Print Fact SheetHolothrips

Generic diagnosis

Moderately large, dark, macropterous Phlaeothripinae with stylets unusually thick. Head longer than wide, elevated in mid-line; maxillary stylets 3–6 microns wide, retracted to compound eyes, close together medially for full length of head, often with a small or large loop within the prothorax. Antennae 8-segmented but with the suture between VII–VIII variably incomplete or even absent; antennal segment III with 3 sense cones, IV with 4 sense cones. Pronotum transverse, with 5 pairs of major setae; notopleural sutures complete. Prosternal basantra absent; metathoracic sternopleural sutures present, often long. Metanotum usually with some small discal setae on anterior third, median setal pair weak. Fore tarsus with tooth in both sexes. Fore wing parallel-sided, with duplicated cilia.  Pelta without campaniform sensilla; tergites II–VI with 2 pairs of wing-retaining setae, but anterior pair on each tergite often weakly developed, both pairs often weak or absent on VII; tergite IX major setae long, setae iS short; tube shorter than head, commonly yellow in part with grey terminal band. Male sternite VIII with no pore plate but sternites IV–VII commonly with paired areas of specialized reticulation.

Relationships

The members of this genus are unusual amongst Phlaeothripinae in having the maxillary stylets rather broader than the three microns that is typical of the sub-family (Mound & Tree, 2014).

Biology

All the species are associated with fungi on dead branches.

Distribution

Most species of this genus are from tropical countries, including both the New World and Old World (Okajima, 1987). However, schaubergeri seems to be widespread (but local) across the Palaearctic. Of the other two species listed here, one was described from Canary Islands and the other from Corsica.

Nomenclature

Holothrips Karny, 1911: 502. Type species Holothrips ingens Karny, 1911, by monotypy.

Twelve genera are listed as synonyms of Holothrips, and as a result it comprises 141 species worldwide (ThripsWiki, 2023).

Euro-Mediterranean species
Holothrips angulatus (Priesner, 1927)
Holothrips schaubergeri (Priesner, 1920)
Holothrips soror (zur Strassen, 1974)

References

Mound LA & Marullo R (1996) The Thrips of Central and South America: An Introduction. Memoirs on Entomology, International 6: 1–488.

Mound LA &Tree DJ (2014) Fungus feeding phlaeothripine Thysanoptera in the genus Holothrips from Australia and New Caledonia, with a structurally similar new genus, Holoengythrips. Zootaxa 3860(2): 125-148.

Okajima S (1987) Studies on the old world species of Holothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology 54: 1–74.

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