OzThrips

Thysanoptera in Australia

Recognition data

Distinguishing features

Female macroptera. Body, legs and antennae brown to dark brown, antennal segment III paler; fore wings uniformly pale to very weakly shaded particularly along posterior margin. Antennae 9-segmented, segment I with strongly toothed process variable in length; segment III parallel-sided; sensoria on III–IV incomplete dorsally; IX shorter than VIII. Head with ocellar setae III long, arising on anterior margins of triangle; three pairs of long postocular setae present. Pronotum with numerous microtrichia, with about 10 pairs of discal setae, anteromedian pair long and stout; posterior angles with 2 pairs of long setae. Mesonotum with moderately long lateral setae, microtrichia present only on posterior half. Metanotum with concentric lines at anterior bearing microtrichia. Fore wing setae almost as long as distance between veins. Fore tibial apex with two stout ventro-lateral setae. Abdominal tergites II–VI with no sculpture lines or microtrichia medially; tergite VIII median setae more than 0.5 as long as tergite; dorsal setae on IX–X long. Sternite II with 2 pairs of posteromarginal setae, sternites III–VII with 4 pairs; median sternites with about 12–20 discal setae often arising close to posterior margin, sternite VII with discal setae laterally but not medially.

Male not known.

Related and similar species

Twelve species are currently described in the genus Cranothrips, 11 from Australia and one from South Africa (Pereyra & Mound, 2009). C. laurei is closely related to C. ravidus, but has ocellar setae III arising slightly further apart, and the lateral pair of setae on the head is longer.

Distribution data

Central Australia, between Katherine and Tennant Creek (Northern Territory) and Lake Grace (Western Australia).

Biological data

Host plants

Hakea ?macrocarpa (Proteaceae)

Life history

Breeding in the flowers of its host, and presumably pupating at soil level.

Taxonomic data

Current valid name

Cranothrips lauriei Marullo

Original name and synonyms

  • Cranothrips lauriei Marullo, 1995

Oz thrips taxa