Frankliniella insignis

Recognition data

Distinguishing features

This species has not been studied by the present authors, but is similar in structure to F. tritici.

Related and similar species

F. insignis is very similar to, and is possibly the Western USA form of, the Eastern flower thrips, F. tritici. 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. Scarcely ten of these species are native to parts of the world other than the Americas.

Taxonomic data

Current valid name

Frankliniella insignis Moulton

Original name and synonyms

• Frankliniella insignis Moulton, 1936: 170
• Frankliniella citri Moulton, 1936: 170

Family placement

Thripidae, Thripinae

Biological data

Life history

Presumably flower-living

Host plants

Not known

Tospoviruses vectored

None

Crop damage

None

Distribution data

Area of origin

Western USA

Distribution

California, Arizona