Stephanothrips Trybom

(Fig. 90)

Stephanothrips Trybom, 1913: 42 . Type species: Stephanothrips buffai Trybom, by monotypy.

Based originally on a species from South Africa, the 29 species included in this urothripine genus are found in many parts of the tropics and subtropics around the world. They are fungus-feeders, usually living in leaf-litter or on dead branches. Six species are known from Malaysia, four from Southern China, three species from Thailand, three from Indonesia, and one each from the Phillipines and Nepal.

Diagnosis: Body tuberculate-reticulate, usually wingless; head longer than wide, with 1–3 pairs of prominent setae on anterior margin; postocular setae reduced; mouth-cone short and rounded, stylets retracted to eyes, close together medially; antennae 5- or 6-segmented (Fig. 90), morphological segments III–V fused, sometimes also VII and VIII; pronotum with only epim setae developed; notopleural sutures reduced; basantra present; mesopresternum reduced; sternopleural sutures absent; fore tarsal tooth absent in both sexes; abdominal tergite I transverse and closely joined to II; tergites without wing-retaining setae; tergite IX longer than broad; tube long and slender, longer than head, anal setae long, about twice as long as tube; male sternite VIII without pore plate.