Distinguishing features

Female macropterous; body yellowish brown, antennae, tarsi and apices of tibiae yellow; fore wing base dark yellow, with two dark brown cross bands bearing dark veinal setae, wing apex pale. Head with cheeks bearing reticulate sculpture with strongly raised walls, vertex with transverse curved band of large reticles; ocellar area strongly elevated over antennal bases. Antennae 7-segmented, V-VII closely joined, III and IV with simple sensorium. Pronotum with lateral margins raised, posterior quarter strongly reticulate. Mesonotum deeply cleft medially. Metanotum with strongly 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 weakly sigmoid wing-retaining setae; VIII with marginal craspedum entire medially but toothed laterally; median split on X complete.
Male similar to female; tergite IX without unusually stout setae; sternites without pore plates

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. tumiceps has been placed in a separate genus, Brevithrips, but this obscures the many structural similarities to other species (Wilson, 1975). From other members of Astrothrips it differs in lacking a sub-marginal ridge posteriorly on the pronotum.

Biological data

Usually breeding on mature leaves, and apparently polyphagous. Associated in India particularly with Ricinus communis [Euphorbiaceae], also various species of Fabaceae such as Dolichos. In northern Australia it has been found in association with leaf scorching on Annona muricata [Annonaceae].

Distribution data

Widespread from India, Pakistan, Thailand, Java, Philippines, northern Australia

Family name

THRIPIDAE, PANCHAETOTHRIPINAE

Species name

Astrothrips tumiceps Karny

Original name and synonyms

Astrothrips tumiceps Karny, 1923: 331

References

Rachana, RR, Mound, LA & Rayar SG (2019) Tryphactothripini of India (Thysanoptera, Thripidae, Panchaetothripinae), with identification keys and a new record of Opimothrips. ZooKeys 884: 43–52.

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