OzThrips

Thysanoptera in Australia

Recognition data

Distinguishing features

Female macroptera. Body brown with red internal pigment, tarsi and apices of tibiae yellow; antennae brown; fore wings brown with base pale. Antennae 8-segmented; segment I with paired dorso-apical setae; III–IV with stout forked sensorium, IV with long apical neck, V with 2 large flat sensoria. Head as wide as long, with 3 pairs of ocellar setae pair I close to inter-antennal projection; pair III long, arising between hind ocelli. Pronotum with 2 pairs of long posteroangular setae, 3 pairs of posteromarginal setae. Metanotum weakly reticulate medially, median pair of setae at anterior margin of sclerite, campaniform sensilla present. Mesofurca with spinula, metafurca without spinula. Fore wing first vein with almost complete row of setae variably interrupted sub-apically; second vein with complete row; clavus with 4–5 veinal and one discal setae. Tergites II–VIII with weakly lobed craspedum; V–VII with no sculpture medially. Sternites without discal setae, IV–VI with small craspedal lobe between marginal setae, VII with median marginal setae arising far ahead of margin.

Male not known.

Related and similar species

The genus Craspedothrips currently includes seven species, all from the Palaeotropics. These species all have three sensoria on antennal segment V of which two are large and dagger-shaped, and the apex of segment IV is prolonged and neck-like.

Distribution data

General distribution

India, Indonesia, Taiwan, Australia.

Australian distribution

Western Australia, New South Wales, Queensland.

Biological data

Life history

Probably breeding in flowers.

Host plants

Adults taken from Cassia (Caesalpiniaceae), Solanum melongena (Solanaceae), Lomandra longifolia (Laxmanniaceae), Plumbago zeylonica (Plumbaginaceae).

Taxonomic data

Current valid name

Craspedothrips minor (Bagnall)

Original name and synonyms

  • Physothrips minor Bagnall, 1921: 393
  • Physothrips thunbergiae Karny, 1923: 302
  • Toxothrips ricinus Bhatti, 1967: 16
  • Tsengothrips plumosa Chen, 1975: 107

References

Mound LA & Tree DJ. 2007. Oriental and Pacific Thripidae (Thysanoptera) new to Australia, with a new species of Pseudodendrothrips Schmutz. Australian Entomologist 34: 7-14.

Oz thrips taxa