Distinguishing features

Both sexes fully winged. Female body colour brown, head and thorax darker than abdomen; legs brown, tarsi yellow; antennal segment II darkest, III and IV almost yellow; fore wing white in basal fifth, then brown to apex. Antennae 8-segmented (sometimes with VII–VIII almost fused), III & IV each with a small forked sense cone that arises ventrally on both segments. Head transverse, reticulate near stout occipital ridge; ocellar region with tuberculate not reticulate sculpture; two pairs of ocellar setae, both just outside lateral margins of triangle. Pronotum transverse, with transverse reticulation and markings within each reticle; all setae small, slightly thickened and blunt. Metanotum with irregular reticulation. Fore wing veinal setae small, no longer than twice the length of the microtrichia, but blunt or slightly spatulate. Tergites with transversely reticulate sculpture laterally, the lines bearing small linear ridges; VIII with a posteromarginal comb of microtrichia, V–VII with a similar small comb medially. Sternites with three pairs of small marginal setae.
Male similar to female in colour and sculpture, but smaller with abdomen paler and more slender; tergite IX with a pair of long setae close together medially and two pairs of long discal setae closer to posterior margin; sternites with no pore plates.

Related species

There are 55 species listed in the genus Dendrothrips, none of which is native to any part of the Americas. Most of them are known from Africa and Asia, with nine species from Europe (zur Strassen, 2003), and four from Australia (Marullo, 2003). These thrips all have the metathoracic furca elongate and "lyre-shaped" as in other members of the Dendrothripinae (Mound, 1999). However, in Dendrothrips species the fore wing is unusual with the antero-marginal cilia arising ventral to the apparent anterior margin.

Biological data

Breeding on the leaves of Xylosma maideni and X. congestum [Flacourtiaceae], also Malaisia scandens [Moraceae]; a few adults taken from Smilax australis [Smilacaceae].

Distribution data

Described from Australia, on.Lord Howe Island, but recorded from a nursery greenhouse in California.

Family name

THRIPIDAE - DENDROTHRIPINAE

Species name

Dendrothrips howei Mound

Original name and synonyms

Dendrothrips howei Mound, 1999: 264

References

Marullo R (2003) Host relationships at plant family level in Dendrothrips Uzel (Thysanoptera: Thripidae, Dendrothripinae) with a new Australian species. Australian Journal of Entomology 42: 46–50.

Mound LA (1999) Saltatorial leaf-feeding Thysanoptera (Thripidae, Dendrothripinae) in Australia and New Caledonia, with newly recorded pests of ferns, figs and mulberries. Australian Journal of Entomology 38: 257–273.

zur Strassen R (2003) Die terebranten Thysanopteren Europas und des Mittelmeer-Gebietes. Die Tierwelt Deutschlands 74: 1–271.

Thysanoptera Californica