Generic diagnosis

Small or minute, brown or yellow, usually wingless Phlaeothripinae, with major setae short, expanded and commonly fan-shaped. Head slightly longer than wide, compound eyes longer dorsally than ventrally; postocular setae short and broadly expanded; vertex more or less reticulate; maxillary stylets deeply retracted and close together medially in head; mouth cone not extending across prosternum. Antennae 8-segmented, VI broadly truncate at apex, VII not narrowed to base, III usually without a sense cone, IV with 2 sense cones. Pronotum variably reticulate, notopleural sutures complete. Prosternal basantra not developed; ferna transverse; mesopresternum weakly developed; metathoracic sternopleural sutures present. Meso- and metanota transverse, without axillary sclerites but minute wing lobe usually present; macropterae with pterothorax normal, metanotum with numerous setae. Fore tarsal tooth small or minute in female, larger in male. Fore wing with three expanded sub-basal setae. Pelta broad; tergites with transverse row of discal setae; tergite IX setae much shorter than tube; tube shorter than head. Male sternite VIII with small circular pore plate; tergite IX setae S1 and S2 equal in size; pronotum, fore femora and fore tarsi of major males enlarged.

Nomenclatural data

Rhopalothripoides Bagnall, 1929: 174. Type species Rhopalothrips brunneus Bagnall 1916, by original designation.

There are six species recognised in this genus, all from Australia.

Australian species
Rhopalothripoides colus Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 276
Rhopalothripoides disbamatus Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 276
Rhopalothripoides froggatti (Bagnall, 1916: 411)
Rhopalothripoides luteus Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 277
Rhopalothripoides pickardii Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 278
Rhopalothripoides victoriae Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 279

Relationship data

This genus is one of a group of genera of mainly wingless Australian species that includes Brakothrips and Hexadikothrips.

Distribution data

An endemic Australian genus that is found widely across the semi-arid zone of the continent.

Biological data

The species of this genus are presumably phytophagous. They live on various Acacia species, invading small spaces such as in split stems of young branches, old abandoned galls, and sometimes even the leaf nectaries of pinnate-leaved Acacia species.

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.