Thrips tabaci Lindeman

Thrips tabaci Lindeman 1889: 61

Now found worldwide, particularly on onions, this eastern Mediterranean species occurs rarely in the wet tropics. In Africa, specimens have been seen from South Africa, La Réunion and northern Nigeria. It is highly variable in size and colour, partly depending on the temperature during development (Murai & Toda, 2002), and thus has been described under many different names (Mound, 2010). It can usually be recognised by the grey (instead of red) ocellar pigment, and the regular rows of fine microtrichia on the pleurotergites (Fig. 54) are diagnostic.

Diagnosis. Body varying from yellow to dark brown; ocellar pigment never red, usually grey; antennal segments III–IV brown with basal half pale; forewings pale. Antennae 7-segmented. Ocellar setae III small, arising on anterior margins or just within ocellar triangle. Pronotum with 2 pairs of rather short posteroangular setae. Metanotum irregularly reticulate medially, lines converging to midpoint of posterior margin; median setae short, arising behind anterior margin; campaniform sensilla absent. Forewing first vein usually with 4 (2–6) setae on distal half. Tergite VIII with complete comb of long slender microtrichia; pleurotergites without discal setae, sculptured with rows of fine microtrichia (Fig. 54); sternites without discal setae.