About 16 species in three extant genera are recognized in this family. These are Damerothrips and Erotidothrips each with one species, and Merothrips with 14 species. Erotidothrips mirabilis Priesner and several Merothrips species are widespread but uncommon throughout the tropics, possibly being introduced by man. However, most Merothrips species are known only from the Neotropics and 8 species are reported from Brazil. Damerothrips gemmatus is known only from a few specimens collected in Mato Grosso and Paraná, Brazil. All Merothripidae species are presumed to be fungus feeding on dead twigs and litter, but no studies on the biology or behaviour of any of these thrips are available. Based on the material deposited in museums and Thysanoptera surveys along the Brazilian territory, it seems that the abundance and richness of Merothripidae is relatively low in South Brazil when compared with the warm and wet areas in the North.

 

Most Neotropical species of Merothripidae are minute and wingless, with the head unusually small, the tentorial bridge not developed, and the dorsal surface of the head of males occupied by a large glandular area. The antennae are eight or nine segmented, with the distal segments fully distinct from each other, and the sensoria on segments III and IV transverse or lenticular to slightly inflated. Sternite VII of females bears a pair of lobes each with two setae on the posterior margin, although sometimes difficult to observe. In some species abdominal tergite X bears a pair of well-developed trichobothria which are sometimes useful in species recognition. Mound & O’Neill (1974) suggest that this family represents the most primitive of extant Thysanoptera, mainly because of the structure of abdominal sternite VIII of females in comparison with that found in members of other families.

 

Click here to see the species recorded from Brazil. 

 

References suggested:

Bhatti JS (2006) The classification of Terebrantia (Insecta) into families. Oriental Insects 40: 339–375.

Mound LA, Heming BS & Palmer JM. (1980) Phylogenetic relationships between the families of recent Thysanoptera. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society of London 69: 111–141.

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

Mound LA & O'Neill K (1974) Taxonomy of the Merothripidae, with ecological and phylogenetic considerations (Thysanoptera). Journal of Natural History 8: 481–509.

Published in: 27/01/2018
Posted by: Adriano

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