Body yellow to light brown; including legs and antennal segment, except for II which is distinctively paler; head somewhat darker; 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 widest at posterior, with only one pair of long posteroangular setae. Meso & metathoracic spinula present. Mesonotum with a long setae arising laterally; metanotum with weak sculpture medially; paired campaniform sensilla present; median pair of setae arising close to posterior margin. Tarsi 2-segmented. Fore wing with both rows of setae complete. Abdominal tergites without microtrichia and X with a pair of well developed trichobothria. Sternites III–VII with 2 to 4 pairs of discal setae; ovipositor weakly developed. Female usually wingless.
Male apterae and with a large dorsal pore plate on head.
Intraspecific variation
According to Mound & O’Neill (1974), the colour of the pronotum and body size of males varies considerably between populations. Large males have expanded fore femora, the fore tibiae bear tubercles, and antennal segments III–IV are sometimes long and slender.
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. M. floridensis is the most frequently collected species in this group, being similar to M. brunneus but has distinctively paler body colour. A key to Merothrips species is given by Mound & O’Neill (1974).
World distribution
Widespread, reported from South to North America, Africa, Australia, Europe, Japan, and New Zealand.
Lives on leaf litter and 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
