Distinguishing features

Female macropterous and broadly robust; body blackish-brown, antennae paler with III and V yellow; fore wing dark particularly at fork of veins, and with two blacker swellings on fore margin; microtrichia on surface of wing near base almost tuberculate. Antennae with 7 or 8 segments, VI–VIII forming a tapering unit; sensoria on III & IV forked. Head transverse, ocellar hump long. Pronotum strongly transverse. Metanotum with broad triangular area. Mesosternum reticulate, metasternum trasversely striate; metafurca long and V-shaped. Tergites II–VIII with median setae long, arising on sides of median reticulated groove, IX–X with similar groove; tergites with smooth craspedum medially, toothed craspedum laterally. Sternites boldly reticulate, with unlobed craspedum.

Related species

Two species are included in this genus. One of these is polyphagous and widespread in the tropics, and is sometimes considered a minor pest, but R. javanicus is known only from Java and northern Australia. This species has only two dark swellings on each forewing, wheras R. syriacus has three, and both species are unusual in their body shape.

Biological data

Found on an unidentified vine near Cairns, Australia, breeding on mature leaves.

Distribution data

Described from Indonesia (Java), and found in northern Australia (Cairns, Darwin and Kununurra).

Family name

THRIPIDAE, PANCHAETOTHRIPINAE

Species name

Retithrips javanicus Karny

Original name and synonyms

Retithrips javanicus Karny, 1923: 364

References

Wilson TH (1975) A monograph of the subfamily Panchaetothripinae (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 23: 1–354.