Xaniothrips is a genus of thrips in the family Phlaeothripidae,Roskov Y., Ower G., Orrell T., Nicolson D., Bailly N., Kirk P.M., Bourgoin T., DeWalt R.E., Decock W., Nieukerken E. van, Zarucchi J., Penev L., eds. (2019). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life, 2019 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Naturalis, Leiden, the Netherlands. ISSN 2405-884X. which was first described by Laurence Mound in 1971. The type species is Xaniothrips xantes.
Members of this genus are found only in Australia, (in all mainland states and territories with the exception of Victoria) in semi-arid zones, where they are kleptoparasites on Acacias. That is, they attack and steal the homes (galls) in Acacias created by other thrips species and continue to parasitise the acacia. Adults use their abdomens to do this.
Species Xaniothrips eremus Xaniothrips foederatus Xaniothrips leukandrus Xaniothrips mulga Xaniothrips rhodopus Xaniothrips xantes Xaniothrips zophus
References
External links
Lucid factsheet: Xaniothrips (full description)