Distinguishing features

Female macroptera. Body and legs yellow; antennal segments I–II yellow, III–VI yellow with progressively more extensive light brown shading distally, VII light brown; fore wings pale; major setae pale to light brown. Antennae 7-segmented. Head broader than long, vertex and ocellar region transversely striate; ocellar setae III arising close together behind first ocellus; postocular setae I & III scarcely longer than II. Pronotum transverse, with many transverse lines and 50 short stout discal setae; inner and outer postero-angular setae not longer than posteromarginal setae. Mesonotal anterior campaniform sensilla absent, median area closely striate. Metanotum with arcuate transverse sculpture near anterior, reticulate medially, no markings within reticles; median pair of setae not close to anterior margin; campaniform sensilla not present. Fore wing first vein with 3 setae on distal half; second vein with 15¬18 setae; clavus with terminal seta longest. Abdominal tergite I with irregular sculpture medially, campaniform sensilla close to posterior margin; remaining tergites with lines of sculpture absent mesad of setae S1; tergite II with 3 lateral marginal setae, VI–VII with setae S3 unusually large, ctenidia weakly developed; tergite VIII posteromarginal comb with slender microtrichia near lateral margins but replaced medially by narrow craspedum; tergite IX anterior campaniform sensilla absent, X with no median split. Sternites and pleurotergites with numerous discal setae, sternite II with 12 posteromarginal setae, 3–5 discal setae; sternites III–VI with about 12 posteromarginal setae, 24 discal setae of which several are close to posterior margin, VII with 6–8 posteromarginal setae and about 30 discal setae.
Male macroptera. Similar to female but smaller and paler; antennal segment VI exceptionally long; sternites III–VII with slender transverse pore plate, VII with about 11 marginal setae and 13 discal setae.

Related species

T. aspinus is unusual among the 33 species of genus Thrips recorded from Australia (Mound & Masumoto, 2005) in having the pronotal posteroangular setae no longer than the posteromarginal setae. This genus comprises a total of 296 species worldwide (ThripsWiki, 2020), among which many have the antennae clearly 7-segmented, whereas others have 8 segments. Some species have two complete rows of setae on the fore wing veins, whereas others have the setal row on the first vein more or less widely interrupted. Moreover, some species have sternal discal setae, whereas other species have only marginal setae on the sternites. Despite this variation, all members of Thrips genus lack ocellar setae pair I in front of the first ocellus, and have paired ctenidia on the tergites that on VIII are postero-mesad to the spiracles. In contrast, Frankliniella species have ctenidia on tergite VIII antero-lateral to the spiracles, and a pair of setae is always present in front of the first ocellus.

Biological data

Feeding and breeding in the flowers of Mangifera indica [Anacardiaceae] and Syzygium gustavioides [Myrtaceae].

Distribution data

Australia (Queensland) and Peninsular Malaysia.

Family name

THRIPIDAE - THRIPINAE

Species name

Thrips aspinus Mound & Masumoto

Original name and synonyms

Thrips aspinus Mound & Masumoto, 2005: 15.

References

Mound LA & Masumoto M (2005) The genus Thrips (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) in Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand. Zootaxa 1020: 1–64. http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2005f/zt01020p064.pdf

Mound LA & Azidah AA (2009) Species of the genus Thrips (Thysanoptera) from Peninsular Malaysia, with a checklist of recorded Thripidae. Zootaxa 2023: 55–68. http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2009/f/zt02023p068.pdf

ThripsWiki (2020) Thrips Wiki-providing information on the World’s thrips. Available from: http://thrips.info/wiki/Main Page [accessed 28.viii.2019].