Distinguishing features

Macropterous, strongly bicoloured; body and legs brown, abdominal segments V–VI yellow with dark tergal antecostal ridge; tarsi yellow, tibiae variably yellow at base and apex; antennal segments I–III yellow, IV pale near base, V–VIII light brown; fore wing sub-basal pale area with stout costal setae, distal half of wing almost uniformly shaded. Head with occipital carina close to eyes; ocellar triangle transversely striate; ocellar setae III arise outside ocellar triangle; three pairs of postocular setae, median pair long; postoccipital area transversely striate. Pronotum anterior third transversely reticulate with markings inside reticles; blotch with narrow transverse reticulation, markings between main striae. Metanotal reticulation almost equiangular medially, many markings inside reticles; metasternal plate with deep U-shaped emargination. Fore wing swollen at sub-basal area, sometimes with one seta on second vein. Tergite I medially with prominent microtrichiate craspedum, II–VIII with complete microtrichiate craspedum. Sternites with no discal microtrichia mesad of marginal setae S2; posterior margins with lobed craspeda bearing long microtrichia between each pair of marginal setae; sternite VII medially with neither discal nor marginal microtrichia, three pairs of setae arise sub-marginally.
Male similar to female, sternites without pore plates.

Related species

Only three genera are currently recognised in the Sericothripinae (Lima & Mound, 2016), with Hydatothrips comprising 43 species worldwide (ThripsWiki, 2020). However, the basally swollen fore wing of H. aliceae is not recorded in any of the other members of the genus, although sternites with similarly lobed craspeda occur in four Australian species.

Biological data

Feeding and breeding on the leaves of Parsonsia howeana [Apocynaceae].

Distribution data

Known only from Australia, Lord Howe Island.

Family name

THRIPIDAE - SERICOTHRIPINAE

Species name

Hydatothrips aliceae Mound & Tree

Original name & synonyms

Hydatothrips aliceae Mound & Tree, 2009: 4

References

Lima EFB & Mound LA (2016b) Systematic relationships of the Thripidae subfamily Sericothripinae (Insecta: Thysanoptera) Zoologischer Anzeiger 263: 24–32.

Mound LA & Tree DJ (2009b) Identification and host-plant associations of Australian Sericothripinae (Thysanoptera, Thripidae). Zootaxa 1983: 1–22.

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