Generic diagnosis

Macropterous, micropterous or apterous Phlaeothripinae, with body surface having little sculpture. Head longer than wide, prolonged in front of bulging eyes, with genae constricted both to base and behind eyes; ocellar and postocular setae stout and weakly capitate; maxillary stylets wide apart, little retracted into head capsule. Antennae 8-segmented, III with 0 or 1 sense cones, IV with 2 sense cones. Pronotal epimeral setae stout and weakly capitate; remaining 4 pairs usually very small but in one species about twice as long as discal setae. Prosternal basantra and ferna developed, mesopresternum slender and transverse; metathoracic sternopleural sutures absent. Mesonotal spiracles large, often with complex internal sculpture; metanotum seldom with sculpture medially. Fore wing of macroptera without duplicated cilia, with three capitate sub-basal setae; microptera wing lobe with one capitate seta. Tergites II–VII without sigmoid wing retaining setae; tergite IX setae capitate. Male sternites without pore plates.

Nomenclatural data

Apostlethrips Mound & Minaei, 2006: 2. Type species Apostlethrips apostus Mound & Minaei 2006, by original designation.

An Australian genus comprising three described species.

Australian species
Apostlethrips apostus Mound & Minaei, 2006: 4
Apostlethrips poaceaeus Wang, Mound & Tree, 2019: 145
Apostlethrips pygus Mound & Minaei, 2006: 6

Relationship data

There are no obvious relationships between this genus and other fungus-feeding Phlaeothripinae living in leaf-litter, such as Mystrothrips and Psalidothrips.

Distribution data

The members of this genus are known only from northern Australia.

Biological data

The three species described in this genus have all been found living at the base of grass tussocks, where they probably feed on fungal hyphae.

References

Mound LA & Minaei K (2006) New fungus-feeding thrips (Thysanoptera-Phlaeothripinae) from tropical Australia. Zootaxa 1150: 1–17.

Wang J, Mound LA & Tree D (2019) A new species of Apostlethrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae); an Australian genus from grass tussocks. Zootaxa 4688 (1): 144–146.