Original reference: Faure JC (1929) The South African citrus thrips and five other new species of Scirtothrips Shull. Transvaal University College Bulletin (Pretoria) 18: 1–18.
Body yellow, tergites and sternites with a brown marking medially and antecostal ridges dark brown; antennal segment I white, II & III grey, V–VIII brown; major setae dark; fore wings pale with clavus shaded. Antennae 8-segmented, III & IV with constricted apical neck, sense cone forked and stout. Head wider than long, postocular and ocellar region closely striate; ocellar setae pair III arise within ocellar triangle on or close to tangent between anterior margins of posterior ocelli. Pronotum closely striate, posteromarginal setae S2 clearly longer than S1. Metanotal sculpture transverse at anterior area, then longitudinally reticulate; median setae at anterior margin; campaniform sensilla absent. Fore wing second vein with 2–5 setae; posteromarginal fringe cilia all weakly undulating. Tergites III–V median setae usually closer together than their length; II–VIII with lateral thirds covered in closely spaced rows of fine microtrichia; VIII with discal microtrichia present anteromedially, posteromarginal comb complete; tergite IX with no discal microtrichia. Sternites covered with microtrichia except anteromedially on VII. Both sexes fully winged.
Male similar to female but smaller; tergite IX posterior angles bearing pair of stout curved processes (drepanae) extending across tergite X; hind femora with comb-like row of stout setae; sternites without pore plates.
Intraspecific variation
Not recorded.
Genus and similar species information
This genus comprises more than 100 species, almost all of them from tropics or subtropics. Most of the members have pale body colour, pronotum transversely striate and lateral thirds of abdominal tergites covered with regular rows of minute microtrichia. Some species within this group show a wide range of variation, resulting sometimes in mistaken taxonomic decisions (Mound & Zur Strassen 2001). Scirtothripsaurantii is one of only two species in the genus in which males are known to have a comb-like row of stout setae on the hind femora.
World distribution
Widespread from South Africa to Sudan, also Cape Verde islands; introduced to Australia.
Distribution in Brazil*
Not recorded from Brazil, but is likely to occur in Northern areas.
* Literature and authors’ data only.
Life history
Leaf feeding on a wide range of plant species, causing damage in some.
Economic importance
Causes damage to leaves and fruits of citrus and mango.
References suggested
Garms BJ, Mound LA & Schellhorn NA (2013) Polyphagy in the Australian population of South African citrus thrips (Scirtothrips aurantii Faure). Australian Journal of Entomology 52: 282–289.
Mound LA & Palmer JM (1981) Identification, distribution and host-plants of the pest species of Scirtothrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). Bulletin of Entomological Research 71: 467–479.
Mound LA & Stiller M (2011) Species of the genus Scirtothrips from Africa (Thysanoptera, Thripidae). Zootaxa 2786: 51–61.
