Generic diagnosis

Small, usually dark and apterous Phlaeothripinae, with many setae short and broad. Head with eyes smaller dorsally than ventrally; mouth-cone long, extending across prosternum. Antennae 8-segmented, III with skirt-like flange at base; segment III with 1 or 0 sense cones, IV with 2 sense cones; VI–VIII or VII–VIII broadly united. Pronotum with notopleural sutures complete, sometimes extended forward on dorsal surface. Prosternal basantra not present, ferna transverse; meso-presternum reduced to two triangles; meso-eusternum anterior margin sometimes eroded medially; metathoracic sterno-pleural sutures well developed. Meso- and metanota transverse, metanotum with numerous setae. Fore tarsus with small tooth in both sexes. Fore wing, when present, without duplicated cilia. Pelta broad; tergites II–VII with one pair of major marginal setae, discal setae numerous, blunt to broadly flattened, commonly in two or more transverse rows; tergite IX setae short and broad; tube shorter than head. Male sternite VIII usually without pore plate.

Nomenclatural data

Brakothrips Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 146. Type species Brakothrips gillesi Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004 by monotypy.

There are eight species recognised in this Australian endemic genus.

Australian species
Brakothrips bullus Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 147
Brakothrips eucalypti Mound & Wells 2020: 204
Brakothrips gillesi Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 147
Brakothrips maafi Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 148
Brakothrips meandarra Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 148
Brakothrips pilbara Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 149
Brakothrips sculptilis Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 149
Brakothrips stenos Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 150

Relationship data

The genus is considered a member of the Rhopalothripoides suite of Phlaeothripinae genera that are found on Acacia trees in Australia.

Distribution data

Various members of this genus have been found widely across the drier areas of the Australian continent, and several undescribed species are known to exist.

Biological data

The species are found under splits in the bark of young branches of various Acacia trees, but with one species described from a similar habitat on Eucalyptus cinerea (Mound & Wells, 2020).

References

Crespi BJ, Morris DC & Mound LA (2004) Evolution of ecological and behavioural diversity: Australian Acacia thrips as model organisms. Australian Biological Resources Study & Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO, Canberra, Australia, pp. 1–328.

Mound LA & Wells A (2020) Host-shifts at family level in the Australian Acacia-thrips lineage (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae) with two new species. Zootaxa 4816 (2): 202–208.