
Medium to large, macropterous Phlaeothripinae usually with strong pronotal sculpture. Head longer than wide; postocular setae variable, usually 1 pair but often 2 (sometimes 0); genae not constricted at base; mouth-cone short and broadly rounded; maxillary stylets usually not retracted to postocular setae, about one third of head width apart; maxillary bridge absent. Antennae 8-segmented; segment III with 1 sense cone, IV with 3 sense cones; VIII not strongly constricted at base. Pronotum with complex reticulate sculpture; notopleural sutures complete or incomplete; major setae variable in lengths but at least epimeral setae long. Prosternal basantra absent or weakly developed, ferna large, mesopresternum complete; metathoracic sternopleural sutures absent. Fore tarsal tooth present in both sexes but sometimes very small. Fore wings not constricted medially, with duplicated cilia. Pelta triangular, reticulate; tergites II‒VII each with 2 pairs of sigmoid wing-retaining setae, sometimes with curved or straight accessory wing-retaining setae laterally; tergite IX setae long and pointed but shorter than tube; tube slightly longer than head, anal setae shorter than tube. Male tergite IX setae S2 short and stout; sternite VIII with pore plate.
This genus is one of the Liothrips-lineage of leaf-feeding Phlaeothripinae, and is presumably closely related to Liothrips genus. The two species listed here are readily distinguished from each other at some localities. However, in some samples intermediate specimens occur, and these may indicate the possibility of some interbreeding.
The members of this genus are all leaf-feeding, and commonly induce galls (Mound & Tree, 2021). The two species listed here are both involved in inducing leaf galls on Ficus benjamina and F. microcarpa in the many countries where these are cultivated (Tree et al, 2015).
Gynaikothrips is an Old World tropical genus, but with two Southeast Asian species that have been widely distributed around the world through the horticultural trade in Ficus plants. G. ficorum was described from Morocco in 1908, and was recorded in Egypt, Israel and Spain in the 1940's. Known as the Cuban Laurel Thrips, it was imported into Britain from Florida in 1992 (Collins, 1993), and is likely to occur anywhere in Europe where Ficus plants are grown in protected environments.
Gynaikothrips Zimmermann, 1900: 13. Type species Mesothrips uzeli Zimmermann, 1900, by monotypy.
There are 39 species listed in this genus (ThripsWiki, 2023).
Euro-Mediterranean species
Gynaikothrips ficorum (Marchal, 1908)
Gynaikothrips uzeli (Zimmermann, 1900)
Collins DW (1993) Recent records of Gynaikothrips ficorum (Marchal) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) imported into England on Indian laurel. Entomologist’s Gazette 44: 239–240.
Mound LA & Tree DT (2021) Taxonomic problems with Gynaikothrips and related genera (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae): the ficorum/uzeli complex and taxa endemic to Australia. Zootaxa 5023 (4): 537–554.
ThripsWiki (2023). ThripsWiki - providing information on the World's thrips. <http://thrips.info/wiki/Main_Page>
Tree DJ, Mound LA & Field AR (2015) Host specificity studies on Gynaikothrips (Thysanoptera:Phlaeothripidae) associated with leaf galls of cultivated Ficus (Rosales: Moraceae) trees. Florida Entomologist 98(3): 880–883.