Gastrothrips mandiocae (Moulton, 1941: 321).

Original reference: Moulton D (1941) Thysanoptera from Minas Geraes, Brazil (second paper). Revista de Entomologia 12: 314–322.

Family

Phlaeothripidae, Idolothripinae

Nomenclatural information 

https://thrips.info/wiki/Gastrothrips_mandiocae 

Diagnosis

Female macropterous; body color mainly dark brown, fore tibiae and all tarsi paler; antennomere II brown with paler apex, III yellow, weakly shaded on apical half, remaining antennal segments brown; wings hyaline, weakly shaded basally and along venation. Antennae 8-segmented, antennomere III with 2 and IV with 3 sense cones. Head longer than wide, dorsal surface with weak transverse sculpture lines, lateral margins parallel; postocellar setae more than 2x as long as the diameter of an ocellus, almost as long as postocular setae; maxillary stylets V-shaped, more than half of head width apart, extending almost to the base of postocular setae. Pronotum with 5 pairs of well-developed setae, anteromarginal and anteroangular pairs somewhat elongate, midlateral, epimeral and posteroangular pairs longer. Metanotum weakly reticulated, with a median pair of stout setae. Metathoracic sternopleural sutures present. Pelta triangular, with basal wings, reticulated; abdomen with barely any sculpture, tergites II–VII with 1 pair of wing-retaining setae. Tube cylinder-shaped, constricted apically, about 2.9x as long as basal width, without lateral setae. All legs similar in appearance, fore tarsi with a tooth. Fore wings with about 10 duplicated cilia.

Male not studied.

Intraspecific variation

Some specimens may have the postocellar setae shorter.

Genus and similar species information

Gastrothrips is a genus with almost 40 species and widely distributed in the tropical regions of the world, but especially in the Neotropics. There is a lot of morphological diversity within this group, and it is possible that some forms represent distinct evolutive lines. Gastrothrips species are distinguished from other Brazilian Idolothripinae by having only three short sense cones on antennomere IV, while the rest of the subfamily usually has 4 sense cones in this antennal segment. Moreover, Gastrothrips species have metathoracic sternopleural sutures, pelta usually triangular and with basal wings, and the tube is relatively short, usually constrict apically. Gastrothrips mandiocae is unique among the Brazilian species in this genus, for having very long postocellar setae and antennomere III almost fully yellow, clearly paler than the other antennal segments.A key to some species of Gastrothrips (including the ones recorded in Brazil) is available in Mound (1974).

Distribution around the world

Described from Brazil and recorded from Argentina and Paraguay.

Distribution in Brazil

http://fauna.jbrj.gov.br/fauna/faunadobrasil/61628

Life history

Lives in dead leaves and twigs, where it feeds on fungal spores.

Economic importance

Not recorded.

References suggested
Moulton D (1941) Thysanoptera from Minas Geraes, Brazil (second paper). Revista de Entomologia 12: 314–322.
Mound LA (1974) The Nesothrips complex of spore-feeding Thysanoptera (Phlaeothripidae: Idolothripinae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology 31: 109–188.
Mound LA & Palmer JM (1983) The generic and tribal classification of spore-feeding Thysanoptera (Phlaeothripidae: Idolothripinae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Entomology 46: 1–174.
Mound LA & Marullo R (1996) The Thrips of Central and South America: An Introduction. Memoirs on Entomology, International 6: 1–488.