Merothrips

Genus Information

Merothrips Hood, 1914: 132. Type species Merothrips morgani Hood, by monotypy.

Amerothrips Bhatti, 1989: 13. Type species Merothrips fusciceps Hood, by monotypy.

Sakimurathrips Bhatti, 1989: 9. Type species Merothrips williamsi Priesner, by monotypy.

Tardothrips Bhatti, 1989: 13, Type species Merothrips mirus Crawford, by monotypy.

Biology and Distribution

The three genera listed above in synonymy were each erected for single slightly aberrant species of what is interpreted here as a single genus, Merothrips . The species of this genus all live in leaf litter or on dead branches, where they are presumed to feed on fungus. Most Merothrips species are from the Neotropics, but several have been recorded widely around the world.

References

Hood JD (1912) Descriptions of new North American Thysanoptera. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 14: 129–160.

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

Bhatti JS (1989) The classification of Thysanoptera into families. Zoology (Journal of Pure and Applied Zoology) 2: 1–23

Species

Merothrips brevisetis Hood, 1954

Merothrips brunneus Ward, 1969

Merothrips floridensis Watson, 1927

† Merothrips fritschi Priesner, 1924

Merothrips fusciceps Hood & Williams, 1915

Merothrips hawaiiensis Moulton, 1937

Merothrips indicus Bhatti & Ananthakrishnan, 1975

Merothrips lacotae Medina Gaud, 1961

Merothrips laevis Hood, 1938

Merothrips mirus Crawford JC, 1942

Merothrips morgani Hood, 1912

Merothrips nigricornis Hood, 1937

Merothrips ottonis zur Strassen, 1959

Merothrips productus Hood, 1938

Merothrips tympanis Hood, 1954

Merothrips williamsi Priesner, 1921