Gall thrips Acaciothrips ebneri (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) from Ethiopia, a promising biological control agent for prickly acacia in Australia

Loading...
Thumbnail Image

Authors

Dhileepan, K.
Shi, B.
Callander, J.
Teshome, M.
Neser, S. (Stefanus), 1942-
Senaratne, K.A.D.W.

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Entomological Society of Southern Africa

Abstract

Based on climatic and plant phenotype matching, native-range surveys were conducted in Ethiopia to identify prospective biological control agents for prickly acacia, a serious weed of grazing areas in northern Australia. Surveys identified a gall thrips, Acaciothrips ebneri (Karny) (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae), as a prospective biological control agent for prickly acacia, based on damage potential, field host range and geographic range in Ethiopia. The gall thrips was imported into a high security quarantine facility at the Ecosciences Precinct, Brisbane,Australia in December 2015 and host-specificity tests are in progress. If approved, the gall thrips would be the first gall insect to be released against prickly acacia in Australia.

Description

Keywords

Prickly acacia, Ethiopia, Surveys, Australia, Gall thrips, Acaciothrips ebneri (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae), Biological control agent

Sustainable Development Goals

Citation

Dhileepan et al. 2018, 'Gall thrips Acaciothrips ebneri (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) from Ethiopia, a promising biological control agent for prickly acacia in Australia', African Entomology, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 237-241.