Recognition data

Distinguishing features

Female macroptera. Body and legs yellow, abdominal segment X and posterior third of IX dark brown; fore wings pale; antennal segment I white, II–IV pale with II and apex of III and IV variably weakly shaded, V pale with apex light brown, VI–VIII brown. Antennae 8-segmented, I with no dorso-apical setae, III–IV with sensorium simple. Head projecting conically in front of eyes, cheeks almost parallel; compound eyes with 5 pigmented facets; ocellar setae I present, III 2.0 times as long as an ocellus, arising between anterior margins of posterior ocelli; mouthcone large, maxillary palps 3-segmented. Pronotum slightly wider at posterior than anterior; posteroangular setae longer than antennal segment III. Prosternal basantra with no setae; ferna weakly continuous medially; meso and metafurca without spinula. Mesonotal anterior campaniform sensilla present. Metanotum with weak longitudinal sculpture; median setae near anterior margin, closer to lateral pair than to each other; no campaniform sensilla. Fore wing slender, first vein with 3 widely spaced setae on distal half; second vein with few widely spaced setae; clavus with 4–5 veinal setae, no discal seta. Tergites with weak transverse sculpture medially; II–VIII with craspedum present, campaniform sensilla near posterior margin; tergite IX median dorsal setae stout, arising on posterior third of tergite close to posterior setae, posterior marginal pair I shorter than pair II; X with median split complete. Sternites III–VII with 4–10 discal setae, posterior margin with no craspedum; sternite II with 2 pairs of marginal setae, III–VII with 3 pairs, all arising at margin on VII.

Male macroptera smaller and paler than female; tergite IX with pair of long curved processes; sternites III–VII with transverse pore plate on antecostal area.

Related and similar species

The genus Aliceathrips comprises five species, all from the northern half of Australia. A. palmeri is similar in structure to A. australiensis but the females differ from all the members of this genus in having the median dorsal setae on tergite IX unusually stout and extending well beyond the posterior margin of the segment. The male has pore plates on five sternites.

Distribution data

General distribution

Known only from Australia.

Australian distribution

Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia.

Biological data

Life history

Feeding and breeding on leaves.

Host plants

Panicum decompositarum (Poaceae).

Taxonomic data

Current valid name

Aliceathrips palmeri Mound

Original name and synonyms

• Aliceathrips palmeri Mound, 2011: 11

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