Body uniformly brown; legs and antennal segment II yellowish brown; fore wing strongly shaded. Head with one pair of long ocellar setae, also one pair of postocular setae well developed. Antennae 8-segmented, III & IV each with transverse sensorium at apex. Pronotum with few lines of sculpture near posterior margin; widest at posterior, with one pair of long posteroangular setae. Meso & metathoracic spinula present.Mesonotum with a long setae arising laterally; metanotum with weak reticulate sculpture medially; paired campaniform sensilla present. Fore wing with both rows of setae complete. Tarsi 2-segmented. Abdominal tergites without microtrichia and X with a pair of stout trichobothria. Sternites III–VII with about 8 long discal setae; ovipositor weakly developed. Known only from macroptera form.
Male unknown.
Intraspecific variation
Not recorded.
Genus and similar species information
Merothrips includes 13 extant species, many of them described from the Neotropics. They all have antennae 8-segmented and the transverse sensoria on segments III & IV are and sometimes slightly inflated. Many species are known only from apterous forms. Merothrips tympanis is quite similar to M. floridensis, but can be distinguished by the the longer and numerous discal setae on abdominal sternites. A key to Merothrips species is given by Mound & O’Neill (1974).
Lives on dead branches, and possibly feeds on fungal hyphae.
Economic importance
Not recorded.
References suggested
Mound LA & O'Neill K (1974) Taxonomy of the Merothripidae, with ecological and phylogenetic considerations (Thysanoptera). Journal of Natural History 8: 481–509.
Mound LA & Marullo R (1996) The Thrips of Central and South America: An Introduction. Memoirs on Entomology, International 6: 1–488.
Published in: 23/12/2016 Posted by: Mariana Lindner
