Neohydatothrips opuntiae

Recognition data

Distinguishing features

This species has not been studied by the present authors.

Related and similar species

N. opuntiae is reported as not having any elongate pronotal posteroangular setae (Bailey, 1957: 195), in contrast to many species in the genus. The genus Neohydatothrips is found in many parts of the world and almost 100 species are included. Identification keys are available to 13 species recorded from Central America (Mound & Marullo, 1996), and Stannard (1968) treats 11 species from Illinois, but many of the 35 species described from the USA north of Mexico (Nakahara, 1988) remain poorly defined.

Taxonomic data

Current valid name

Neohydatothrips opuntiae (Hood)

Original name and synonyms

• Sericothrips opuntiae Hood, 1936: 88

Family placement

Thripidae, Sericothripinae

Biological data

Life history

Breeding on the young pads of prickly pear (Bailey, 1957: 196).

Host plants

Opuntia spp. (Cactaceae).

Tospoviruses vectored

None

Crop damage

None

Distribution data

Area of origin

Western USA

Distribution

California, Arizona