Generic diagnosis

Large dark, macropterous or micropterous Idolothripinae. Head elongate, elevated dorsally, truncate at anterior with antennae arising a little ventrally; frons with, or without, prominent tubercles and commonly with one or more pairs of enlarged pre-ocellar setae; postocular setae behind inner margin of eyes, one pair of postocular setae on genae; maxillary stylets close together in middle of head, retracted to postocular setae. Antennae 8-segmented, III and IV each with 2 sense cones; ventral apices of V and VI prolonged ventrally in some species; VIII as long as VII. Pronotum anterior margin excavate in large specimens, notopleural sutures complete. Prosternal basantra small, triangular, lateral to mouth cone; ferna large, usually with median margins parallel; mesopresternum transverse; metathoracic sternopleural sutures present. Fore tarsal tooth present in both sexes; fore femora usually not greatly enlarged even in large males. Fore wing broad, slightly expanded distally, with 20–50 duplicated cilia. Pelta wide, usually with large median area and slender lateral wings. Tergites II–VI (or VII) usually with only 1 pair of wing-retaining setae (rarely with more than one pair); tergites II–VI frequently with a pair of longitudinal pale or weakly sclerotised areas mesad of wing-retaining setae; lateral abdominal setae acute, moderately long; tube variable in length and shape, margins straight and constricted at apex or margins strongly convex.

Nomenclatural data

Phaulothrips Hood, 1918: 146. Type species Phaulothrips vuilleti Hood, by monotypy.

There are 20 species recognised in this genus (ThripsWiki, 2022), of which 16 are from Australia

Australian species
Phaulothrips agrestis (Bagnall, 1924: 628)
Phaulothrips anici Mound, 1974: 82
Phaulothrips barretti Mound, 1974: 83
Phaulothrips caudatus Bagnall, 1932: 510
Phaulothrips daguillaris Mound & Tree, 2013: 244
Phaulothrips flindersi Mound & Tree, 2013: 245
Phaulothrips fuscus Moulton & Newman, 1935: 100
Phaulothrips inquilinus (Kelly & Mayne, 1934: 73)
Phaulothrips kingae Mound & Tree, 2013: 247
Phaulothrips kranzae Mound & Tree, 2013: 248
Phaulothrips longitubus Girault, 1928: 2
Phaulothrips oakeyi Mound & Tree, 2013: 250
Phaulothrips sibylla Mound, 1974: 84
Phaulothrips uptoni Mound, 1974: 85
Phaulothrips vuilleti Hood, 1918: 147
Phaulothrips whyallae Mound & Tree, 2013: 251

Relationship data

This genus is placed in the Idolothripinae, Pygothripini, Pygothripina. The species are unusual in often having a pair, or a group, of short stout setae in front of the first ocellus, sometimes arising on a pair of tubercles.

Distribution data

The species of this genus are found widely across Australia, and the non-Australian members of the genus are all from the western Pacific area.

Biological data

These are spore-feeding species that live on dead branches.

References

Mound LA & Tree DC (2013) Australian spore-feeding thrips of the genus Phaulothrips (Thysanoptera, Idolothripinae). Zootaxa 3608 (4): 239–252.

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