OzThrips

Thysanoptera in Australia

Recognition data

Distinguishing features

Female macroptera, Body, legs, and antennal segments I–III yellow, IV with light brown shading, V–VIII dark brown; fore wing weakly shaded at base, pale at apex, and with two dark and two light transverse areas, clavus dark. Antennae 8-segmented, segment I with one dorso-apical seta, III–IV with apical neck and long forked sensorium; external sensorium on V–VI slightly flattened. Head with ocellar setae I absent; setae III long, arising on margins of triangle; compound eyes with no pigmented facets. Pronotum with inner posteroangular setae longer than external pair; pronotum, metanotum, tergites and sternites with numerous transverse striae. Metanotal median pair of setae behind anterior margin, campaniform sensilla present; metascutellum longitudinally striate except near posterior margin. Prosternal basantra without setae, ferna complete; meso and metafurca without spinula. Fore wing with setal rows widely spaced, clavus with discal seta. Abdominal tergites II–VIII with craspedum of small lobes, campaniform sensilla equidistant from anterior and posterior margins; IX with 2 pairs of campaniform sensilla, median dorsal setae short; X with no longitudinal split. Sternites with weak, narrow craspedum, II with 2 pairs of marginal setae, III–VII with 3 pairs, all arising at margin.

Male not known.

Related and similar species

This is the only species placed in the genus Striathrips, and its relationships are not clear. The lobed tergal craspeda and presence of one dorso-apical seta on the first antennal segment suggest that it might be related to Bregmatothrips, but the tergal campaniform sensilla are placed far forward of the posterior margin, and ocellar setae pair I are not present.

Distribution data

General distribution

Known only from Australia.

Australian distribution

Queensland.

Biological data

Life history

Feeding and breeding on leaves.

Host plants

Native grasses (Poaceae).

Taxonomic data

Current valid name

Striathrips sulcatus Mound

Original name and synonyms

  • Striathrips sulcatus Mound, 2011: XX

References

Mound LA. 2011. Grass-dependent Thysanoptera of the family Thripidae from Australia. Zootaxa 3064: 1–40. http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2011/f/zt03064p040.pdf

Oz thrips taxa