Ankothrips notabilis

Recognition data

Distinguishing features

Both sexes fully winged. Body largely brown but with prominent transverse yellow band across head, also pronotum and apices of femora and bases of tibiae yellow; antennal segments IV–IX light brown, I–III paler; fore wings weakly shaded with apex darker. Antennae 9-segmented, IX longer than VIII, sensoria transverse on III–IV, segment II apex prolonged ventro-laterally into non-serrate lobe. Head with ocellar setae I arising on slightly bifurcate tubercle with almost parallel sides, setae III arise within ocellar triangle. Head with 3 pairs of long postocular setae. Pronotum posterior margin with 7–8 pairs of long setae, one posteroangular pair at least twice as long as discal setae. Mesonotum with microtrichia on sculptures lines of posterior half. Metanotum medially with sculpture almost linear and bearing microtrichia, median setae near posterior margin. Abdominal tergite VIII median setae more than 0.5 as long as tergite; tergite X with paired trichobothria well developed. Sternite VII posterior margin with pair of lobes each bearing two setae at base.

Male tergite IX with about eight pairs of stout thorn-like setae medially.

Related and similar species

Currently there are 12 species listed in the genus Ankothrips, seven of which are from western USA with five from California (Bailey, 1957). Of the others, one is from SW Africa, and four from southern or eastern Europe.

Taxonomic data

Current valid name

Ankothrips notabilis Bailey

Original name and synonyms

• Ankothrips notabilis Bailey, 1940: 102

Family placement

Melanthripidae

Biological data

Life history

Breeding in flowers.

Host plants

Reported to be associated with the flowers of Umbellularia californica (Lauraceae) in spring (Bailey, 1957), but also taken from the flowers of various other plants.

Tospoviruses vectored

None

Crop damage

None

Distribution data

Area of origin

Western USA

Distribution

California