Distinguishing features

Female macroptera. Body brown, tibiae and tarsi yellow; antennal segments III–V clear yellow, I and VI–VII brown; fore wing pale; major setae on body light brown. Head longer than wide; compound eyes slightly prolonged ventrally, with 5 pigmented facets; postocular setae pair I absent, II arise far to posterior, III small, IV as long as II; mouth cone large, extending between fore coxae; maxillary palps 2-segmented. Antennae 7-segmented (VII sometimes with partial suture); segment I with 2 dorso-apical setae; sense cone on III–IV simple; IV with 4 setae plus one subsidiary sensorium dorsolaterally. Pronotum trapezoidal, 2 pairs of posteroangular setae, 3 pairs of posteromarginals; dorsal surface almost without sculpture lines. Mesonotal anterior campaniform sensilla not present, lateral setal pair minute. Metanotal median area reticulate, median setae close to anterior margin. Prosternal ferna complete medially; meso and meta furcae without spinula. Tarsi 2-segmented. Fore wing first vein with about 7 setae in basal half, 2 setae near apex; second vein with about 6 setae; clavus with 3 or 4 veinal and one discal setae. Tergite I reticulate, II–VIII with no sculpture medially except near anterior margin; I–VIII with campaniform sensilla close to posterior margin, II–VIII with pale, translucent craspedum of small lobes; tergite X with dorsal split complete. Sternites without craspeda, with small discal microtrichia laterally, VII with setae S1 in front of margin.
Male microptera. Bicoloured, body mainly yellow with abdominal segments VI–X dark brown; legs and antennal segments I–V yellow. Structure similar to female; ocelli small; tergal craspeda scarcely half as wide as in female; tergite IX posterior margin with pair of stout setiform processes; no sternal pore plates, many small discal microtrichia.

Related species

The genus Bregmatothrips includes 9 species, primarily from the Old World between Europe and Australia but with B. venustus widespread in subtropics. These are grass-lliving thrips, with a pair of dorso-apical seta on the first antennal segment (although only one such seta is present in the type species, B. venustus ). Bhatti (1984) tabulated some ot the differences between seven of the species, but they are remarkably similar to each other in general appearance.

Biological data

Feeding and breeding on the leaves of native grasses, including Cymbopogon refractus [Poaceae].

Distribution data

Known only from Australia (New South Wales, Queensland).

Family name

THRIPIDAE - THRIPINAE

Species name

Bregmatothrips australis Mound

Original name and synonyms

Bregmatothrips australis Mound, 2011: 16.

References

Mound LA (2011b) Grass-dependent Thysanoptera of the family Thripidae from Australia. Zootaxa 3064 : 1–40. http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2011/f/zt03064p040.pdf