Distinguishing features

Macropterous, body and legs often largely yellow, tergites II–VII with dark antecostal line and variable brown shadings anterolaterally; ocellar triangle, pronotal median area and pteronota weakly shaded brown; fore wing pale. Head with occipital carina not close to eyes; ocellar triangle weakly and irregularly reticulate; ocellar setae III close together behind fore ocellus; three pairs of postocular setae, median pair long and arising laterally. Pronotal sculpture mainly transverse, blotch usually weakly defined. Metanotum with irregular linear sculpture, without markings between the main lines. Metasternal plate with anterior emargination shallow. Tergites II–VI with no marginal comb medially. Sternites with discal microtrichia extending fully across median area of II–VI, posterior margins with long microtrichia; sternite VII medially with neither discal nor marginal microtrichia.
Male not known (one male studied from Mexico has a single pore plate on sternite VI).

Related species

The genus Neohydatothrips comprises 118 species worldwide, and N. gracilipes is probably a Central American species, among which the lack of a pronotal blotch and rather pale fore wings are more common character states. This species differs from most of the native Australian species in having the postoccipital carina not close to the compound eyes.

Biological data

Feeding and breeding on the leaves of Sida rhombifolia, Sida acuta, also species of Malvastrum and Abutilon [Malvaceae], but described originally as damaging the leaves of cotton.

Distribution data

Mexico, several Caribbean countries, Texas, Hawaii, India, Thailand, New Caledonia, also northern Australia from Brisbane to Darwin.

Family name

THRIPIDAE - SERICOTHRIPINAE

Species name

Neohydatothrips gracilipes (Hood)

Original name & synonyms

Sericothrips gracilipes Hood, 1924: 149

References

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