Distinguishing features

Female macropterous. Variable in size and colour; body and legs largely brown (or almost yellow) with no red internal pigment; antennal segment III brown, usually yellow at base, IV–IX brown to blackish; fore wing usually pale with area posterior to second vein shaded, but sometimes uniformly shaded. Head with postocular region as long as eye length, one pair of interocellar setae clearly stouter than remaining ocellar setae; maxillary palp 3-segmented. Antennae 9-segmented, sensorium on III straight, on IV straight but curving around apex, both extending to basal half of segment with no internal markings. Pronotum with one pair of setae unusually prominent. Mesonotum with about 10 pairs of accessory setae medially. Metanotal reticles with no internal markings. Fore wing clavus with 12–15 veinal setae. Abdominal tergite I with faint transverse lines medially; trichobothria on X scarcely larger than base of major setae on X. Sternites with 4 (or 5) pairs of marginal setae; at least 10 pairs of discal setae in complete transverse row, but VII with no discal setae medially.
Male similar to female but smaller, antennal segment III more extensively shaded. Abdominal tergite I with two longitudinal ridges; setae on posterior tergites very long. Sternites with discal setae in transverse row, in two transverse rows on IX.

Related species

Known only from Australia, the single species included in this genus is probably, phylogenetically, little more than an unusual species of Desmothrips. It is distinguished from the members of that genus by the presence of one pair of particularly prominent, pronotal posteroangular setae, the unusually large number of minor setae on the mesonotum and sternites, and the lack of subdivision of the maxillary palps into small units. The three synonyms reflect the fact that adults vary greatly in size and colour.

Biological data

Adults and larvae are found in the flowers of various Eucalyptus species [Myrtaceae], where they presumably act as predators of larval Thrips australis, the gum tree thrips. The remarkable colour and size variation exhibited by adult females is possibly related to the larval diet. Mound (1967) suggested that the occasional population that comprises only yellow individuals possibly results from larvae that have fed only on plant tissues. In contrast, the more frequent but usually solitary dark adults develop from larvae that have probably fed on thrips larvae.

Distribution data

Known only from Australia, and recorded throughout the continent, including Tasmania.

Family name

AEOLOTHRIPIDAE

Species name

Andrewarthaia kellyana (Bagnall)

Original name and synonyms

Rhipidothrips kellyana Bagnall, 1924: 584
Aeolothrips hyalinipennis Girault, 1930: 1
Rhipidothrips aureus Moulton, 1935: 98
Andrewarthathia minor Mound, 1967: 51

References

Mound LA (1967) A taxonomic revision of the Australian Aeolothripidae (Thysanoptera). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology 20: 41–74.

Mound LA (1972) Further studies on Australian Aeolothripidae (Thysanoptera). Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 11: 37–54.

ThripsWiki (2020) ThripsWiki - providing information on the World's thrips. Available from: http://thrips.info/wiki/Main_Page [accessed 12.xii.2019].