Distinguishing features

Both sexes fully winged. Body and legs dark brown, fore tibiae and all tarsi largely yellow; antennal segment III and basal half of IV–V yellow; fore wing brown with base sharply paler. Head wider than long, anterior margin often slightly concave; three pairs of ocellar setae present, pair III slightly longer than and situated just lateral to margin of ocellar triangle; postocular setae pair I present, pair IV longer than diameter of hind ocellus. Antennae 8-segmented; apex of segments III–IV constricted and neck-like, each with sense cone forked; segment VI with base of sense cone elongate; VIII scarcely longer than VII. Pronotum with little sculpture medially; 5 pairs of major setae present; anteromarginal setae shorter than anteroangulars, one pair of minor setae present medially between posteromarginal submedian setae. Metanotum with 2 pairs of setae at anterior margin, campaniform sensilla present. Hind coxae with group of microtrichia on dorsal surface. Fore wing with 2 complete rows of veinal setae. Abdominal tergites V–VIII with paired ctenidia, on VIII anterolateral to spiracle; tergite VIII posteromarginal comb with moderately long teeth arising from triangular bases, but medially with 2 or 3 teeth missing. Sternites III–VII without discal setae.
Male smaller than female, sometimes paler; tergite VIII with no posteromarginal comb; sternites III–VII with transverse pore plate.

Related species

Currently 230 species are listed in the genus Frankliniella, with up to 130 further names placed into synonymy (Nakahara, 1997). This high rate of synonymy has been due to unrecognized variability in size and color of so many species. F. insularis is unusual within the genus because of the rather broad head, the form of the sensorium on the sixth antennal segment, and the comb on the eighth abdominal tergite that is usually interrupted medially.

Biological data

This thrips breeds in the flowers of a wide range of plant species in different families, including Fabaceae, but adults are often found in between the coiled red petals of Malvaviscus flowers (Malvaceae).

Distribution data

This species is not recorded from New Zealand, but is considered a high risk potential invader as it is present on some Pacific territories. Originally from Central or South America, it is widespread from Mexico through Central America south to Argentina, also southern States of USA and Hawaii. Earlier records from outside the Americas, such as Australia, are usually misidentifications, but in 2006 specimens of F. insularis were collected in Fiji, and in 2007 some were collected in Singapore.

Family name

THRIPIDAE, THRIPINAE

Species name

Frankliniella insularis (Franklin)

Original name and synonyms

Euthrips insularis Franklin, 1908: 715.
Euthrips insularis reticulata Crawford DL, 1909: 116.
Frankliniella fortissima Priesner, 1925: 311.
Frankliniella fortissima f. curticornis Priesner, 1933: 49.
Frankliniella caribae Retana, 2010: 4.

References

Mound LA & Marullo R (1996) The Thrips of Central and South America: An Introduction. Memoirs on Entomology, International 6: 1–488.

Nakahara S (1997) Annotated list of the Frankliniella species of the world (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). Contributions on Entomology, International 2: 353–389.

Wang C-L, Lin F-C, Chiu Y-C, Shih H-T (2010) Species of Frankliniella Trybom (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) from the Asian-Pacific Area. Zoological Studies 49: 824–848.