Distinguishing features

Female macroptera. Body and legs yellow, also antennal segments I–III, IV brown in apical half, V yellow with apex shaded, VI–VIII brown; fore wings pale with weak transverse dark marking. Antennae 8-segmented; III–IV with weak apical neck bearing long forked sense cone; VIII longer than VII. Head wider than long, with 2 pairs of ocellar setae; ocellar setae III shorter than II, arising either on anterior margins of or else within the triangle; postocular setae I longer than rest of series; mouth cone long, extending between fore coxae. Pronotum with weak markings, 20–26 strong discal setae present; 2 pairs of stout posteroangular setae; 3 pairs of posteromarginal setae. Mesonotum with sculpture lines near anterior campaniform sensilla. Metanotum transversely striate, anterior campaniform sensilla present. Prosternal ferna weakly complete; mesofurca with weak spinula. Fore wing first vein with 3 widely spaced setae on distal half, second vein with 4 widely spaced setae; clavus with 5 veinal and one discal seta, terminal seta twice as long as subterminal. Tergites II–VIII with smooth craspedum, median area reticulate; VIII with groups of microtrichia antero- and postero-laterally. Sternites III–VI with broadly lobed craspedum, no discal setae; VII setae S1 far ahead of posterior margin, S2 much closer to S1 than to posteroangular setae S3.
Male not known.

Related species

There are six species listed in the genus Tusothrips, distributed between India and the Philippines. This genus shares with Rhamphothrips the close placement of setae S1 and S2 on sternite VII of females, although in Tusothrips species they are slightly further apart. Moreover, Tusothrips species have two pairs of pronotal posteroangular setae (Mound & Tree, 2011).

Biological data

Presumably feeding and breeding on leaves, but no host-plant recorded.

Distribution data

India, Thailand, Australia (Northern Territory), also probably from The Philippines.

Family name

THRIPIDAE - THRIPINAE

Species name

Tusothrips setiprivus (Karny)

Original name and synonyms

Mycterothrips setiprivus Karny, 1927: 200.

References

Mound LA & Tree DJ (2011) New records and four new species of Australian Thripidae (Thysanoptera) emphasise faunal relationships between northern Australia and Asia. Zootaxa 2764 : 35–48. http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2011/f/zt02764p048.pdf