Bolothrips insularis

Nomenclatural details

Cryptothrips insularis Bagnall, 1914: 295.
Cryptothrips icarus tuberculatus Priesner, 1922: 105. Synonymised by Mound, 1968: 141.
Cryptothrips brachyurus Bagnall, 1927: 573. Synonymised by Mound, 1968: 141.
Bolothrips arenarius Priesner, 1950: 36. Synonymised by Mound, 1974: 121.

Biology and distribution

Originally described from the Canary Islands.

Distribution: Bolothrips insularis is a predominantly Mediterranean species. Its currently known distribution extends from the Canary Islands in the west, across the Mediterranean region, to Syria in the east.
Bolothrips insularis lives mainly close to the ground, at the base of grasses and among dead plant material. Like other members of the genus Bolothrips, it feeds on fungal spores found on decaying vegetation. The species is therefore not directly associated with particular host plants, but rather with habitats that support suitable fungi.

References

Bagnall RS (1914) Brief descriptions of new Thysanoptera III. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (8)13: 287–297.

Priesner H (1922) Über albanische Thysanopteren. Wiener Entomologische Zeitung 39: 105–107.

Bagnall RS (1927) Contributions towards a knowledge of the European Thysanoptera II. Annals and Magazine of Natural History. (9)19: 564–575.

Priesner H (1950) Contributions towards a knowledge of the Thysanoptera of Egypt, XV. Bulletin de la Société Royale entomologique d’Égypte. 34: 25–37.

Mound LA (1968) A review of R.S. Bagnall’s Thysanoptera collections. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology Supplement 11: 1–181.

Mound LA (1974) The Nesothrips complex of spore-feeding Thysanoptera (Phlaeothripidae: Idolothripinae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology 31: 109–188.

Degabriele G, Cavalleri A, Goldarazena A & Mifsud D (2023) The Tubulifera (Hexapoda, Thysanoptera) of the Maltese Islands. ZooKeys 1180: 201–223.

Type information

Holotype ♀ (C. insularis): The Natural History Museum, London.

Lectotype ♂ (C. brachyurus): The Natural History Museum, London.

Holotype ♀ (C. tuberculatus): Senckenberg Museum, Frankfurt.

Syntypes (B. arenarius): Senckenberg Museum, Frankfurt.