Liothrips, Uzel, 1895

Mound, Laurence A., Dang, Lihong & Tree, Desley J., 2023, The genus Liothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae) in Australia, Zootaxa 5306 (2), pp. 201-214 : 201-202

Liothrips -lineage in Australia

Across much of Australia, leaf-feeding Phlaeothripinae of the Liothrips lineage are represented by several genera that are presumably endemic to this continent. In the arid zone there is a remarkable radiation associated with the leaf-like phyllodes of the many endemic Acacia species ( Crespi et al. 2004), including Akainothrips , Katothrips , Kellyia and Kladothrips , together with a few even more structurally divergent taxa. In the more mesic habitats, particularly of the Eastern forests the leaf-feeding habitat is occupied by a series of species that are referred to the genus Teuchothrips , many of which remain undescribed. This appears to represent an endemic radiation out of Liothrips ancestors, although the two genera currently remain weakly diagnosed (Mound 2008). However, the genus Liothrips is here interpreted in the sense of Okajima (2006) as including only those species that lack a fore tarsal tooth in both sexes. As a result, Liothrips soror ( Hood 1918) , that remains known only from a single female bearing a fore tarsal tooth and taken in northern Queensland, is here recognised as Teuchothrips soror (Hood) comb. n. A further Australian species based only on a single female, Liothrips tenuis Hood , is here recognised as Kellyia tenuis (Hood) comb.n. Moreover, L. brevifemur Girault , was based on a single specimen of which only a few broken fragments remain on the type slide ( Fig. 37 ), and this is here considered a nomen dubium.

In a recent introduction to the Phlaeothripidae genera of Australia ( Mound & Tree 2022) eight species were listed in the genus Liothrips . Of the seven species remaining after the removal of L. soror , two are known only from single specimens, and as a result, nothing is known of the biology or host plants of brevifemur or tenuis . In contrast, three new species are described below each based on colonies of specimens taken on plant species known to be widespread in northern Australia, Chionanthes spp, Timonius timon and Mallotus philippinensis . Moreover, three species are known to be widespread in tropical Asia, two inducing leaf-roll galls on Piper species and one living in association with Gynaikothrips galls on Ficus species. The final species has been known as a minor pest forming colonies under the bracts of bulbs of Lilium species, but it is here recorded widely in eastern Australia in native forest areas. The objective is to provide an identification system to the eight species of Liothrips now known from Australia, together with L. urichi that is not established here but has the potential for introduction to Australia for biocontrol purposes of a weedy plant.

Figures

FIGURES 26–40. Australian Liothrips. Prosternum 26–28: (26) burwelli; (27) pallipes; (28) timoni. (29) Pronotum of chionanthes. Pelta & tergite II 30–35: (30) burwelli; (31) chavicae; (32) takahashi; (33) timonii; (34) umbratus; (35) vaneeckei. Hind tibiae 36–40: (36) timoni; (37) vaneeckei; (38) chavicae; (39) urichi. (40) Holotype of L. brevifemur.