The Jurassic thrips Liassothrips crassipes (Martynov, 1927) and its taxonomic position in the order Thysanoptera (Insecta)

The Late Jurassic thrips Liassothrips crassipes (Martynov) is redescribed, and its taxonomic position discussed. It is shown that the male genitalia of Liassothrips are similar to the terebrantian type, while the female genitalia resemble the tubuliferan type. Therefore, the Liassothripidae shows the possible evolutionary pathway of tubuliferan thrips. Liassothrips is treated as the oldest known member of the suborder Tubulifera (previously known beginning from the Eocene), the ancestors of which belonged to the family Aeolothripidae (Terebrantia) rather than Thripidae.