Recognition data

Distinguishing features

Female macroptera. Body either yellow with faint shadings on tergites and antennal segments VI-VIII brown, or brown with pronotum, tibiae and tarsi paler,and antennae brown with segments III-V yellow at base; fore wings pale with dark setae. Antennae 8-segmented; III-IV with forked sensorium, VIII longer than VII. Head wider than long; 3 pairs of ocellar setae, pair III arising close together between anterior margins of hind ocelli and as long as side of ocellar triangle; postocular setae pair IV as long as distance between hind ocelli. Pronotum with 5 pairs of major setae; anteromarginal setae slightly 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 absent. Fore wing with 2 complete rows of veinal setae. Tergites VI-VIII with paired lateral ctenidia, on VIII anterolateral of spiracle; posteromarginal comb on VIII not developed. Sternites III-VII without discal setae.

Male macroptera. Similar to female but smaller; tergite VIII with a few teeth laterally on posterior margin; sternites III-VII with broadly transverse pore plate.

Related and similar species

Frankliniella species all have a pair of setae in front of the first ocellus, a complete row of setae on both veins of the forewing, and a pair of ctenidia on tergite VIII situated anterolateral to the spiracles. Most of the 180 described species are known only from the neotropics, but F. schultzei, F. occidentalis and F. williamsi have been widely introduced around the world (Kirk & Terry, 2003). F. schultzei is exceptional within the genus because of the close placement of ocellar setae III within the ocellar triangle, and tergite V lacks paired ctenidia.

Distribution data

General distribution

Pantropical

Australian distribution

Widespread throughout Australia.

Biological data

Life History

Feeding and breeding in flowers and on leaves.

Host plants

This is a highly polyphagous pest, that is also an important vector of tospoviruses on many crops. However, it also feeds on leaf mites of which it can be a useful biocontrol agent.

Taxonomic data

Current valid name

Frankliniella schultzei (Trybom)

Original name and synonyms

• Physopus schultzei Trybom, 1910: 151
• Euthrips gossypii Shiraki, 1912: 56
• Frankliniella sulphurea Schmutz, 1913: 1019
• Frankliniella delicatula Bagnall, 1919: 263
• Frankliniella trybomi Karny, 1920: 36
• Frankliniella persetosa Karny, 1922: 97
• Frankliniella dampfi Priesner, 1923: 64
• Frankliniella tabacicola Karny, 1925: 4
• Frankliniella dampfi interocellaris Karny, 1925: 126
• Frankliniella africana Bagnall, 1926: 100
• Frankliniella anglicana Bagnall, 1926: 281
• Frankliniella aeschyli Girault, 1927: 2
• Parafrankliniella nigripes Girault, 1928: 4
• Frankliniella paucispinosa Moulton, 1933: 122
• Frankliniella kellyana Kelly & Mayne, 1934: 20
• Frankliniella dampfi nana Priesner, 1936: 85
• Frankliniella lycopersici Andrewartha, 1937: 163
• Frankliniella favoniana Priesner, 1938: 30
• Frankliniella pembertoni Moulton, 1940: 247
• Frankliniella clitoriae Moulton, 1940: 248
• Frankliniella schultzei nigra Moulton, 1948: 100
• Frankliniella ipomoeae Moulton, 1948: 95

References

Hoddle MS, Mound LA & Paris D. 2008. Thrips of California. Cd-rom published by CBIT, Brisbane.