Austro‐oriental genus Parabaliothrips Priesner (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), with a new Australian species forming male aggregations

Abstract

A second Australian species of Parabaliothrips Priesner is described, P. newmani, forming male aggregations on the leaf buds of Moreton Bay fig, Ficus macrophylla (Moraceae). The genus, predominantly south‐east Asian, is redefined and a key provided to the five described species. Members of this genus feed on leaves across a wide range of plant families, although each species is host specific. The host plant of the previously known Australian species, P. setifer Karny, is newly recognised as Leucopogon lanceolatus (Epacridaceae), and different south‐east Asian species are associated with species of Betulaceae, Hamamelidaceae and Fagaceae.

Australian Thysanoptera – biological diversity and a diversity of studies

“…However, similar male aggregations have been reported in other flower thrips, two amongst Australian native thrips being Parabaliothrips newmani on the leaf buds of Morton Bay Fig trees in Sydney (Gillespie et al 2002), and Pezothrips kellyanus on citrus leaves and fruit (Mound & Jackman 1998), but experimental evidence concerning how this behaviour is mediated is lacking for both species. The second of these two, Kelly's citrus thrips, is particularly interesting, as it is the only native Australian thrips that has become a serious crop pest.…”

The aggregation pheromones of thrips (Thysanoptera) and their potential for pest management

“…1), F. occidentalis males form aggregations on white surfaces (Terry and Gardner, 1990), Frankliniella schultzei (Trybom) males form aggregations on the upper surfaces of flowers (Milne et al, 2002), Pezothrips kellyanus (Bagnall) males form aggregations on leaves and fruit (Webster et al, 2006), males of Parabaliothrips newmani Gillespie, Mound and Wang form aggregations on leaf buds (Gillespie et al, 2002) and Megalurothrips sjostedti (Trybom) males form aggregations on leaves (Niassy et al, 2016) (Fig. 2).…”

An illustrated key to the genera of Thripinae (Thysanoptera) from South East Asia

“…A total of six leaf-feeding species are recognised in this genus, and these have been found in countries between Japan, Malaysia and eastern Australia (Gillespie et al, 2002). The genus is considered to be closely related to the genus Frankliniella (Mound, 2002).…”