Frankliniella desmodii Mound and Marullo

Skarlinsky Ii, Thomas L., 2024, The identification of the flower thrips, Frankliniella Karny (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) intercepted at U. S. ports of entry, Insecta Mundi 2024 (39), pp. 1-64 : 33

Frankliniella desmodii Mound and Marullo ( Fig. 10A , 26 )

Diagnosis. Frankliniella desmodii belongs to a cohort of species characterized by having a long buccal cone and is similar to Frankliniella rostrata* Preisner and Frankliniella lantanae* Mound, Nakahara, and Day.

Distinguishing features. Color. Body, forewings, legs pale. Usually, the abdominal tergites have dark anteroangular blotches ( Fig. 26A ). Pigmented ventral eye facets with the 1-1-2 pattern. Structure. The antennal segment VIII of F.desmodii is approximately 4 times longer than its width. Head with an elongate mouth cone, longer than the width of the head ( Fig. 10A ), usually without the PO1 setae, OC3 setae in position 2A ( Fig. 26B ). Pronotum usually with 4 mAM setae ( Fig. 26B ). Upper surface of the hind coxae with microtrichia ( Fig. 26C ). Abdominal tergite VIII posteromarginal comb complete, microtrichia 10–14 µm ( Fig. 26D ).

Interception frequency. Rare.

Region(s) of interceptions. North America.

Comments. Mound and Marullo (1996) reported F. desmodii was found on the leaves of Desmodium intortum and not the flowers.

Figures

Figure 10. A–D) Frankliniella spp. A) Ventral head and mouth cone of F. desmodii. Arrows indicate points of measure. B) Head of F. williamsi. Arrow and dashed line indicate points of measure. C) Abdominal tergites IX–X of F.gossypiana with B1 setae labelled. D) Abdominal sternite II of F. gossypiana. Arrow indicates discal seta.

Figure 26. A–D) Frankliniella desmodii. A) Body. B) Head and pronotum. C) Upper surface of a hind coxa. D) Abdominal tergite VIII posteromarginal comb.