Phallothrips houstoni

Nomenclatural details

Phallothrips houstoni Mound & Crespi, 1992: 403.

Biology and distribution

Described from Queensland (15km southwest of Dalby), Australia from Casuarina cristata (Casuarinaceae).

Distribution: Western Australia; later reported also from Eastern Australia.
This species breeds as a kleptoparasite within woody galls induced by Iotatubothrips species on small branches of Casuarina cristata and C. obesa.
The difference between winged and wingless adults in this species is greater than known in any other species of Phlaeothripidae, such that the bicoloured macropterae would not be considered related to the apterae if not found consistently within the same galls. However, the rarer micropterae are intermediate in colour and structure between the other two forms.

References

Mound LA & Crespi BJ (1991) The complex of phlaeothripine thrips (Insecta, Thysanoptera) in woody stem galls of Casuarina trees in Australia. Journal of Natural History 26, 395–406.

Type information

Holotype ♀: ANIC, Canberra