Stomothrips Okajima

Mound, Laurence A. & Minaei, Kambiz, 2006, New fungus­feeding thrips (Thysanoptera Phlaeothripinae) from tropical Australia, Zootaxa 1150, pp. 1-17 : 13

Stomothrips Okajima

This genus was erected for a single Australian species, S. cycasi Okajima , taken on the leaves of Cycas calcicola in the Northern Territories, apparently feeding on fungal conidia ( Okajima, 2000). The most characteristic feature of that species is the unusually elongate mouth cone that projects posteriorly to the metasternum. In contrast, in the new species described here from Cycas pruinosa , the mouth cone although long is directed ventrally and thus in slide­mounted specimens appears apically rounded. Despite this difference in orientation and appearance of the mouth cone, also an obvious difference in body colour, these two species are very similar in details of their structure. Their maxillary stylets are broader than in typical Phlaeothripinae , suggesting a possible relationship to the Docessissophothripini, although the males have no iridescent sculptured areas on the sternites.