Phallothrips Mound & Crespi

Phallothrips Mound & Crespi, 1992: 403 .

Type species Phallothrips houstoni Mound & Crespi, by monotypy.

The single species recognised in this genus is remarkable for having the difference between winged and wingless adults greater than is known in any other species of Phlaeothripidae (see Mound et al. 1998). It lives as a phytophagous kleptoparasite, invading the woody galls created by Iotatubothrips species. Colonies have been found on both C. cristata in eastern Australia and C. obesa in Western Australia. The body structure is so unusual that generic relationships are particularly difficult to suggest, but it seems likely to be a highly aberrant form from within the Liothrips -lineage.

Diagnosis. Medium-sized, dark, apterous or macropterous Phlaeothripinae . Aptera: Varying greatly in body size (2000–3500 microns body length); head with no ocelli, genae swollen behind small eyes and without setae; postocular setae small; maxillary stylets close together medially; maxillary guides stout and curved, meeting at anterior. Antennae 8-segmented; segment III with one sense cone, IV with 2 sense cones. Pronotum massive, reticulate, major setae short. Prosternal basantra absent; ferna large and transverse; prosternal chitinous islets very large; mesopresternum absent; metathoracic sternopleural sutures present. Mesonotum transverse; metanotum transverse, strongly reticulate with one pair of median setae. Fore tarsal tooth massive; fore femora swollen but without tubercles. Pelta eroded to small circular sclerite; tergal median setal pair long and wide apart; II–VII each with one pair of almost straight wing-retaining setae; tergites VIII and IX of large individuals with many small fine discal setae medially; female segment IX with fustis weakly developed; tube short and conical, with many short setae dorsally and ventrally; anal setae short and stout. Male with phallotheca massive, segment IX enlarged, tube deeply excavate ventrally. Macroptera: head with eyes and ocelli large, genae parallel; pronotum narrower than prothorax, epimeral setae capitate; fore wing parallel-sided but tapering to apex, without duplicated cilia; tergal wing-retaining setae weakly sigmoid (Fig. 50). Micropterae of both sexes intermediate in colour and structure between macropterae and apterae, with wing lobe 25–50 microns long.