Haplothrips is one of the richest genera in Thysanoptera, with around 250 species distributed across the world, but especially in temperate areas of the northern hemisphere. Most of the species live in flowers, but some are recorded predating small arthropods. Haplothrips belongs to tribe Haplothripini, which contains about 30 genera, with species having medially constricted forewings, maxillary bridge and a well-developed basantra. It has several similarities to Karnyothrips, but both genera are distinguished from each other by the number of sense cones on antennomere IV (3 in Karnyothrips, 4 in Haplothrips) and the fore tarsi (without a tarsal tooth in Haplothrips, with a curved tarsal tooth in Karnyothrips).
The species in Haplothrips are divided between two subgenera: those with duplicated cilia in the fore wings are placed in Haplothrips (Haplothrips), and those without such cilia belong to Haplothrips (Trybomiella). Haplothrips trellesi belongs to the second subgenus, together with H. fiebrigi and H. robustus; it is distinguished from the latter two for having the midlateral pronotal setae well developed. A key to the species of Haplothrips from Central and South America is available in Cavalleri et al. 2016.
Distribution around the world
Described from Rio Negro, Argentina, it is also recorded from Brazil and Chile.
Phytophagous species, lives on flowers of a wide range of plants.
Economic importance
Referred damaging flowers and leaves of many plants in Argentina, such as Gossypium hirsutum, Helianthus annuus, Medicago sativa, Prunus avium (http://www.sinavimo.gov.ar/plaga/haplothrips-trellesi). In Brazil, it was studied from Waltheria indica in Ceará state (Lima et al. 2018).
Suggested references
Cavalleri, A, Lindner, MF & Mendonça Jr, M de S (2016) New Neotropical Haplothripini (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) with a key to Central and South American genera. Journal of Natural History 50: 1389–1410. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2015.1113316
Lima, IMB, Almeida-Filho, MA, Lima, MGA, Bonilla, OH & Lima, EFB (2018). Thrips species (Insecta: Thysanoptera) associated with flowers in a restinga fragment in northeastern Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Biology 79(1), Epub March 22, 2018. doi: https://doi.org/10.1590/1519-6984.169071
Mound LA & Marullo R (1996) The Thrips of Central and South America: An Introduction. Memoirs on Entomology, International 6: 1–488.
Published in: 04/05/2018 Posted by: Mariana Lindner
