Distinguishing features

Both sexes fully winged. Female brown including legs; antennal segment III yellow with brown ring at apex, IV sometimes yellow at base, V–IX brown; fore wing brown at extreme base but clavus with apex pale, median brown area long, distal transverse pale area almost parallel-sided with pale costal vein. Head with postocular region as long as eye length; distal maxillary palp segment subdivided. Antennae 9-segmented, III–IV with sensorium curving around apex, weakly sinuate and extending to basal third of segment, without internal markings. Mesonotum with 2 pairs of accessory setae medially. Metanotal reticles with internal dot-like markings. Abdominal tergite I with weak transverse lines medially; trichobothria on X no larger than base of major setae on X. Sternites with 4 pairs of relatively small marginal setae, 6 to 8 pairs of discal setae mainly laterally but sometimes extending medially.
Male similar to female but smaller. Abdominal tergite I with two longitudinal ridges. Sternites with discal setae, at least laterally; VIII with about 14 discal setae in two iregular rows, IX with 3 or 4 discal setae.

Related species

The genus Desmothrips is known only from Australia, with 18 described species (Pereyra & Mound, 2010). D. tenuicornis is a member of the D. australis complex, but has antennal segment III more extensively yellow with just the extreme apex dark as in Aeolothrips fasciatus.

Biological data

Adults of both sexes have been found, often with larvae, in various flowers, with no obvious specificity. This species is probably a facultative predator.

Distribution data

Not known from New Zealand but considered a potential wind-dispersed invader. Known only from Australia, where it is widespread between Adelaide and Charters Towers, but apparently not common. It is also recorded from Alice Springs and from Western Australia.

Family name

AEOLOTHRIPIDAE

Species name

Desmothrips tenuicornis (Bagnall)

Original name and synonyms

Orothrips tenuicornis Bagnall, 1916: 397
Desmothrips davidsoni Morison, 1930: 449

References

Mound LA, Tree DC & Paris D (2012) OzThrips – Thysanoptera in Australia. http://www.ozthrips.org/

Pereyra V & Mound LA (2010) Phylogenetic relationships within the genus Desmothrips (Thysanoptera, Aeolothripidae), an Australian genus of facultative flower-living predators. Systematic Entomology 35: 306–317.