Euphysothrips minozzii Bagnall, 1926

Thripinae, Thripidae, Terebrantia, Thysanoptera

Figures

Fig. 1: 8-segmented antenna, segments III and IV with forked sense cone, terminal segments V-VIII
Fig. 2: Head dorsal with ocellar triangle, scape and pedicel
Fig. 3: Head dorsal with pigmented ocelli
Fig. 4: Pronotum
Fig. 5: Meso- and metanotum
Fig. 6: Fore- and hind wing, fore wing basal region
Fig. 7: Sternites III-VI with pore plates (male)
Fig. 8: Tergite VIII with posteromarginal comb

Euphysothrips minozzii breeds on various plants, often on Poaceae. Both sexes macropterous; body color from largely yellow with brown abdominal segments 8-10 to unicolored light brown with paler overtones on pterothrorax and darker overtones on abdominal segtments 8-10; antennal segments I-IV yellow to yellowish brown, V-VIII brown to dark brown; fore wings light grey with a deeper shade in the median third. Antennae 8-segmented; segments III & IV with forked sense cone (Fig. 1). Head with long setae; 3 pairs of ocellar setae, pair III arising on anterior margins of ocellar triangle; 4 pairs of postocular setae, the first and third being twice as long as the second and fourth (Fig. 2 and 3). Pronotum with numerous dorsal setae; 2 pairs of elongate posteroangular setae; 5-6 pairs of stout minor posteromarginal setae (Fig. 4). Metanotum transverse reticulate; median setae arising behind anterior margin; campaniform sensilla present (Fig. 5). Mid and hind tarsi 2-segmented. Fore wing with very long setae on the veins, longest seta twice as long as wing width; first vein with 3 setae distally; second vein with mostly 4 setae (Fig. 6). Tergites II-VII on posterior margin with craspedum of unbroken border or flange; VIII with a complete comb of long, slender and irregular microtrichia (Fig. 8); X with a large longitudinal split. Sternites without discal setae; median setae on sternite VII arising in front of margin.
Male similar to female; sternites III-VII each with a small transverse glandular area medially (Fig. 7).

The genus Euphysothrips Bagnall, 1926
2 species are listed in this genus. Both are known from India but one, Euphysothrips minozzi, is also recorded in many other countries. The fore wing chaetotaxy is unique in Thripinae, with setae on the veins up to twice as long as wing width (Mound & Ng 2009). Furthermore, the species have 8-segmented antennae with forked sense cone on segements III & IV, 3 pairs of ocellar setae and 2 pairs of long postocular setae on head, no regular series of setae on fore wing veins, tergites II-VII on posterior margin with craspedum of unbroken border or flange, and tergite VIII with a complete comb of long and slender microtrichia.

Euphysothrips minozzii is similar to Arorathrips mexicaus, Chirothrips frontalis, Craspedothrips hargreavesi, Exothrips papyri, and Larothrips dentipes in having more or less a complete craspedum of unbroken border or flange on tergites II-VII, but only in Euphysothrips minozzii craspedum on tergite VIII lacks and is replaced by a complete comb of long, slender and irregular microtrichia. In contrast, other species have a complete craspedum on tergite VIII (except Larothrips dentipes with continuous craspedum medially, but tooth-like microtrichia laterally on tergite VIII), fore wing costal setae shorter or longer than half of median wing width, but never up to twice as long as wing width (like in Euphysothrips minozzi), and no alternating short and long postocular setae on head (Euphysothrips minozzi with alternating short and long postocular setae).

Life history
As with other thrips species the life cycle from egg to adult is dependent on temperature. The full cycle 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
On various plants, often on Poaceae.

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

Damage and symptoms
-

Detection and control strategies
-

Additional notes
-

Biogeography

Indo-Mediterranean, Canary Islands, southern Africa. Egypt (Sinai-Wadi Gedaret; Mariout-Ikingi), Mozambique (Maputo), South Africa.

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Bagnall RS (1926). Contributions towards a knowledge of the European Thysanoptera. I. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Zoology, Botany and Geology. (Serie 9) 18: 641-661

Bhatti JS (1972). A study of variation in Euphysothrips minozzii. Entomologist´s Monthly Magazine. 107: 149-150

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 & Ng YF (2009). An illustrated key to the genera of Thripinae (Thysanoptera) from South East Asia. Zootaxa. 2265: 27-47

Priesner H (1964). A monograph of the Thysanoptera of the Egyptian deserts. Publications de ľInstitut du Desert d´Égypte (1960). 13: 1-549

Ramakrishna TV (1928). A contribution to our knowledge of the Thysanoptera of India. Memoirs of the Department of Agriculture in India, Entomological Series. 10 (7): 217-316

Ramakrishna TV & Margabandhu V (1939). Notes on new and known Indian Thysanoptera. Records of the Indian Museum. 41 (1): 21-33

Sakimura K & Ananthakrishnan TN (1962). A study of the Indian species of the genus Chaetanaphothrips. Bulletin of Entomology. 3: 48-56

Schliephake G (1983). Beitrag zur Kenntnis mediterraner Thripina (Thysanoptera, Thripidae). Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift. 30 (1-3): 123-171

zur Strassen R (1969). Neue Angaben zur Thysanopteren-Fauna (Insecta, Thysanoptera) der Kanarischen Inseln. Commentationes Biologicae. 31 (5): 1-74

zur Strassen R (2003). Die terebranten Thysanopteren Europas und des Mittelmeer-Gebietes. Die Tierwelt Deutschlands und der angrenzenden Meeresteile nach ihren Merkmalen und nach ihrer Lebensweise, 74. Teil. Goecke & Evers, Keltern, Germany, 277 pp