Generic diagnosis

Medium sized Phlaeothripinae with both sexes macropterous or micropterous. Head weakly to moderately reticulate, cheeks with one or more pairs of short stout setae; postocular setae capitate and short, scarcely reaching posterior margin of eye; maxillary stylets scarcely 0.2 of head width apart, retracted at least to postocular setae; maxillary bridge absent or weakly sclerotised. Antennae 8-segmented, III and IV each with two sense cones; segments IV–VII with narrow pedicel, VIII broadly joined to VII. Pronotal anteromarginal setae no larger than discal setae, remaining 4 pairs short and capitate, posteroangular setae situated more than their length from complete notopleural sutures. Prosternal basantra not developed, ferna large, mesopresternum reduced to two triangles; metathoracic sternopleural sutures well developed. Metanotum reticulate, with one pair of median setae. Fore tarsal tooth large in both sexes. Fore wing parallel sided, duplicated cilia present, sub-basal setae short. Abdomen with pelta broadly triangular; tergites II–VII each with 2 pairs of wing-retaining setae; tergite IX setae S1 and S2 scarcely half as long as tube. Male with narrow transverse pore plate on posterior half of sternite VIII; tergite IX setae S2 shorter than setae S1.

Nomenclatural data

Neocecidothrips Bagnall, 1928: 186. Type species Eothrips bursariae Moulton 1927, by monotypy.

This genus comprises just two Australian species, although Arrhenothrips pacificus Bianchi will be transferred from Teuchothrips to Neocecidothrips during 2022 by Mound & Goldarazena.

Australian species
Neocecidothrips bursariae (Moulton, 1927: 159)
Neocecidothrips curviseta (Girault, 1926: 2)

Relationship data

This genus is probably related to the Australian Teuchothrips complex of species. However the two species included are unusual in that in both sexes antennal segment III has 2 sense cones, and segment IV also has 2 sense cones.

Distribution data

Both species in this genus are known only from eastern Australia.

Biological data

The two known species are both recorded from galled leaves, one on Bursaria spinosa [Pittosporaceae], and the other from Auranticarpa rhombifolia [Pittosporaceae].

References

Mound LA (2008) Identification and host associations of some Thysanoptera Phlaeothripinae described from Australia pre-1930. Zootaxa 1714: 41–60.

Mound LA & Goldarazena A (2022) Antennal sense cone variation in Teuchothrips species of New Caledonia, with one new generic combination (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae). Zootaxa [in press]