a b c d e f g h empty empty k l m n o p empty r s t empty empty empty empty empty empty

Synaptothrips paradoxus (Bagnall, 1919)

Thripinae, Thripidae, Terebrantia, Thysanoptera

Fig. 1

Figure 1

Fig. 2

Figure 2

Fig. 3

Figure 3

Fig. 4

Figure 4

Fig. 5

Figure 5

Fig. 6

Figure 6

Fig. 7

Figure 7

Fig. 8

Figure 8

Fig. 9

Figure 9

Fig. 10

Figure 10

Fig. 11

Figure 11

Figures

Fig. 1: Pedicel and segments III and IV with forked sense cone, 9-segmented antenna
Fig. 2: Head dorsal with ocellar triangle
Fig. 3: Pronotum
Fig. 4: Meso- and metanotum
Fig. 5: Meso- and metasternum
Fig. 6: Fore wing and fore wing distal region
Fig. 7: Tergites I and II
Fig. 8: Sternites VI and VII
Fig. 9: Tergites VII and VIII
Fig. 10: Tergites VII-XI
Fig. 11: Tergites VIII and IX

Introduction and recognition

Synaptothrips paradoxus breeds in the flowers of certain Protea species (sugar bushes). Female macropterous. Body color mainly brown; fore femora distally, fore tibia and all tarsi yellowish; antennal segments I & II brown, III-IX shaded yellow-brown; fore wings light brown. Antennae 9-segmented; segment VI with apex separated by complete suture; III & IV with forked sense cone (Fig. 1). Head slightly wider than long; without sculpture between eyes; 3 pairs of ocellar setae present, pair III arising on anterior margin of ocellar triangle posterior to first ocellus, pair III as long as side of ocellar triangle, pair I & II not as long as side of ocellar triangle, pair II arising almost lateral to first ocellus; postocular setae in a single row and about as long as hind ocellus (Fig. 2). Pronotum with many discal setae and 2 pairs of long posteroangular setae; posterior margin with 4-5 pairs of setae (Fig. 3). Metanotum closely striate, transverse at anterior and longitudinal at posterior; median setae short and arising close to posterior margin; campaniform sensilla present (Fig. 4). Mesofurca with spinula (Fig. 5). Mid and hind tarsi 2-segmented. Fore wing first and second vein with complete row of setae (Fig. 6). Tergite VIII with group of microtrichia anteromesad to spiracle, but no posteromarginal comb (Fig. 9); tergite X with median dorsal setae stout and thorn-like (Fig. 10 and 11). Sternite II with 1 discal seta medially, remaining sternites without discal setae; sternite II with 3 or 4 pairs of marginal setae, III-VI with 4 or 5 pairs, VII with 3 pairs of which pair S1 arises in front of margin (Fig. 8).
Male unknown.

Taxonomic identity

Species
Synaptothrips paradoxus (Bagnall, 1919)

Taxonomic history
Limphysothrips paradoxus Bagnall, 1919

Common name
-

Present taxonomic position
Family: Thripidae Stephens, 1829
Subfamily: Thripinae (Stephens) Karny, 1921
Genus:
Synaptothrips Trybom, 1910

Genus description

The genus Synaptothrips Trybom, 1910
This genus includes 11 species, all from southern Africa (Mound 1968). A first description is given by Trybom (1910). They have been collected mainly within Cape Province, and are possibly all associated with members of the flowering plant family Proteaceae. Members of the genus have 7-9 antennal segments (depending on a partial or complete suture of antennal segment VI), antennal segments III & IV with forked sense cone, head with 3 pairs of ocellar setae, pronotum with 2 pairs of posteroangular setae, fore wings with an almost complete row of setae on both veins, sternites II-VI with 3 or more pairs of posteromarginal setae, and several species have a single discal seta on sternite II (Mound 1968). The members of Synaptothrips are unusual in having the median pair of metanotal setae arising on the posterior half of this notum, in contrast to almost all other Thripidae.

Species description

Typical key character states of Synaptothrips paradoxus

Coloration and body sculpture
Body color: mainly brown to dark brown
Surface of head, pronotum and fore legs: without obvious or with weakly reticulate sculpture

Antennae
Number of antennal segments: 9
Antennal segment I: without any setae on dorsal apical margin
Antennal segment II: without an exceptionally long seta at the inner apex
Antennal segment II shape: symmetric
Antennal segment III shape: symmetric
Length of antennal segment III and IV: antennal segment III similar in length to segment IV
Form of sense cones on antennal segments III and IV: emergent and forked on segments III and IV
Forked sense cone on antennal segment IV: scarcely extending beyond base of segment V
Antennal segment IV and V: without a hyaline ring near the base
Antennal segment VI bears: not a remarkably dagger-shaped sensorium

Head
Distance between bases of ocellar setae III: greater than width of first ocellus
Head: not prolonged in front of compound eyes
Ocellar setae I: present
Length of ocellar setae II: shorter than setae III
Ocellar setae III: arising on anterior margin of, or in front of ocellar triangle
Ocelli: present
Ocellar setae II on head: arising almost lateral to first ocellus and are not as long as side of ocellar triangle
Ocellar setae III on head: arising on anterior margin of ocellar triangle and posterior to first ocellus
Length of postocular setae: not alternating short and long setae
Number of ocellar setae: 3

Prothorax
Number of pairs of long anteroangular setae: 0
Number of pairs of long posteroangular setae: 2
Number of pairs of elongate pronotal setae: 2
Number of pairs of posteromarginal minor setae: 4-5
Pronotal blotch or internal apodeme: absent
Pronotum shape: broadly rectangular
Pronotum posteromarginal/posteroangular setae: S2 longer than S3, not equal in length

Mesothorax
Mesosternal furca: with median spinula

Metathorax
Metanotal campaniform sensilla: present
Metanotal median setae: S1 near posterior margin
Metanotum with dominant sculptured triangle medially: absent
Metasternal furca: without spinula
Sculpture of metanotum median area: transverse at anterior, but longitudinal and parallel on posterior half
Shape of metathoracic furca: transverse, V-shaped
Metanotal median setae length: shorter than lateral metanotal setae

Wings
Fore and hind wings: present, more than half as long as abdomen (macropterous)
Fringe cilia arising: from sockets
Fore wing veins: present
Fore- and hind wing surface: covered with microtrichia
Apex of fore wing: with prominent terminal setae
Fore wing anterior margin (costal vein): with setae and cilia but cilia longer than setae
Fore wing costal fringe cilia: arising at anterior margin of wing
Fore wing first vein: distinct from costal vein
Fore wing first vein setal row: complete, with setae closely and uniformly spaced
Fore wing second vein setal row: complete, setae uniformly spaced
Fore wing shape: mainly parallel sided or margins run continuously towards each other
Fore wing surface: not reticulate
Fringe cilia on posterior margin near apex: distinctly wavy (undulated)
Length of fore wing costal setae at middle of wing: longer than half of median wing width
Shape of fore wing apex: with mainly posterior margin curved to join anterior margin
Fore wing extreme apex color: dark
Fore wings: uniformly light brown

Legs
Fore tibia: not prolonged around fore tarsus
Mid and hind tarsi: with two segments
Color of fore tarsi: pale or yellow, sometimes apical shaded or brown

Abdomen
Pleurotergites: not covered in microtrichia
Sternite II: with marginal setae and few discal setae
Sternites IV, V and VI: with marginal setae but no discal setae
Sternite VII median posteromarginal setae S1: arising in front of posterior margin
Sternite VII: with marginal setae but no discal setae
Surface of lateral thirds of abdominal tergites: without regular rows of fine microtrichia
Tergites II to VII median setal pair: no more than 0.3 as long as median length of tergite
Tergites IV and V median setal pair: shorter than distance between their bases
Craspedum on tergites IV to VI: absent
Tergites V to VII: without ctenidia laterally, but sometimes with rows of microtrichia
Craspedum on tergite VIII: without craspedum medially and toothlike microtrichia laterally
Tergite VIII ctenidia: without paired ctenidia laterally, sometimes with irregular microtrichia
Tergite VIII posteromarginal comb of microtrichia: absent
Tergite X: not tubular, longitudinally incomplete
Setae on abdominal tergite X: one pair stout and thorn-like

top

Similar or related species

It differs from the related species Synaptothrips distinctus in having a brown body color, light brown fore wings, ocellar setae II on head arising almost lateral to first ocellus and they are not as long as side of ocellar triangle, ocellar setae III arising on anterior margin of ocellar triangle and posterior to first ocellus, ocellar setae III are as long as side of ocellar triangle, and the median dorsal setae on tergite X are stout and thorn-like. Synaptothrips distinctus has a mainly pale or yellow body color, uniformly pale fore wings, ocellar setae II on head arising anterior to first ocellus close to the base of antennae and they are as long as side of ocellar triangle, ocellar setae III arising well outside ocellar triangle and almost lateral to first ocellus, ocellar setae III are as long as distance between compound eyes, and all setae on tergite X are elongate and slender.
Compared to the species of Synaptothrips with 9-segmented antennae and median pair of metanotal setae arising on the posterior half of this sclerite, all other Thripidae have 7- or 8-segmented antennae (except Anaphothrips obscurus with 8- or 9-segmented antennae) and metanotal median setae arising at anterior margin or on the anterior half of this sclerite.

Biology

Life history
As with other thrips species the life cycle from egg to adult is dependent on temperature. The full cycle can take about 15 days (Lewis 1973) to over a month and adults may live for more than one month producing several generations in one year depending on seasonal weather. With greenhouse temperatures the developmental time from egg to adult can decrease to about one week.

Host plants
Protea sp. (sugar bushes) - Protea barbigera, Protea laurifolia. In Ethiopia, thrips belonging to genus Synaptothrips are reported as pest of Niger (Bayeh & Gebrre Medhin 1992).

Vector capacity
None identified, but possible mechanical distribution of phytopathogenic fungi and bacteria.

Damage and symptoms
-

Detection and control strategies
-

Additional notes
-

Biogeography

East Africa. Tanzania (Kilimanjaro - Mawenzi, Boismarckburg).

top

African countries where Synaptothrips paradoxus has been reported

Distibution Map Africa

The species Synaptothrips paradoxus was not observed in surveys undertaken in East Africa on vegetables and associated weeds and crops.

Please click here for survey sites of all observed thrips species of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Bibliography

Bagnall RS (1919). Brief descriptions of new Thysanoptera - X. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Zoology, Botany and Geology. (Serie 9) 4: 253-277

Bayeh M & Gebre Medhin T. (1992). Insect pests of Niger, linseed and Brassica. pp. 174-177 in Oilseed Research and Development in Ethiopia. Proceedings of the First National Oilseed Workshop, 3-5 December 1991, Addis Abeba

Lewis T (1973). Thrips: Their biology, ecology and economic importance. Academic Press Inc., London Ltd., 349 pp

Mound LA (1968). A review of R. S. Bagnalľs Thysanoptera collections. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), Entomology. Supplement 11: 1-181

Mound LA (1968). New synonymy in the South African genus Synaptothrips Trybom (Thysanoptera) with a key to the species. Journal of the Entomological Society of South Africa. 31 (1): 87-95

Trybom F (1910). Physapoda. In Denkschriften der Medizinisch-Naturwissenschaflichen Gesellschaft zu Jena. Bd. 16, Schultze L. Zoologische und anthropologische Ergebnisse einer Forschungreise im westlichen und zentralen Südafrika (1903-1905). 4: 147-174 (pp 156-158)

----

Web links

Mound´s Thysanoptera pages
Thysanoptera Checklist
ICIPE Thrips survey sites
UNI Halle & Thrips sites
Thrips of California

top