Frankliniella bispinosaFrankliniella bispinosaBoth sexes fully winged. Body and legs yellow, major setae dark brown; antennal segments VI–VIII brown, also apex of II–IV but V clear yellow; fore wing pale. Antennae 8-segmented, III & IV each with a forked sense cone; segment III pedicel with sharp edged ring with concave upper and lower surfaces, surmounted by chalice-shaped structure. Head wider than long; three pairs of ocellar setae present, pair III as long as side of ocellar triangle, arising on anterior margins of triangle; postocular setae pair I present, pair IV as long as one hind ocellus. Pronotum with 5 pairs of major setae; anteromarginal setae distinctly shorter than anteroangulars, one pair of minor setae present medially between posteromarginal submedian setae. Metanotum with 2 pairs of setae at anterior margin, campaniform sensilla present. Fore wing with both setal rows complete. Abdominal tergites V–VIII with paired ctenidia, on VIII anterolateral to spiracle; posteromarginal comb on VIII absent medially but with a few broadly based microtrichia laterally. Sternites III–VII without discal setae.
Male similar to female but smaller; sternites III–VII medially with broadly oval pore plate.
Although common in Florida, this species is not known from California. It is included here because it is a potential invader. F. bispinosa is particularly similar to the widespread Caribbean species, F. cephalica, the only recorded difference being in the shape of the pedicel ring on the third antennal segment. Molecular data is required to confirm that these are distinct biological species. There are almost 240 species listed in the genus Frankliniella, with up to 130 further names placed into synonymy (Nakahara, 1997). This high rate of synonymy has been due to the previously unrecognized variability in size and color of so many species.
Breeding in flowers of various plant species, damaging flowers and young fruit of Citrus in Florida, and reported to vector TSWV in laboratory tests (Avila et al., 2006).
Common in southeastern USA, also Bermuda and Bahama Islands. Not known from California.
THRIPIDAE - THRIPINAE
Frankliniella bispinosa (Morgan)
Euthrips tritici bispinosus Morgan, 1913: 10
Euthrips projectus Watson, 1915: 51
Euthrips masoni Watson, 1919: 4
Avila Y, Stavisky J, Hague S, Funderburk J, Reitz S & Momol T (2006) Evaluation of Frankliniella bispinosa (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) as a vector of the tomato spotted wilt virus in pepper. Florida Entomologist 89 (2): 204–207.
Nakahara S (1997) Annotated list of the Frankliniella species of the world (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). Contributions on Entomology, International 2 (4): 355–389.
