Generic diagnosis

Medium-sized, macropterous or apterous Idolothripinae. Head longer than wide, elevated in midline; stylets deeply retracted and close together; maxillary guides long and stout; compound eyes usually smaller ventrally than dorsally; preocellar setae sometimes longer than one side of ocellar triangle; postocellar setae not elongate. Antennae 7-segmented (if 8-segmented then segment VII broadly joined to VIII); segments III and IV each with 2 sense cones. Pronotum with notopleural sutures complete. Prosternal basantra absent; Mesopresternum weak, sometimes fused to anterior margin of mesoeusternum; metathoracic sternopleural sutures present but broadly eroded. Fore tarsus of female with a forwardly-directed tooth arising near inner apical margin. Median tergites each with 1 pair of wing-retaining setae, but these sometimes reduced. Tube variable in shape, more or less constricted at apex.

Nomenclatural data

Heptathrips Moulton, 1942: 3. Type species Heptathrips tonnoiri Moulton, by monotypy.

A New Zealand genus of eight species ((ThripsWiki, 2022).

Australian species
Heptathrips cumberi Mound & Walker, 1986: 25.

Relationship data

This genus is placed in the Idolothripinae, Pygothripini, Pygothripina, a sub-tribe that includes a high proportion of taxa found only in Australia and New Zealand.

Distribution data

Described originally from New Zealand, the single species of this genus recorded in Australia, cumberi, was found in large numbers on dead branches at the base of shrubs along the southern coast of Kangaroo Island, South Australia. However, cumberi has also been seen in South Australia (Keith), Tasmania (Lake Pedder), Western Australia (Geraldton; Albany), and Queensland (Bulburin N.P.).

Biological data

The species are found on dead branches and at the base of grasses where they feed by imbibing fungal spores.

References

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

Mound LA & Palmer JM (1983) The generic and tribal classification of spore-feeding Thysanoptera (Phlaeothripidae: Idolothripinae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology 46: 1–174.

Mound LA & Walker AK (1986) Tubulifera (Insecta: Thysanoptera). Fauna of New Zealand 10: 1–140.

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