Distinguishing features

Female macroptera. Body yellow, fore wings pale with brown cross-bands at base and medially; antennal segments V–VI with apex brown. Antennae 8-segmented, VII–VIII slender, III–IV with sense cone forked and slender. Head wider than long; usually 3 pairs of ocellar setae present but pair I sometimes not developed, pair III between anterior margins of hind ocelli. Pronotum with 1 pair of major posteroangular setae; 2 pairs of posteromarginal setae; prosternal basantra with 2 pairs of discal setae. Metanotum weakly reticulate, median setae small and placed well behind anterior margin. Fore wing slender, first vein with 3 setae on distal half, second vein with 3–4 setae. Tergites without sculpture medially, posterior margins with complete craspedum; VIII with sculptured area extending anteromesad from spiracle. Sternites with large lobed craspedum, except medially on VII; median setae on VII arise in front of posterior margin; sternite III with small transverse pore plate.
Male macroptera. Similar to female; tergite IX with pair of very stout thorn-like setae and posterior to these several small tubercles; sternites III–VII with transverse pore plate.

Related species

Chaetanaphothrips currently comprises 20 species, most with restricted distributions in SE Asia (Nonaka & Okajima, 1992). Three species are widespread in tropical countries, the other two being C. leeuwenii and C. orchidii, but in neither of these do females have a transverse pore plate on sternite III.

Biological data

Breeding on leaves of orchids [Orchidaceae] and Musa sp. [Musaceae], on which plants it is sometimes a pest.

Distribution data

Widespread in tropical countries and recorded in Australia from Northern Territory, Queensland, and New South Wales.

Family name

THRIPIDAE - THRIPINAE

Species name

Chaetanaphothrips signipennis (Bagnall)

Original name and synonyms

Scirtothrips signipennis Bagnall, 1914: 22
Euthrips biguttaticorpus Girault, 1924: 1
Euthrips musae Tryon in Girault, 1925: 471
Physothrips citricorpus Girault, 1927: 1.

References

Mound LA & Marullo R (1996) The Thrips of Central and South America: An Introduction. Memoirs on Entomology, International 6: 1–488.

Nonaka T & Okajima S (1992) Descriptions of seven new species of the genus Chaetanaphothrips Priesner (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) from East Asia. Japanese Journal of Entomology 60 : 433–447.