Goniothrips denticornis

Recognition data

Distinguishing features

Both sexes fully winged. Body and legs brown, fore tarsi and apex of fore tibiae yellow; antennal segments III–VI largely yellow; fore wings pale. Head longer than wide; maxillary stylets retracted to eyes, less than one third of head width apart medially, with maxillary bridge; postocular setae capitate but rather short. Antennae 8-segmented; segment III asymmetric, produced into a point laterally, with one small sensorium; segment IV with four short sensoria; VIII broad at base. Pronotum with three pairs of moderately long, weakly capitate, major setae, anteromarginal and midlateral pairs small. Fore tarsus with small tooth in female. Metanotum weakly reticulate medially. Fore wing constricted medially, with about eight duplicated cilia. Pelta triangular; tergites II–VII with two pairs of sigmoid wing-retaining setae; tergite IX setae S1 with apex bluntly pointed.

Male slightly smaller than female, but varying in size; large male with stout fore tarsal tooth; tergite IX setae S2 short and stout.

Related and similar species

The genus Goniothrips includes only one species, although this is presumably merely an aberrant, grass-living, member of the genus Haplothrips (Mound & Minaei, 2007).

Taxonomic data

Current valid name

Goniothrips denticornis Hood

Original name and synonyms

• Goniothrips denticornis Hood, 1927: 202

Family placement

Phlaeothripidae, Phlaeothripinae

Biological data

Life history

Presumably breeding in florets

Host plants

Various unidentified grasses (Poaceae).

Tospoviruses vectored

None

Crop damage

None

Distribution data

Area of origin

Western USA

Distribution

California, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Wyoming