Distinguishing features

Female macropterous. Body and legs brown, abdomen paler medially, also fore tibiae paler; antennal segment III yellowish with apex weakly shaded, IV–IX brown; fore wing brown with two clear transverse bands, costal vein weakly shaded around distal pale area; clavus dark except at apex. Head converging to anterior, postocular region shorter than eye length; distal maxillary palp segment subdivided. Antennae 9-segmented, segments unusually short; sensorium on III–IV curved around segment apex, extending to mid-point of segment with weak internal markings. Fore femora stout, external apical margin slightly recurved. Mesonotum with only 2 pairs of accessory setae medially. Metanotal reticles transverse at anterior, longer than wide medially, with faint internal dot-like or linear markings. Forewing slender, slightly narrowed near base. Abdominal tergite I with transverse lines medially; trichobothria on X slightly larger than base of major setae on X. Sternites with 4 pairs of marginal setae, several pairs of discal setae laterally; VII with no discal setae medially, 2 pairs of accessory setae situated in front of margin.
Male not known.

Related species

The genus Desmothrips is known only from Australia, with 18 described species (Pereyra & Mound, 2010). D. chirus is unique among Aeolothripidae in the form of the fore femora, with the external apical margin slightly recurved as in species of the genus Chirothrips that breed in grass florets.

Biological data

Collected on one occasion from an unidentifed grass, and presumably breeding in the flowers of some species of Poaceae.

Distribution data

Known only from Darwin.

Family name

AEOLOTHRIPIDAE

Species name

Desmothrips chirus Mound & Marullo

Original name and synonyms

Desmothrips chirus Mound & Marullo, 1998: 939

References

Mound LA & Marullo R (1998) Biology and identification of Aeolothripidae (Thysanoptera) in Australia. Invertebrate Taxonomy 12: 929–950.

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.