OzThrips

Thysanoptera in Australia

Recognition data

Distinguishing features

Female macropterous; body yellowish brown, pterothorax darker laterally; antennal segments I, III–V and basal half of VI yellow, brown on II, VII and apex of VI; tarsi and tibiae yellow; fore wing brown with transverse white bands sub-basally, medially and at apex. Head with cheeks convex, constricted at base; ocellar region elevated. Antennae 8-segmented, III and IV with sensorium simple, VIII twice as long as VII. Pronotum with six pairs of large, translucent, spatulate setae. Metanotum reticulate medially, one pair of spatulate major setae arising at anterior margin. Tarsi 2-segmented. Fore wing veins with complete rows of long setae, costal setae more than twice as long as wing width. Abdominal segment II strongly constricted, anterolateral areas with many recurved, claw-like microtrichia; tergite VII with pair of weakly sigmoid wing-retaining setae; setae on IX as long as tergite X; median split on X complete, terminal setae elongate.

Related and similar species

Only one species is placed in this genus. This differs from the other genera related to Astrothrips in that the tarsi are 2-segmented and the metanotal major setae arise close to the anterior margin of that sclerite.

Distribution data

Taiwan, Seychelles, Pacific Islands, northern Australia and Christmas Island.

Biological data

Host plants

No reliable records available, apart from Piper myristicum on Pohnpei, also damaging the leaves of both Aglaonema and Spathoglottis in Australia at Darwin.

Life history

Presumably breeding on leaves

Taxonomic data

Current valid name

Copidothrips octarticulatus (Schmutz)

Original name and synonyms

  • Heliothrips (Parthenothrips) octarticulatus Schmutz, 1913
  • Copidothrips formosus Hood, 1954
  • Mesostenothrips kraussi Stannard & Mitri, 1962

Oz thrips taxa