Asemothrips 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 : 206-207

Asemothrips Hood

Of the five species listed in this genus four, A. combustipes , A. fallax , A. finlayi , and A. picturatus , are from Australia, and the fifth is from Sumatra. The Australian species have the maxillary stylets rather broader than is typical of Phlaeothripinae , and this has been interpreted as indicating a relationship to Holothrips in a putative Tribe called Docessissophothripini ( Mound & Palmer 1983). However, the females of none of the Australian species have reticulate areas on the sternites similar to those found commonly in Holothrips species. Antennal segments V–VI have strikingly asymmetric apices ( Fig. 8 ), a characteristic shared with the species in the related genus, Majerthrips . The type species of the genus, A. picturatus ( Fig. 6 ), has been taken in association with Lophostemon at three different sites across northern Australia, Bundaberg, Katherine and Badu Is. However, A. fallax and A. finlayi are both known from very few specimens, and are possibly associated with Eucalyptus in eastern Australia.

Diagnosis. Head longer than wide, cheeks weakly convex; postocular setae short and capitate, or minute; stylets retracted to eyes, close together medially; antennae 8-segmented, III with 2 sensoria, IV with 4 sensoria; pronotum with 2 or 5 pairs of capitate setae, notopleural sutures complete; basantra absent; mesopraesternum transverse; sternopleural sutures present; metanotum with at least 5 pairs of minor setae; fore tarsal tooth well developed in both sexes; fore wings parallel-sided, without duplicated cilia; pelta hat-shaped; tergites II–VI each with 2 pairs of wing-retaining setae, reduced and straight on VII; tube shorter than head, anal setae a little shorter than tube; male sternites II-V (or VII) with worm-like reticulate areas, VIII without pore plate.

Figures

FIGURES 8 – 18. Phlaeothripinae genera. 8 – 15 antennae: (8) Asemothrips picturatus; (9) Biconothrips reedi; (10) Holothrips oceanicus; (11) Plectrothrips australis; (12) Preeriella sp.; (13) Priesneria peronis; (14) Pygmaeothrips angusticeps; (15) Streptothrips tribulatius. (16) Deplorothrips sp.; (17 – 18) Bocathrips okajimai.

FIGURES 1 – 7. Phlaeothripinae genera. (1) Adraneothrips sp.; (2) Adurothrips atopus; (3) Apelaunothrips tasmani; (4) Apostlethrips pygus; (5) Apostlethrips apostus; (6) Asemothrips picturatus; (7) Azaleothrips lepidus, metanotum.