Figures

Fig. 1 Antenna, head, thorax and abdomen
Fig. 2 Head and pronotum
Fig. 3 Head and prosternal plates
Fig. 4 Head and thorax (ventral)
Fig. 5 Head, thorax and first abdominal segments (dorsal)
Fig. 6 Fore and hind wings

Species

Nesothrips propinquus Bagnall

Biology

Commonly found at the base of tussocks of grasses feeding on fungal spores. When disturbed, adults raise the abdomen over the head.

Distribution

Widespread along the old sailing ship route between New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and St Helena.

Recognition

Medium sized dark brown to black thrips, with the legs and basal antennal segments yellowish; forewings, when present, darkly shaded, but most individuals apterous. Antennae 8-segmented, segment III with 2 sense cones, IV with 4 sense cones. Head wider than long; postocular setae extending nearly to anterior margin of eyes; one pair of setae arising wide apart between the posterior ocelli; compound eyes usually much longer ventrally than dorsally; maxillary stylets broad, retracted nearly to postocular setae, wide apart and V-shaped in head. Pronotum with 5 pairs of major setae, but anterior 2 pairs much smaller than posterior pairs. Female fore tarsus without tooth. Forewing parallel-sided, without duplicated cilia on distal posterior margin. Tergites III-VI each with one pair of sigmoid wing-retaining setae; tergite IX major setae little more than half as long as tube; tube short, shorter than head. Male with large fore tarsal tooth.

Related species

This genus includes about 25 species, mostly from the Western Pacific, including New Zealand and Australia. N. brevicollis is a widespread species in south east Asia that is similar in appearance, but has the fore femora brown with the apical half yellow.