OzThrips

Thysanoptera in Australia

Recognition data

Distinguishing features

Female aptera. Body, legs and antennal segments I–III yellow, IV–IX brown to dark brown. Head reticulate; eyes without pigmented facets or these only weakly indicated; ocellar setae III variable in position. Antennae 9-segmented; sensorium simple on III, forked on IV; II without microtrichia (frequently also III); IV–VI pedicellate. Pronotum sculptured, with no long setae. Mesonotum and metascutum transverse, campaniform sensilla present, number and positions of setae variable. Abdominal tergites transversely reticulate medially, posterolateral margins with row of minute tubercles; VIII with irregular, narrow craspedum of small lobes or teeth, spiracles occupying more than half of lateral margins; tergal setae S3 and S4 no longer than S1 and S2; sternite VII setae S1 close to posterior margin.

Male aptera. Similar to female; tergite IX with 2 pairs of short stout setae medially; sternites III–VIII with very large C-shaped pore plate that is fragmented.

Related and similar species

There are 43 species of Anaphothrips known from Australia, out of a total of 79 species worldwide (Mound & Masumoto, 2009). Many of these species have the antennae clearly 9-segmented, others clearly have only 8 segments, but several species have an intermediate condition with segment VI bearing a partial and often oblique transverse suture. The males of A. woodi have weakly curved to C-shaped pore plates on sternites III–VII, whereas the males of A. moundi have large C-shaped pore plates on sternites III–VIII. In females the sixth antennal segment is longer with almost parallel margin in A. moundi, whereas it has strongly convex margins in A. woodi.

Distribution data

General distribution

Known only from Australia.

Australian distribution

New South Wales (including Lord Howe Island), and Australian Capital Territory.

Biological data

Life history

Feeding on leaves.

Host plants

Grasses (Poaceae), adults taken on leaves of Trophis sp. (Moraceae).

Taxonomic data

Current valid name

Anaphothrips moundi Pitkin

Original name and synonyms

  • Anaphothrips moundi Pitkin, 1978: 362.

References

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

Oz thrips taxa