Distinguishing features

Both sexes micropterous (female rarely fully winged). Pale brown, antennal segments III–VI grading from yellow to yellowish brown; tarsi and apices of tibiae yellow; major setae pale. Head longer than wide, ocelli small, sometimes absent; maxillary stylets retracted almost to postocular setae, one third of head width apart with distinct maxillary bridge; postocular setae bluntly pointed; 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 almost pointed setae; basantra present; mesopresternum tranverse, slender, sometimes eroded medially; length of fore wing lobe no more than one-fifth of thorax width. Fore tarsus with small tooth. Pelta 'D'-shaped, with sculpture faint or absent; tergites III–VII each with 2 pairs of wing-retaining setae, these usually very small, but sometimes posterior pair sigmoid; tergite VIII postero-angular and posteromarginal setae acute; tergite IX posteromarginal setae usually acute but sometimes blunt, about half as long as tube; tube short, about half as long as head.
Male similar to but smaller than female, variable in size; foretarsal tooth large.

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 forewing, 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. A. kohai is closely similar to australis, apart from the more pointed major setae.

Biological data

Apparently associated mainly with high-country tussock grassland.

Distribution data

Known only from New Zealand (MB, MK, CO).

Family name

PHLAEOTHRIPIDAE, PHLAEOTHRIPINAE

Species name

Apterygothrips kohai Mound & Walker

Original name and synonyms

Apterygothrips kohai Mound & Walker, 1986: 42

References

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