Female macropterous; body bicolored, forewings with dark median line. Antennae 8-segmented. Head reticulated dorsally, with large eyes; cheeks curved, wider than the region of the eyes, and with several tubercles; maxillary stylets close together. Prosternal basantra absent. Metanotum reticulated. Abdomen with a narrow median grove dorsally, tergites II–VIII with 3 pairs of flattened wing-retaining setae, tergite IX covered by microtrichia. Tube with long anal setae. Fore legs enlarged, fore femora without a tubercle, fore tarsi with a tooth. Fore wings broad basally but narrow on the apical three fourths, without duplicated cilia.
Male not studied.
Intraspecific variation
Unknown.
Genus and similar species information Neurothrips is a genus with six species distributed across the neotropics. It is characteristic in having a narrow longitudinal groove in the abdomen, where the wings rest when not in use; and three pairs of flattened wing-retaining setae on abdominal tergites II–VII. Moreover, the body is covered by complex reticulation, the mouth cone is elongated, and the anal setae on the tube are unusually long. Neurothrips williamsi is distinguished from the other species in the genus recorded in Brazil for bearing three pairs of wing-retaining setae on abdominal tergite VIII, and many microtrichia on tergite IX. A key to Neurothrips species is available in Mound & Marullo (1996).
Distribution around the world
Described from Panama. Recorded from Brazil and Peru.
Distribution in Brazil
Rio Grande do Sul (FURG collection).
Life history
Lives in dead twigs and leaves, where it probably feeds on fungi.
