Generic diagnosis

Macropterous or micropterous; head with wide projection in front of eyes, hind ocelli close to eyes; ocellar setae pair I present or absent, pair III well developed, on margin of ocellar triangle; maxillary palps 3-segmented. Antennae 8-segmented, segment I without paired dorso-apical setae, III–IV with sense cone simple or forked. Pronotum without discal setae. Mesonotal campaniform sensilla present. Metanotal median pair of setae at or behind anterior margin, campaniform sensilla absent. Mesosternal endofurca with or without spinula, metasternal endofurca without spinula. Fore wing posterior margin slightly more curved than anteror margin near apex, with two complete rows of widely spaced veinal setae; clavus usually with 3–4 veinal setae. Tarsi 2-segmented. Tergites V–VIII with paired ctenidia, ctenidia on VI–VII ending anterior to minor setae S3, on VIII anterolateral to spiracles; IX with two pairs of campaniform sensilla.
Male sternites III–VII each with a pore plate.

Biological data

The members of this genus are associated with the leaves of various plants growing in damp places, including Poaceae, Cyperaceae and Iridaceae.

Distribution data

Apparently a Palaearctic genus, with three species from Europe and two from China.

Nomenclatural data

Iridothrips Priesner, 1940: 403. Type species Bregmatothrips iridis Watson 1924, by monotypy.

Five species are recognised in this genus (ThripsWiki 2020), with two of them described from China:

lobulatus Wang, Mound & Tong, 2019: 148
zizaniophila Han & Zhang, 1982: 210 (Frankliniella)

Relationship data

A morphological phylogenetic analysis resolved this genus as sister-genus to Frankliniella, with which it shares many character states (Wang, Mound & Tong, 2019).

References

Han YF & Zhang GX (1982) Description of Frankliniella zizaniophila sp.nov. (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica 7 (2): 210–211.

ThripsWiki (2020). ThripsWiki - providing information on the World's thrips. <http://thrips.info/wiki/Main_Page>

Wang ZH, Mound LA & Tong XL (2019) Phylogenetic relationships within the Frankliniella genus-group based on morphology, with a revision of Iridothrips (Thysanoptera, Thripidae). Zootaxa 4651 (1): 141–154.