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Frankliniella tritici
Fig. 1

Antenna

 Fig. 2

Head

 Fig. 3

Pronotum

 Fig. 4

Pteronotum
Fig. 5

Forewing

 Fig. 6

Sternite 7

 Fig. 7

Tergites 8-9

 Fig. 8

Tergites 8-9
Fig. 9

CS249/CS250

 Fig. 10

O1/18J

 Fig. 11

P1/28Z

 Fig. 12

18SMP/28SMP

Figures

Fig. 1: Antenna (inset: III. and IV. antennal segment)
Fig. 2: Head dorsal with ocellar triangle
Fig. 3: Pronotum
Fig. 4: Meso- and metanotum
Fig. 5: Forewing
Fig. 6: Sternite VII
Fig. 7: Tergites VIII and IX
Fig. 8: Tergite VIII, comb

ITS-RFLP gel patterns (1&8 ladder, 2 PCR-product, 3 RSAI, 4 HaeIII, 5 MspI, 6 HinfI, 7 AluI)
Fig. 9: Primer pair CS249/CS250
Fig. 10: Primer pair O1/18J
Fig. 11: Primer pair P1/28Z
Fig. 12: Primer pair 18SMP/28SMP

Taxonomic Information

Species:
 Frankliniella tritici (Fitch, 1855)

Synonyms:
Frankliniella clara Moulton, 1948 
Frankliniella salicis Moulton, 1948 
Frankliniella fulvus Moulton, 1936 
Frankliniella bispinosus Watson, 1921
Frankliniella varicorne Bagnall, 1919 
Euthrips tritici Hinds, 1902
Thrips tritici Fitch, 1855 

Common name:
Eastern flower thrips

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

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Species Recognition

General information about the genus Frankliniella:
The members in this genus are sometimes quite difficult to separate from one another and the classification has been in flux with many species later synonymized in association with color variations. There are about 180 species in this genus most having three pairs of ocellar setae well developed, 8 segmented antennae with III and IV having forked sense cones, well developed setae on the anterior and posterior margins of the pronotum, when present wings with complete rows of setae on the wing veins, two segmented tarsi, without accessory setae on abdominal sternites, with a ctenidia laterally on abdominal segments with ctenidia anterior to spiracle on segment VIII and with males generally smaller and paler than the females (Stannard, 1968).

Typical character states of Frankliniella tritici:

Body color
Mainly pale or yellow, with some darker markings or bicolored

Antennae
Number of antennal segments: 8
Segment IV - forked sensorium: scarcely extending beyond base of segment V
Segments II and III shape: more or less symmetric
Segments III & IV sensoria: emergent and forked
Base of sensorium on antennal segment VI: no more than 2 times as wide as base of nearest seta
Terminal antennal segments: rarely elongate
Shape of pedicel of antennal segment III: weakly swollen, with edges more or less sharp

Head:
Distance between bases of ocellar setae III: greater than width of first ocellus
Head shape between compound eyes: not prolonged
Major postocular setae: less than half as long as ocellar setae III
Ocellar setae III on head: arising on anterior margin of, or in front of, ocellar triangle
Postocular setae I:present
Surface of head, pronotum and fore legs: without strong reticulate sculpture
Ocellar setae I in front of anterior ocellus: present

Prothorax
Number of pairs of elongate pronotal setae: 4-5
Number of pairs of elongate posteroangular pronotal setae: 2
Pronotum shape: rectangular
Number of pairs of pronotum posteromarginal minor setae: 4-5
Number of pairs of pronotum anteromarginal minor setae: 1-2

Mesothorax
Mesothoracic endofurca: with median spinula

Metathorax
Metanotal median area sculptured lines:  transverse at anterior, but forming irregular longitudinal reticulations on posterior half
Metanotal median setae length: longer than lateral metanotal setae
Metanotal median setae position: arising at anterior margin
Metanotum: with campaniform sensilla
Metanotum major sclerite: with two major sclerites, metascutum and metascutellum
Metanotum median area: with no equiangular reticulation
Metanotum sculpture: without dominant sculptured triangle medially
Metathoracic endofurca: transverse, sometimes with simple median spinula

Wings
Wings: present and more than half as long as abdomen
First vein of forewing: distinct from costal vein
Forewing anterior margin: with setae and cilia but cilia longer than setae
Forewing color: uniformly pale or weakly shaded
Forewing costal fringe of cilia: arising at anterior margin of wing
Forewing first vein setal row: complete, with setae closely and uniformly spaced
Forewing posterior margin cilia: undulated near apex
Forewing second vein setal row: complete, with setae closely and uniformly spaced
Forewing surface: not reticulate
Forewings: with veins, setae and microtrichia

Legs
Fore tibial apex: not extending around fore tarsus
Mid and hind tarsi: with two segments

Abdomen:
Abdominal pleurotergites: not covered in microtrichia
Abdominal segment X: never tubular, longitudinally incomplete ventrally in both sexes
Abdominal sternite II: with marginal setae but no discal setae
Abdominal sternite III of female: without glandular areas
Abdominal sternite VII: with marginal setae but no discal setae
Abdominal sternite VII median marginal setae: arising at margin - arising in front of margin
Abdominal sternites IV , V and VI: with marginal setae but no discal setae
Abdominal tergites: without curved wing-retaining setae
Abdominal tergites IV & V median setal pair: much shorter than distance between their bases
Abdominal tergites V-VII: with pair of ctenidia laterally
Setae on abdominal tergite X: slender
Surface of lateral thirds of abdominal tergites: without regular rows of fine microtrichia
Ctenidia on tergite VIII:  anterolaterad to spiracle
Tergite VIII posteromarginal comb of microtrichia: present laterally, incomplete medially
Tergite VIII posteromarginal microtrichia: short and irregular in length

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Biology

Life history:
 As with other thrips species the life cycle from egg to adult is dependent on temperature. The full cycle for Frankliniella occidentalis can take less than one week to over a month and adults may live for more than one month producing several generations in one year depending on seasonal weather (Lewis, 1973).

Host plants:
Polyphagous, flowers, fruits

Vector capacity:
None identified 

Current known distribution:
North America

Additional notes:
Discoloration and distortion of flowers and buds. Silvered surface blemishes on fruit. Leaves crinkled, with ragged edges. Known to cause "buttoning" or blight on strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries (Stannard, 1968).

Bibliography

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Weiss, MJ & Beshear, RJ (1987): Seasonal distribution of the Flower Thrips (Frankliniella tritici (Fitch) and Onion Thrips (Thrips tabaci Lindeman) (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) on Safflower in Eastern Montana. - Canadian Entomologist 119 (4): 399-401.

Links:
Mound, LA (2005): Thysanoptera (Thrips) of the World - A Checklist. http://www.ento.csiro.au/thysanoptera/worldthrips.html

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