Distinguishing features

Both sexes fully winged. Body pale brown with red internal pigment; fore wings pale at base and apex, with one dark and one rather paler transverse bands; antennae pale brown with segments IV–VI sometimes yellow at base; tarsi and apices of tibiae yellow. Head wider than long, finely reticulate between ocelli; ocellar setae pair III small but weakly spatulate, arising between anterior margins of posterior ocelli. Antennae 9-segmented; segments III–IV with forked sense cone, segment VI inner margin with long sense cone arising close to base. Pronotum with narrow transverse reticulation, faint markings between the main striae, discal setae weakly spatulate; posterior margin with three pairs of setae and one pair of posteroangular setae. Metanotum with closely spaced longitudinal striae, median pair of setae far distant from anterior margin. Fore wing first vein with two widely spaced setae on distal half, second vein without setae; wing apex with one stout seta; cilia arise ventrally near anterior margin. Tergites with median pair of setae longer than distance between their bases; sculpture on lateral thirds with short longitudinal lines giving appearance of microtrichia; posterior margin of VIII with complete but weak comb; tergite X with no longitudinal split.

Related species

The genus Pseudodendrothrips includes 20 described species, but the significance of some of the species in which the body colour is mainly yellow remains conjectural. P. gillespiei is one of only two described species with the fore wings banded, the other being from the Philippines (Mound & Tree, 2007).

Biological data

Breeding on the leaves of Trophis scandens [Moraceae], but collected originally from Alyxia ruscifolia [Apocynaceae].

Distribution data

Described from Lord Howe Island, but also taken in eastern New South Wales near Taree.

Family name

THRIPIDAE - DENDROTHRIPINAE

Species name

Pseudodendrothrips gillespiei Mound

Original name and synonyms

Pseudodendrothrips gillespiei Mound, 1999: 272

References

Mound LA (1999) Saltatorial leaf-feeding Thysanoptera (Thripidae, Dendrothripinae) in Australia and New Caledonia, with newly recorded pests of ferns, figs and mulberries. Australian Journal of Entomology 38: 257–273.

Mound LA & Tree DJ (2007) Oriental and Pacific Thripidae (Thysanoptera) new to Australia, with a new species of Pseudodendrothrips Schmutz. Australian Entomologist 34: 7–14.