Generic diagnosis

Medium sized macropterous Phlaeothripinae. Head longer than wide and sharply constricted at base; postocular setae present, ocellar setae small; genae with several setae; mouth-cone short and rounded; maxillary stylets almost V-shaped, not reaching postocular setae; maxillary bridge present. Antennae 8-segmented; segment III with 3 sense cones, IV with 4 sense cones; VIII not elongate. Pronotum with sculpture lines around margins, usually with 5 pairs of major setae; notopleural sutures complete. Prosternal basantra present but smaller than well-developed ferna; mesopresternum usually of two lateral sclerites; metathoracic sternopleural sutures absent. Fore tarsal tooth present in both sexes; fore femora often enlarged. Fore wings weakly constricted medially, with duplicated cilia. Pelta triangular; tergites II‒VII each with two pairs of sigmoid wing-retaining setae, with a group of stout setae laterally; tube shorter than head. Male with tergite IX setae S2 short and stout; sternite VIII without pore plate.

Nomenclatural data

Mesothrips Zimmermann, 1900: 12. Type species Mesothrips jordani Zimmermann, 1900, by subsequent designation of Priesner, 1929.

Although there are 42 species listed in this genus it is possible that some need to be placed in other genera. The single species known from Australia has three synonyms (ThripsWiki, 2022).

Australian species
Mesothrips jordani Zimmermann, 1900: 16

Relationship data

This Phlaeothripinae genus is a member of the Haplothripini, but unlike the species of Haplothrips the third antennal segment bears three sense cones. It shares character states with Dolichothrips and Mesandrothrips, but the base of the head is sharply constricted, and in contrast to Dolichothrips the mouth cone is short and rounded.

Distribution data

Most species in this genus have been described from Indonesia and India. The single species known from Australia has been found between Brisbane and Atherton in Queensland, but is widespread between Timor Leste and Thailand (also seen from a Gynaikothrips gall from Israel).

Biological data

The only species of this genus recorded from Australia breeds within galls. However, it is not a gall-inducer itself, but is an invader of the leaf galls induced by Gynaikothrips species on Ficus.

References

Mound LA & Minaei K (2007) Australian thrips of the Haplothrips lineage (Insecta: Thysanoptera). Journal of Natural History 41: 2919–2978.

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