Thrips helvolus
Recognition data
Distinguishing features
Described from four females, this species has not been studied by the present authors. A yellow species, with no sternal discal setae, it differs from T. palmi in having only three setae on the lateral margins of the second abdominal tergite.
Related and similar species
The genus Thrips is the second largest genus in the Thysanoptera, and currently includes, worldwide, about 280 species. All members of the genus lack ocellar setae I on the head, and they all have ctenidia on tergite VIII posteromesad to the spiracles. Other characters, such as number of antennal segments, number of setae on the forewing veins, and number of discal setae on the sternites are variable between species (Palmer, 1992; Mound & Masumoto, 2005). T. helvolus has been compared to two other North American members of the genus (Nakahara, 1994: 67), including T. heraclei .
Taxonomic data
Current valid name
Thrips helvolus Nakahara
Original name and synonyms
Thrips helvolus Nakahara, 1994: 67
Family placement
Thripidae, Thripinae
Biological data
Life history
Not known
Host plants
Not known
Tospoviruses vectored
None
Crop damage
None
Distribution data
Area of origin
Presumably Western USA
Distribution
California