Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande, 1895: 392).

Original reference: Pergande T (1895) Observations on certain Thripidae. Insect Life 7: 390–395.

Family

Thripidae, Thripinae

Nomenclatural information

http://thrips.info/wiki/Frankliniella_occidentalis

Diagnosis

Body variable in colour, but never completely yellow; bicoloured forms with body extensively yellow and median brown markings on abdominal tergites; dark form with brown head and thorax and abdominal segments darker; antennal segments I–II & VI–VIII brown, III–V yellow in basal half; fore wings weakly shaded. Head with three pairs of ocellar setae, pair III very long, arising within ocellar triangle. Antennae 8-segmented, III & IV with forked sense cones; III with the pedicel slightly expanded but not forming a disc. Pronotum not sculptured, with two pairs of very long posteroangular setae; anteroangular and anteromarginal setae well-developed. Mesothoracic spinula long, metathoracic spinula absent. Metanotum with transverse lines of reticulation anteriorly, reticulate posteromedially; campaniform sensilla present; 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 and irregular microtrichia. Sternites without discal setae, with three pairs of long posteromarginal setae. Both sexes fully winged.

Male paler, with transverse pore plate on abdominal sternites III–VII.

Intraspecific variation

Highly variable species; colour and setal length can vary among individuals of the same population. Variation is usually associated to food source, temperature and geographical area. Rugman-Jones et al. (2010) pointed out that this species comprises at least two species that differ genetically but are structurally identical.

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 referred to Brazil, almost half described from this country. Given its high phenotypic plasticity, Frankliniella occidentalis is usually not easy to recognize with accuracy. However, it is the most common bicoloured Frankliniella taken in crops in Brazil. Additionally, the long ocellar setae III and pronotal setae, as well the slightly expanded pedicel of antennal segment III can be useful in recognising this species. A key to Frankliniella species recorded from Brazil is provided by Cavalleri & Mound (2012).

World distribution

Widespread in all continents.

Distribution in Brazil

http://fauna.jbrj.gov.br/fauna/faunadobrasil/28837 

Life history

Breeding mainly on flowers. Highly polyphagous; collected in Brazil from several unrelated plants, including grapes, strawberries, Prunus, and many ornamentals.

Economic importance

Extensive damage to several crops worldwide, through feeding damage and vectoring tospoviruses (Hoddle et al. 2006[MFL1] ).

References suggested

Cavalleri A & Mound LA (2012) Toward the identification of Frankliniella species in Brazil (Thysanoptera, Thripidae). Zootaxa 3270: 1–30.

Hoddle MS, Mound LA & Paris DL (2012) Thrips of California. CBIT Publishing, Queensland. Available at http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/thrips_of_california/ Thrips_of_California.html

Monteiro RC, Mound LA & Zucchi RA (2001) Espécies de Frankliniella (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) de importância agrícola no Brasil. Neotropical Entomology 30(1): 65–72.

Mound LA & Marullo R (1996) The Thrips of Central and South America: An Introduction. Memoirs on Entomology, International 6: 1–488.

Rugman-Jones PF; Hoddle MS & Stouthamer R (2010) Nuclear-mitochondrial barcoding exposes the global pest Western Flower Thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) as two sympatric cryptic species in its native California. Journal of Economic Entomology 103: 877–886.