Distinguishing features

Both sexes fully winged. Female body and legs yellow to white, distal antennal segments light brown, IV–VI yellow at base; fore wings pale. Antennae 7-segmented. Head transverse; ocellar setae III arise just within, or on, anterolateral margins of ocellar triangle close to first ocellus, ocellar region with weak transverse striae; postocular setae in straight row, subequal in size. Pronotum with transverse striae, 20–30 discal setae and 4–5 posteromarginal setae, external postero-angular seta shorter than inner seta. Metanotum irregularly reticulate medially, median setae well behind anterior margin, campaniform sensilla present. Fore wing first vein usually with 3 setae on distal half; clavus with terminal seta longer than subterminal seta. Abdominal tergite II with 3 lateral marginal setae; tergite VIII comb represented by a few teeth laterally. Sternite II with 1 or 2 discal setae, III–VII with 15–25 discal setae in an irregular transverse row; pleurotergites with no discal setae.
Male similar to female, yellow, sternites III–VII with 9–15 discal setae in an irregular transverse row posterior to small transverse pore plate.

Related species

There are 13 species of the genus Thrips recorded from New Zealand, out of a total of 280 species worldwide (Mound & Masumoto, 2005). Many of these species have the antennae clearly 7-segmented, whereas others have 8 segments. All members of Thrips genus have paired ctenidia on the tergites, and on tergite VIII these are postero-mesad to the spiracles, and they also lack ocellar setae pair I in front of the first ocellus. In contrast, Frankliniella species have ctenidia on tergite VIII antero-lateral to the spiracles, and a pair of setae is always present in front of the first ocellus. T. safrus shares with T. imaginis and T. unispinus (from northern Australia but not recorded from NZ) an unusually large number of sternal discal setae.

Biological data

Feeding and breeding in flowers with no recorded host preferences.

Distribution data

Not recorded from New Zealand, but considered a high risk potential invader. This species is widespread in northern Australia where it repaces T. imaginis. It is also recorded from New Caledonia and Hawaii.

Family name

THRIPIDAE, THRIPINAE

Species name

Thrips safrus Mound & Masumoto

Original name and synonyms

Thrips safrus Mound & Masumoto, 2005: 45

References

Mound LA & Masumoto M (2005) The genus Thrips (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) in Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand. Zootaxa 1020: 1–64.

Mound LA, Tree DC & Paris D (2012) OzThrips – Thysanoptera in Australia. http://www.ozthrips.org/