Print Fact SheetAcaciothrips

Generic diagnosis

Medium sized, dark brown, macropterous Phlaeothripinae with strong pronotal sculpture and only 2 sense cones on antennal fourth segment. Head scarcely longer than wide, projecting slightly over first antennal segment; postocular setae variable, 1 or 2 pairs (sometimes 0), extending to posterior margin of eyes; genae convex, weakly narrowed to base; mouth-cone short and bluntly pointed; maxillary stylets retracted almost to postocular setae, one third of head width apart; maxillary bridge absent. Antennae 8-segmented; segment III with 1 sense cone, IV with 2 major sense cones; VIII broadly based. Pronotum with complex transverse sculpture lines; notopleural sutures complete; anteromarginal and anteroangular setae short and dark, midlaterals longer, epimeral and posteroangular setae long. Prosternal basantra absent, ferna large, widely separated or meeting medially, mesopresternum complete or eroded medially; metathoracic sternopleural sutures usually present. Fore tarsal tooth absent in both sexes. Fore wings not constricted medially, without duplicated cilia. Pelta triangular, reticulate; tergites II‒VII each with 2 pairs of sigmoid wing-retaining setae; tergite IX setae bluntly pointed, slightly shorter than tube; tube slightly shorter than head, anal setae shorter than tube. Male tergite IX setae S2 shorter than S1; sternite VIII with large pore plate.

Relationships

This genus is a member of the Liothrips-lineage of leaf-feeding Phlaeothripinae, despite having only two major sense cones on the fourth antennal segment. It is probably related to the Asian genus Gynaikothripsbut is distinguished by the presence of metathoracic sternopleural sutures, the partially incomplete mesopresternum, and the lack of fore wing duplicated cilia.

Biology

This thrips induces terminal leaf galls on Acacia nilotica (=Vachellia nilotica). Because of this damage the species has been released as a biological control agent of the host plant in Australia where it has become an introduced weedy pest (Dhileepan et al., 2018).

Distribution

The only species in this genus is widespread across the Sahel zone of northern Africa. It is not known in any countries North of the Mediterranean.

Nomenclature

Acaciothrips Priesner, 1965: 386. Type species Gynaikothrips ebneri Karny 1920, by monotypy.

Only one species is placed in this genus (ThripsWiki, 2023).

Euro-Mediterranean species
Acaciothrips ebneri (Karny, 1920)

References

Dhileepan K, Shi B, Callander J, Teshome M, Neser S, & Senaratne K (2018). Gall thrips Acaciothrips ebneri (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) from Ethiopia, a promising biological control agent for prickly acacia in Australia. African Entomology 26(1): 237–241.

Karny H (1920) Thysanopteren gesammelt von R. Ebner mit dem Zoologischen Expedition nach dem Anglo-Ägytischen Sudan, 1914. Akademie der Wissenschaften in Wien, Sitzung der mathematisch-naturwissenschaftlichen Klasse 15: 27–2

Priesner, H (1965) A monograph of the Thysanoptera of the Egyptian deserts. Publications de l’Institut Desert d’Egypte 13: 1–549. [Published in 1965, the front cover of the volume bears the date 1960 whereas the back cover indicates 1964. The manuscript went to the publisher on 1st October 1951 - teste Herman Priesner to Laurence Mound at Linz, Austria, in 1966]

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