Distinguishing features

Macropterous, strongly bicoloured, dark brown with abdominal segments IV–VI clear yellow but antecostal ridge lightly shaded; posterior half of metathorax yellow, also median part of tergite I; tarsi yellow, also mid and hind tibiae; antennal segments I–III yellow, IV–V shaded at apex, VI–VIII pale brown; fore wing sub-basal area pale before dark band, distal half variably paler. Head with occipital carina close to eyes; ocellar triangle transversely reticulate/striate with markings between the main lines; ocellar setae III arise outside ocellar triangle; three pairs of postocular setae, median pair long; postoccipital area with closely spaced reticulate striations. Antennal segments III–IV with long apical neck. Pronotum anterior third transversely reticulate with markings inside reticles; blotch almost rectangular, with narrow transverse reticulation and markings between main striae. Metanotum with linear reticulation, many markings between main striae; metasternal plate with deep U-shaped emargination. Tergite I medially with no marginal microtrichia, II–VIII with complete microtrichiate posterior margin. Sternites with few or no discal microtrichia mesad of marginal setae S1; 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; sternites VI–VII with 1 or 2 discal setae laterally.
Male similar to female, abdominal segment VII yellowish medially; sternites VI–VII with broadly oval pore plate.

Related species

Only three genera are currently recognised in the Sericothripinae (Lima & Mound, 2016), with Hydatothrips comprising 43 species worldwide (ThripsWiki, 2020). In the presence of lobed sternal craspeda, H. tareei is similar to the three Australian Hydatothrips that are known to breed on vines in the family Apocynaceae.

Biological data

Presumably breeding on the leaves of some Apocynaceous vine.

Distribution data

Rainforests of Eastern Australia

Family name

THRIPIDAE - SERICOTHRIPINAE

Species name

Hydatothrips tareei Lima & Mound

Original name & synonyms

Hydatothrips williamsi Mound & Tree, 2009: 10 [homonym, not williamsi Hood, 1928]
Hydatothrips tareei Lima & Mound, 2016: 10

References

Lima EFB & Mound LA (2016a) Species-richness in Neotropical Sericothripinae (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) Zootaxa 4162 (1): 1–45.

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

Mound LA & Tree DJ (2009) 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].