Distinguishing features

Female macroptera. Body brown, mid and hind tibiae with extreme apex yellow, tarsi yellow; antennal segments I–II brown, III–IV yellow, V yellow with apical third brown; fore wings brown, slightly paler at posterior margin near base, with small white area basal to vein fork. Antennae 8-segmented, III–IV with short forked sense cone. Head wider than long, with 3 pairs of ocellar setae; pair III arising between midpoint of hind ocelli; 4 pairs of short postocular setae. Pronotal disc with weak transverse reticulation, median discal setae scarcely long than width of two transverse reticulations; 2 pairs of long posteroangular setae, 3 pairs of posteromarginals. Mesonotum with paired anterior campaniform sensilla. Metanotum with 2 pairs of setae at anterior margin, median area with weak longitudinal reticulation, paired campaniform sensilla close together near posterior margin. Mesosternal furca with spinula, metasternal furca without spinula. Fore wing first vein with complete row of about 18 setae, second vein with 14–18 closely spaced setae; clavus with one discal and 5 marginal setae. Tergites VI–VII with posteroangular setae arising mesad of the posterior angle; VI–VII with small ctenidia present laterally and terminating at median lateral seta; ctenidia on VIII slightly anterolateral to spiracles; VIII posterior margin with no comb medially, 2 pairs of broadly based microtrichia laterally; tergite IX with paired campaniform sensilla on anterior third.
Male macroptera. Similar to female but smaller; tergite VIII with no marginal comb; tergite IX with median setae short and thorn-like; sternites III–VII with broad inverted U-shaped pore plate.

Related species

The genus Parabaliothrips comprises five species, three from S.E.Asia, and two from Australia. The abdominal ctenidia terminate at the median lateral seta on tergites VI–VII, a more anterior position than in species of Frankliniella. Females of P. newmani have the forewing almost uniformly brown with the second vein bearing 14-18 setae, and males have a large, inverted U-shaped pore plate on the sternites, and short and thorn-like setae on the ninth tergite.

Biological data

Feeding and breeding on the terminal buds of Ficus macrophylla [Moraceae].

Distribution data

Known only from Australia (New South Wales and Lord Howe Island).

Family name

THRIPIDAE - THRIPINAE

Species name

Parabaliothrips newmani Gillespie, Mound & Wang

Original name and synonyms

Parabaliothrips newmani Gillespie, Mound & Wang, 2002: 114.

References

Gillespie PS, Mound LA & Wang CL (2002) Austro-oriental genus Parabaliothrips Priesner (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) with a new Australian species forming male aggregations. Australian Journal of Entomology 41: 111–117.