Generic diagnosis

Large wing-polymorphic Phlaeothripinae–Docessissophothripini. Head about twice as long as wide, elevated in midline, narrowest just behind compound eyes; postocular setae capitate; postocellar setae acute in microptera, capitate in aptera; maxillary stylets relatively thick, retracted to compound eyes, close together in midline, maxillary guides stout; mouth cone pointed. Antennae 8-segmented, III with 1 sense cone, IV with 3 sense cones, VII and VIII broadly joined by oblique suture. Pronotum transverse, with 4 pairs of capitate major setae, anteromarginals absent (present in aptera); notopleural sutures complete. Prosternal basantra absent, ferna varying from pointed to rounded medially; mesopresternum complete but eroded, particularly in aptera; metathoracic sternopleural sutures long and curved, sometimes almost reaching hind coxal cavity. Mesonotal lateral setae capitate. Metanotum reticulate, transverse in aptera; metanotal median setae acute (capitate in aptera). Fore tarsal tooth and fore femora large in both sexes. Fore wings variable in length, also form of sub-basal setae, reaching thoracic hind margin in microptera, reaching tergite II hind margin in hemimacroptera. Pelta variable, quadrate to D-shaped, but narrowly bell-shaped in aptera; tergites II–VI each with 2 pairs of sigmoid wing-retaining setae, in microptera these are strongly developed only on III and IV, on VII they are short and straight as on all tergites of aptera; tergites with one pair of capitate posteromarginal setae, aptera with one pair of capitate setae medially; tergite IX setae S1, S2 and S3 capitate in both sexes. Both sexes with sternites III–VI anterolaterally with areas of specialised reticulation. Male sternite VIII without pore plate.

Nomenclatural data

Majerthrips Mound & Minaei, 2006: 7. Type species Majerthrips barrowi Mound & Minaei, 2006, by monotypy.

Only one species is known in this genus.

Australian species
Majerthrips barrowi Mound & Minaei, 2006: 8

Relationship data

The relatively thick maxillary stylets suggest a relationship to Holothrips in a group of Phlaeothripinae often referred to as the Docessissophothripini. However, the presence of only one sense cone on antennal segment III and three sense cones on segment IV is unusual for species in that group.

Distribution data

This genus remains known from a single sample taken on Barrow Island, Western Australia.

Biological data

Presumably fungus-feeding on dead branches, the only species in this genus is curiously variable in structure with apterae, micropterae and hemimacropterae being known.

References

Mound LA & Minaei K (2006) New fungus-feeding thrips (Thysanoptera-Phlaeothripinae) from tropical Australia. Zootaxa 1150: 1–17.