Thrips palmi Karny

Mound, Laurence A., 2010, Species of the Genus Thrips (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) from the Afro-tropical Region, Zootaxa 2423, pp. 1-24 : 12

Thrips palmi Karny

Thrips palmi Karny, 1925a: 10

This worldwide tropical pest, the melon thrips , has been described from parts of Asia under five other names ( Mound, 2010). There are few published records from Africa, but it has been reported from Côte d’Ivoire ( Bournier, 2002), and from La Réunion ( Bournier, 2000). It is very similar to the African species T. pusillus , but that usually has dark markings on the tergites, and ocellar setae III closer together behind the fore ocellus. Diagnosis. Body and legs yellow, major setae shaded; antennal segments IV–V yellow but brown distally, VI–VII brown; forewings pale. Antennae 7-segmented. Ocellar setae III small, just outside ocellar triangle. Pronotum with 2 pairs of long posteroangular setae, discal setae well-developed. Metanotal sculpture lines converging to posterior margin, but transverse and curving at anterior ( Fig. 37 ); median setae arising behind anterior margin; campaniform sensilla present. Forewing first vein with 3 (or 2) setae on distal half. Tergite VIII with complete comb, microtrichia long and slender; pleurotergites and sternites without discal setae, sternal marginal setae almost as long as sternites.

Figures

FIGURES 31 – 43. Thrips species. (31) microchaetus, mesonotum & metanotum. (32) microchaetus, sternites VI – VII. (33) nigropilosus, metanotum. (34) nigropilosus, tergites II – IV. (35) orientalis, metanotum. (36) orientalis, tergite VIII. (37) palmi, metanotum. (38) parvispinus, metanotum. (39) parvispinus, sternites VI – VII. (40) pretiosus, metanotum. (41) priesneri, pronotum. (42) priesneri, metanotum. (43) pusillus, metanotum.