Female

Head & thorax

Antennal segments IV-V

Hind tibia & tarsus

Tergites VII-X

Fore wing

Distinguishing features

Both sexes fully winged. Body brown, head yellow at anterior; legs yellow, mid and hind femora brown; III–V largely yellow; fore wing with extensive pale area medially between two darker bands. Antennae 8-segmented, segments III & IV each with a forked sense cone. Head reticulate with transverse occipital ridge; ocellar setae III on anterior margins of triangle; three pairs of postocular setae present. Pronotum with no long setae. Mesonotum reticulate on anterior half, lateral setae small. Metanotum reticulate medially, median setae arise medially. Tarsi all 2-segmented. Fore wing with two complete rows of setae, posteromarginal cilia wavy. Abdominal tergites weakly reticulate medially, median pair of setae small; posterior margins without a craspedum, VIII with comb of microtrichia laterally; tergite X with longitudinal split almost complete.
Male sternites III–VII with very small slender transverse pore plate.

Related species

There are eight species recognized in the genus Hercinothrips. Each of these is originally from Africa, but two of them are now widespread around the world, and a third species, H. dimidiatus, has been introduced to Europe (Mateus et al., 2015). H. bicintus is very similar to H. femoralis, but has the fore wings more extensively pale medially. Hercinothrips species all have 2-segmented tarsi, and both longitudinal veins on the forewing bear a complete row of setae.

Biological data

Breeding on the leaves of many different and unrelated plant species, including several crops such as bananas, and causing leaf damage particularrly to various plants under glass.

Distribution data

Originally from Africa, but now widespread around the world in tropical and subtropical areas.

Family name

THRIPIDAE - PANCHAETOTHRIPINAE

Species name

Hercinothrips bicinctus (Bagnall)

Original name and synonyms

Heliothrips bicinctus Bagnall, 1919: 258
Heliothrips bifasciipennis Girault, 1926: 1

References

Mateus C, Franco JC, Caetano MF, da Silva EB, Ramos AP, Figueiredo E & Mound L (2015) Hercinothrips dimidiatus Hood (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), a new pest of Aloe arborescens Miller in Europe. Phytoparasitica 43(5): 689–692.