Print Fact SheetDendrothrips ornatus

Distinguishing features

Both sexes fully winged. Body and legs brown, pronotum with yellow markings, hind tarsi and antennal segments III–V yellow; fore wing banded, dark at base and apex and with two dark and three white transverse bands. Antennae 8-segmented but segment VI with a partial suture producing a 9-segmented condition; segments III & IV each with a forked sense cone. Head and pronotum with no long setae. Metanotum with elongate reticulation, median pair of setae small and arising medially. Metathoracic furca lyre-shaped, extending into mesothorax. Tarsi all 1-segmented. Fore wing apex bluntly rounded, antero-marginal cilia arising ventrally behind apparent margin, setae minute, postero-marginal cilia straight. Abdominal tergites II–VIII median setae long and close together; lateral thirds of tergites with complex sculpture; VIII with short postero-marginal comb of microtrichia. Sternites III–VII with three pairs of small postero-marginal setae.

Related species

There are 55 species listed in the genus Dendrothrips, none of which is native to any part of the Americas. Most of them are known from Africa, Asia and Australia, but with nine species from Europe (zur Strassen, 2003). These species all have the metathoracic furca elongate and "lyre-shaped" as in other members of the Dendrothripinae (Mound, 1999). However, in Dendrothrips species the fore wing is unusual with the antero-marginal cilia arising ventral to the apparent anterior margin.

Biological data

Larvae and adults feed on the leaves of Ligustrum, Syringa, and possibly Fraxinus [Oleaceae]. They seem to be associated with older leaves and not with young buds, and sometimes cause leaf damage to privet, cultivated Ligustrum species. Pupae can also be found on the leaves.

Distribution data

Widespread in Europe, and introduced to North America, but with few records from California.

Family name

THRIPIDAE - DENDROTHRIPINAE

Species name

Dendrothrips ornatus (Jablonowski)

Original name and synonyms

Thrips ornatus Jablonowski, 1894: 93
Dendrothrips tiliae Uzel, 1895: 160
Dendrothrips schillei Bagnall, 1927: 568

References

Marullo R (2003) Host relationships at plant family level in Dendrothrips Uzel (Thysanoptera: Thripidae, Dendrothripinae) with a new Australian species. Australian Journal of Entomology 42: 46–50.

Mound LA (1999) Saltatorial leaf-feeding Thysanoptera (Thripidae, Dendrothripinae) in Australia and New Caledonia, with newly recorded pests of ferns, figs and mulberries. Australian Journal of Entomology 38: 257–273.

zur Strassen R (2003) Die terebranten Thysanopteren Europas und des Mittelmeer-Gebietes. Die Tierwelt Deutschlands 74: 1–271.