Recognition data

Distinguishing features

Female macroptera. Body brown to dark brown, tarsi yellow, also apex of antennal segment III; mid and hind tibiae brown with apex yellow, varying to almost completely yellow; fore wings brown with base slightly paler. Antennae 8-segmented, III–IV with apex neck-like, bearing long forked sensorium. Head longer than wide; 2 pairs of ocellar setae, pair III slightly longer than distance between compound eyes, arising close together between posterior ocelli; postocular setae small and close to posterior margin of eyes. Pronotum with weak lines of sculpture, 2 pairs of long posteroangular setae; posterior margin with 3 pairs of setae. Mesonotum with transverse sculpture, anterior campaniform sensilla present. Metanotum weakly reticulate; campaniform sensilla preent, median setae arising close together at anterior margin. Mesofurca with spinula. Fore wing first vein with 3–4 widely spaced setae on distal half; second vein with complete row of 10–12 setae. Tergites III–VII with no sculpture mesad of setal pair S2; VIII with long regular posteromarginal comb; tergite X with in complete short split. Sternites without discal setae; setae S1 and S2 on sternite VII arising in front of margin.

Male macroptera. Similar to female but smaller; sternites III–VII with large transverse pore plate.

Related and similar species

The genus Taenothrips includes rather more than 20 species together with a further 21 fossil species. The genus is widespread across the Holarctic, and into Indonesia (Mound et al., 2012). It should not be confused with Tenothrips, in which the species all have ocellar setae pair I present on the head in front of the first ocellus.

Distribution data

General distribution

Bermuda, Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, USA (Hawaii, Florida, Georgia), Netherlands, Australia.

Australian distribution

New South Wales (Lord Howe Island), Queensland.

Biological data

Life history

Feeding and breeding in flowers, also leaf bases and bulbs.

Host plants

Eucharis, Crinum, Hymenocallis (Amaryllidaceae), on which it is sometimes considered a pest.

Taxonomic data

Current valid name

Taeniothrips eucharii (Whetzel)

Original name and synonyms

• Physothrips eucharii Whetzel, 1923: 30
• Taeniothrips gracilis Moulton, 1928: 289
• Taeniothrips rohdeae Kurosawa, 1937: 273

References

Mound LA & Tree DJ. 2009. The oriental lily-flower thrips, Taeniothrips eucharii (Whetzel) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) new to Australia. Australian Entomologist 35: 159-160.