Panchaetothripinae

The members of this subfamily have the body surface, including the legs, with pronounced reticulate or complex sculpture. They are usually found as adults, larvae and pupae on the older leaves of various broad-leaved plants, although a few breed only on grasses, and some species of Caliothrips attack crop seedlings. A fully illustrated review of the 110 species and 33 genera worldwide was published by Wilson (1975). Mound (1996) listed the 13 genera and 17 species known from Australia, but since that date specimens of two further genera have been taken in northern Queensland; Elixothrips brevisetis, a tropical tramp species, and an unidentified species of Astrothrips.