Generic diagnosis

Small to medium sized, usually macropterous Phlaeothripinae, with little surface sculpture and genae incut behind eyes. Head longer than wide, slightly produced in front of eyes; eyes large, postocular setae long; maxillary stylets short, wide apart, without maxillary bridge. Antennae 8-segmented, segment VIII constricted at base and sometimes long; segments III and IV both with 3 sense cones. Pronotum with anteromarginal setae small, remaining 4 pairs long and capitate; notopleural sutures complete or incomplete. Prosternal basantra absent (present in Neotropical species), ferna large, mesopresternum complete; metathoracic sternopleural sutures absent. Fore tarsal tooth present in both sexes; fore tibia often with row of small tubercles on inner margin. Fore wing without duplicated cilia. Pelta variable from bell-shaped to ovoid; tergites II–VII each with 2 pairs of wing-retaining setae (rarely one pair on VIII); tergite IX setae S1 long; tube shorter than head. Male sternite VIII without pore plate.

Nomenclatural data

Terthrothrips Karny, 1925: 78. Type species Phloeothrips sanguinolentus Bergroth 1896, by monotypy.

There are 29 species listed in this genus (ThripsWiki, 2022).

Australian species
Terthrothrips ananthakrishnani Kudo, 1978: 8

Relationship data

This genus is a member of a group of genera of fungus-feeding species that live in leaf-litter. Most species in these genera are known from the Neotropics (Mound 1977), and at one time the genus-group was referred to as the Phlaeothripinae-Glyptothripini.

Distribution data

Of the 29 species listed in this genus, 22 are from the Neotropics with the others from southeast Asia including southern Japan. In Australia, the single recorded species was described originally from Japan but was subsequently found near Cairns in northern Queensland, although these Australian specimens have the head rather shorter than the ones from Japan. At least one more undescribed species has been seen from near Darwin.

Biological data

These species are fungus-feeders in leaf-litter.

References

Kudo I (1978) Zwei neue Japanische Arten der Gattung Terthrothrips Karny (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothriidae). Kontyu 46: 8–13.

Mound LA, Dang L-H & Tree DJ (2013) Genera of fungivorous Phlaeothripinae (Thysanoptera) from dead branches and leaf-litter in Australia. Zootaxa 3681 (3): 201–224.

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