THRIPS DIVERSITY Thrips Identification, Gainesville, FL June 2010 Joe Funderburk Photo Cheryle O Donnell North Florida Research & Education Center University of Florida, Quincy, FL
FAMILIES OF THYSANOPTERA Suborder TUBULIFERA (3000+ species) Phlaeothripidae Suborder TEREBRANTIA (2000+ species) Merothripidae (17) Heterothripidae (70) Melanthripidae (60) Thripidae (1750) Aeolothripidae (200) Uzellothripidae (1) Adiheterothripidae (4) Fauriellidae (5)
PEST SPECIES OF THRIPS As many as 90 species are listed as pests worldwide although 65 species likely limit crop production significantly Most pest species in the Thrips & Frankliniella About 20 species are cosmopolitan-spread by the trade of plants
Phlaeothripidae Most species feed on fungal hyphae Lineage between species not understood; taxonomy of the family not stable Liothrips species in the tropics feed on peppers, avocados, Liliaceae, and Orchidaceae Gynaikothrips species important in trade of Ficus
PHLAEOTHRIPIDAE Chute-like ovipositor No veins on the wings Antenna usually with 8 segments
Gynaikothrips ficorum, Cuban laurel thrips Gynaikothrips uzeli, weeping fig thrips http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/orn/thrips/cuban_laurel_thrips.htm tube-like egglaying structure
Gynaikothrips ficorum & uzeli Serious pests in the Caribbean Basin and Central America of species of Ficus in the landscape and in protected culture Important in the international trade of Ficus Each species of Gynaikothrips very host specific to species of Ficus
Aeolothripidae Most commonly associated with crops Species have a range of feeding habits Melanthrips purely phytophagous Franklinothrips predaceous Aeolothrips facultative predators feeding on pollen and other arthropods
AEOLOTHRIPIDAE 200 species in 24 genera Sensoria on antennal segments III and IV linear Antennae are nine-segmented with the terminal 3 or 5 segments closely joined together
Aeolothrips are ant mimics upturned egg-laying structure
Heterothripidae Heterothrips azaleae found on azaleas in Florida Sense cones on antennae circular, not emergent Egg-laying structure down-turned
Thripidae Most pest species in this family Heliothrips feed on older leaves Scirtothrips feed on young leaves and fruit Chirothrips & Limothrips feed in the florets of grasses Scolothrips predatory on spider mites Thrips and Frankliniella species feed on leaves and flowers
THRIPIDAE 1750 species in 260 genera Emergent sense cones on antennal segments III and IV either forked or simple Antennae have between 6 and 9 segments
Subfamily Panchaetothripinae About 120 species in 35 genera With strong reticulate sculpture on head, pronotum, and fore femora Forewing first vein close to or fused to coastal vein Mesothoracic endofurca without median spinula
Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis greenhouse thrips forms colonies on fruit and leaves Originally from Southwestern Brazil Pest of numerous crops in greenhouses Sometimes a pest of avocado and other tree crops
Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis damage on avocado fruit Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis damage on avocado leaves
Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis Important pest in greenhouses on Viburnam, Rhododendron, and other crops Scott Brown et al. 2002. Relationship between nutritional composition of plant species and infestation levels of thrips. Journal of Chemical Ecology 28 (no. 12) http://www.springerlink.com/content/n6l6q6155l86mj56/
Subfamily Thripinae About 1400 species in 200 genera With sculpture weak on head and pronotum, on fore femora never reticulate First vein distinct from coastal vein Mesothoracic endofurca with median spinula usually present
Scolothrips sexmaculatus spider mite predator Photo Laurence Mound
Order Thysanoptera Suborder Terebrantia Family Thripidae Photo Cheryle O Donnell Species Frankliniella occidentalis Common name western flower thrips
Flecking on pepper due to feeding by Frankliniella occidentalis Halo spotting on tomato due to oviposition of Frankliniella occidentalis
Dimples on tomato due to oviposition of Frankliniella occidentalis Flecking on tomato due to feeding by Frankliniella occidentalis Ring spots and fruit deformity from tomato spotted wilt infection
Photo Renato Ripa Corky tissue on nectarine resulting from western flower thrips feeding
Photo Renato Ripa Severe deformity from western flower thrips feeding on nectarine
Photo Renato Ripa Grape with halo spotting from western flower thrips
Photo Renato Ripa Fruit rot resulting from western flower thrips injury on grapes
Leaf deformity on peanut from feeding by tobacco thrips, Frankliniella fusca Photos Joe Funderburk
wo pairs of ronotal setae Thrips palmi melon thrips or palm thrips Thrips palmi from Southeast Asia invaded South Florida in the 1990 s Many ornamentals including Liliaceae, Orchidaceae, mums, carnations, hibiscus Many vegetables including peppers, eggplant, beans http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/veg/melon_thrips.htm
Chili thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Emerging invasive pest Photos by L. Osborne, UF/IFAS
Slight Leaf Curl on Hot Peppers (Capsicum chinense var West Indies Red) St. Vincent, West Indies Low population density, less than 1 adult per 6-8 leaves
Significant Stunting & Leaf Curl West Indies Red Hot Pepper, St. Vincent High population density, greater than 10 individuals per terminal
Scirtothrips dorsalis damage to rose leaf Lance Osborne, University of Florida
Rose-Thrips Damage Symptoms to New Plant Growth L. Osborne, UF/IFAS
Megalurothrips mucanae Invasive species of regulatory significance Native to India and Southeast Asia Found in Georgia and Tennessee in 2005 and Florida in 2006 Host plants primarily legumes, but found in Florida on crepe myrtle
Chaetanaphothrips orchidii orchid thrips Appears two-spotted owing to the pale break in the dark-colored wings Primarily a pest of orchids but also bananas and citrus Common pest of numerous ornamentals especially in protected culture
Microcephalothrips abdominalis composite thrips Similar to species of Thrips with two elongate pair of pronotal setae Common in the flowers of composites Not usually damaging Toothed lobes