Distinguishing features

Female macroptera. Body brown to dark brown, tarsi and fore tibiae paler; antennal segments III–V and basal half of VI yellow; fore wings light brown. Antennae 8-segmented, III–IV with short forked sense cone. Head wider than long, without sculpture between eyes; 3 pairs of ocellar setae present, pair III slightly longer than distance between hind ocelli, arising just anterior to these ocelli on anterior margins of triangle; postocular setae small and close to posterior margin of eyes. Pronotum with transverse lines of sculpture, 2 pairs of long posteroangular setae; posterior margin with 4 pairs of setae. Metanotum weakly reticulate with posterior reticles forming distinctive arch at posterior margin; campaniform sensilla absent, median setae arising at anterior margin. Mesofurca with spinula. Fore wing first vein with 1 seta medially and 2–4 setae closer to apex; second vein with complete row of about 12 setae. Tergites III–VII with no sculpture medially; VIII with few scattered microtrichia anterior to spiracle, but no ctenidia, posteromarginal comb absent medially but with short microtrichia laterally; tergite X with complete longitudinal split. Sternites without discal setae, setae S1 on sternite VII arising in front of margin.
Male macroptera. Similar to female but smaller; sternites III–VII with large oval pore plate occupying half of length of each sternite.

Related species

The genus Tenothrips currently includes a total of 20 species, mainly from the Mediterranean area and California. This genus should not be confused with Taeniothrips, in which the species all lack ocellar setae pair I in front of the first ocellus on the head. The North American genus, Ewartithrips, is currently treated as a synonym (but see Mound et al., 2019).

Biological data

Feeding and breeding in the flowers of various Asteraceae; in Australia particularly on non-native weedy species such as Hieraceum, but apparently not on Taraxacum.

Distribution data

Widespread in Southern Europe, also Western USA, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay, Hawaii, Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia (Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, Western Australia).

Family name

THRIPIDAE - THRIPINAE

Species name

Tenothrips frici (Uzel)

Original name and synonyms

Physopus frici Uzel, 1895: 126
Euthrips dalmatica Karny, 1907: 45
Euthrips pallidicornis Karny, 1907: 45
Physothrips brevicornis Bagnall, 1916: 220
Physothrips blacki Watson, 1919: 32
Taeniothrips alba Priesner, 1926: 291
Taeniothrips pallidivestis Priesner, 1926: 291
Taeniothrips adusta Knechtel, 1945: 457
Taeniothrips fulva Knechtel, 1945: 457
Taeniothrips persimilis Priesner, 1954: 51
Taeniothrips cibiniensis Knechtel, 1965: 133
Taeniothrips (Tenothrips) alis Bhatti, 1967: 18.

References

Mound L, Hoddle MS & Hastings A (2019) Thysanoptera Californica. An identification and information system to thrips in California. Lucidcentral.org, Identic Pty Ltd, Queensland, Australia. https://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/thrips_of_california_2019/