Generic diagnosis

Small, dark, macropterous Phlaeothripinae with head reticulately sculptured. Head about as long as wide, postocular setae extending to posterior margin of eye (or longer than eye); maxillary stylets wide apart, V-shaped, not retracted to postocular setae (in granti retracted to eyes and close together medially). Antennae 8-segmented; segment III with one sense cone, IV with 3 (+1) sense cones; VIII moderately slender and constricted at base. Pronotum transverse, with reticulate sculpture; only epimeral setae clearly elongate, anterior two pairs very short (granti with all 5 pairs of major setae elongate and capitate); notopleural sutures complete. Prosternal basantra absent; ferna well developed; mesopresternum narrowed medially; metathoracic sternopleural sutures present. Metanotum reticulate. Fore tarsal tooth absent in female, present in male. Fore wings not constricted medially, with duplicated cilia. Pelta triangular; tergites II‒VII each with two pairs of sigmoid wing-retaining setae; tube longer than head; tergite IX setae S1 and S2 more than half as long as tube. Male tergite IX setae S2 shorter and stouter than S1; sternite VIII with pore plate.

Nomenclatural data

Tolmetothrips Priesner, 1953: 358. Type species Eugynothrips smilacis Priesner 1928, by monotypy.

Only two species are placed in this genus (ThripsWiki, 2022).

Australian species
Tolmetothrips smilacis (Priesner, 1928: 648)

Relationship data

This genus was erected, without any description, to include the single species Eugynothrips smilacis. It is a member of the Liothrips-lineage of Phlaeothripinae, and is probably related to Teuchothrips. However, although the two included species, smilacis and granti, resemble each other in body form and sculpture, they are possibly not closely related.

Distribution data

The type species is widespread in wet sclerophyll forests of eastern Australia, but granti remains known only from a single large gall on an unidentified liane in the Solomon Islands

Biological data

The species induce leaf-roll galls, and the Australian species is found on Smilax australis.

References

Mound (1970) Thysanoptera from the Solomon Islands. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology 24: 83–126.

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