Diagnosis Female macropterous; body color mainly yellow, with antennomeres VI–VIII and abdominal segments V–VI dark brown; anterior angles of abdominal segments II–VI and anterior margin of VII brown; fore wings pale with brown stripes. Antennae 8-segmented, antennomere III with 1 and IV with 2 sense cones. Head about as long as wide, dorsal surface weakly sculptured, lateral margins continuous with eyes. Pronotum with one pair of well-developed setae on anterior angles and one pair on posterior angles; with transverse irregular reticles posteriorly. Pelta weakly sclerotized, divided into three plates: two on posterior angles and one median plate, thin and elongate. Abdomen with reticulated sculpture, weaker medially; tergites II–VI with one pair of sinuous wing-retaining setae. Fore legs with femora slightly thicker than the others, fore tarsi without a tooth. Fore wings curved basally, without duplicated cilia.
Male macropterous. Similar to female but smaller, fore femora with a median tooth on inner margin, tarsal tooth present. Pore plates absent.
Intraspecific variation Some specimens may have abdominal segments V and VI yellow medially, and brown on lateral thirds.
Genus and similar species information Aleurodothrips fasciapennis is the only species currently included in the genus, and its relationship with other Phlaeothripinae is unknown. Some of the diagnostic traits of this species are: body bicolored, with abdominal segments V and VI almost black, strongly contrasting the mainly yellow body; maxillary stylets far apart within the head; fore wings curved basally and with a banded pattern; pelta reduced to two posterolateral sclerites and one median sclerite, thin and elongate.
Distribution around the world Described from Barbados, occurring in several countries in Central America and the Caribbean, Asia and Oceania; also recorded in Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Reunion Islands and the United States.
Palmer JM & Mound LA (1991) Thysanoptera. Chapter 22. 5, pp 67-76 in Rosen D [ed] The Armoured Scale Insects, Their Biology, Natural Enemies and Control Vol B. Amsterdam.
