Sericothripinae Karny

The subfamily Sericothripinae can be diagnosed by the following set of characters (Lima & Mound 2016a & b): Antennae usually 8-segmented, segments III & IV with forked sense cone, outer sense cone on VI with an elongate narrow base; head transverse with 3 pairs of ocellar setae and 3 pairs of postocular setae; occipital apodeme present; 3-segmented maxillary palps; fore femora and fore tibiae with numerous transverse rows of microtrichia; pronotum usually with a blotch; prosternal ferna usually connected medially; median pair of mesonotal setae ahead of lateral pair, mesosternum with spinula; anterior margin of metasternal plate with weak or strong median longitudinal emargination; fore wing first vein with continuous row of setae, second vein without setae or with one or two distal setae; lateral thirds of abdominal tergites II–VII with dense rows of fine microtrichia; posteromarginal comb complete on tergite VIII; tergite IX with at least four pairs of robust posteromarginal setae and at least two pairs of mid-dorsal setae. Males with or without a pore plate on sternites; tergite IX without drepanae.