Generic diagnosis

Black, wingless Idolothripinae with no long setae. Head broadly produced in front of eyes, genae parallel but sharply constricted at base; vertex strongly sculptured; with no long setae; eyes usually prolonged ventrally; maxillary stylets varying, either deeply or only shallowly retracted into head, mouth cone short and rounded. Antennae 8-segmented but VII and VIII closely joined; III with one sense cone, IV with two. Pronotum produced laterally, without long setae; notopleural sutures absent. Prosternal basantra present, ferna large; mesopresternum absent; metathoracic sternopleural sutures present (but often obscure). Fore tarsi without tooth. Pelta transverse; tergites with numerous small setae; tergite IX major setae small, tube shorter than head. Male similar to female, without sternal pore plates.

Nomenclatural data

Emprosthiothrips Moulton, 1942: 12. Type species Emprosthiothrips niger Moulton, by monotypy.

The six species in this genus are all from Australia.

Australian species
Emprosthiothrips bogong Mound, 1969: 185.
Emprosthiothrips brimblecombei Mound, 1974: 51.
Emprosthiothrips brittoni Mound, 1969: 186.
Emprosthiothrips csiro Mound, 1969: 185.
Emprosthiothrips epallelus Mound, 1974: 52.
Emprosthiothrips niger Moulton, 1942: 12.

Relationship data

A group of unusual species that are wingless and strongly sculptured. The genus is placed in the Idolothripinae, Pygothripini, Pygothripina and is probably related to Pelinothrips, another genus known only from Australia.

Distribution data

This genus is endemic to Australia, and the described species have been found widely in Eastern Australia, with niger also seen from Northern Territory, and epallelus from Perth in Western Australia.

Biological data

These thrips are spore-feeding and live in leaf-litter and at the base of grasses.

References

Moulton D (1942) Seven new genera of Thysanoptera from Australia and New Zealand. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Science 41: 1–13.

Mound LA (1969) Revision of three Australian genera of Phlaeothripidae (Thysanoptera) with seven new species, and one new generic synonym. Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 8: 173–186.

Mound LA (1974) Spore-feeding Thrips (Phlaeothripidae) from Leaf Litter and Dead Wood in Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology 27: 1–106.