Frankliniella rodeos

Cavalleri, Adriano & Mound, Laurence A., 2012, Toward the identification of Frankliniella species in Brazil (Thysanoptera, Thripidae), Zootaxa 3270, pp. 1-30 : 9

* rodeos Moulton, 1933: 113 syn. n.

The lectotype of this pale yellow species is damaged, although the following measurements in microns are based on that specimen: ocellar setae pair III 40; postocular setae I present, IV 30; pronotal setae - am 50 microns, aa 55, inner pa 65, outer pa 50. In his 1948 key, Moulton distinguished rodeos from gemina on a minor difference he claimed in the distance between the bases of ocellar setae pair III. However, this seems likely to be due to differences in slide preparation, and as no observable differences could be found between these two taxa they are here considered synonyms. Types of both taxa have been compared, and they both have antennal segment II pale, with only the faintest shading at the apex, and segment V weakly shaded in the apical third. Populations in southern Brazil that are otherwise indistinguishable from gemina commonly comprise individuals with antennal segment II uniformly brown, and segment V largely brown with only the basal third yellow. Both forms have been found living in sympatry in the flowers of several plants in Brazil, and further studies are necessary to investigate the possible effects of seasonality and food source on the colouration of these thrips.