Distinguishing features

Female macroptera. Body, legs and antennae dark brown, tarsi paler; antennal segment III slightly paler at base; fore wings with three alternating light and dark bans, apex dark also base of clavus. Antennae 9-segmented, segments III–IV with apical sensorium incomplete; segment IX slightly shorter than VIII. Head with ocellar setae III apparently short; only two pairs of long postocular setae. Pronotum without strong sculpture lines, with about 6 pairs of discal setae; posterior angles with 2 pairs of long setae. Mesonotum with no microtrichia, lateral setae stout. Metanotum with concentric lines and microtrichia on anterior half. Fore wing veinal setae shorter on basal half of wing than toward apex. Fore tibial apex with two stout ventro-lateral setae Abdominal tergites I–VIII medially with weak sculpture lines and no microtrichia; tergite VIII median setae scarcely 0.5 as long as tergite, arising distant from posterior margin.
Male not known.

Related species

Six species are currently described in the genus Dorythrips, two from Australia and four from South America (de Borbon, 2009). D. jenkinsi is remarkable within the genus because of the banded fore wings, although it remains known from a single female.

Biological data

Known only from a single female specimen; presumably breeding in the flowers of its host plant.

Distribution data

Western Australia, near Albany

Family name

MELANTHRIPIDAE

Species name

Dorythrips jenkinsi Mound

Original name and synonyms

Dorythrips jenkinsi Mound, 1972: 51

References

de Borbon, CM (2009) A redefinition of Dorythrips (Thysanoptera: Melanthripidae) with a description of a new species from Argentina. Zootaxa 2121: 17–26.

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