Scolothrips pallidus
Recognition data
Distinguishing features
Female macropterous; body colour yellow with no grey markings; pronotal setae dark; antennal segments III–VIII grey; fore wings pale with 2 small dark transverse bands, clavus also dark. Antennae 8-segmented, III & IV with long forked sensorium. Head wider than long, without sculpture between ocelli; 3 pairs of ocellar setae present, pair III very long and arising on anterior margins of ocellar triangle; postocular setae small, pair I close together behind hind ocelli. Pronotum with 6 pairs of very long setae. Metanotum with weak reticulate sculpture, campaniform sensilla absent, median setae arising at anterior margin. Meso- and metafurca with spinula. Fore wing first and second veins each with about 5–7 long setae; clavus with only 3 veinal setae, sub-terminal longer than terminal. Tergites with no sculpture medially, VIII without posteromarginal comb, X with no median longitudinal split. Sternites without discal setae, setae S1 on sternite VII arising in front of margin.
Male similar to female but smaller; sternites III–VIII with broadly transverse pore plate that is shorter medially than laterally.
Related and similar species
In this essentially Old World genus 14 species are currently recognised (Mound, 2011). Adults that are identified as S. pallidus lack any shaded markings on the abdomen, in contrast to adults identified as S. sexmaculatus. The suggestion has been made that these specimens merely represent a form of sexmaculatus that have developed at higher temperatures. Bailey (1957) considered S. pallidus to be the most common member of the genus attacking mites on Californian crops.
Taxonomic data
Current valid name
Scolothrips pallidus (Beach)
Original name and synonyms
- Thrips pallidus Beach, 1896: 226
Family placement
Thripidae, Thripinae
Biological data
Life history
Breeding on leaves
Host plants
Predator of Tetranychid mites.
Tospoviruses vectored
None
Crop damage
None
Distribution data
Area of origin
Not known, but probably New World
Distribution
Described originally from Iowa, recorded widely in USA from California, New York, Georgia, Florida.