Plectrothrips 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 : 215-216

Plectrothrips Hood

There are 32 species listed in this genus from various tropical countries, and a key to 29 of these was provided by Okajima (1981). The species live on dead twigs and branches. Members of this genus exhibit an interesting autapomorphy in that the sensorium on the second antennal segment is situated on the basal half of that segment not near the apex ( Fig. 11 ). One species, P. australis , has been collected between Sydney and Brisbane ( Fig. 42 ).

Diagnosis. Head usually a little longer than wide; postocular setae usually developed, wide apart; stylets variable, usually retracted into head; antennae 8-segmented, II with campaniform sensilla in basal half of segment, VIII long, III with 2 or 3 sensoria, IV with 3; pronotum clearly smaller than prothorax, without major setae; notopleural sutures complete; basantra absent; mesopraesternum reduced; sternopleural sutures present or absent; fore tarsal tooth present in both sexes; fore wings, if developed, parallel-sided, with duplicated cilia; pelta broad with slender lateral lobes; tergite II eroded laterally; tergites II–VII each with one pair of wing retaining setae; tube and anal setae variable; male sternite 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 39 – 45. Phlaeothripinae genera. (39) Stomothrips mouldeni; (40) Stephanothrips occidentalis; (41) Strepterothrips orientalis, male; (42) Plectrothrips australis, pelta & tergite II; (43) Stomothrips mouldeni, thoracic sternites; (44) Yarnkothrips kolourus; (45) Terthrothrips ananthakrishnani.