Print Fact SheetAmphibolothrips

Generic diagnosis

Small, wingless Phlaeothripinae with elongate abdominal segments IX–X. Head slightly to considerably longer than wide, projecting (or not projecting) over bases of antennae; genae almost parallel; eyes reduced to about 5 large facets but with none or only one ventrally; postocular setae not developed; stylets retracted almost to eyes, more than one third of head width apart, usually with maxillary bridge. Antennae "5-segmented", segments III–V largely or completely fused; then either, VI–VIII fused without sutures or, VI distinct and VII–VIII fused. Pronotum major setae small or not developed, sometimes epimerals short, stout and pale with broadly expanded apices; pronotal disc weakly sculptured with several pairs of small setae; notopleural sutures not developed. Mesonotum and metanotum transverse, weakly sculptured, with many small setae. Prosternal basantra absent; ferna almost meeting medially; mesopresternum transverse but slender and distinct from mesoeusternal margin; metathoracic sternopleural sutures absent. Fore tarsus with no tooth and no protruding hamus. Pelta fully transverse, usually separated from tergite II by indistinct suture; tergites III–VIII each with pair of pale, broad posterangular setae; tergite IX longer than wide without long setae; tube slender, 4–8 times as long as wide, with 3 pairs of long anal setae, each anal seta at least twice as long as tube. Male very similar to female.

Relationships

This is a member of the Urothrips-group of genera in the Phlaeothripinae (Ulitzka & Mound, 2014).

Biology

These are fungus-feeding species that apparently live in leaf litter, but each has been collected only rarely.

Distribution

Three of the species in this genus are known only from southern Europe. The fourth species remains known only from two females taken on Oahu, Hawaiian Islands (Mound et al., 2023).

Nomenclature

Amphibolothrips Buffa, 1909: 193. Type species Amphibolothrips grassii Buffa 1909, by monotypy.

Bebelothrips Buffa, 1909: 195. Type species Bebelothrips latus Buffa 1909, by monotypy. Synonymised by Mound et al. (2023).

Conocephalothrips Bianchi, 1946: 499. Type species Conocephalothrips tricolor Bianchi. Synonymised by Mound et al. (2023).

This genus comprises three species from Europe, also a fourth that is known only from Hawaii (ThripsWiki, 2023).

Euro-Mediterranean species
Amphibolothrips grassii Buffa, 1909
Amphibolothrips knechteli (Priesner, 1936)
Amphibolothrips marginatus (Bournier, 1960)

References

Mound LA (1972) Species complexes and the generic classification of leaf-litter thrips of the Tribe Urothripini (Phlaeothripidae). Australian Journal of Zoology 20: 83–103.

Mound LA, Lima EFB & O’Donnell CA (2023) What is a genus – interpreting structural diversity among species of urothripine Phlaeothripinae (Thysanoptera). Zootaxa 5319 (1): 091–102.

Stannard LJ (1957) The phylogeny and classification of the North American genera of the sub-order Tubulifera (Thysanoptera). Illinois Biological Monographs 25: 1–200.

ThripsWiki (2023). ThripsWiki - providing information on the World's thrips. <http://thrips.info/wiki/Main_Page>

Ulitzka MR & Mound LA (2014) New generic synonyms in the Palaeotropical genus Urothrips (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripinae) with one new species from Seychelles. Zootaxa 3755 (6): 595–600.