Recognition data

Distinguishing features

Female macroptera. Body and legs yellow, apex of tergite X dark brown; antennal segments VI–VIII brown, V shaded light brown in distal half; fore wings very weakly shaded in basal half. Antennae 8-segmented, segment I with no dorso-apical setae, sensoria on III–IV forked. Head broadest across eyes; compound eyes with 5 weakly pigmented facets; ocellar setae pair I not close together, pair III arising anterior to posterior ocelli; maxillary palps 3-segmented. Pronotum weakly trapezoidal; with 8 pairs of posteromarginal setae of which pair VIII is longer but lies parallel to pronotal margin. Prosternal basantra with 2–3 pairs of setae; fernal plates not connected medially; meso and meta furca without spinula. Mesonotal anterior campaniform sensilla present, median pair of setae minute and distant from posterior margin. Metanotal sculpture lines form an arch at posterior margin; median setae just behind anterior margin; campaniform sensilla present. Fore wing slender, first vein with 6 setae near base, 3 widely spaced setae on distal half; second vein with 4 widely spaced setae; clavus with 5 veinal setae and 1 discal seta; posterior fringe wavy. Tergites weakly sculptured medially, VI–VIII laterally with microtrichia on two sculpture lines, setal pair IV minute; II–VIII with broad craspedum, campaniform sensilla near posterior margin, median setae minute and far apart; IX with 2 pairs of campaniform sensilla, median dorsal setae slender; X with complete median split. Sternites with no discal setae; II–VI posterior margin with craspedum forming large lobes between marginal setae; sternite II with 2 pairs of marginal setae, III–VII with 3 pairs, median 2 pairs on VII arise close together.

Male no known.

Related and similar species

The genus Parexothrips includes only three species, the other two being described from Egypt and India. This genus shares most character sttes with the species of Exothrips, but has discal setae on the prosternum, and ocellar setae pair III wide apart in front of the posterior ocelli.

Distribution data

General distribution

Known only from Australia.

Australian distribution

Queensland.

Biological data

Life history

Feeding and breeding on leaves.

Host plants

Various Poaceae, including Cymbopogon citriodorum.

Taxonomic data

Current valid name

Parexothrips palumai Mound

Original name and synonyms

• Parexothrips palumai Mound, 2011: 30

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