Tylothrips osborni (Hinds)

Mound, Laurence A. & Tree, Desley J., 2022, Phlaeothripidae (Thysanoptera) diversity in Australia, with three new generic records and two new species, Zootaxa 5104 (2), pp. 291-296 : 295

Tylothrips osborni (Hinds)

( Figs 10–12 )

Described originally from Massachusetts, USA, this species is widespread in eastern North America, and has been found in Panama and Trinidad. It is the only member of the genus that is considered not endemic to the Neotropics, and a few specimens have been recorded in recent years in different parts of Europe and Iran ( Uzun Yiðit et al. 2021; Mirab-balou et al. 2022). As with the two specimens from Australia listed below, this thrips has presumably been introduced inadvertently to various countries by the horticultural trade. In common with other members of the genus, it is fungus-feeding in leaf litter. The members of Tylothrips are distinguished from other leaf-litter thrips by the presence of a pair of curiously long and slender capitate setae ventro-laterally on the metathorax ( Fig. 11 ). The head, pronotum and metanotum of T. osborni lack sculpture medially ( Figs 10, 12 ).

Specimen studied. Queensland, Brisbane, Hemmant Creek , 1 female in emergence trap, 7.xii.2010 (M.Shivas), in QDPC ; Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, Mt Stromlo , 1 female beaten from Allocasuarina verticillata branch, 21.i.2022 (Alice Wells) .

Figures

FIGURES 1‒12. Australian Phlaeothripinae. Litotetothrips symplocosae sp.n. 1‒3: (1) Head & pronotum; (2) Metanotum & pelta; (3) Antennal segments II‒VIII. Ponticulothrips mudloi sp.n. 4‒7 (male): (4) Antennal segments II‒VIII; (5) Fore tarsus; (6) Head; (7) Pelta. Trichinothrips breviceps 8‒9: (8) Antenna; (9) Head & thorax. Tylothrips osborni 10‒12: (10) Head; (11) Metathoracic ventro-lateral seta; (12) Pronotum.