OzThrips

Thysanoptera in Australia

Recognition data

Distinguishing features

Female macroptera. Body brown to dark brown, tarsi and antennal segment III yellow; fore wings light brown with base paler. Antennae 8-segmented; segment I with paired dorso-apical setae; segments III–IV with apex forming short neck, sensorium forked; V with base of sensorium broadly circular; VI with base of sensorium very broadly expanded. Head wider than long; 3 pairs of ocellar setae present; pair III anterior to hind ocelli, shorter than side of ocellar triangle; postocular setae small, close to posterior margin of eyes. Pronotum with 1 pair of long posteroangular setae, also one pair about half as long; posterior margin with 4 pairs of setae. Fore tibia with 2 long recurved tubercles at apex, ventrally and laterally. Metanotum reticulate, campaniform sensilla present; median setae arise at anterior margin. Mesofurca with spinula. Fore wing first and second veins with complete row of setae; clavus with 5–6 veinal setae and one discal seta. Tergal sculpture scarcely extending mesad of setae S2; VIII with group of irregular microtrichia anterior to spiracle, posteromarginal comb represented by several microtrichia laterally. Sternites without discal setae, VII with median setae arising in front of margin.

Male macroptera. Similar to female but smaller; tergites IV–VII with no lines of sculpture between median pair of setae, IX with pair of short stout processes; sternites without pore plates, VI–VII with a large bell-shaped lobe on posterior margin.

Related and similar species

Odontothripiella is an Australian genus that currently includes 18 described species, with several more undescribed species also known. The genus shares many character states withMegalurothrips, in particular the presence of a pair of small setae dorsally at the apical margin of the first antennal segment. O. buloba females cannot be distinguished from females of several other species in this genus including O. australis, but the male has a pair of short stout processes on the ninth tergite, and sternites VI–VII with a large bell-shaped lobe on the posterior margin medially.

Distribution data

General distribution

Known only from Australia.

Australian distribution

New South Wales.

Biological data

Life History

Presumably feeding and breeding in flowers.

Host plants

Probably some species of Fabaceae, but adults taken from grasses

Taxonomic data

Current valid name

Odontothripiella buloba Pitkin

Original name and synonyms

  • Odontothripiella buloba Pitkin, 1972: 275

References

Pitkin BR. 1972. A revision of the Australian genus Odontothripiella Bagnall, with descriptions of fourteen new species (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 11: 265-289.

Oz thrips taxa