Distinguishing features

Macropterous female, body brown, tarsi yellow, mid and hind tibiae yellow at base and apex; fore wing dark with base sharply pale. Head and pronotum with many setae. Antennae 9-segmented, sensoria on III and IV greatly inflated; VIII long and slender. Metanotal sculpture mainly linear, reticles with internal markings; median setal pair arising near posterior margin. Tergites sculptured medially, lateral areas with many closely spaced parallel lines; VIII without a marginal comb; tergite X with pair of large trichobothria. Sternite VIII represented by paired lobes that are almost fused to VII, and bearing two pairs of setae.

Related species

Erotidothrips is one of only three genera in the Merothripidae, although two further genera are known only from fossils (ThripsWiki, 2020). The genus comprises a single species, and this bears an unusually large number of small setae on the head and pronotum (Pereyra, 2011).

Biological data

Breeding on dead twigs and branches, and presumably fungus-feeding.

Distribution data

Described from Congo, and subsequently recorded from Ivory Coast, Bali and Samoa, this species has also been seen from southern India, Singapore, and Australia (northeastern Queensland).

Family name

MEROTHRIPIDAE

Species name

Erotidothrips mirabilis Priesner

Original name and synonyms

Erotidothrips mirabilis Priesner, 1939: 157

References

Mound LA & O'Neill K (1974) Taxonomy of the Merothripidae, with ecological and phylogenetic considerations (Thysanoptera). Journal of Natural History 8: 481–509.

Pereyra V (2011) Phylogenetic analysis of the small fungivorous family Merothripidae (Thysanoptera). Insect Systematics & Evolution 42 (4): 385–409.

ThripsWiki (2020) ThripsWiki - providing information on the World's thrips. Available from: http://thrips.info/wiki/Main_Page [accessed 29.x.2019].