Figures

Fig. 1 Head, thorax, abdomen and sternites of a male with pore plates
Fig. 2 Antenna and head (dorsal)
Fig. 3 Pronotum
Fig. 4 Fore and hind wing
Fig. 5 Meso- and metathorax
Fig. 6 Tergite VIII (female)
Fig. 7 Sternite VII and base sclerites of ovipositor

Species

Pezothrips kellyanus Bagnall

Biology

Breeding in a range of unrelated white or yellow scented flowers, including Citrus, Hymenosporum and Jasminum. On some varieties of citrus the larvae hide and feed beneath the old calyx lobes on young fruit and their feeding can lead to corky rings on the developing fruit.

Distribution

Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Greece and southern Italy.

Recognition

Body and legs dark brown, tarsi and apices of fore tibiae yellowish; antennae brown, III & IV with apices sharply yellow or white; forewing brown with a lighter area sub-basally; major setae dark. Head with transverse lines of sculpture near posterior margin; 3 pairs of ocellar setae present, pair I often small, III long and arising just within ocellar triangle. Antennae 8-segmented, III & IV with sharply constricted apical neck, sense cone forked; VIII slightly longer than VII. Pronotum with 2 pairs of long posteroangular setae, also sub-median posteromarginals long. Metanotum with median setae arising at anterior margin. Forewing with 2 setae on distal half of first vein, second vein with complete row of setae. Tergites without ctenidia laterally; VIII with posteromarginal comb represented by a few microtrichia laterally but none medially; X almost fully divided dorsally in mid-line. Sternites with no discal setae; median setae on VII arising in front of posterior margin, all 3 pairs placed equidistant from each other. Male smaller and more slender than female; sternites III-VII with many small circular glandular areas distributed irregularly.

Related species

This species is presumed to originate from southern Europe, and is included in the genus Pezothrips with 8 further species from that part of the world. It used to be placed in the genus Megalurothrips, in which all of the species breed in legume flowers, but it has a different arrangement of setae on the forewing.