dorsum.

Etymology. Latinised noun; bagah is an Aboriginal (Bunjalung) word for

shield, referring to the distinctive shape of the puparium.

Host plant. Alangium villosum (Blume) Wangerin (Alangiaceae); Muskwood,

a rainforest tree.

Comments. Aleuroclava bagahformis is found singly on the undersides of the

leaves of the host tree. This distinctive species is unlikely to be confused with

any other. The squared-off nature of the cephalothorax, the heavy rugosities

on the dorsum, the diminutive size and the series of abdominal medial

tubercles immediately distinguish this species from all other Australian

whiteflies.

Discussion

Although the nature of the legs and lack of compound pores clearly places A.

bagahformis within the subfamily Aleyrodinae, this species shows such an

irregular morphology that initial generic placement was difficult.

Examination of the works by Martin (1985, 1988, 1999), Dumbleton (1956,

1957, 1961a, 1961b) and Corbett (1933, 1935a, 1935b, 1935c, 1936) of the

whitefly fauna of Australia and neighbouring regions shows that there are no

taxa similar to A. bagahformis known so far from those regions.

150 Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

Fig. 6. A. bagahformis puparium habitus. (Scale bar = 500 um)

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4) 151

The invaginated thoracic and caudal tracheal pores of A. bagahformis are a

character shared with species of Dialeurodes Cockerell, Gomonella

Dumbleton, Dialeurolonga Dozier and Aleuroclava Singh. The new taxon

differs from species of Dialeurodes and Dialeurolonga by being smaller, less

rounded and darkly pigmented, characters often found in Aleuroclava.

Further, the vasiform orifice of Dialeurolonga is often more elongate, with

the opercula not fully occupying it, often leaving the lingula partially

exposed. In the case of Dialeurodes the vasiform orifice is often chordate,

small and removed some distance (usually greater than three vasiform orifice

lengths) from the margin, features not found in A/euroclava or this taxon. A.

bagahformis lacks a concentric submarginal dorsal fold, a character that

typifies Gomonella, although this sometimes is found in some other species

of Aleuroclava. The highly sculptured dorsum of this species is also found in

some other species of Aleuroclava.

DNA extracted from the holotype prior to slide mounting may be used in

future to provide evidence of the affinities of this taxon. The discovery of

such an unusual taxon provides evidence of the unique character and

diversity of the Australian whitefly fauna and also highlights the often highly

host specific nature of many endemic whitefly species. A more systematic

approach to the collection of endemic whiteflies will undoubtedly show that

there are many other new and unusual whitefly taxa awaiting discovery.

Acknowledgements

Mr B. McNeil is acknowledged as the discoverer of this species and is

thanked for his enthusiastic and skilled collecting of whiteflies. Dr M.

Coombs is thanked for the loan of specimens, his valued advice on whiteflies

and his ever reliable botanical skills.

References

CORBETT, G.H. 1933. Aleurodidae of Malaya. Stylops 2: 121-129.

CORBETT, G.H. 1935a. Malayan Aleyrodidae. Journal of the Federated Malay States Museum

17: 722-852.

CORBETT, G.H. 1935b. On new Aleurodidae (Hem.). Annals and Magazine of Natural History

16: 240-252.

CORBETT, G.H. 1935c. Three New Aleurodids (Hem.). Sty/ops 4: 8-10.

CORBETT, G.H. 1936. New Aleurodidae (Hem.). Proceedings of the Royal Entomological

Society of London (B) 5: 18-22.

DUMBLETON, L.J. 1956. New Aleyrodidae (Hemiptera: Homoptera) from New Caledonia.

Proceedings of the Royal Entomological Society of London (B) 25(7-8): 129-141.

DUMBLETON, L.J. 1957. The New Zealand Aleyrodidae (Hemiptera: Homoptera). Pacific

Science 11: 141-160.

DUMBLETON, L.J. 1961a. The Aleyrodidae (Hemiptera - Homoptera) of New Caledonia.

Pacific Science 15: 114-136.

152 Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

DUMBLETON, LJ. 1961b. Aleyrodidae from the South Pacific. New Zealand Journal of

Science 4: 770-774.

GILLESPIE, P.S. 2006. A new genus and two new species of whiteflies from Australia

(Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). Zootaxa 1306: 1-23.

MARTIN, J.H. 1985. The Whitefly of New Guinea. Bulletin of the British Museum of Natural

History (Entomology Series) 50(3): 303-351.

MARTIN, J.H. 1988. Whitefly of northern Sulawesi, including new species from clove and

avocado (Homoptera, Aleyrodidae). /ndo-Malayan Zoology 5: 57-83.

MARTIN, J.H. 1999. The whitefly fauna of Australia (Sternorrhyncha: Aleyrodidae). A

taxonomic account and identification guide. Volume 38. CSIRO Division of Entomology,

Canberra; 197 pp.

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4): 153-158 153

NOTES ON THE LIFE HISTORY OF THE WESTERN XENICA

GEITONEURA MINYAS (WATERHOUSE & LYELL)

(LEPIDOPTERA: NYMPHALIDAE: SATYRINAE)

ANDREW А.Е. WILLIAMS’, MATTHEW R. WILLIAMS! and

ANDREW F. ATKINS?

! Department of Environment and Conservation, W.A. Wildlife Research Centre, PO Box 51,

Wanneroo, WA 6065 :

"Department of Environment and Conservation, Science Division, 50 I layman Road,

Kensington, WA 6152

?PO Box 42, Eudlo, Qld 4554

Abstract

The life history of the Western Xenica, Geitoneura minyas (Waterhouse & Lyell), is described

and illustrated. The introduced annual veldt grass Ehrharta longiflora Smith is a frequently used

food plant at Wanneroo. The relationship between G. minyas and G. klugii (Guérin-Méneville) in

southwestern Australia is discussed.

Introduction

The Western Xenica, Geitoneura minyas (Waterhouse & Lyell), is endemic

to southwestern Australia (Braby 2000). It is locally common from near

Albany (Burns 1951) and the Stirling Range (Common and Waterhouse

1981) north to Shark Bay and inland to the semi-arid zone around Paynes

Find (Williams ef al. 1993) and the Koolyanobbing Range (Williams е/ al.

1996).

In the northern part of its range G. minyas flies in August but further south,

near Dunsborough and Albany, adults do not generally appear until October

and continue flying until late November. Apart from the description of a

larval head capsule and pupa based on colour transparencies (Braby 2000), its

life history is poorly known. In this paper, its life history is described and

compared with that of the closely related С. klugii (Guérin-Méneville).

Life history

Food plant. The introduced Ehrharta longiflora Smith (South African annual

veldt grass) (Poaceae).

Egg (Fig. 1). Diameter 0.7 mm; dome-shaped, uniformly greenish-white

when first laid, turning yellowish with variable pink markings after a few

days; surface with 12-14 prominent vertical ribs culminating in a circular

crown of raised projections around the apex; micropyle area flattened with an

indistinct reticulated pattern of fine ridges.

First instar larva (Fig. 2). Length 2-5 mm. Head large and rounded, shiny

black, faintly pitted and sparsely covered with long, curved pale setae

rounded at tips. Body slender, cream in colour, with distinct pink-brown mid-

dorsal line, two pink-brown dorsolateral lines and one usually broken

ventrolateral line; a series of paired, long, curved black setae (Fig. 3) are

154 Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

located along each side of mid-dorsal line as well as numerous shorter lateral

setae; the tips of these setae are white and slightly clubbed; dorsal collar

projections support forward curved black setae. As the larva grows it turns

green and the pink-brown mid-dorsal and dorsolateral lines become less well

defined.

Second instar larva. Length 5-9 mm. Head green, rounded, faintly pitted and

sparsely covered with long black primary setae and shorter pale secondary

setae; eyes small and black. Body long and slender, green in colour with

darker green mid-dorsal line and two green dorsolateral lines; when viewed

from above the strip between the dorsolateral lines appears yellowish green;

paired black setae are located along each side of the mid-dorsal line and there

are numerous shorter, white lateral setae; anal segment with short forked

posterior projection.

Third to final instar larva (Fig. 4). Length 10-26 mm. Head green; large and

rounded; surface covered with small white nodules from which protrude fine

black or pale, pointed setae. Body green; long and tapered; covered with very

short, fine white setae; dorsal surface with occasional black, pointed setae;

green sclerotised collar behind head supports longer, pointed black setae;

there is a prominent, dark green mid-dorsal line and a narrow whitish

dorsolateral line, edged darker green, which extends the length of the body,

including sides of the forked posterior projection. Mature larvae have a

narrow but distinct white ventrolateral line.

Pupa (Fig. 5). Length 11-12 mm. Colour variable, either green or greenish

blue with pinkish-blue translucent wing cases, or brown; anterior end wedge

shaped; thorax with pronounced dorsal ridge; dorsal margin of forewing with

a cream longitudinal ridge edged above with dark brown; abdomen with a

prominent cream transverse ridge on segment 4; segments 1-3 usually have a

pair of indistinct whitish dorsolateral spots; posterior end with small round

cremaster.

Observations

Around Perth, adult G. minyas (Fig. 6) fly from September to early

November. In mid October 2006, we captured seven females near Wanneroo,

25 km north of Perth, in an area of woodland where the understorey was

overgrown with the introduced annual veldt grass E. /ongiflora. These were

placed in clear plastic food containers with some fresh veldt grass on which

they laid their eggs. The eggs remained on the dry, shriveled grass throughout

the summer. They were occasionally given a light misting of water to

simulate periodic summer showers. Larvae did not develop until April 2007,

at which time the dark larval heads became visible through the egg shell.

At the onset of the first autumn rains in early May, fresh veldt grass began to

grow. Blades of this grass were placed in the egg containers and this

155

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

EE LRQ pene E

LI Pedant

мала" ай енщ БАЕ Dee 57,

vos 9 (6975

N XE +. 4 ^ NEVE

Waa кад Фу

dui K diodes t

Figs 1-6. Juvenile stages and adult of Geitoneura minyas from Wanneroo, WA. (1)

egg, lateral and dorsal views; (2) first instar larva, dorsal and lateral views; (3) first

instar setae; (4) mature larva, dorsal and lateral views and frons of head; (5) pupa,

dorsal and lateral views; (6) adult female, underside.

156 Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

triggered an immediate hatching of first instar G. minyas larvae. Some larvae

were reared indoors in plastic vials, where they were available for

microscopic examination; others were transferred outdoors to potted Е.

longiflora tussocks for behavioural observations.

Larvae hatched from eggs by cutting out a circular hole or ‘crown’ in the top

of the egg case. This ‘crown’ frequently fell back into place once the larva

departed, leaving the empty egg case appearing intact. The egg cases were

not consumed by the larvae. Larvae on potted veldt grasses fed during the

day and at night. When not feeding they sheltered on the underside of a grass

blade, usually in close proximity to their feeding scars. In windy conditions

they sometimes retreated to more secure positions among the lower stems of

the grass tussock. Larvae ate most of the leaf before moving to another grass

blade.

Pupation occurred in September. Larvae pupated on the food plant,

suspended head downwards by the cremaster. Pupal duration was 20 to 22

days, with adults emerging in late September and early October. A pre-

emergence pupa is shown in Fig. 7. Larvae reared indoors developed much

more rapidly than those outside, with the first adults emerging in August; this

is no doubt due to the warmer conditions indoors.

Fig. 7. Photograph of pre-emergence pupa of Geitoneura minyas from Wanneroo,

Western Australia.

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4) 157

Comparison with С. k/ugii

Structural differences were noted between the eggs of G. minyas and those of

G. klugii. Twenty-one G. minyas eggs from Wanneroo had from 12 to 14

vertical ribs, whereas nineteen G. Klugii eggs collected in 2005 at Garden

Island, 15 km SSW of Fremantle, had from 14 to 16 ribs. The colour and

patterning on the eggs of both species was very similar. In South Australia,

G. klugii eggs were reported to have from 14 to 18 vertical ribs (Grund

2002). First instar larvae of both species are similar, although the dorsal and

dorsolateral lines in G. k/ugii are generally more distinct.

Pupae of G. minyas and G. klugii are morphologically similar, although G.

klugii pupae are usually larger than those of G. minyas. A series of С. minyas

pupae from Wanneroo measured 11-12 mm in length, whereas G. klugii

pupae from Garden Island were 11-13 mm. The paired abdominal segment

spots are usually more distinct іп G. K/ugii. At Wanneroo, G. minyas pupae

were either green or brown but in G. K/ugii only green pupae have been

recorded.

The reproductive strategies of both species in Western Australia are similar.

Each has a delayed larval hatching, which coincides with the availability of

new growth from their respective food plant grasses. Braby (2000) suggested

that for G. K/ugii this delayed hatching, synchronized with the availability of

new growth on the food plant following the autumn rains, may be a survival

mechanism for coping with summer drought, when many grasses are dry and

probably unpalatable to larvae (Braby and New 1988a, b).

Adult behaviour of the two species is also very similar. Female G. minyas

mate once and, like G. k/ugii, reject further attempts from courting males by

hovering close to the ground and beating their wings rapidly (Braby 2000).

At Wanneroo, G. minyas and G. klugii readily visit white-flowered daisies in

gardens adjacent to native bushland. They also visit the flower-spikes of the

native grass-tree Xanthorrhoea preissii (Xanthorrhoeaceae). In eastern

Australia, adult G. klugii seldom feed from flowers but have been observed

feeding on sap of Acacia and Eucalyptus (Braby 2000).

On mainland Western Australia, G. minyas and G. klugii frequently occur

together; however, only С. klugii has been recorded on off-shore islands

(Williams 1997, Williams and Powell 2000, 2006, Powell and Williams

2007). On both Garden and Rottnest islands G. Klugii is abundant, as is its

larval food plant Austrostipa flavescens (Poaceae). In contrast, the introduced

veldt grass Ehrharta longiflora, on which G. minyas is known to feed, is

either absent or uncommon on these islands. The native food plant for G.

minyas is unknown.

References

BRABY, M.F. 2000. Butterflies of Australia: their identification, biology and distribution.

CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood; xx + 976 pp.

158 Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

BRABY, M.F. and NEW, T.R. 1988a. Population biology of adult Geitoneura klugii and G.

acantha (Lepidoptera: Satyrinae) near Melbourne, Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology 36:

141-158.

BRABY, M.F. and NEW, T.R. 1988b. Adult reproductive biology of Geitoneura klugii and G.

acantha (Lepidoptera: Satyrinae) near Melbourne, Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology 36:

397-409.

BURNS, A.N. 1951. Notes on Australian Rhopalocera with descriptions of new subspecies and

life histories. Memoirs of the National Museum of Victoria 17: 83-105, pls 1-6.

COMMON, I.F.B. and WATERHOUSE, D.F. 1981. Butterflies of Australia. Revised edition.

Angus and Robertson, Sydney; xiv + 682 pp, 47 pls.

GRUND, R. 2002. South Australian butterflies - data sheet. Accessed 19/07/2007.

hitp://users.sa.chariot.net.au/~erg/klugii ds.htm

POWELL, R.P. and WILLIAMS, A.A.E. 2007. Butterflies recorded on islands off southern

Western Australia. Newsletter of the Western Australian Insect Study Society Aug 2007: 1-5.

WILLIAMS, A.A.E. 1997. The butterflies (Lepidoptera) of Garden and Rottnest Islands,

Western Australia. Australian Entomologist 24: 27-34.

WILLIAMS, A.A.E. and POWELL, R.J. 2000. Butterflies on Rottnest Island. Landscope

(Winter 2000) 15: 21-27.

WILLIAMS, A.A.E. and POWELL, R.J. 2006. The butterflies (Lepidoptera) of Middle,

Mondrain, Sandy Hook, Woody and Goose Islands in the Recherche Archipelago, Western

Australia. Australian Entomologist 33(1): 39-48.

WILLIAMS, A.A.E., WILLIAMS, M.R., HAY, R.W. and TOMLINSON, A.G. 1993. Some

distributional records and natural history notes on butterflies from Western Australia. Victorian

Entomologist 23: 126-131.

WILLIAMS, A.A.E., WILLIAMS, M.R., TOMLINSON, A.G. and LUNDSTROM, T.D. 1996.

Records of butterflies from the central desert region and semi-arid areas of Western Australia.

Victorian Entomologist 26: 29-34,

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4): 159-160 159

THE ORIENTAL LILY-FLOWER THRIPS TAENIOTHRIPS

EUCHARII (WHETZEL) (THYSANOPTERA: THRIPIDAE) NEW TO

AUSTRALIA

LAURENCE A. MOUND! and DESLEY J. TREE?

"CSIRO Entomology, PO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601

"Entomology Collection, Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries,

80 Meiers Rd, Indooroopilly, Old 4068

Abstract

Taeniothrips eucharii (Whetzel) is newly recorded from Australia, near Brisbane in Queensland

and on Lord Howe Island off the coast of New South Wales, from the flowers of various

Amaryllidaceae.

Introduction

In late December 2007, in a garden on Lord Howe Island, three females of a

large, dark but unidentifiable thrips were found in a flower of a Crinum lily

(Amaryllidaceae). Subsequent study indicated that this was a species of

Taeniothrips, an essentially Asian genus not known previously from

Australia. This discovery triggered a search at Brisbane of suitable garden

lily flowers during January 2008, and the same thrips species was found to be

well established, with both sexes present in the flowers of Zephyranthes and

Hymenocallis (Amaryllidaceae). The thrips was later identified as

Taeniothrips eucharii (Whetzel), using reference specimens collected during

2006 in the gardens of the University of Malaya at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,

from Hymenocallis flowers.

Discussion

This thrips was described originally in 1923 from Bermuda on Eucharis, but

has also been described, under two synonymic names, from Taiwan and from

Japan (see Mound 2008). Bhatti (1990) recorded it from Korea, China,

Hawaii and the Netherlands, while Diffie et al. (2008) listed it from Florida

and Georgia, USA. Apart from 26 fossil species, there are 22 species listed

(Mound 2008) in the genus Taeniothrips, of which three are from Europe,

one from western North America and 18 from various Asian countries.

Taeniothrips eucharii therefore presumably originated in Asia, although there

is no modern treatment of the genus from which relationships might be

deduced. Within the Australian fauna of Thripidae, T. eucharii is

recognisable by the rather long head that is constricted behind the eyes (Fig.

1), with long interocellar setae that arise close together but without a pair of

setae in front of the first ocellus, and from the very long and regular comb of

microtrichia on the eighth abdominal tergite (Fig. 2). The only Thripidae in

Australia with which T. eucharii might be confused are orchid flower thrips

of the genus Dichromothrips Priesner; however these have the ocellar setae

shorter and positioned differently, the metathoracic endofurca bears a well-

developed spinula (absent in Taeniothrips) and they do not have the two pairs

of long setae on the pronotum that are present in Taeniothrips species.

160 Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

Mz. Р, o o aue)

A MS PSN ое 4 y x _— it |

Figs 1-2. Taeniothrips eucharii. (1) head; (2) tergites VIII-X.

This thrips has presumably been distributed by the horticultural trade; during

the early 1960s it was taken regularly by the quarantine service of the USA

(O'Neill 1962). It seems to breed particularly on species of Amaryllidaceae

and has been taken in association with the flowers, leaf bases and bulbs of

several genera of this family, including Crinum, Eucharis, Hymenocallis,

Lycoris, Narcissus and Zephyranthes. Masami Masumoto (pers comm.) has

informed us that this thrips is found commonly on Liriope (Liliaceae) in

Japan and has been taken in quarantine from Lycoris imported from Taiwan.

Records from other plants seem more likely to refer to dispersing adults

rather than plants on which this thrips breeds. There is little evidence of the

species being a pest, but discoloration and silver scarring around leaf bases

has been associated with this thrips (O'Neill 1962).

Specimens discussed here are deposited in the Australian National Insect

Collection, Canberra.

Acknowledgement

We are grateful to Masami Masumoto, Yokohama Plant Protection Station,

Japan, for sharing with us his knowledge of this thrips.

References

BHATTI, J.S. 1990. Catalogue of insects of the Order Terebrantia from the Indian Subregion.

Zoology (Journal of Pure and Applied Zoology) 2: 205-352.

DIFFIE, S., EDWARDS, G.B. and MOUND, L.A. 2008. The Thysanoptera recorded from the

south-eastern States of the USA, Florida and Georgia. Zootaxa 1787: 45-62.

MOUND, L.A. 2008. Thysanoptera (thrips) of the World — a checklist. http://www.ento.csiro.au/

thysanoptera/worldthrips.himl

O'NEILL, K. 1962. An Oriental Taeniothrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) infesting certain

Amaryllidaceae. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 56: 399-401.

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4): 161-171 161

TWO NEW SPECIES OF POLYRHACHIS FR. SMITH

(HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE: FORMICINAE) FROM

AUSTRALIA, BASED ON FORMERLY QUADRINOMINAL TAXA

RUDOLF J. KOHOUT

Biodiversity Program, Queensland Museum, PO Box 3300, South Brisbane, Qld 4101

(Email: rudolf.kohout()qm.qld.gov.au)

Abstract

Two species of the genus Polyrhachis Fr. Smith, 1857, originally described as quadrinominal

infrasubspecies, are redescribed as new species, viz: P. incerta sp. n. [-'Polvrhachis

(Campomyrma) micans r. ops var. rufa’ Crawley] and P. cydista sp. n. [=‘Polyrhachis

(Chariomyrma) hookeri т. obscura var. bellendenensis? Forel]. Both are illustrated and

characters separating them from closely similar taxa are given. Their known distributions and

nesting habits are summarised. A note on P. micans Mayr [= Polyrhachis (Campomyrma)

micans st. ops var. dentinasis’ Santschi] is included.

Introduction

In his paper on infrasubspecific names of Australian ants, Taylor (1986)

listed 48 species described by earlier authors as quadrinominal entities. Five

applied to the genus Polyrhachis Fr. Smith. However one of them,

‘Polyrhachis rastellata т. laevior v. pilosa’ Forel, 1902, had already been

raised to specific rank by Donisthorpe (1938). Kohout (1989) later described

Polyrhachis foreli Kohout and referred to it the material of the unavailable

name ‘Polyrhachis (Myrma) relucens т. andromache v. andromeda’ Forel,

1915 (and also *Polyrhachis (Myrma) relucens ssp. decipiens var. papuana’

Emery, 1897 from New Guinea). The specimens related to the unavailable

name ‘Polyrhachis (Campomyrma) micans st. ops var. dentinasis’, described

by Santschi (1920), are considered here to be synonymous with Polyrhachis

micans Mayr, 1876.

The two remaining quadrinominal names still featured on the list of

Australian Polyrhachis (viz. *Polyrhachis (Campomyrma) micans r. Ops vat.

rufa" Crawley, 1921 and *Polyrhachis (Chariomyrma) hookeri т. obscura var.

bellendenensis’ Forel, 1915) are considered unavailable under article 45.5.1

of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (1999), which states

that *A name that has infrasubspecific rank under the provisions of this

Article cannot be made available from its original publication by any

subsequent action (such as 'elevation in rank^) except by a ruling of the

Commission'. However, the taxa represented by both quadrinominal names

are distinct species and, in order to clean up the last nomenclatural anomalies

within the Australian Polyrhachis, I hereby describe them as new species.

Both newly described species are relatively rare and until quite recently were

known only from the specimens of the original series. However, intensive

collecting in recent years, including an increasing number of environmental

studies, has produced specimens of many poorly known, previously described

species of Polyrhachis, as well as a wealth of new species. For example, the

162 Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

number of undescribed Australian species in the two largest Australian

subgenera, P. (Campomyrma) Wheeler and P. (Chariomyrma) Forel, to

which the species described below belong, has risen dramatically and the

actual fauna in both subgenera is likely to be three times the number of

currently described species.

Methods

Photographs were taken by Dr Yoshiaki Hashimoto (MNHA) with an

Olympus SZX12 stereomicroscope and Olympus DP70 digital camera and

the digital images processed using Helicon Focus (Mac OSX version) and

Photoshop CS2 (Adobe Systems Inc., USA) software. АП photographs

represent the primary types.

Standard measurements (in mm) and indices follow those of Kohout (2006):

TL = Total length (the necessarily composite measurement of the

outstretched length of the entire ant measured in profile); HL = Head length

(the maximum measurable length of the head in perfect full face view,

measured from the anterior-most point of the clypeal border or clypeal teeth,

to the posterior-most point of the occipital margin); HW = Head width (width

of the head in perfect full face view, measured immediately in front of the

eyes); CI = Cephalic index (HW x 100/HL); SL = Scape length (length of the

antennal scape, excluding the condyle); SI = Scape index (SL x 100/HW);

PW = Pronotal width (width of the pronotal dorsum measured at the bases of

the pronotal spines, or across the humeri in species without spines); MTL —

Metathoracic tibial length (maximum measurable length of the tibia of the

hind leg). Measurements were taken using a Zeiss (Oberkochen) SR

stereomicroscope with an eyepiece graticule calibrated against a stage

micrometer.

Abbreviations. General: Bch — Beach; Ck — Creek; NP — National Park; rf. —

rainforest; w — worker/s; xing — crossing. Collectors: ANA — A.N. Andersen;

BBL — B.B. Lowery; CJB — Chris J. Burwell; RJK — R.J. Kohout; SKR —

S.K. Robson. Institutions (with names of cooperating curators): ANIC —

Australian National Insect Collection, Canberra (Dr S.O. Shattuck); BMNH —

The Natural History Museum, London, UK (B. Bolton, Ms K. Goodger, Ms

S. Ryder); MCZC — Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University,

Cambridge, MA, USA (Dr S.P. Cover); MHNG — Muséum d'Histoire

Naturelle, Geneva, Switzerland (Drs C. Besuchet, I. Lóbl, B. Mertz); MNHA

— Museum of Nature and Human Activities, Sanda, Hyogo, Japan (Dr

Yoshiaki Hashimoto; NHMB - Naturhistorisches Museum, Basel,

Switzerland (Drs M. Brancucci, D.H. Burckhardt); NMNH - National

Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA

(Dr T.R. Schultz); NRMS — Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet, Stockholm, Sweden

(Drs K-J. Hedquist, F. Ronquist, B. Viklund); OXUM — Hope Entomological

Collections, University Museum, Oxford, UK (Drs C.O'Toole, D. Mann);

QMBA - Queensland Museum, Brisbane (Dr C.J. Burwell).

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4) 163

Systematics

Genus Polyrhachis Fr. Smith, 1857

Polyrhachis Fr. Smith, 1857: 58. Type species: Formica bihamata Drury, 1773, by

original designation.

Subgenus Campomyrma Wheeler, 1911

Campomyrma Wheeler, 1911: 860 (as subgenus of Myrma Billberg, 1820; =

Polyrhachis Fr. Smith, 1857). Type species: Polyrhachis-clypeata Mayr, 1862

(junior synonym of Polyrhachis exercita Walker, 1859), by original designation.

Polyrhachis incerta sp. n.

(Figs 1, 3-4)

‘Polyrhachis (Campomyrma) micans т. ops var. rufa’ Crawley, 1921: 97. Original

material: workers, QUEENSLAND, Townsville, 11-12.xii.1902. (F.P. Dodd),

ANIC, BMNH, MCZC, OXUM, QMBA (examined) (unavailable name).

Types. Holotype worker, NORTHERN TERRITORY: Kakadu NP, Nourlangie Rock,

1295175, 132?49'E, 18.xi.1993, open sclerophyll forest, strays on ground and low

vegetation, R.J. Kohout acc. 93.50. Paratypes: 3 workers, same data as holotype; 1

worker, same data as holotype except A.N. Andersen coll. Holotype (QMT 152088)

in QMBA; 2 paratypes in ANIC, 1 paratype each in BMNH and MCZC.

Additional material examined. NORTHERN TERRITORY: Kakadu NP, Ranger

Uranium lease site, vii.1993 (ANA) (w); Groote Eylandt, 1.1983 (G. Barrett) (w);

ditto, G. Webb Pty Ltd site, 16-19.ix.1991 (G. Webb) (w). QUEENSLAND: original

specimens of ‘var. rufa’ (w).

Description. Worker. Dimensions (holotype cited first): TL c. 7.96, 7.56-

8.32; HL 2.00, 1.87-2.03; HW 1.81, 1.68-1.84; CI 90, 87-92; SL 2.09, 2.00-

2.15; SI 115, 115-123; PW 1.47, 1.34-1.50; MTL 2.43, 2.28-2.50 (9

measured),

Mandibles with 5 teeth reducing in length towards base. Anterior clypeal

margin widely medially truncate; truncate portion with irregularly, obtusely

denticulate corners. Clypeus with blunt, poorly defined median carina; almost

straight in profile with shallowly impressed basal margin. Frontal carinae

sinuate with moderately raised margins; central area concave with poorly

indicated frontal furrow. Sides of head in front of eyes weakly convex, only

marginally narrowed towards mandibular bases; behind eyes sides forming

rather distinct, narrowly rounded, occipital corners. Eyes moderately convex,

in full face view breaking lateral cephalic outline. Ocelli lacking. Pronotal

dorsum distinctly wider than long; humeri bluntly angular with margins

converging anteriorly towards pronotal collar; lateral pronotal margins

subparallel, posteriorly rounding into well impressed, anteriorly bowed

promesonotal suture. Mesonotal dorsum with lateral margins converging

posteriorly in weakly convex line; metanotal groove poorly indicated.

Propodeal margins weakly converging posteriorly, or virtually subparallel in

some specimens, terminating in short, upturned, somewhat dorsally flattened,

164 Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

acute teeth; their inner margins continuous for some distance but failing to

meet medially; propodeal dorsum curving into steeply oblique declivity in

medially uninterrupted line. Petiole scale-like, slender and more-or-less

triangular in lateral view; dorsum armed with a pair of slender, medium

length, weakly diverging, acute spines; inner margins of spines contiguous

medially, forming rather narrow, *U'shaped dorsum of petiole; outer margins

of spines descending into distinct, dentate angles. Anterior face of first gastral

segment flat, marginally higher than full height of petiole, narrowly rounding

onto dorsum of gaster.

Head, mesosoma and dorsum of gaster densely and finely reticulate-punctate,

with sculpturation on vertex, sides of head and dorsum of mesosoma

somewhat organised into weak, irregular, longitudinal striae, with those on

mesonotal dorsum diverging posteriorly towards lateral margins of segment.

Sides of mesosoma and petiole finely wrinkled. Sides and venter of gaster

shagreened.

Mandibles with numerous curved, golden hairs. Anterior clypeal margin

medially with several, anteriorly directed, unequal length golden setae and

shorter setae fringing margin laterally. A single pair of very short, erect hairs

near basal clypeal margin and several hairs on posterior face of fore coxae.

Gaster with medium length, mostly posteriorly inclined, golden hairs around

apex and along posterior margins of sternites. Very short, closely appressed

pubescence in various densities over most dorsal body surfaces and gastral

venter.

Distinctly light to medium reddish-brown, with only mandibular teeth,

anterior clypeal margin, frontal carinae, pronotal and mesopleural margins,

propodeal and lateral petiolar teeth very narrowly bordered with black.

Vertex, dorsum of mesosoma along promesosonotal suture and sides of

mesosoma a shade darker in some specimens.

Sexuals and immature stages unknown.

Remarks. As suggested by the original infrasubspecific name (‘Polyrhachis

micans ops rufa’), P. incerta is closely allied to both P. micans Mayr, 1876

and P. ops Forel, 1907; however, all three species are easily distinguished

from each other and from another group of very similar species that includes

P. schwiedlandi Forel, 1902 and several other, mostly undescribed species.

Besides their relatively large size, all these species share a broadly truncate

anterior clypeal margin, eyes situated close to the occipital corners of the

head and a scale like petiole. In species related to P. micans, the petiole is

armed with a pair of dorsal, often elongated, acute spines and a pair of

usually shorter lateral spines or teeth that may be reduced to blunt angles. In

contrast, in species related to P. schwiedlandi, the dorsum of petiole is

arcuate with a shallow median emargination and a pair of very short lateral

spines. However, in several newly discovered species the petiolar dorsum

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4) 165

bears a pair of rather distinct teeth and a pair of short, acute, dorso-posteriorly

curved lateral spines, an arrangement not unlike that found in those species

related to P. micans. |

Polyrhachis incerta can be distinguished from P. micans, Р. ops and other

closely related species using the following key.

| Petiolar spines with dorsal pair distinctly longer than lateral pair that are

often reduced to mere angles

= Petiolar spines more-or-less ѕиБедџа] ........................... P. ops Forel

2 Lateral petiolar spines slender and acute, curved strongly backwards and

outwards; propodeum with a pair of dorso-medially flattened, upturned

Spines rd ch m Pew, EON DONDE E P. micans Mayr

— Lateral petiolar spines reduced to short teeth or mere angles; propodeum

with a pair of very short teeth or їиБегс1е$.................. 0...2... 3

3 Body and appendages light to medium reddish-brown, rarely body

bicoloured with parts of head and much of mesosoma black or dark

Тоу ҮЛ SCA n AS Ud P. incerta sp. n.

= Body entirely black with appendages often dark reddish-brown ......... 4

4 Propodeal dorsum very narrow, about 1.5 times longer than wide with

parallel lateral margins .............................. P. prometheus Santschi

= Propodeal dorsum wider than long with strongly posteriorly converging

Јатегаттагошо m TN P. ‘Campo 12’ (undescribed)

Polyrhachis incerta appears to be a very rare species that is currently known

from two widely separated regions. The specimens of the type series were

taken in Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory, with additional

specimens collected on Groote Eylandt. The specimens from Queensland

were apparently collected on a single occasion by F.P. Dodd at Townsville

(see data above). Specimens from both areas are very similar

morphologically, but differ distinctly in colour pattern. Specimens from the

Northern Territory are more-or-less uniformly reddish-brown, while those

from Queensland are distinctly bicoloured, with the sides of head, vertex and

most of the mesosoma, except the propodeal declivity, black or very dark

reddish-brown. The nest of P. incerta is unknown, but the foraging habits of

the species suggest it is ground-nesting like other, closely related species

such as P. micans, P. ‘Campo 12’ and P. prometheus. Polyrhachis incerta

was listed as P. ‘Campo 01? by Kohout (2000: 190).

Polyrhachis micans Mayr, 1876

Polyrhachis micans Mayr, 1876: 76. Syntype workers, queen. Original localities:

AUSTRALIA, QUEENSLAND, Rockhampton, Peak Downs (A. Dietrich),

NHMW (examined).

166 Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

Figs 1-6. Polyrhachis spp. (1-2) head in full face view: (1) P. incerta sp. n.; (2) P.

cydista sp. n. (3, 5) dorsal habitus: (3) P. incerta Sp. n.; (5) P. cydista sp. n. (4, 6)

lateral habitus: (4) P. incerta sp. n.; (6) P. cydista sp. n. (All images are of the

holotypes and are not to scale).

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4) 167

Polyrhachis (Campomyrma) micans Mayr; Santschi, 1920: 185. Combination in P.

(Campomyrma).

‘Polyrhachis (Campomyrma) micans st. ops var. dentinasis’. Santschi, 1920: 185.

Original locality: QUEENSLAND, Townsville, 11.11.1902 (F.P. Dodd), NHMB

(2 workers and alate queen examined) (unavailable name).

Additional material examined. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Kimberley region, King

Edward R., 15?08'S, 126°08’E, vi.1988 (ANA) (w); ditto, 1.vi.1988 (J.D. Naumann)

(w); Kimberley region, Mertens Ck, ix.1993 (S. Morrison) (w). QUEENSLAND:

Cape York Pen., 6 km E of Heathlands, 18-22.iv.1992 (G. Cassis) (w); Alehvale Stn,

9 km SE of Croydon, 18°15’S, 142°18’E, 16.x.1976 (RJK acc. 76.59) (w); 50 km NW

of Charters Towers, 4.1.1977, dry sclero (BBL) (w); 4 km E of Charters Towers,

13.xii.1976, dry sclero (BBL) (w); Britton Ra., 6 km NNE of Homevale, 21°23’S,

148?33' E, 1-6.1у.1975 (RJK accs 75.155, 156/1) (w); German Ck mine, nr

Middlemount, 200 km NW of Rockhampton, 23°00’S, 148?30' E, 1997 (ANA) (w); 6

km N of Mt Archer, nr Rockhampton, 23?17'S, 150?34" E, 4.1.1979 (RJK acc. 79.16)

(w); Rundle Ra., 36 km NW of Gladstone, 23?39'S, 150?58' E, 24-30.111.1975 (RJK

acc. 75.136/2) (w).

Dimensions of syntypes (queen cited last): TL c. 9.42-9.93, 10.03; HL 2.31-

2.43, 2.37; HW 2.09-2.18, 2.00; CI 90, 84; SL 2.37-2.46, 2.25; SI 113, 112;

PW 1.93-2.06, 2.28; PPW (w only) 1.15-1.22; MTL 2.90-2.96, 2.87 (2

workers, 1 queen measured).

Remarks. I have examined two workers and a queen of the original series of

‘Polyrhachis (Campomyrma) micans ops dentinasis’. In addition to the

original identification tags in Santschi's handwriting, the specimens also bear

more recent tags added by R.W. Taylor that identify them as P. micans Mayr.

I have compared these specimens with the earlier selected vouchers

(topotypes) of P. micans and found them inseparable. Consequently, the

earlier opinion of Taylor (unpublished), who considered both names

conspecific, is here confirmed.

Subgenus Chariomyrma Forel, 1915

Chariomyrma Forel, 1915:107 (as subgenus of Polyrhachis Fr. Smith, 1857). Type

species: Polyrhachis guerini Roger, 1863, by original designation.

Polyrhachis cydista sp. n.

(Figs 2, 5-6)

‘Polyrhachis (Chariomyrma) hookeri r.. obscura var. bellendenensis’ Forel, 1915:

109. Original material: unique worker, QUEENSLAND, Bellenden Ker (E.

Mjóberg), NRMS (examined) (unavailable name).

Types. Holotype worker, QUEENSLAND: Mt Hedley, 1-2 km N of Home Rule,

15?45'S, 145? 17" E, 200-300 m, 11.vi.1996, rf., R.J. Kohout acc. 96.44. Paratypes: 7

workers, queen, same data as holotype. Holotype (QMT 152089), paratype worker

and paratype queen in QMBA; 2 paratype workers each in ANIC, BMNH and MCZC.

Additional material examined. QUEENSLAND: Home Rule, 15°45’S, 145°17’E, c.

200 m, 9-11.vi.1996, rf. edge (RJK & CJB acc. 96.45) (w); Pilgrim Sands, c. 1 km

168 Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

NW of Cape Tribulation, 16°04’S, 145?28' E, «10 m, 12-15.vi.1996 (RJK acc.96.47)

(w); McLean Ck, c.19 km SbyW of Cape Tribulation, 16°15’S, 145°26’E, 15.vi.1996

(RJK acc. 96.54) (w); Kuranda, 1.xi.1914 (W.M. Wheeler) (w); ditto, 29.x.1950, rf.

(W.L. Brown) (w); Mission Bch., 17?45'S, 146°00’E, 1966 (SKR #799) (w); Rocky

Ck xing, 6 km W of Tully, 17°55’S, 145°53’E, 22.ix.1980 (BBL) (w); Broadwater

Park, via Ingham, 18°22’S, 145°57'Е, 400 m, 3.1.1987 (S. Hamlet) (w); original

specimen of ‘var. bellendenensis' (w).

Description. Worker. Dimensions (holotype cited first) TL c. 5.24, 4.28-5.59;

HL 1.40, 1.15-1.47; HW 1.31, 1.06-1.37; CI 93, 90-97; SL 1.37, 1.15-1.43;

SI 104, 100-109; PW 1.40, 1.18-1.50; MTL 1.40, 1.15-1.50 (27 measured).

Anterior clypeal margin with shallow, medially notched flange, flanked by

blunt denticles. Clypeus with blunt median carina, sinuate in profile; basal

margin moderately impressed. Frontal carinae sinuate, with raised, laminate

margins, separated by rather wide central area; frontal furrow replaced by

anteriorly raised, longitudinal carina. Sides of head in front of eyes strongly

converging towards mandibular bases; behind eyes immediately rounding

into convex occipital margin. Eyes weakly convex, only marginally

exceeding lateral cephalic outline in full face view. Ocelli lacking. Mesosoma

laterally marginate along its entire length, convex in profile. Pronotal humeri

angulate, dorsally concave, with anterior and lateral margins transluscent,

narrowly raised and widely laminate. Promesonotal suture distinct;

mesonotum with lateral margins converging posteriorly; metanotal groove

distinct laterally, rather indistinct medially. Propodeum armed with strong,

horizontal, laterally and posteriorly curved, acute spines; spines relatively

wide and dorsally flattened in basal halves and distinctly narrowed and

slender towards tips. Petiole very slender in side view with anterior and

posterior faces converging towards rather acute, transversely convex and

posteriorly bowed dorsum, armed with a pair of dorsolaterally diverging

spines. Anterior face of first gastral segment distinctly higher than full height

of petiole, widely rounding onto dorsum of gaster.

Mandibles finely, longitudinally striate. Clypeus irregularly, longitudinally

reticulate-striate. Head mostly longitudinally striate, with sides reticulate-

rugose. Pronotal dorsum with somewhat wide, inversely *U'-shaped striae

medially and oblique striae across humeral angles. Mesonotal and propodeal

dorsa more-or-less longitudinally striate-punctate, with sides and propodeal

declivity mostly horizontally wrinkled. Apical halves of propodeal and

petiolar spines, anterior and posterior faces and dorsum of petiole, smooth

and highly polished. Gaster finely reticulate-punctate.

Mandibles with numerous, relatively long, curved, golden hairs. Anterior

clypeal margin with a few longer setae medially and several short setae

laterally. Head, mesosoma, petiole and gaster with numerous long hairs,

some almost twice as long as greatest diameter of eyes; hairs on head and

mesosoma erect or variously curved, those on dorsum of gaster more

Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4) 169

posteriorly curved. Antennae and legs with numerous, short to medium

length, erect, golden hairs. Very short, mostly suberect, grey and silvery

hairs, rather dense on clypeus and propodeal declivity. Closely appressed,

mostly silvery pubescence on dorsum of head, mesosoma and petiole, with

distinct reddish tint on mesonotal and propodeal dorsa. Gastral dorsum with

relatively long, appressed, rich brassy-golden to somewhat coppery

pubescence; rather diluted and more silvery pubescence on sides and venter

of gaster.

Head, mesosoma and petiole black; antennae, pronotal humeri and legs,

including middle and hind coxae, very light orange; fore coxae and

subpetiolar process medium reddish-brown, mandibles a shade darker;

dorsum of gaster black, sides and venter very dark reddish-brown.

Queen. Dimensions: TL c. 6.10; HL 1.47; HW 1.31; CI 89; SL 1.37; SI 104;

PW 1.56; MTL 1.49 (1 measured).

Very similar to worker and apart from differences due to full sexuality,

including three ocelli, complete thoracic structure and wings, differing as

follows: eyes larger; pronotal humeri bluntly angulate with only anterior

margins narrowly laminate; mesoscutum wider than long, with widely

rounded anterior margin in dorsal view; median line very short; parapsides

flat, only very weakly raised posteriorly; mesoscutum in profile with rather

low anterior face and flat dorsum; mesoscutellum flat, not elevated above

dorsal plane of mesoscutum; propodeum and petiole with spines similar to

those in worker, but shorter; dorsum of mesosoma with rather irregular,

reticulate-punctate sculpturation; pilosity and colour virtually identical to

worker.

Male and immature stages unknown.

Remarks. As suggested by the original infrasubspecific name (‘Polyrhachis

hookeri obscura bellendenensis’), P. cydista is very similar to a complex of

species including P. hookeri Lowne, 1865, P. lownei Forel, 1895 and P.

obscura Forel, 1895. However, all four species can be easily distinguished

with the following key.

| Head and mesosoma distinctly metallic green, blue or purple or a

combination of these colours .............................. P. hookeri Lowne

— Head and mesosoma uniformly very dark brown or black 2

2 Dorsum of gaster with a distinct longitudinal patch of very dark maroon

or purple-coloured, closely appressed pubescence; body with rather

irregular, reticulate-rugose sculpturation

= Dorsum of gaster without such a patch, with golden or coppery

pubescence uniformly distributed over gastral dorsum; body

sculpturation generally longitudinally striate-punctate with striae on

170 Australian Entomologist, 2008, 35 (4)

pronotal dorsum ‘U’-shaped medially and oblique across humeral angles

уку Коссор розсада Ае Р. cydista sp. n.

3 Propodeal spines relatively short, divergent, weakly elevated from their

somewhat broadened bases and dorso-ventrally flattened; gaster reddish-

brown, distinctly lighter than dorsum of mesosoma ..... P. obscura Forel

— Propodeal spines longer, with their length almost equal to distance

between their bases, gently curved, with their tips projecting posteriorly;

gaster very dark with distinct green metallescence ........ P. /ownei Forel

Polyrhachis cydista is a rainforest-dwelling and apparently ground-nesting

species, endemic to Queensland's Wet Tropics. It was listed as P. ‘Chario

04° by Kohout (2000: 193).

Acknowledgements ғ

I am very grateful to the Australian Biological Resources Study for a grant

supporting my work on the systematics of Australian Polyrhachis ants. This

work was also supported by three Ernst Mayr Grants that allowed me to

travel and study specimens in the Museum of Comparative Zoology and

various other museums in the USA and UK. I am also indebted to the

Smithsonian Institution for a Short-Term Visitor Grant to travel to the

National Museum of Natural History. My sincere thanks go to Dr Steve O.

Shattuck (ANIC), Dr Stefan P. Cover (MCZC) and to Barry Bolton (BMNH)

for unlimited access to the collections in their care. I thank the curators and

staff of the museums and institutions listed earlier for their help and kindness

during my visits and for providing loans of types and other specimens. My

sincere thanks go to my colleagues, Drs Chris J. Burwell, Geoff B. Monteith

and Ms Susan Wright (all QMBA), for their support during the course of this

study. I would also like to extend my gratitude to the Environmental

Protection Agency and the Department of Natural Resources for issuing the

permits to allow collecting in Queensland's National Parks and State Forests.

Thanks also to Parks Australia, the Department of Environment and Heritage

and to the Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory for

permits to collect in Kakadu and other National Parks in the Northern

Territory. Finally, I especially thank Chris J. Burwell for reading and

commenting on a draft of the manuscript.

References

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Formicinae) of Australia, Borneo, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands with descriptions of

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RECENT LITERATURE

Compiled by Max Moulds (msmoulds@bigpond.net.au) & Editor

BEARD, J.J.

2008 A new species of spider mite, Oligonychus palus sp. nov. (Prostigmata: Tetranychidae)

from tropical Australia. Australian Journal of Entomology 47(2): 102-106.

BERNASCONI, M.V., POLLET, M. and ADAMS, M..

2007 Molecular systematics of Dolichopodidae (Diptera) inferred from COI and 12S rDNA gene

sequences based on European exemplars. Invertebrate Systematics 21: 453-470.

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2006 Revision of the Eurybrachidae (VII). The Australian genera Hackerobrachys and

Fletcherobrachys (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Eurybrachidae). Bulletin of the Institut

Royal Des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique 76: 3141.

DE BAAR, M.

2008 Extreme variations in Catopsilia pomona pomona Fabricius (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) females

from Dauan Is., Torres Strait, Queensland. News Bulletin of the Entomological Society of

Queensland 36: 13-14.

DUNN, K.L.

2007 Aspects of the biology and behaviour of Candalides consimilis goodingi (Tindale) near

Melbourne, Victoria (Lycaenidae: Polyommatinae). Calodema 10: 1-18.

2007 The geographical movements of Hermann Elgner (d. 1913): a lepidopterist based in

Torres Strait, Australia. Calodema 10: 19-34.

2007 Nocturnal ant attendance of Jalmenus eichhorni Staudinger (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

on Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. Calodema 10: 35-40.

2008 New and interesting spatial and temporal butterfly records from eastern Australia.

Victorian Entomologist 38: 36-45.

EWART, A.E. and MARQUES, D.

2008 A new genus of grass cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea: Cicadidae) from Queensland,

with descriptions of their songs. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 52(2): 149-202.

FAITHFUL, I.

2008 Danaid eggfly Hypolimnas misippus in Victoria? Victorian Entomologist 38: 31-35.

GEROZISIS, J., HADLINGTON, P. and STAUNTON, I.

2008 Urban pest management in Australia. 5th edition. University of New South Wales

Press; Sydney; viii + 326 pp.

GILMORE, D., KOEHLER, S., O'DWYER, С.О. and MOORE, W.

2008 Golden sun moth Synemon plana (Lepidoptera: Castniidae): results of a broad survey

of populations around Melbourne. Victorian Naturalist 125: 39-46.

SLIPINSKI, A.

2007 Australian ladybird beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae): their biology and classification.

Australian Biological Resources Study.

SMITH, C.R. and VANE-WRIGHT, R.I.

2008 Classification, nomenclature and identification of lime swallowtail butterflies: a post-

cladistic analysis (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae). Systematics and Biodiversity 6(2): 175-203.

[discusses the Papilio demoleus group]

WELDON, C.W.

2007 Influence of male aggregation size on female visitation in Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt)

(Diptera: Tephritidae). Australian Journal of. Entomology 46(1): 29-34.

THE |

AUSTRALIAN

ENTOMOLOGIST

VOLUME 35

2008

Published by:

THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF QUEENSLAND

THE AUSTRALIAN ENTOMOLOGIST

The Australian Entomologist is a non-profit journal published in four parts

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ISSN 1320-6133

Printed for The Entomological Society of Queensland

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THE AUSTRALIAN ENTOMOLOGIST

Contents - Volume 35, 2008

DE BAAR, M.

Life history notes on Bracca rotundata (Butler) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae)

and Oxycophina theorina (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Thyrididae)

EASTWOOD, R., BRABY, M.F., LOHMAN, D.J. and KING, A.

New ant-lycaenid associations and biological data for some Australian

butterflies (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

GILLESPIE, P.S.

Aleuroclava bagahformis, a new species of whitefly (Hemiptera:

Aleyrodidae) from southeastern Queensland

GOLLAN, J.R., BATLEY, M. and REID, C.A.M.

The exotic bee Halictus smaragdulus Vachal, 1895 (Hymenoptera:

Halictidae) in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales

HALES, D.

Biological observations on the Australian endemic aphid Aphis acaenovinae

Eastop (Hemiptera: Aphididae), including a new host plant record

HANCOCK, D.L.

Systematic notes on some species in the fruit fly tribe Tephritini (Diptera:

Tephritidae: Tephritinae) in the Asian and Pacific regions

A new species of Proanoplomus Shiraki from Borneo, with notes on

P. cinereofasciatus (de Meijere) and the Anoplomus group of genera

(Diptera: Tephritidae: Gastrozonini)

A note on some Hawaiian species of Trupanea Schrank (Diptera:

Tephritidae: Tephritinae)

KENT, D.S.

Distribution and host plant records of Austroplatypus incompertus (Schedl)

(Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Platypodinae)

KING, D.

A note on butterfly (Lepidoptera) records from the Darwin region, Northern

Territory

KOHOUT, R.J.

Two new species of Polyrhachis Fr. Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae:

Formicinae) from Australia, based on formerly quadrinominal taxa

LACHLAN, R.B.

Additional records of hawk moths and butterflies (Lepidoptera) from

Lizard Island, northern Queensland

LAMBKIN, C.L., HILLER, T., TENNENT, W.J. and STARICK, N.

The Burnham collection (Lepidoptera): from Rev. Pére J.B. Poncelet in

Bougainville to Gold Coast garage

LAMBKIN, T.A.

Orsotriaena medus licium (Fruhstorfer) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae:

Satyrinae) in Queensland, Australia

МЕЅІВОУ, R.

Diversity of Queensland paradoxosomatid millipedes (Diplopoda:

Polydesmida: Paradoxosomatidae)

iii

141

145

144

161

121

MESIBOV, R.

Redescription of Paurodesmus sjoestedti (Verhoeff, 1924), comb. n.

(Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Dalodesmidae)

MILLER, R.S. and HILL, R.I.

The life history of /onolyce helicon hyllus (Waterhouse & Lyell)

111

(Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) 89

MOULDS, M.S.

Thopha hutchinsoni, a new species of cicada (Cicadoidea: Cicadidae) from

Western Australia, with notes on the distribution and colour polymorphism

of Tropha sessiliba Distant 129

MOUND, L.A. and TREE, D.J.

The Oriental lily-flower thrips Taeniothrips eucharii (Whetzel)

(Thysanoptera: Thripidae) new to Australia 159

MULLER, C.J., JAKUSCH, J. and WILLS, L.

A further new subspecies of Delias messalina Arora (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)

from New Ireland, Papua New Guinea 73

MULLER, C.J., WILLS, L. and PETRIE, E.

A new subspecies of Graphium kosii Miiller & Tennent (Lepidoptera:

Papilionidae) from New Britain, Papua New Guinea 57

ORR, A.G.

Competition for larval food plant between Delias argenthona (Fabricius)

and D. nigrina (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) in coastal wallum

habitat in southern Queensland 27

PETERS, J.V.

New distribution records for Australian butterflies (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

from Broome, Western Australia 66

SMITHERS, C.N.

A new species of Sisyra Burmeister (Neuroptera: Sisyridae) from the Paroo

River, northwestern New South Wales 61

WEBBER, B.L., CURTIS, A.S.O., CASSIS, G. and WOODROW, I.E.

Flowering morphology, phenology and flower visitors of the Australian

rainforest tree Ryparosa kurrangii (Achariaceae) 7

WILLIAMS, A.A.E. and MILLER, G.

Three new larval foodplants for the blue iris skipper Mesodina cyanophracta

Lower (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) 107

WILLIAMS, A.A.E., WILLIAMS, M.R. and ATKINS, A.F.

Notes on the life history of the western xenica Geitoneura minyas

(Waterhouse & Lyell) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) 153

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES 36, 78

RECENT LITERATURE 88, 96, 110, 120, 172

Publication dates: Part | (pp 1-56) 10 March 2008

Part 2 (pp 57-88) 1 July 2008

Part 3 (pp 89-120) 28 August 2008

Part 4 (pp 121-172) 19 December 2008

ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTICES

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THE AUSTRALIAN

Entomologist

Volume 35, Part 4, 19 December 2008

CONTENTS

DE BAAR, M.

Life history notes on Bracca rotundata (Butler) (Lepidoptera:

Geometridae) and Oxycophina theorina (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera:

Thyrididae).

GILLESPIE, P.S.

Aleuroclava bagahformis, a new species of whitefly (Hemiptera:

Aleyrodidae) from southeastern Queensland.

HANCOCK, D.L.

A note on some Hawaiian species of Zrupanea Schrank (Diptera:

Tephritidae: Tephritinae).

KOHOUT, RJ.

Two new species of Polyrhachis Fr. Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae:

Formicinae) from Australia, based on formerly quadrinominal taxa.

LAMBKIN, T.A.

Orsotriaena medus licíum (Fruhstorfer) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae:

Satyrinae) in Queensland, Australia.

MOULDS, M.S.

Thopha hutchinsoni, a new cicada (Cicadoidea: Cicadidae) from Western

Australia, with notes on the distribution and colour polymorphism of

Thopha sessiliba Distant.

MOUND, L.A. AND TREE, D.J.

The Oriental Lily-flower Thrips Taeniothrips eucharii (Whetzel)

(Thysanoptera: Thripidae) new to Australia.

WILLIAMS, A.A.E, WILLIAMS, M.R. AND ATKINS, A.F.

Notes on the life history of the Western Xenica Geitoneura minyas

(Waterhouse & Lyell) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae).

RECENT LITERATURE

ISSN 1320 6133