Recognition data

Distinguishing features

Female macroptera. Body brown, tarsi paler, antennal segment III yellow; fore wings light brown. 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 oval, VI with base of sensorium enlarged. Head wider than long; 3 pairs of ocellar setae; pair III anterior to hind ocelli, about as long as side of ocellar triangle; postocular setae small, close to posterior margin of eyes. Pronotum weakly sculptured, with 1 pair of long posteroangular setae; posterior margin with 4 pairs of setae. Fore tibia with two long recurved tubercles at apex, laterally and ventrally; mid-tibia without a small claw at apex. Metanotum reticulate, campaniform sensilla present; median setae arise at anterior margin. Mesofurca with spinula. Fore wing first vein with setal row interrupted sub-basally and sub-apically, second vein with complete row of about 18 setae; clavus with 5 veinal and one discal setae. Tergites with prominent transverse sculpture medially; 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 not known.

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 with Megalurothrips, in particular the presence of a pair of small setae dorsally at the apical margin of the first antennal segment. O. magna shares with O. andrewarthae the presence of several prominent transverse sculpture lines medially on the tergites. However, it is known only from a single female, and apparently differs from O. andrewarthae in having two recurved tubercles on the fore tibia rather than only one.

Distribution data

General distribution

Known only from Australia.

Australian distribution

Western Australia.

Biological data

Life History

Feeding and breeding in flowers.

Host plants

Adult taken on Asteraceae.

Taxonomic data

Current valid name

Odontothripiella magna Pitkin

Original name and synonyms

• Odontothripiella magna Pitkin, 1972: 282

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.