Dactuliothrips spinosus

Recognition data

Distinguishing features

Both sexes fully winged. Body, legs and antennae brown, tarsi and antennal segment III yellow; fore wings weakly shaded. Antennae 9-segmented, segment IX longer than VIII; segments III–IV each with two oval sensoria. Head relatively long with 2 pairs of long postocular setae. Pronotum with many prominent setae, about 5 pairs on anterior margin and 7 pairs on posterior margin. Mesonotum without microtrichia. Metanotum with only one pair of setae, reticulation almost arcuate around anterior margin and without microtrichia. Fore femur with 2–5 short broad setae on inner margin. Fore tarsal hamus weakly recurved. Fore wing broad with apex rounded. Abdominal tergites with transverse lines of sculpture. Sternites IV–VI with three pairs of marginal setae and 5–6 discal setae medially but not laterally, with very few microtrichia; sternite VII with discal setae laterally and 2 pairs of supernumerary setae sub-medially.

Male abdominal tergite I with paired longitudinal ridges not reaching anterior margin, sternites without discal setae.

Related and similar species

Currently there are six species described in the genus Dactuliothrips; four are from California and two from Argentina.

Taxonomic data

Current valid name

Dactuliothrips spinosus Moulton

Original name and synonyms

• Dactuliothrips spinosus Moulton, 1931: 173

Family placement

Aeolothripidae

Biological data

Life History

Presumably breeding in flowers.

Host plants

Possibly Mormon Tea, Ephedra trifurca (Ephedraceae).

Tospoviruses vectored

None

Crop damage

None

Distribution data

Area of origin

Western USA

Distribution

California, Oregon, Utah