Crespi BJ, Morris DC, Mound LA
CSIRO Entomology, Canberra, Australia.
Correspondence: swmullis@uga.edu, Laurence.Mound@csiro.au
A single lineage of leaf-feeding Thysanoptera Phlaeothripinae has radiated solely on the plant genus Acacia in Australia into more than 250 species. The morphological diversity of these thrips is not closely correlated with their phylogenetic relationships as indicated by molecular studies using the genes CO1, 16S, EF1alpha and wingless. Molecular data indicates that behavioral character states are more strongly conserved than some morphological character states, the structural diversity within the kleptoparasitic thrips lineag being particularly high.
