Fungus-feeding thrips of the genus Stephanothrips in Australia (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae)
Mound, Laurence A.
Tree, Desley J.
Zootaxa
2018
2018-06-29
4442
1
181
186
52CV6
Mound
Mound
[151,529,1182,1208]
Insecta
Phlaeothripidae
Stephanothrips
GBIF
Animalia
Thysanoptera
1
182
Arthropoda
species
barretti
Described from a single female ( Mound 1972: 100), this wingless species has been found widely in eastern Australia, although only four males have been seen. The collecting localities range from various sites in Tasmaniaincluding Flinders Island, southern Victoria, eastern New South Walesincluding the Canberra area, and southeastern Queensland, also Lord Howe Island and NorfolkIsland. The species has generally been collected only one specimen at a time, and particularly on dead branches, and most individuals bear a large number of fungal spores and fragments of mycelia on their surface. The brown to dark brown body and rectangular head, are distinctive amongst the Australian thrips fauna ( Fig. 5), although antennal segment III is variably paler in the basal third ( Fig. 6). The anterior margins of the prosternal ferna are weakly sclerotized, but the meso and metasternal furcae are well developed ( Fig. 9). In appearance, barrettiis similar to formosanusfrom Taiwanand Japan, but has tergite I clearly distinct from the metanotum ( Fig. 11).