Hoplandrothrips irretius

Recognition data

Distinguishing features

This species has not been studied by the present authors, and is known only from the original description.

Related and similar species

Judging from the original description, H. irretius has unusually short setae on the anterior and lateral margins of the pronotum. Over 100 species are listed in the genus Hoplandrothrips, of which more than 20 are described from North America, including five from California. Cott (1956) provided a key to four of the species recorded from California, Stannard (1968) a key to seven species from Illinois, and Mound & Marullo (1996) a key to 18 Neotropical species. Species concepts within this, and several other, genera of fungus-feeding thrips remain unclear, due to structural variation involving allometric growth patterns in one or both sexes.

Taxonomic data

Current valid name

Hoplandrothrips irretius Kono

Original name and synonyms

• Hoplandrothrips irretius Kono, 1964: 1-4

Family placement

Phlaeothripidae, Phlaeothripinae

Biological data

Life history

Presumably feeding and breeding on fungi on dead branches

Host plants

Described from eight females and eight males taken "on nursery stock from Mission, Texas".

Tospoviruses vectored

None

Crop damage

None

Distribution data

Area of origin

Western USA

Distribution

Texas, California