Haplothrips gowdeyi (Franklin)

Mound, Laurence A. & Matsunaga, Janis N., 2017, The species of Haplothrips (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae) and related genera recorded from the Hawaiian Islands, ZooKeys 662, pp. 79-92 : 84

Haplothrips gowdeyi (Franklin)

Remarks.

Widely found in tropical countries around the world, this species is usually recognisable by the pale yellow colour of antennal segments III–VI that are in sharp contrast to the dark brown of the rest of the body. However, on the Hawaiian Islands there is a second species, Haplothrips kurdjumovi , that is quite similar in colour and general appearance. Despite the superficial similarities, gowdeyi has antennal segment III scarcely longer than wide, and thus almost sub-spherical (Fig. 20), and this segment bears two sense cones. These differences are discussed further below. Although reported as breeding in the inflorescences of grasses, gowdeyi also breeds in other flowers including Asteraceae ( Mound and Wells 2015). Despite being widespread and common in tropical countries there have been no detailed studies on its biology.