Original reference: Moulton D (1907) A contribution to our knowledge of the Thysanoptera of California. Technical series, USDA Bureau of Entomology 12/3: 39–68.
Body brown; fore tibiae and all tarsi light brown, mid and hind tibiae uniformly brown; antennal segments brown, III sometimes paler; fore wing uniformly brown. Head with three pairs of ocellar setae, pair III short, arising close to anterior margins of ocellar triangle; postocular setae pair I absent. Antennae 8-segmented, III & IV with forked sense cones; III with simple pedicel. Pronotum not sculptured, with two pairs of moderately short posteroangular setae; anteroangular and anteromarginal setae short. Mesothoracic spinula long, metathoracic spinula absent. Metanotum with transverse lines of reticulation anteriorly, weakly sculptured posteromedially; campaniform sensilla absent; two pairs of setae arising at anterior margin. Tarsi 2-segmented. Fore wing with first and second rows of setae complete and closely spaced. Abdominal tergites V–VIII with ctenidia laterally, ctenidia on VIII anterolateral to spiracle; VIII with posteromarginal comb of long microtrichia. Sternites without discal setae, with three pairs of long posteromarginal setae. Both sexes fully winged.
Male with transverse pore plate on abdominal sternites III–VII.
Intraspecific variation
Not recorded.
Genus and similar species information
Frankliniella is one of the largest genera amongst Thysanoptera, comprising more than 160 described species. About 90% of the species are from the Neotropics and their taxonomy is usually complex. Almost all members have 8-segmented antennae, three pairs of ocellar setae and fore wing with both rows of setae complete. About 40 species are recorded from Brazil, and almost half of these were described from this country. Frankliniella minuta can be distinguished from the other Frankliniella species by the short ocellar setae III and the lack of metanotal campaniform sensilla. A key to Frankliniella species recorded from Brazil is provided by Cavalleri & Mound (2012).
World distribution
Widespread in Central America and also recorded from Brazil, Colombia, Peru and USA.
