Thrips (Insecta) present in flowers of spontaneous vegetation frequent in lemon orchards in Famaillá (Tucumán, Argentina)

Abstract

The aim of this work was to know the diversity of thrips on flowers of major spontaneous plants present in lemon orchards in Famaillá (Tucumán, Argentina). Twenty samples were collected every 15-20 days, between September 2014 and February 2015, except in July-August 2015 as the plants under study were absent. Samples consisted of the extraction of 30 flowers of Trifolium repens L. (Fabaceae), Commelina communis L. (Commelinaceae), Bidens pilosa L., Taraxacum officinale L. (Asteraceae), Solanum nigrum L. (Solanaceae), located below the canopy of 10 lemon trees randomly selected in the study plot. The thrips obtained were identified on the basis of microscopic slides, which are deposited in the collection of INBIAL-UNJu and the Entomology laboratory at EEA-INTA Famaillá. Fifteen species of the following families were recorded: Aeolothripidae (Franklinothrips tenuicornis), Thripidae (Dinurothrips vezenyii Bagnall, Neohydatothrips sidae JC Crawford, Arorathrips mexicanus (DL Crawford), Chaetanophothrips orchidii Moulton, FranklIiniella australis Morgan, Frankliniella curta Moulton, Frankliniella difficilis Hood, Frankliniella gemina Bagnall, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), Frankliniella oxiura Bagnall, Frankliniella setipes Bagnall, Frankliniella schultzei (Trybom) and Phlaeothripidae (Haplothrips
gowdeyi (Franklin) and Haplothrips sp.). With this present contribution, N. sidae is cited for the first time in Argentina, and the distribution of F. difficilis, F. curta, A. mexicanus and H. gowdeyi, in the country is extended. This thrips complex was composed of phytophagous and predatory species (Franklinothrips tenuicornis Hood). Detection of Ch. orchidii in spontaneous vegetation confirms the need for accurate studies that address the ecological role that these plants may have in maintaining populations of insect pests and their natural enemies.