OzThrips

Thysanoptera in Australia

Recognition data

Distinguishing features

Macropterous, strongly bicoloured, head brown but postoccipital area yellow; pterothorax brown with metepisterna yellow; abdominal segment I yellow, II–III light brown with thickened dark antecostal ridge, IV–VI mainly yellow, VII–X dark brown; hind tibiae yellow, femora brown; antennal segments I–III yellow, IV pale near base, V–VIII light brown; fore wing with pale sub-basal area, then weakly shaded but apex paler. Head with occipital carina close to eyes; ocellar triangle transversely striate/reticulate; ocellar setae III arise outside ocellar triangle; three pairs of postocular setae, median pair long; postoccipital area transversely striate. Pronotum anterior third with sculpture transverse, blotch transversely striate with markings between main striae. Metanotal reticulation mainly equiangular, only anterior reticles with internal markings, posterior half sharply paler. Tergite I medially with no craspedum, II–VI medially with marginal microtrichia very short. Sternites with no discal microtrichia mesad of marginal setae S2, posterior margins with small lobed craspeda bearing long microtrichia between each pair of marginal setae; sternite VII medially with neither discal nor marginal microtrichia.

Male similar to female, abdominal segment VII yellow; sternites without glandular areas.

Related and similar species

Similarly lobed craspeda occur on the sternites of three other Australian species of Hydatothrips.

Distribution data

Widespread in eastern Australia, west of the Great Dividing Range, in semi-arid country.

Biological data

Host plants

Parsonsia eucalyptophylla (Apocynaceae)

Life history

Feeding and breeding on leaves

Taxonomic data

Current valid name

Hydatothrips bhattii Mound & Tree

Original name and synonyms

  • Hydatothrips bhattii Mound & Tree, 2009

Oz thrips taxa