Body largely dark brown, including legs; abdominal segments II–VIII paler; antennal segment III yellow, IV largely yellow medially but base and apex somewhat darker; fore wing largely pale, margins with linear dark areas. Head about as long as wide and without long setae; recessed into prothorax; eyes prolonged ventrally. Maxillary palps 3-segmented. Antennae 9-segmented; III exceptionally long, more than 3.0 times as long as II; segments III and IV with linear sensory areas extending into basal quarter of segment, these areas with characteristic scalloped margins. Pronotum smooth and with no long setae. Metanotum without sculpture medially, median setae small and close to posterior margin. Fore wing with two complete rows of widely spaced setae. Abdominal tergites with discal setae small. Sternites III–VII with two pairs of posteromarginal setae, and two pairs of discal setae laterally.
Male similar in colouration but with smaller and slender body.
Intraspecific variation
Not recorded.
Genus and similar species information
Franklinothrips is a pan-tropical genus which comprises 16 described species. Females have abdominal segments I & II more or less constricted and sometimes sharply pale, thus producing an ant-like body. Antennal segments III & IV are also exceptionally long and slender, segment III about 10.0 times as long as wide and with sinuous sensoria. Franklinothrips lineatus is unique in having the fore wings pale with dark margins. Mound & Reynaud (2005) provided a key to the world Franklinothrips species.
