Distinguishing features

Female macroptera. Body brown to dark brown, tarsi and antennal segment III yellow, IV yellow-brown; fore wings pale with brown transverse band medially. Antennae 8-segmented; segment I with paired dorso-apical setae; segments III–IV with apex forming short neck, sense cone forked; V with sense cone base circular, VI with sensorium base expanded. Head wider than long; 3 pairs of ocellar setae present; pair III anterior to hind ocelli, shorter than side of ocellar triangle; postocular setae small, close to posterior margin of eyes. Pronotum with 1 pair of long posteroangular setae; posterior margin with 4 pairs of setae. Fore tibia with two recurved tubercles at apex, ventrally and laterally. Metanotum reticulate, campaniform sensilla present; median setae arise at anterior margin. Mesofurca with spinula. Fore wing first and second veins with complete but irregularly spaced row of setae; clavus with 5 veinal setae and one discal seta. Tergites IV–VI with sculpture lines not extending mesad of campaniform sensilla; VIII with group of irregular microtrichia anterior to spiracle, posteromarginal comb represented by several microtrichia laterally. Sternites without discal setae, VII with median setae arising in front of margin.
Male hemimacroptera. Similar to female but smaller; mid tibia with small claw at apex; tergites with some sculpture lines medially, IX posterior margin with pair of short slender processes; sternites without pore plates, VI–VII with small triangular lobe medially on posterior margin.

Related species

One of only two known species in this genus that have pale fore wings with a dark transverse marking, O. fasciatipennis is the only member of the genus known to produce hemimacropterae. Odontothripiella is an Australian genus that currently includes 18 described species, with several more undescribed species also known. The genus shares many character states with Megalurothrips, in particular the presence of a pair of small setae dorsally at the apical margin of the first antennal segment.

Biological data

Feeding and breeding in flowers, but known only from adults collected from Carpobrotus and Disphyma [Aizoaceae].

Distribution data

Known only from Western Australia.

Family name

THRIPIDAE - THRIPINAE

Species name

Odontothripiella fasciatipennis (Bagnall)

Original name and synonyms

Odontothrips fasciatipennis Bagnall, 1916; 217.

References

Pitkin BR (1972) A revision of the Australian genus Odontothripiella Bagnall, with descriptions of fourteen new species (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 11: 265–289.