Distinguishing features

Female macroptera. Mainly yellow, external margin of fore femora shaded; abdominal segment X and posterior margin of IX dark brown; antennal segments I–IV yellow, V light brown, VI–VIII brown; fore wing including clavus weakly shaded, apex pale. Antennae 8-segmented, I with no dorso-apical setae, sense cone on III–IV simple. Head broadest across eyes, cheeks straight, converging to base, anterior margin projecting conically in front of eyes; compound eyes with 5 pigmented facets; ocellar setae pair I far apart; III arising between mid-points of posterior ocelli; maxillary palps 2-segmented. Pronotum weakly trapezoidal, posterior margin with 4 pairs of setae, 2 pairs of rather short posteroangular setae. Prosternal basantra granulate with about 4 pairs of setae; fernal plates scarcely connected medially; meso and meta furca without spinula. Mesonotal anterior campaniform sensilla present, median pair of setae distant from posterior margin. Metanotum medially with irregular sculpture; median setae just behind anterior margin; no campaniform sensilla. Fore wing slender, first vein with 6–8 setae on basal half, 3 widely spaced setae distally; second vein with about 5 widely spaced setae; clavus with 4 or 5 veinal setae, no discal seta; posterior fringe wavy. Tergal sculpture weak but complete medially; II–VIII with broad craspedum, campaniform sensilla close to posterior margin; tergites V–VIII with few microtrichia laterally; setal pair S2 on VIII no longer than S1; tergite IX shorter than X, with median dorsal setae extending beyond posterior margin, stouter than than posterior median setae and slightly shorter; X with complete split. Sternites with no marginal crapsedum; II with 0–3 discal setae, 2 pairs of marginal setae; III–VII with irregular row of about 3–10 discal setae; VII with major setae all at margin.
Male not described.

Related species

The genus Masimithrips comprises six species, all from northern Australia. These share most character states with the species of Monothrips, but have only two maxillary palp segments and lack sternal craspeda. Aliceathrips species lack setae on the prosternal basantra, and have the head different in shape, and the species of Caprithrips are all wingless and have no long pronotal setae. Females of geikiei are similar to those of melinus and williei, but are distinguished by the colour of the antennae and of tergite IX, and also by the shorter pronotal setae.

Biological data

Feeding and breeding on the leaves of Triodia sp. [Poaceae].

Distribution data

Known only from Western Australia.

Family name

THRIPIDAE - THRIPINAE

Species name

Masamithrips geikiei Mound

Original name and synonyms

Masamithrips geikiei Mound, 2011: 23,

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