Hercinothrips bicinctus

Recognition data

Distinguishing features

Both sexes fully winged. Body brown, head yellow at anterior; legs yellow, mid and hind femora brown; III–V largely yellow; fore wing with extensive pale area medially between two darker bands. Head reticulate with transverse occipital ridge; ocellar setae III on anterior margins of triangle; three pairs of postocular setae present. Pronotum with no long setae. Mesonotum reticulate on anterior half, lateral setae small. Metanotum reticulate medially, median setae arise medially. Tarsi all 2-segmented. Fore wing with two complete rows of setae, posteromarginal cilia wavy. Abdominal tergites weakly reticulate medially, median pair of setae small; posterior margins without a craspedum, VIII with comb of microtrichia laterally; tergite X with longitudinal split almost complete.

Male sternites III–VII with very small slender transverse pore plate.

Related and similar species

There are eight species recognized in the genus Hercinothrips. Each of these is originally from Africa, but two of them are now widespread. H. bicintus is very similar to H. femoralis, but has the fore wings more extensively pale medially. Hercinothrips species all have 2-segmented tarsi, and both longitudinal veins on the forewing bear a complete row of setae.

Taxonomic data

Current valid name

Hercinothrips bicinctus (Bagnall)

Original name and synonyms

• Heliothrips bicinctus Bagnall, 1919: 258
• Heliothrips bifasciipennis Girault, 1926: 1

Family placement

Thripidae, Panchaetothripinae

Common names

Banded greenhouse thrips; Banana silvering thrips

Biological data

Life history

Breeding on leaves.

Host plants

Many different and unrelated plant species, including several crops.

Tospoviruses vectored

None

Crop damage

Causing leaf damage to various plants, usually under glass, including bananas.

Distribution data

Area of origin

Africa

Distribution

Widespread around the world in tropical and subtropical areas