Arorathrips spiniceps
Recognition data
Distinguishing features
Female fully winged. Body and legs brown, tarsi and antennal segment II yellow; forewings light brown. Antennae 8-segmented, segment II with external margin produced and bearing an apical sensorium; segments III � IV with simple sensorium. Head strongly prolonged in front of eyes, vertex with 10 � 16 setae. Pronotum trapezoidal, with 2 pairs of prominent posteroangular setae. Fore coxae enlarged and transverse, fore femora swollen. Meso and metafurca weakly developed. Forewing slender, apex pointed, first vein with 3 setae distally, second vein with 3 to 4 widely spaced setae. Tergites medially with lines of sculpture weak; antecostal ridge of tergites II � V with no tubercles; craspedum small on tergites I � VIII. Ovipositor weak, without teeth. Sternites II � IV with transverse lines of sculpture.
Related and similar species
The genus Arorathrips comprises about 13 New World species (Mound & Marullo, 1996). These all differ from the members of Chirothrips in having the mesothoracic endofurca greatly reduced. A. spiniceps is unusual in having the head strongly produced in front of the eyes.
Taxonomic data
Current valid name
Arorathrips spiniceps (Hood)
Original name and synonyms
Chirothrips spiniceps Hood, 1915: 12
Chirothrips sacchari Moulton, 1936: 181
Family placement
Thripidae, Thripinae
Biological data
Life history
Breeding within individual florets of various Poaceae.
Host plants
Recorded from various grasses, but with no recorded specificity.
Tospoviruses vectored
None
Crop damage
None recorded
Distribution data
Area of origin
Probably Central America
Distribution
Widespread in North America, but recorded in low numbers from many different countries, including Mexico, Cuba, Hawaii, New Guinea, Solomon Islands and northern Australia.
