Distinguishing features

Female macropterous; body yellowish brown, abdominal segments IX–X palest; antennae, tarsi and apices of tibiae yellow; fore wing base light brown, two dark brown cross bands bearing dark veinal setae, wing apex pale. Head constricted to base, cheeks bearing reticulate sculpture with strongly raised walls; ocellar area slightly elevated over antennal bases. Antennae 7-segmented, V-VII more or less fused into one long segment, III and IV with simple sensorium. Pronotum with anterolateral margins raised, posterior submargin with strong transverse ridge. Mesonotum weakly cleft medially. Metanotum with sculptured triangle, median setae arising near posterior. Fore wing first vein and costa with irregular row of stout setae, second vein with about nine setae; costal fringe cilia longer than setae. Abdominal tergite II anterior margin strongly constricted, anterolaterally with many claw-like microtrichia; tergites V-VII with pair of very weakly sigmoid wing-retaining setae, median setae small; VIII with marginal craspedum entire medially but toothed laterally; median split on X complete.

Related species

The genus Astrothrips currently includes 12 species, of which 10 are recorded from countries between India and New Guinea, but with two species from Africa. A. aureolus differs from A. tumiceps in having a sub-marginal ridge posteriorly on the pronotum, the terminal antennal segments form a longer unit, and the mesonotum is less strongly cleft medially.

Biological data

Breeding and causing red markings on the mature leaves of cultivated Hymenocallis spp. (Amaryllidaceae).

Distribution data

Described from "Malaya" on specimens taken in quarantine at Hawaii. Studied recently from Australia on Hymenocallis leaves at Darwin (N.T.), also at Port Douglas and Cairns (Qld).

Family name

THRIPIDAE, PANCHAETOTHRIPINAE

Species name

Astrothrips aureolus Stannard & Mitri

Original name and synonyms

Astrothrips aureolus Stannard & Mitri, 1962: 192

References

Mound LA (2009) New taxa and new records of Australian Panchaetothripinae (Thysanoptera, Thripidae). Zootaxa 2292: 25-33. http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2009/f/zt02292p033.pdf

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