Generic diagnosis

Moderate sized, dark Phlaeothripinae, Haplothripini. Head longer than wide; eyes normal, postocular setae well-developed; stylets retracted to postocular setae, about 0.5 of head width apart medially. Antennae 8-segmented, III with 3 sense cones, IV with 4 sense cones. Pronotum with 4 pairs of capitate setae, anteromarginal setae minute; notopleural sutures complete. Prosternal basantra present; mesopresternum transverse and almost complete medially; metathoracic sternopleural sutures absent. Metanotum with several small setae anteromedially. Fore tarsal tooth present in both sexes; fore tibiae usually with a flat scale on apical inner margin; fore femora enlarged with a tooth or hump on inner margin at base. Fore wings constricted medially, with duplicated cilia. Pelta triangular or trapeziodal; tergites II–VII with 2 pairs of wing-retaining setae; tergite IX setae shorter than tube; tube with straight sides, shorter than head, anal setae a little longer than tube. Male with no pore plate on sternite VIII; tergite IX setae S2 short and stout.

Nomenclatural data

Androthrips Karny, 1911: 560. Type species Mesothrips melastomae Zimmermann 1900, by monotypy.

Although 12 species are listed in this genus (ThripsWiki, 2022) it is possible that future studies will recognise some of these as synonyms (Mound & Minaei 2007).

Australian species
Androthrips monsterae (Moulton, 1940: 267)

Relationship data

This genus is a member of the Haplothripini (Mound & Minaei 2007), and shares many character states with Haplothrips species. However, antennal segment III bears three sense cones, and the fore femora have a prominent tubercle on the inner margin.

Distribution data

The members of this genus are found between India, Japan and New Guinea, also in northern and eastern Australia, with one species distributed to the Americas by the horticultural trade in Ficus species. The single species found in Australia was described originally from Papua New Guinea under the generic name Podothrips. However, it is possible that monsterae is the same species as Androthrips ramachandrai that was described from India.

Biological data

This is a genus of predatory species that are commonly found invading galls induced by other thrips (Melo et al., 2013). In Australia, Androthrips monsterae has been taken from rolled leaf galls induced by Teuchothrips species on five unrelated plants in the Northern Territory: Alyxia spicata (Apocynaceae), Antidesma ghesembilla (Euphorbiaceae), Smilax australis (Smilacaceae), Timonius timor (Rubiaceae), and Choriceras tricorne (Euphorbiaceae). It has also been found near Brisbane in leaf galls induced by the Thripidae species Cyrilthrips cecidis on Austrosteensia blackii [Fabaceae].

References

Melo FS, Cavalleri A & Mendonça Jr. MS (2013) Predation of Gynaikothrips uzeli (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) by Androthrips ramachandrai (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae). The Florida Entomologist 96: 859–863.

Mound LA & Minaei K (2007) Australian thrips of the Haplothrips lineage (Insecta: Thysanoptera). Journal of Natural History 41: 2919–2978.

ThripsWiki (2022) ThripsWiki - providing information on the World's thrips. Available from: http://thrips.info/wiki/ (Accessed 15.iii.2022)