Print Fact SheetAeolothrips clarus

Distinguishing features

The available specimens of this species are not in a suitable condition to prepare a detailed description. Judging from the description it is similar to the brown form of A. auricestus, and apparently differs from A. terrestris in having the fore wing lobe even shorter.  

Related species

This is one of four species of Aeolothrips with short-winged adults that are known from California: A. albicinctus and A. auricestus are both bicolored, although the second of these is commonly brown, whereas A. clarus and A. terrestris are both uniformly brown. About 105 species are placed currently in the genus Aeolothrips. Most of these are from the Palaearctic Region (including the Mediterranean, Iran and northern India, but with five species extending through eastern Africa to South Africa), with about 30 species from the Nearctic (mainly western USA). Only one species of this genus is known from the Neotropics, A. fasciatipennis described from Chile, but Mound & Marullo (1996) indicate this is probably the same as A. fasciatus.

Biological data

Most specimens have been taken on grasses, and this species is presumably predatory at ground level as is A. albicinctus and its relatives. All of these species are known only from short-winged adults of both sexes.

Distribution data

California

Family name

AEOLOTHRIPIDAE

Species name

Aeolothrips clarus Bailey

Original name and synonyms

Aeolothrips clarus Bailey, 1951: 53

References

Bailey SF (1951) The genus Aeolothrips Haliday in North America. Hilgardia 21: 43-80.

Mound LA & Marullo R (1996) The Thrips of Central and South America: An Introduction. Memoirs on Entomology, International 6: 1-488.