Distinguishing features

This species has not been studied by the present authors. It was described from 30 specimens taken at Vacaville, California. Both sexes were described as fully winged and uniformly brown, except for antennal segment III that is yellow with the extreme apex dark. The fore wing has a complete transverse dark band distally, and a longitudinal band along the posterior margin that reaches neither the apex nor the base.

Related species

The fore wing pattern of A. metacrucifer is apparently unique (Bailey, 1951: 75), but is possibly derived from that of A. melaleucus by the almost complete loss of the sub-basal transverse dark band. 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

Collected particularly from buckeye flowers [Aesculus sp.; Hippocastanaceae], but  possibly predatory on other small arthropods.

Distribution data

California

Family name

AEOLOTHRIPIDAE

Species name

Aeolothrips metacrucifer Bailey

Original name and synonyms

Aeolothrips metacrucifer Bailey, 1951: 61

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.