Notes on the biology, distribution, biosecurity status and history in New Zealand of Macrotrachelia nigronitens (Stål, 1860) (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae)

Macrotrachelianigronitens (Stål, 1860) (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) is permanently present in the wild in Auckland (AK), New Zealand. It should therefore be added to the New Zealand Organisms Register (NZOR). It is a specialised predator of thrips inside leaf-roll galls. It has been present in New Zealand since at least the 1980s. Aspects of its biology, distribution, biosecurity status and history in New Zealand are discussed. The first detailed specimen records from New Zealand are provided, and a biological association is noted for the first time with Teuchothripsdisjunctus on Callistemon, probably its main association in New Zealand, where only two species of thrips cause leaf-roll galls. It has not been found associated with other thrips in New Zealand. Macrotrachelianigronitens is not known to be present in Australia, but the poorly known Anthocorisaustropiceus Gross, 1954 has been reported, in an easily overlooked publication, to be associated with Teuchothripsdisjunctus on Callistemon in Canberra. This led to an early tentative identification, by the author, of New Zealand material of Macrotrachelianigronitens as Anthocorisaustropiceus, in collections. This likely misidentification can now be discounted, but further research in Australia is required to determine the true identity of both Anthocorisaustropiceus, and whatever species of anthocorid was found in Canberra.