Franklinothrips caballeroi Johansen, 1979 : 153

Mound, Laurence A. & Reynaud, Philippe, 2005, Franklinothrips; a pantropical Thysanoptera genus of ant­mimicking obligate predators (Aeolothripidae), Zootaxa 864, pp. 1-16 : 11

Franklinothrips caballeroi Johansen, 1979: 153

Described from two females and one male taken in Veracruz, Mexico, a further seven females and one male were recorded from Costa Rica by Mound & Marullo (1996). Although never compared directly, F. caballeroi is apparently similar to F. suzukii , based on two females from Taiwan, the distal part of antennal segment IV being lightly shaded in the former but clear yellow in the latter. Given the extensive horticultural trade involving Taiwan and parts of Central America, particularly but not exclusively in Orchidaceae , the possibility exists that these two names may represent the same insect species.