Generic diagnosis

Macropterous sexually dimorphic Phlaeothripinae. Head more than twice as long as wide, genae with small tubercle behind each eye; postocular setae pointed, shorter than dorsal eye length; female head ventrally with pair of small tubercles between compound eyes and long bifurcate tubercle extending forward from tentorial pits; males without anterior tubercles, and with bifurcate tubercle little more than a small ridge; maxillary stylets scarcely retracted anterior to postoccipital ridge. Antennae 8-segmented, III with one sense cone, IV with three; VIII scarcely half as long as VII. Pronotum longer than wide, without long setae; notopleural sutures complete. Prosternal basantra absent, ferna large but sexually dimorphic; mesopresternum reduced to two very small oval sclerites; metathoracic sternopleural sutures present. Mesonotum broad, weakly sculptured with lateral setae small; metanotum without sculpture medially. Fore tarsus as long as tarsal width; fore tibia stout with tubercle at inner apex. Fore wing broad, parallel sided, with relatively few duplicated cilia; sub-basal setae small to minute. Pelta triangular, reticulate; tergites II–VII each with 2 pairs of long wing-retaining setae situated close to lateral margins; median campaniform sensilla variable; tergite IX setae pointed, almost as long as tube. Sternites with marginal setae S1 shorter than sternite length, arising submarginally. Male similar to female but smaller; head ventrally with area posterior to tentorial pits recessed and bearing several setae; tergite IX setae S2 slightly shorter than S1; sternite VIII without pore plate.

Nomenclatural data

Pharothrips Mound & Wells, 2020: 424. Type species Pharothrips hynnis Mound & Wells, 2020 by monotypy.

There is only one species known in this genus.

Australian species
Pharothrips hynnis Mound & Wells, 2020: 424

Relationship data

This Phlaeothripinae genus is a member of the Liothrips-lineage of leaf-feeding thrips. Within this lineage the species is unique in having females with a prominent tubercle ventrally on the head, and this tubercle is shaped like a plough-share.

Distribution data

The single species in the genus is known only from eastern Australia.

Biological data

Found in the galls of Drypetothrips on the leaves of Drypetes deplanchei. The only species in this genus is presumably a kleptoparasite rather than a predator.

References

Mound LA & Wells A (2020) Two new monobasic thrips genera for a gall-inducing species and its kleptoparasite (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae). Zootaxa 4759 (3): 421–426.