Generic diagnosis

Micropterous, rarely macropterous, Phlaeothripinae - Haplothripini. Head longer than wide; eyes normal or slightly prolonged ventrally; postocular setae well developed, often capitate; stylets retracted to just behind eyes, about one third of head width apart, maxillary bridge present. Antennae 8-segmented, III with 1 (or 2) sense cones, IV with 2 (or 3) sense cones. Pronotum usually with 5 pairs of major setae, notopleural sutures complete. Prosternal basantra present; mesopresternum transverse or eroded medially; metathoracic sternopleural sutures usually absent. Fore tarsus usually with small tooth. Macropterae with fore wings weakly constricted medially, without duplicated cilia. Pelta trapezoidal or hemicircular; tergites II–VII with 2 pairs of weakly developed wing-retaining setae in micropterae but these are fully developed in macropterae; tube shorter than head.

Nomenclatural data

Apterygothrips Priesner, 1933: 1. Type species Apterygothrips haloxyli Priesner 1933, by monotypy.

Worldwide, there are 39 species listed in this genus (ThripsWiki, 2022) but with only two known from Australia.

Australian species
Apterygothrips australis Pitkin, 1973: 328
Apterygothrips sparsus Mound & Walker, 1986: 43

Relationship data

The species placed in this weakly diagnosed genus are in structure essentially wingless Haplothrips species, or possibly Karnyothrips species. As currently organised, there are no clear distinctions between these genera that apply to all of the included species.

Distribution data

There are species listed in this genus from many different parts of the world, including temperate and tropical countries. In Australia, one species is widespread across the Southeast of the continent, and a second species was described from New Zealand but subsequently reported from Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island.

Biological data

The two species known from Australia, also some related species in New Zealand, live at the base of grasses and sedges. They are possibly fungus-feeders rather than phytophagous. However, A. sparsus has been taken together with large populations of mites on which this species may possibly be predatory (Mound & Wells 2015). Members of the genus from other parts of the world are known from dead branches (Okajima 2006).

References

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

Mound LA & Wells A (2015) Endemics and adventives: Thysanoptera (Insecta) Biodiversity of Norfolk, a tiny Pacific Island. Zootaxa 3964 (2): 183–210.

Okajima S (2006) The Insects of Japan Volume 2 The suborder Tubulifera (Thysanoptera). Fukuoka: Touka Shobo Co Ltd pp. 1–720.

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

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