Recognition data

Distinguishing features

Female macroptera. Body brown, fore wings light brown. Antennae 8-segmented; segment II with external margin prolonged and bearing a terminal seta-like sensorium; III–IV each with stout simple sensorium. Head small, prolonged in front of eyes; 3 pairs of ocellar setae present, pair III anterolateral to fore ocellus. Pronotum trapezoidal, with 2 pairs of posteroangular setae. Metanotum reticulate, sculpture forming arches around posterior midpoint; median setae smaller than lateral pair. Prosternal ferna divided medially; basantra rugose, triangular; prospinasternum transverse, narrow. Mesothoracic sternopleural sutures complete; meta pre-episternum reduced, triangular, not broadly band-like. Meso and metasternal furca with well-developed lateral flanges, without spinula. Fore wing pointed at apex; first vein with 2 setae on distal half, second vein with 4 setae. Tergites with antecostal ridge strong, complete lines of sculpture medially; posterior margins with entire but weakly lobed craspedum; ovipositor weak with faint teeth. Sternites with 3 pairs of marginal setae, posterior margins with craspedum of distinctive tubercles.

Male aptera (wing lobe minute). Head without ocelli; metanotum transverse; tergites with strong lines of sculpture medially; sternites III–VII with small circular pore plate.

Related and similar species

zur Strassen (1960) provided identification keys to over 50 species of Chirothrips, but Bhatti (1990) created six new genera for species placed originally in this genus. One of these six,Arorathrips, is represented in Australia. Chirothrips appears to be a genus of Holarctic species, whereas Arorathrips is from the New World. C. manicatus belongs to a group of mainly old World species in which the head is not greatly prolonged in front of the eyes, the vertex bears few setae, and the external apex of antennal segment II bears an exactly terminal sensorium.

Distribution data

General distribution

Widespread around the world in temperate regions

Australian distribution

South Australia, Tasmania, New South Wales, Western Australia.

Biological data

Life history

Breeding and pupating within individual florets of Poaceae and some Cyperaceae.

Host plants

Various Poaceae species including cereal crops with little recorded specificity.

Taxonomic data

Current valid name

Chirothrips manicatus Haliday

Original name and synonyms

• Thrips (Chirothrips) manicatus Haliday, 1836: 444
• Thrips longipennis Burmeister, 1838: 413
• Chirothrips antennatus Osborn, 1883: 154
• Chirothrips fusca Coesfeld, 1898: 470
• Chirothrips similis Bagnall, 1909: 35
• Chirothrips albicornis Priesner, 1926: 140
• Chirothrips ammophilae Bagnall, 1927: 564
• Chirothrips takahashii Moulton, 1928: 289
• Chirothrips productus Bagnall, 1932: 184
• Chirothrips laingi Bagnall, 1932: 185
• Chirothrips ambulans Bagnall, 1932: 185
• Chirothrips testacea Hukkinen, 1935: 90
• Chirothrips bagnalli Hood, 1938: 162
• Chirothrips longisetis Priesner, 1949: 170

References

Mound LA & Palmer JM. 1972. Grass-flower infesting thrips of the genus Chirothrips Haliday in Australia. Journal of the Australian entomological Society 11: 332-339.

Minaei K & Mound LA. 2010. Grass-flower thrips of the genus Chirothrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), with a key to species from Iran. Zootaxa 2411: 33-43.http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2010/f/zt02411p043.pdf