Dendrothrips Uzel

Dendrothrips Uzel:

As a result of the new species described below, this genus now includes 55 species, many of which are brightly coloured. At one time the genus was subdivided, depending on whether the pronotum bears prominent posteroangular setae or not, but there is a considerable range among the species in this character state. D. anneckei from South Africa is particularly unusual in having the pronotal posteromarginal setal pairs I and IV elongate with broadly capitate apices, also ocellar setae pair III. These setae are thus similar in form to those of three of the species of Ensiferothrips, although the wing structure of anneckei is typical of Dendrothrips. Four species have been described previously in this genus from Australia, and four new species are added below, but little is known about their biology. There is no host recorded for glynn, a species that remains known only from four females taken near Cairns, with one from Cooktown, and another from Townsville, also one female from near Taree on the New South Wales coast. This is one of a group of tropical species with the head reticulate that includes latimaculatus from southern Japan and reticulatus from New Caledonia. The second Australian species with a reticulate head, williamsi, has a very distinctive dark fore wing, and has been taken in good numbers from Scolopia braunii [Flacourtiaceae] at Taree in New South Wales, with two females collected from Synoum glandulosum [Meliaceae] at Mt Tamborine, in southeast Queensland. The ocellar triangle of howei is largely tuberculate with weak reticulation posterior to the triangle. This species is known only from Lord Howe Island where it has been taken commonly on Trophis scandens [Moraceae] and Xylosma maideni [Flacourtiaceae]. In Australia the only common member of this genus is diaspora that has been taken widely across the continent, from Tasmania across New South Wales and even at Millstream in Western Australia. It is particularly associated with Notelaea species [Oleaceae], and has been found commonly on Norfolk Island on Nestegis apetala [Oleaceae]. One of the new species described below is also known only from Notelaea microcarpa. The fore wing colour of diaspora is sexually dimorphic; males have the median dark area uniformly dark, whereas females have this dark area interrupted medially by a paler band.