Generic diagnosis

Small-sized, macropterous or apterous Phlaeothripinae, with mouth cone exceptionally long and extending to mesosternum. Head rounded, not elongate, with vertex elevated longitudinally; one pair of postocular setae present; genae smooth, eyes well developed; ocelli present in macroptera, absent in aptera; maxillary stylets restricted to mouth cone, not extending into cephalic area. Antennae 8-segmented; segment VIII slender and constricted at base; segment III of macroptera with 3 sense cones, IV with 4; segment III of aptera with one sense cone, IV with 2. Pronotum slightly shorter than head with five pairs of major setae; notopleural sutures complete. Prosternal basantra present; ferna and prospinasternum transverse; mesopresternum absent, mesoeusternum anterior margin deeply eroded; metathoracic sternopleural sutures absent. Fore legs of females unarmed. Fore wings weakly constricted medially, without duplicated cilia. Pelta triangular; abdominal tergites III–VII each with one pair of sigmoid wing-retaining setae. Tube slightly tapered, anal setae a little longer than tube. Male not known.

Nomenclatural data

Bocathrips Goldarazena, 2010: 121. Type species Bocathrips okajimai Goldarazena 2010, by monotypy.

Only one species is known in this genus.

Australian species
Bocathrips okajimai Goldarazena, 2010: 122

Relationship data

This genus is a member of the Phlaeothripinae, and is presumably related to fungus-feeding members of the Phlaeothrips-lineage. Amongst such species this one has an exceptionally long mouth-cone but with the stylets not retracted into the head capsule.

Distribution data

Known only from the type series taken at Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory.

Biological data

This species was taken from dead branches, and is presumably fungus-feeding.

References

Goldarazena A (2010) Bocathrips okajimai gen. et sp. n. (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae), an Australian fungus-feeding thrips. Australian Journal of Entomology 49: 121–125.