Frankliniella breviseta Moulton, 1948

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 : 25

Frankliniella breviseta Moulton ( Fig. 19)

Distinguishing features. Color. Body pale to intermediate, abdominal tergites with darker medial shading, forewings, legs pale ( Fig. 19A). Pigmented ventral eye facets with the 0-1-2 pattern. Structure. Antennal segment III pedicel angulate, saucer-shaped ( Fig. 19B), basal collar indistinct. Head with the PO1 setae, OC3 setae in position 2B ( Fig. 19C). Pronotum usually with 2 mAM setae. Upper surface of the hind coxae without microtrichia. Abdominal tergite VIII posteromarginal comb incomplete. ( Fig. 19D).

Interception frequency. Rare.

Region(s) of interceptions. Central America and the Caribbean.

Comments. Mound and Marullo (1996) treated F. breviseta as unusual amongst the Frankliniella because it possesses a dilated pedicel but has short OC3 setae. Indeed, the OC3 setae of the holotype specimen are approximately 15 µm but Moulton (1948) reported F. breviseta with the OC3 pair of setae 33–40 µm and Sakimura (1986) evidenced by his identification key, concurred with Moulton (1948).