Generic diagnosis

Small apterous or macropterous Phlaeothripinae with very short maxillary stylets. Head slightly wider than long; large males often with protruding tubercle ventrally between compound eyes; postocular setae small; eyes usually well-developed; mouth cone rounded, maxillary stylets often scarcely retracted anterior to posterodorsal margin of head. Antennae 8-segmented; segment III with 1 or 2 sense cones, IV with 2 sense cones, VIII closely joined to VII. Pronotum relatively large, setae not elongate, notopleural sutures usually complete. Prosternal basantra small or absent; mesopresternum narrow or reduced; metathoracic sternopleural sutures present. Fore tarsal tooth present in male, often absent in female. Fore wings without duplicated cilia. Pelta broad; tergites II–VII each with 1 pair of wing-retaining setae; tube and anal setae short. Male sternite VIII without pore plate.

Nomenclatural data

Sophiothrips Hood, 1934: 425. Type species Sophiothrips squamosus Hood, 1934, by original designation.

There are 31 species recognised in this genus (ThripsWiki, 2022).

Australian species
Sophiothrips canberrae Mound & Tree, 2014: 186
Sophiothrips darwini Mound & Tree, 2014: 186
Sophiothrips greensladei Mound & Walker, 1982: 352
Sophiothrips martinae Mound & Tree, 2014: 188
Sophiothrips mongae Mound & Tree, 2014: 189
Sophiothrips placodes Mound & Tree, 2014: 190
Sophiothrips postlei Mound & Tree, 2014: 191

Relationship data

The biology and sexual dimorphism of species in this genus suggest a relationship to Hoplothrips, but the members of Sophiothrips have unusually short maxillary stylets.

Distribution data

The genus is found worldwide in tropical areas. In Australia, including Norfolk Island, various species have been found in tropical and temperate moist forests, and two species have both been recorded from widely distant parts of this continent.

Biological data

The species of this genus are usually found by beating dead branches where they are presumed to be fungus-feeding.

References

Mound LA & Tree DJ (2014) The minute, fungus-feeding species of Sophiothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae) from Australia and New Zealand. Zootaxa 3860 (2): 184–194.

Okajima S (2006) The Insects of Japan Volume 2 The suborder Tubulifera (Thysanoptera). Fukuoka: Touka Shobo Co Ltd pp. 1–720.

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