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