Generic diagnosis

Medium sized, dark, macropterous or micropterous Phlaeothripinae. Head longer than wide, parallel-sided; genae straight with a small tooth just behind eyes; postocular setae long; maxillary stylets usually retracted half-way to postocular setae, about one-third of head width apart. Antennae 8-segmented; segment III with one sense cone, IV with 3 sense cones; VIII short and broadly attached to VII. Pronotum transverse, with 4 pairs of major setae; notopleural sutures complete. Prosternal basantra absent; ferna well developed; mesopresternum usually divided into three small sclerites; metathoracic sternopleural sutures present. Fore tarsal tooth well-developed in both sexes. Fore wings broad, not constricted medially, with many duplicated cilia. Pelta triangular; tergites II‒VII each with one pair of weakly sigmoid wing-retaining setae; tergite IX setae S1 and S2 long and pointed. Male tergite IX setae S2 shorter than S1; sternite VIII without a pore plate.

Nomenclatural data

Sunaitiothrips Moulton, 1942: 1. Type species Sunaitiothrips fuscus Moulton, 1942, by monotypy.

Two species are recognised in this genus, both from Australia.

Australian species
Sunaitiothrips fuscus Moulton, 1942: 2
Sunaitiothrips ombros Mound & Tree, 2001: 263

Relationship data

This genus is a member of the Liothrips-lineage, and is particularly similar to Teuchothrips.

Distribution data

Described originally from near Cairns in Queensland, S. fuscus has since been found in coastal areas of southeastern Queensland and northeastern New South Wales, whereas S. ombros was described from rainforest southwest of Brisbane.

Biological data

Both species of this genus have been found inducing leaf-roll galls on Acronychia [Rutaceae], but on two different species of these plants.

References

Moulton D (1942) Seven new genera of Thysanoptera from Australia and New Zealand. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Science 41: 1–13.

Mound LA & Tree DJ (2021) Sunaitiothrips Moulton (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae): Queensland leaf-rolling thrips on Acronychia (Rutaceae). Australian Entomologist 48 (4): 261–266.