First record of Echinothrips americanus Morgan (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) in Mainland China, with notes on distribution and host plants.

Abstract

Echinothrips americanus Morgan of the subfamily Thripinae (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) collected on pepper from Beijing is reported in this paper, which represents the first record of both the genus and the species from mainland China. Although the head, pronotum, and metanotum are reticulately sculptured, the genus differs from members of Panchaetothripinae in having the mesofurcal spinula well-developed. It is one of the quarantine pest species that expanded its range of distribution in a relatively short time. The distribution and list of its host plants are given. The specimens were deposited at the Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China (ZJUH).