Recognition data

Distinguishing features

Female macroptera. Body yellow, tergites II, V–VI with brown area laterally; antennal segments I–II white, III–V and base of VI light brown, VI–VII brown; fore wings pale with faint brown shading sub-basally and medially. Antennae 7-segmented, sensoria on III–IV short and forked. Head wider than long; 3 pairs of ocellar setae, pair II lateral to first ocellus and close to compound eye; 3 pairs of postocular setae. Pronotum posterior half with 2 pairs of discal setae medially, 5 pairs of equally short posteromarginal setae. Mesonotal S1 setae arise a little anterior to S2 setae. Metanotum with weakly transverse sculpture, median setae not at anterior margin; campaniform sensilla absent. Prosternal ferna complete medially; basantra with or without one pair of setae; meso and metafurca with spinula. Fore wing first vein with 3 setae on distal half; second vein with 3–4 setae; cilia wavy. Tergites I–VIII with median pair of setae close together; posterolateral tergal margins with fringe of microtrichia, complete medially on VII–VIII; tergites II–VIII with 6–10 rows of discal microtrichia on lateral thirds; IX with many microtrichia on posterior half, X with no longitudinal split. Sternites II–VI with groups of long microtrichia between bases of marginal setae.

Male macroptera. Similar to female but smaller; sternites without pore plates.

Related and similar species

The genus Anascirtothrips currently includes four species, all from Asia and apparently all associated with the leaves of Ficus trees. These species ressemble those of the worldwide genusScirtothrips, but have 7-segmented antennae, and the mesonotal two pairs of setae arise in almost a straight transverse line (Masumoto & Okajima, 2007). A. arafura differs from A. arorai in possessing a spinula on the mesothoracic furca, and in tergite VII having a complete comb of microtrichia on the posterior margin.

Distribution data

General distribution

Known only from Australia.

Australian distribution

Northern Territory, Melville Island, Bathurst Island.

Biological data

Life history

Feeding and breeding on leaves

Host plants

Ficus opposita (Moraceae), also possibly Ficus microcarpa.

Taxonomic data

Current valid name

Anascirtothrips arafura Mound & Wang

Original name and synonyms

• Anascirtothrips arafura Mound & Wang, 2000: 330

References

Mound LA & Wang C-L 2000. The genus Anascirtothrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), from leaves of Ficus trees in India, Taiwan and Australia. Chinese Journal of Entomology 20: 327-333.