Generic diagnosis

Medium-sized, dark, apterous or macropterous Phlaeothripinae. Aptera: Varying greatly in body size (2000–3500 microns body length); head with cheeks swollen behind small eyes, no ocelli, genae without setae; postocular setae small; maxillary stylets close together in middle of head; maxillary guides stout and curved, meeting at anterior. Antennae 8-segmented; segment III with 1 sense cone, IV with 2 sense cones. Pronotum massive, reticulate, major setae short. Prosternal basantra absent; ferna large and transverse; prosternal chitinous islets very large; mesopresternum absent; metathoracic sternopleural sutures present. Mesonotum transverse; metanotum transverse, strongly reticulate with one pair of median setae. Fore tarsal tooth massive; fore femora swollen but without tubercles. Pelta eroded to small circular sclerite; tergal median setal pair long and wide apart; VIII and IX of large individuals with many small fine discal setae medially; female segment IX with fustis weakly developed; tube short and conical, with many short setae dorsally and ventrally; anal setae short and stout. Male with phallotheca massive, segment IX enlarged, tube deeply excavate ventrally. Macroptera: head with genae parallel, eyes and ocelli large; pronotum narrower than prothorax, epimeral setae capitate; fore wing parallel-sided but tapering to apex, without duplicated cilia. Micropterae of both sexes, intermediate in colour and structure between macropterae and apterae.

Nomenclatural data

Phallothrips Mound & Crespi, 1992: 403. Type species Phallothrips houstoni Mound & Crespi, 1992, by monotypy.

There is only one species known in this genus.

Australian species
Phallothrips houstoni Mound & Crespi, 1992: 403

Relationship data

This Phlaeothripinae genus is possibly derived from the Liothrips-lineage, and related to the other two genera that occur in woody galls on Casuarina branches in Australia, Thaumatothrips and Iotatubothrips,

Distribution data

Described from eastern Australia, but later recorded from Western Australia.

Biological data

The difference between winged and wingless adults in this species is greater than is known in any other species of Phlaeothripidae, such that the bicoloured macropterae would not be considered related to the apterae if not found consistently within the same galls. However, the rarer micropterae are intermediate in colour and structure between the other two forms. This species breeds as a kleptoparasite within woody galls induced by Iotatubothrips species on small branches of Casuarina cristata and C. obesa.

References

Crespi BJ (1992) Behavioral ecology of Australian gall thrips (Insecta, Thysanoptera). Journal of Natural History 26: 769–809.

Mound LA & Crespi BJ (1992) The complex of phlaeothripine thrips (Insecta, Thysanoptera) in woody stem galls of Casuarina in Australia. Journal of Natural History 26: 395–406.

Mound LA, Crespi BJ & Tucker A (1998) Polymorphism and kleptoparasitism in thrips (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) from woody galls on Casuarina trees. Australian Journal of Entomology 37: 8–16.