Generic diagnosis

Medium sized, bicoloured, macropterous Phlaeothripinae with tergite X elongate. Head projecting strongly in front of bulbous eyes, genae convex but constriced to base, vertex with strong reticulation but no long setae; mouth cone almost pointed, maxillary stylets retracted to eyes, one third of head width apart, with no maxillary bridge. Antennae 8-segmented, segment III with 2 sense cones, IV with 4 sense cones; VIII slender and narrowed to base. Pronotum with rugose tuberculate sculpture, notopleural sutures absent, epimeral and posteroangular setae small on prominent tubercles. Prosternal basantra absent, ferna transverse; mesopresternum complete but slender; metathoracic sternopleural sutures absent. Metathoracic epimera swollen with prominent seta. Fore tarsal tooth absent in both sexes. Fore wings narrow, with tuberculate sculpture near base, no duplicated cilia. Abdominal tergite I transverse; tergites II‒VII with two pairs of broadly flattened wing-retaining setae close to mid-line; abdominal segment IX twice as long as wide, without prominent setae; tube long and slender, much longer than head; anal setae longer than tube. Male similar to female, sternite VIII without pore plate.

Nomenclatural data

Habrothrips Ananthakrishnan, 1968: 137. Type species Habrothrips curiosus Ananthakrishnan, 1968, by monotypy

There is only one species in this genus.

Australian species
Habrothrips curiosus Ananthakrishnan, 1968: 138

Relationship data

This genus is a member of the Urothrips-group of Phlaeothripinae, in which the species all have abdominal segment X unusually long. The only known species of Habrothrips is unique in the form of the head.

Distribution data

Described from India, but widespread across southern Asia to northern Australia, with a few specimens seen from around Cairns in northern Queensland and also Taree in New South Wales.

Biological data

Presumably fungus-feeding in leaf-litter.

References

Mound LA (1972) Species complexes and the generic classification of leaf-litter thrips of the Tribe Urothripini (Phlaeothripidae). Australian Journal of Zoology 20: 83–103.