Generic diagnosis

Macropterous, dark brown, bicoloured or yellow Phlaeothripinae. Head longer than wide, eyes larger dorsally than ventrally; genae with at least one pair of setae near base, sometimes inconspicuous; maxillary stylets deeply retracted into head, close together but sometimes almost 30% of head width apart, with conspicuous maxillary bridge; postocular setae present or absent. Antennae 8-segmented, III with one sense cone, IV with 3 (or 2) sense cones; VIII not constricted at base. Pronotum transverse, antero-marginal setae rarely developed; notopleural sutures complete. Prosternal basantra absent; ferna commonly with anterior margin transverse; mesopresternum usually reduced to two triangles; metathoracic sterno-pleural sutures well developed. Mesonotal lateral setae capitate; metanotal median setae acute; metanotum usually reticulate. Fore tarsal tooth commonly absent in female, usually large in male; large males with pronotum and fore femora swollen. Fore wings parallel-sided; duplicated cilia present, but absent in several species. Pelta longer than wide, reticulate, with pair of campaniform sensilla; tergites II–VII each with 2 pairs of sigmoid wing-retaining setae, commonly reduced on VII; major pair of tergal marginal setae with apex capitate and commonly asymmetric; tergite IX setae S1 and S2 capitate; tube shorter than head. Male without pore plate on sternite VIII; tergite IX setae S2 not different from female.

Nomenclatural data

Akainothrips Mound, 1971: 395. Type species Adiaphorothrips citritarsus Girault 1928, by monotypy.

There are 34 described species in this genus, all from Australia.

Australian species
Akainothrips asketus Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 126
Akainothrips bipictus Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 126
Akainothrips calcica Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 127
Akainothrips carnei Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 127
Akainothrips ciliatus Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 128
Akainothrips citritarsus (Girault, 1928: 2)
Akainothrips crambus Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 129
Akainothrips dalbyensis Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 129
Akainothrips dubitalis Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 130
Akainothrips exourus Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 131
Akainothrips festus Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 132
Akainothrips francisi Gilbert, Mound & Simpson, 2012: 115
Akainothrips galeus Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 132
Akainothrips gremius Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 133
Akainothrips herbae (Girault, 1928: 2)
Akainothrips inionis Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 134
Akainothrips ireneae Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 135
Akainothrips iskae Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 135
Akainothrips juliae Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 136
Akainothrips magnetis Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 137
Akainothrips monaro Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 137
Akainothrips notius Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 138
Akainothrips nyngani Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 138
Akainothrips ochromelus Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 139
Akainothrips papyris Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 140
Akainothrips peronatus Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 141
Akainothrips polysetulus Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 141
Akainothrips quintarius Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 142
Akainothrips roxbyi Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 142
Akainothrips shirleyi Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 143
Akainothrips tathrae Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 143
Akainothrips tessarus Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 144
Akainothrips tosofagi Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 144
Akainothrips uncus Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 145

Relationship data

Presumably derived in Australia from some member of the Liothrips-lineage of phytophagous Phlaeothripinae.

Distribution data

This genus is known only from Australia, where the various species have been found widely across the continent.

Biological data

Living on the phyllodes of Acacia species, apparently as invaders of galls and domiciles created by other Phlaeothripinae 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.

Gilbert JDJ, Mound LA & Simpson SJ (2012) Biology of a new species of socially parasitic thrips (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) inside Dunatothrips nests, with evolutionary implications for inquilinism in thrips. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 107: 112–122.

Mound LA (1971) Gall-forming thrips and allied species (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripinae) from Acacia trees in Australia. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology 25: 387–466.