Sophiothrips Hood

Mound, Laurence A., Dang, Li-Hong & Tree, Desley J., 2013, Genera of fungivorous Phlaeothripinae (Thysanoptera) from dead branches and leaf-litter in Australia, Zootaxa 3681 (3), pp. 201-224 : 218

Sophiothrips Hood

The members of this genus are amongst the smallest of Phlaeothripinae . However, they exhibit remarkable polymorphism, such that the different morphs sometimes cannot be recognised as conspecific without field data ( Mound 1977b). Males vary greatly in size within some species, and large males may bear a prominent tubercle ventrally on the head, or dorsally on tergite IX. Currently 25 species are listed in the genus, from various areas mainly in the tropics but also New Zealand. One species, S. greensladei , is recorded from eastern Australia, but in ANIC there are many unidentified specimens from various localities across this continent ( Fig. 36 ).

Diagnosis. Head broader than long; interocellar and postocular setae present but small, postoculars near cheeks; mouth-cone rounded, stylets short, V-shaped, restricted to mouth-cone; antennae 8-segmented, VIII not constricted basally, III with 1 or 2 sensoria, IV with 2; pronotum usually with 3 pairs of major setae; notopleural sutures usually complete; basantra small or absent; mesopraesternum narrow or reduced; sternopleural sutures present; fore tarsal tooth present in male, present or absent in female; fore wings, if present, parallel-sided without duplicated cilia; pelta broad; tergites II–VII with one pair of wing retaining setae; tube longer than head, anal setae much shorter than tube; male sternite VIII usually without pore plate.

Figures

FIGURES 32 – 38. Phlaeothripinae genera. (32) Octurothrips pulcher, tergites IX – X; (33) Solomonthrips australiensis, tergites VII – IX; (34) Psalidothrips taylori, thoracic sternites—arrows indicate sterno-pleural sutures; (35) Psalidothrips sp., male; (36) Sophiothrips sp.; (37) Senithrips psomus, macroptera thoracic sternites; (38) Pygmaeothrips angusticeps, female microptera.