Print Fact SheetAllothrips

Generic diagnosis

Small, usually apterous Idolothripinae with antennae 7-segmented. Head longer than wide with no ocelli; eyes reduced to between 3 and 10 facets; postocular setae long; maxillary stylets broad, retracted to postocular setae, sub-parallel medially, about one-third of head width apart; mouth cone broadly rounded, maxillary palps with large terminal sense cone. Antennae  with 7 segments, III & IV each with 2 sense cones. Pronotum with five pairs of major setae, notopleural sutures complete. Prosternal basantra weak; mesopresternum and spinasternum not developed, mesoeusternum entire; metathoracic sternopleural sutures eroded. Mesonotum transverse. Metanotum without sculpture, with one pair of prominent setae medially. Male with fore tarsal tooth, female usually without. Pelta transverse, usually with transverse line of sculpture near posterior margin; tergites II–VII with one pair of long marginal setae laterally, macropterae with one pair of wing-retaining setae; tergite IX setae usually capitate and shorter than tube; tube shorter than head with sides straight.

Relationships

This is one of five genera placed in the subtribe Allothripina of the Phlaeothripidae, Idolothripinae. The terminal sense cone on the maxillary palps is unusually large in most of the included species.

Biology

The species feed on fungal spores on dead branches and are sometimes common in leaf-litter.  

Distribution

Species of this genus are found widely around the world. The species known from Europe, pillichellus, was described from Hungary and Roumania and is recorded from various sites in southern Europe, however it is probably widespread in Mediterranean countries (Mound 1972). The species pillichellus was interpreted by Mound (1972) as comprising a series of nine sub-species, including bournieri as well as other forms in India, southern Africa and the Americas. However, these are currently all listed as separate species (ThripsWiki, 2023).

Nomenclature

Allothrips Hood, 1908: 372. Type species Allothrips megacephalus Hood, by monotypy.

Worldwide 25 species are listed in this genus (ThripsWiki, 2023).

Euro-Mediterranean species
Allothrips bournieri Mound, 1972
Allothrips pillichellus (Priesner, 1925)

References

Minaei K (2011) Fungal spore-feeding thrips (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae: Idolothripinae) from Iran with record of a fourth genus. Journal of Insect Science 11: 51 available online: insectscience.org/11.51

Mound LA (1972) Polytypic species of spore-feeding Thysanoptera in the genus Allothrips Hood (Phlaeothripidae). Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 11: 23–36.

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