Aeolothrips brunneipictus

Recognition data

Distinguishing features

The available specimens of this species are not in a suitable condition to prepare a detailed description. Apparently similar A. bicolor and A. albicinctus, it was described as having paired brown spots on the yellow second and third abdominal tergites.

Related and similar species

A. brunneipictus has the basal abdominal segments sharply yellow, as in A. albicinctus and A. auricestus that are also known in California. At least two other Aeolothrips species occur in western USA with the abdomen bicolored, A. aureus Moulton and A. bicolor Hinds, and these five species apparently all live at ground level as predators of small arthropods. Just over 90 species are placed currently in the genus Aeolothrips, of which more than 50 are from the Palaearctic Region (mainly Europe), and 28 from the Nearctic (mainly western USA). Only two species are recorded from the Neotropics; the one from Chile is probably the same as A. fasciatus, and one from Panama is probably not a member of this genus (Mound & Marullo, 1996).

Taxonomic data

Current valid name

Aeolothrips brunneipictus Bailey

Original name and synonyms

• Aeolothrips brunneipictus Bailey, 1951: 53

Family placement

Aeolothripidae

Biological data

Life history

Presumably predatory.

Host plants

Probably associated with grasses

Tospoviruses vectored

None

Crop damage

None

Distribution data

Area of origin

Western USA

Distribution

California, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah.