Print Fact SheetMesandrothrips

Generic diagnosis

Medium to large, brown macropterous Phlaeothripinae-Haplothripini with 3 sense cones on antennal segment III. Head usually slightly longer than wide, genae weakly convex; vertex usually with weak transverse striae; eyes large; postocular setae capitate, extending beyond eye posterior margin; maxillary stylets retracted to postocular setae, usually about one-third of head width apart with distinct maxillary bridge (rarely close together medially with almost no bridge); mouth cone not elongate. Antennae 8-segmented; segment III with 3 sense cones, IV with 4 sense cones; VIII slender and constricted to the base. Pronotum with almost no sculpture; usually with four pairs of capitate major setae; anteromarginal setae scarcely longer than discal setae; notopleural sutures complete. Prosternal basantra well-developed; ferna large and almost meeting medially; mesopresternum fully complete but sometimes restricted to pair of lateral triangles; metathoracic sternopleural sutures usually absent. Metanotum with weak or no sculpture. Fore tarsal tooth present varying in size; femora not armed. Fore wing weakly constricted medially, with duplicated cilia. Pelta not large, slightly recessed into anterior margin of tergite II; tergites II–VII each with 2 pairs of sigmoid wing-retaining setae; tube relatively slender, shorter than head. Male tergite IX S2 setae shorter and stouter than S1 setae; sternite VIII without pore plate.

Relationships

This genus is only weakly diagnosed, and is probably not monophyletic (Okajima & Masumoto, 2024). The species share most character states with members of Haplothrips, but have three sense cones on the third antennal segment. It is one of several confusing groups of species in the large tribe Haplothripini, including Karnyothrips and Xylaplothrips (Mound & Tree, 2019).

Biology

The type species of this genus, Mesandrothrips inquilinus, is a gall-invader and is probably predatory. Similarly, subterraneus is possibly a predator on the lily bulb thrips, Liothrips vaneeckei. Little is known of the biology of any of the other species placed in the genus.

Distribution

Most of the species listed in this genus were described from Asia and Australia. Of the two species listed here, one was described from the Canary Islands, and the other is possibly widespread as a predator of Liothrips vaneeckei on lily bulbs (Okajima, 2006).

Nomenclature

Mesandrothrips Priesner, 1933: 80. Type species Haplothrips inquilinus Priesner, 1921, by monotypy.

There are 21 species currently listed in this Old World genus (ThripsWiki, 2023).

Euro-Mediterranean species
Mesandrothrips caliginosus (zur Strassen, 1966)
Mesandrothrips subterraneus (Crawford JC, 1938)

References

Mound LA & Tree DC (2019) Rediagnoses of the Asian genera Xylaplothrips and Mesandrothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae, Haplothripini), with keys to Australian species. Zootaxa 4613 (2): 327–341.

Okajima S (2006) The Insects of Japan. Volume 2. The suborder Tubulifera (Thysanoptera). Fukuoka : Touka Shobo Co. Ltd. pp. 1–720.

Okajima S & Masumoto M (2024) Review of the genus Karnyothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae) from Asia between India and Japan. Zootaxa XXXX: XX-XX.

zur Strassen R (1966) Neue Fransenfluglerarten aus der Unterordnung Tubulifera von den Kanarischen Inseln (Ins., Thysanoptera). Commentationes biologicae Societas scientiarus fennica 29: 2–34.

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