Distinguishing features

Both sexes micropterous (female rarely fully winged). Colour pale brown, antennal segment III, tarsi and distal half of tibiae yellow; major setae pale, terminal setae darker. Head longer than wide, ocelli small; maxillary stylets retracted almost to postocular setae, one third of head width apart with distinct maxillary bridge; postocular setae capitate; eyes smaller ventrally than dorsally. Antennae 8-segmented, VIII narrower at base than VII at apex; III with 1 sense cone, IV with 2 sense cones. Pronotum with 5 pairs of small capitate setae; basantra present; mesopresternum transverse but relatively slender; length of fore wing lobe no more than one-fifth of thorax width. Fore tarsus with small tooth. Head, pronotum and metanotum with little sculpture; pelta D-shaped and weakly reticulate. Tergites each with 2 pairs of small, straight wing-retaining setae; setae S1 on IX capitate, shorter than tube; tube shorter than head.
Male similar to female; fore tarsal tooth larger; tergite IX setae S2 short and stout; sternite VIII without pore plate.

Related species

Four species from New Zealand are placed in the genus Apterygothrips, but the 40 species currently listed in this genus possibly do not represent a single phylogenetic lineage. These species are similar to species of Haplothrips, but have only two or three sense cones on the fourth antennal segment, instead of four, the tergal wing-retaining setae are weak or absent, and the fore wing, if present, lacks duplicated cilia and is scarcely constricted medially. The third antennal segment bears two sense cones in A. viretrum but in the other three species from New Zealand this segment bears only one sense cone.

Biological data

Living and breeding, and presumably feeding, on various grasses.

Distribution data

Common and widespread in Australia, this species has been collected on Norfolk Island and also infrequently in New Zealand (TO / MB, KA).

Family name

PHLAEOTHRIPIDAE, PHLAEOTHRIPINAE

Species name

Apterygothrips australis Pitkin

Original name and synonyms

Apterygothrips australis Pitkin, 1973: 328

References

Mound LA & Walker AK (1986) Tubulifera (Insecta: Thysanoptera). Fauna of New Zealand 10: 1–140.

Mound LA & Wells A (2015) Endemics and adventives: Thysanoptera (Insecta) Biodiversity of Norfolk, a tiny Pacific Island. Zootaxa 3964 (2): 183–210.