COMMONLY INTERCEPTED THRIPS OF U.S. PORTS-OF-ENTRY FROM AFRICA, EUROPE, AND THE MEDITERRANEAN. II. FRANKLINIELLA AND IRIDIOPTHRIPS (THYSANOPTERA: THRIPIDAE)

Authors: Nickle, David

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/30/2004
Publication Date: 7/30/2004
Citation: Nickle, D.A. 2004. Commonly intercepted thrips of u.s. ports-of-entry from africa, europe, and the mediterranean. ii. frankliniella and iridiopthrips (thysanoptera: thripidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 106: 438-452

Interpretive Summary: Thrips are minute insects that commonly occur on agricultural crops, grains, and ornamental flowers. Many species are agricultural and ornamental pests, while other species have been implicated as vectors of several plant viruses. They are regularly intercepted at port quarantine facilities at various ports-of-entry into the United States. Because of their small size and potential for causing damage if they gain access into the United States, great care must be given to identifying these insects to species level as they are intercepted. This paper provides keys to the species most likely to be encountered in shipments from Europe, Africa, and the Mediterranean Region. It concentrates on 5 of the most commonly intercepted species, but a key to all 11 of the species from that region is presented as well. This information will be of importance to regulatory personnel who identify insects at ports and to other scientists who have to identify pests.

Technical Abstract: A total of 130 species of thrips occurring in Africa, Europe, and the Mediterranean region were intercepted by U.S. agricultural quarantine officers in shipments of plants and cut flowers at the various ports-of-entry in the United States between 1983 and 1999. Of these, four species of Frankliniella (F. occidentalis, F. intonsa, F. schultzei, and F. tenuicornis) rank among the top ten most frequently encountered species over this time period. This paper is part of a guide to the identification of thrips coming into this country from that region; it uses keys, line drawings, and scanning electron micrographs to identify the commonly intercepted species of the genera Frankliniella (with 9 species from that region) and Iridothrips (with 2 species) -- both of which are characterized by the presence of ctenidia located anteriad of abdominal spiracle VIII. It is designed primarily to aid the identification capabilities of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA, APHIS) identifiers at U.S. ports-of-entry.