Key to Hoplothrips species from Australia

1. Prosternal basantra present in both sexes (Fig. 24) but sometimes weakly sclerotised and scarcely visible in females (Fig 30) ................................................................................................... 2

-. Prosternal basantra not developed as distinct sclerites (Fig. 25)................................................. 4

2. Antennal segment III with a prominent ring-like ridge near base (Fig. 45); fore tarsal tooth present in both sexes; male sternite VIII with a slender transverse pore plate (Fig. 64).................................................. woodsi sp.n.

-. Antennal segment III without a prominent ridge near base; fore tarsal tooth absent or minute in female; male sternite VIII with- out a pore plate....................................................................................... 3

3. Ocellar region of head weakly reticulate (Figs 4–6); apterae with about 9 facets in each compound eye; pronotal am setae capi- tate and as long as aa setae; female fore tarsus without a tooth; female with prosternal basantra present........... fungosus

-. Ocellar region of head without reticulate sculpture; apterae with about 14 facets in each compound eye; pronotal am setae pointed and much shorter than aa setae; fore tarsus with small tooth at inner apex; female with prosternal basantra weak or absent.................................................................................... lowdeni sp.n.

4. Pronotum with notopleural sutures incomplete anterolaterally (Fig. 17)........................................... 5

-. Pronotum with notopleural sutures complete anterolaterally (Fig. 7)............................................. 6

5. Prosternal ferna fused into narrow transverse band (Fig. 29); large fore tarsal tooth present in both sexes; antennal segment III with 1 sense cone; male sternite VIII with 3 small pore plates arranged in triangle (Fig. 61).................... reedi sp.n.

-. Prosternal ferna not fused, separated by small median gap (Fig. 27); fore tarsal tooth absent in female; antennal segment III with 2 sense cones; male not known.................................................................. tarsus sp.n.

6. Maxillary stylets parallel in middle of head and more than 1/4 of head width apart (Fig. 1)........................... 7

-. Maxillary stylets close together medially in head and no more than 1/8 of head width apart (Fig. 3).................... 9

7. Antennal segment IV with numerous small sensory hairs in both sexes (Fig. 31); fore tarsal tooth absent in female................................................................................................. bellingeni sp.n.

-. Antennal segment IV without small sensory hairs in both sexes (Fig. 36); fore tarsal tooth present in both sexes.......... 8

8. Macroptera with 2 sense cones on antennal segments III and IV (apterae not known); fore wing without duplicated cilia; male with slender pore plate fully across sternite VIII; tube yellowish, paler or equal in colour to abdominal segment IX...................................................................................................... connexus

-. Macroptera with 3 sense cones on antennal segments III and IV, but aptera with on 2 sense cones on III & IV; fore wing with 5–6 duplicated cilia; male sternite VIII with small transverse pore plate medially; tube darker brown than abdominal segment IX........................................................................................ nelsoni sp.n.

9. Metanotum with pair of capitate setae posteromedially (Fig. 53); male sternite VIII almost fully occupied by pore plate................................................................................................... oudeus

-. Metanotum with median setal pair pointed; male pore plate not so extensive...................................... 10

10. Metanotal discal area of micropterae with 5–12 small fine setae (Fig. 50), macropterae with at least 4 such setae, in addition to the major setal pair; pronotal midlateral setae no larger than discal setae (Fig. 18); males with extensive specialized reticulate areas laterally on sternites II–VII (Fig. 66).......................................................... melanurus

-. Metanotal discal area with no more than one pair of minor setae medially, in addition to the major setal pair; pronotal midlateral setae well developed; males with specialised reticulate areas absent, smaller or on fewer sternites..................... 11

11. Pronotal posteroangular setae unusually short, scarcely longer than maximum width of third antennal segment.......... 12

-. Pronotal posteroangular setae long, at least as long as length of third antennal segment............................. 13

12. Large, dark brown species with dark brown antennae; genae with prominent setae (Fig. 7); fore wing with more than 20 duplicated cilia; male sternite VIII without pore plate.................................................. giganteus sp.n.

-. Small light brown species with light brown antennae; genae without prominent setae (Fig. 14); fore wing with less than 10 duplicated cilia; male sternite VIII with indistinct, irregular pore plate (Fig. 60).......................... oakeyi sp.n.

13. Major setae on head and pronotum capitate; female fore tarsal tooth blunt, shorter than half of tarsal width. lamingtoni sp.n.

-. Major setae on head and pronotum pointed; female fore tarsal tooth larger and pointed............................. 14

14. Macropterae with antennal segment IV bearing many small sensory hairs ventrally, but micropterae with only a few near apex of segment IV (Figs 42–44)..................................................................... semicaecus

-. Macropterae and micropterae without sensory hairs ventrally on antennal segment IV.............................. 15

15. Pronotal posteroangular setae at least 1.4 times as long as epimeral setae (Fig. 9) [male sternite VIII with transverse pore plate less than half of sternite width (Fig. 58)]......................................................... lihongae sp.n.

-. Pronotal posteroangular and epimeral setae equal in length................................................... 16

16. Tergite IX setae S1 acute, longer than tube................................................................ 17

-. Tergite IX setae S1 no more than 0.7 as long as tube, apices sometimes not acute.................................. 18

17. Macropterae with antennal segments IV–V fully brown; micropterae with pedicels of antennal segments IV–V no longer than wide, III truncate at apex (Fig. 40); male sternite VIII with transverse pore plate extending across sternite width (Fig. 63)................................................................................................. poultoni

-. Macropterae with antennal segments IV–V yellow at base; micropterae with pedicels of antennal segments IV–V slender, longer than wide, III with apex not truncate (Fig. 38); male sternite VIII transverse pore plate no wider than half of sternite width (Fig. 59)................................................................................. wrightae sp.n.

18. Antennal segments III–IV with sense cones long, curved and acute, on III distinctly longer than apex of segment (Fig. 39); pelta with posterolateral angles curving away from anterior margin of tergite II (Fig. 52).......................... orientalis

-. Antennal segments III–IV with sense cones short, straight and blunt, on III about as long as apex of segment (Fig. 32); pelta with posterolateral angles confluent with anterior margin of tergite II (Fig. 47)................................ corticis