Generic diagnosis

Macropterous, yellow or brown polymorphic Phlaeothripinae. Head with one or more pairs of stout cheek setae, genae convex and narrowing to base; eyes considerably longer dorsally than ventrally; postocular setae wide apart, usually longer than their distance from posterior margin of eye; maxillary stylets retracted to postocular setae, about one third of head width apart, maxillary bridge present. Antennae 8-segmented, III & IV with apex constricted to short neck, each with 3 sense cones. Pronotum smooth, median longitudinal apodeme present or absent; notopleural sutures complete, posteroangular and epimeral setae long. Prosternal basantra not developed but chitinous islets large; ferna with anterior margin transverse; mesopresternum reduced to two lateral triangles; metathoracic sternopleural sutures long. Metanotum reticulate medially. Fore femora sometimes with tubercle on inner margin near base, in males subject to allometry; fore tibia without tubercle; fore tarsal tooth absent in female, but present and usually forwardly directed in male. Fore wing parallel-sided, with about 10 duplicated cilia. Pelta longer than wide; tergites II–VII with 2 pairs of wing-retaining setae, on II and VII almost straight; tergite IX setae S1 shorter than S2 and S3 in female, tube with anal setae dark and nearly twice as long as tube. Male sternite VIII without pore plate; tergite IX usually with setae S2 long and slender;

Nomenclatural data

Triadothrips Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 288. Type species Triadothrips briga Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004, by original designation.

There are three species recognised in this genus.

Australian species
Triadothrips arckaringa Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 290
Triadothrips briga Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 290
Triadothrips hesmus Crespi, Morris & Mound, 2004: 290

Relationship data

Molecular data suggest that this genus is related to other genera of kleptoparasitic Phlaeothripinae that live on Acacia phyllodes in Australia.

Distribution data

These species have been found only in semi-arid areas across eastern Australia.

Biological data

The species are kleptoparasites that invade domiciles constructed by Lichanothrips and Paracholeothrips species on Acacia phyllodes.

References

Crespi BJ, Morris DC & Mound LA (2004) Evolution of ecological and behavioural diversity: Australian Acacia thrips as model organisms. Australian Biological Resources Study & Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO, Canberra, Australia, pp. 1–328.