Distinguishing features

Female apterous or macropterous; antennae 8-segmented, III and IV with transversely oval sensorium. Head smaller than pronotum, vertex with pair of long ocellar setae. Pronotum trapezoidal, median area with series of medially converging longitudinal lines, posterior area with a few transverse lines; paired longitudinal sutures laterally, one pair of long posteroangular setae. Mesonotum, metanotum and tergites with faint sculpture lines. Tergite IX median setae longer than sub-median pair; tergite X trichobothria larger than spiracle on tergite VIII, axial seta as long as tergal major setae.
Macroptera with large compound eyes; fore wing second vein extending basad from cross vein.
Male apterous, vertex developed as extensive pore plate; antennal sensoria smaller than those of female; fore legs enlarged in large males, with pointed tubercle at inner apex of tibia; pronotum with hour-glass pattern of lines medially less clearly defined than in female, mesonotum, metanotum and tergites with several transverse lines of sculpture.

Related species

The genus Merothrips currently comprises 15 species, most being from the Neotropics (Mound & O'Neill, 1974), with a further three species known only from fossils (ThripsWiki, 2020). The trichobothria on tergite X are considerably larger in M. morgani than in M. brunneus, and the hour-glass-like sculpture medially on the pronotum distinguishes morgani from floridensis.

Biological data

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

Distribution data

Described from Illinois, this species is widespread in eastern USA, and has also been studied from California, Hawaii, Panama, Kenya and India. A single male was identified as this species from Fitzroy Falls, NSW (Mound & O'Neill, 1974).

Family name

MEROTHRIPIDAE

Species name

Merothrips morgani Hood

Original name and synonyms

Merothrips morgani Hood, 1912: 312
Merothrips hawaiiensis Moulton, 1937: 411

References

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

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