The subfamily Panchaetothripinae has been consistently recovered as a monophyletic group within Thripidae, comprising 144 species in 43 genera. Usually associated with plant leaves, 21 species from 12 genera have previously been recorded in Brazil, several being pests of a wide range of cultivated plants. Here we record four species as new to Brazil, Bradinothrips williamsi, Caliothrips nanus, C. punctipennis and Parthenothrips dracaenae. Moreover, Caliothrips cangaceiro sp. n. is described, Hoodothripiella ignacio is considered a new synonym of Elixothrips brevisetis, and Caliothrips marginipennis is a new synonym of C. punctipennis. Furthermore, the previously unknown males of B. williamsi and Hoodothrips constrictus are described. Caliothrips fasciatus is withdrawn from the Brazilian Thysanoptera list of species. Illustrated keys to adults of species recorded in Brazil are provided, together with notes on biology and brief descriptions. Parthenothrips kobusi Deventer, known only from Java, is not a member of the Panchaetothripinae and is reclassified as Bolacothrips kobusi (Deventer) comb. n.

Morphological and molecular characters are provided for distinguishing two similar species of Frankliniella that are commonly found by quarantine authorities in international shipments of horticultural produce, particularly from Colombia where panamensis and occidentalis co-exist in greenhouses.

Morphological character states displayed by Plesiothrips Hood, a New World genus of grass-living thrips, are assessed. This assessment indicates that Plesiothrips shares more character states with genera from Southeast Asia, including the Trichromothrips genus-group, than with any New World Thripinae. Sorghothrips sakagami (Kudo) comb. n. is removed from Plesiothrips; Taeniothrips aberrans Crawford syn. n. is considered a new synonym of Plesiothrips amblycauda Hood; and an illustrated identification key is given to 16 Plesiothrips species for which females are known.

Heliothrips similis sp.n. is described as a close relative of the greenhouse thrips, Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis. This is the third species recognized here in the Neotropical genus Heliothrips. A pest species described from South Africa as Heliothrips sylvanus is transferred to a new genus, Neoheliothrips gen.n., as Neoheliothrips sylvanus (Faure) comb.n.