Stephanothrips occidentalis Hood & Williams, 1925: 69.

Original reference: Hood (1925) New neotropical Thysanoptera collected by C.B. Williams. Psyche 32: 48–69. 

Family             

Phlaeothripidae, Phlaeothripinae

Nomenclatural information

http://thrips.info/wiki/Stephanothrips_occidentalis

Genus and similar species information

Stephanothrips is a genus with almost 50 species distributed worldwide, but only two of them are recorded in Brazil. They have a characteristic body, covered by tubercles; with abdominal tergite IX over two times longer than tergite VIII, and a very thin tube, usually as long or longer than head; multiple antennomeres are fused, making the antenna appear to have only 4 or 5 distinct units. Stephanothrips occidentalis is distinguished from the other Brazilian species, S. uvarovi, for having a robust hamus and antennal segments VI distinct from VII–VIII, while in S. uvarovi antennomeres VI–VIII are fully fused.

World distribution

Described from Saint Croix, Caribbean; widely distributed in the tropics and subtropics.

Distribution in Brazil

http://fauna.jbrj.gov.br/fauna/faunadobrasil/36227 

Life history

Found usually in leaf litter, where possibly feeds on fungi.

Economic importance

No recorded.

References suggested

Mound LA & Marullo R (1996) The Thrips of Central and South America: An Introduction. Memoirs on Entomology, International 6: 1–488.

Okajima S (2006) The Insects of Japan. Volume 2. The suborder Tubulifera (Thysanoptera). Fukuoka: Touka Shobo Co. Ltd. pp. 1–720.