Generic diagnosis

Large, dark brown polymorphic Idolothripinae. Head projecting weakly in front of eyes, with one pair of long preocellar setae; postocular setae very long, one pair of shorter setae between postocular setae, also one pair of lateral postocular setae almost on genae; maxillary stylets broad, retracted to eyes, close together medially; male with stout horn anteroventrally between eyes. Antennae 8-segmented, segments III and IV each with 2 small sense cones. Pronotum transverse, notopleural sutures complete, midlateral, epimeral and posteroangular setal pairs each about as long as median length of pronotum. Prosternal basantra small, anterolateral, bearing one or two setae; ferna large (massive in male), median borders parallel; mesopresternum complete; metathoracic sternopleural sutures strongly recurved. Metanotum reticulate, median setae very long. Fore femora and fore tarsal tooth stout, particularly in male. Fore wing broad distally, with more than 50 duplicated cilia; cilia around wing apex very short and coarsely rugose. Pelta in female D-shaped with very short lateral wings, in male irregularly transverse and continuous between the lateral spiracles; tergites II–VI of macropterae each with one pair of weakly sigmoid wing-retaining setae; tergite IX setae more than half as long as tube; tube much longer than head with numerous short setae laterally, anal setae short.

Nomenclatural data

Ecacleistothrips Mound, 2007: 54. Type species Ecacleistothrips gloriosus Mound, by monotypy.

The single species in this genus is from Australia.

Australian species
Ecacleistothrips gloriosus Mound, 2007: 55.

Relationship data

Possibly related to Cleistothrips from New Zealand, this genus is a member of the Idolothripinae, Pygothripini, Pygothripina.

Distribution data

This genus is known only from a single sample taken in Brisbane Forest Park, Queensland.

Biological data

This species was found on soft rotting dead wood and is spore-feeding.

References

Mound LA (2007) New Australian spore-feeding Thysanoptera (Phlaeothripidae: Idolothripinae). Zootaxa 1604: 53–68.