Seasonal abundance of thysanoptera species in tillandsia usneoides (Poales: Bromeliaceae)
Florida Entomologist, vol.98, no.4, pp.1179-1181, 2015 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 98 Issue: 4
- Publication Date: 2015
- Doi Number: 10.1653/024.098.0424
- Journal Name: Florida Entomologist
- Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
- Page Numbers: pp.1179-1181
- Keywords: epiphytic plant, Frankliniella bispinosa, Karnyothrips melaleucus, thrips
- Isparta University of Applied Sciences Affiliated: No
Abstract
Spanish moss, Tillandsia usneoides (L.) (Poales: Bromeliaceae), is widely distributed in the southeastern United States. A diversity of arthropod species from numerous taxa are known to inhabit this common epiphytic plant. Thysanoptera species inhabiting Spanish moss were sampled monthly over the course of a year from trees in 4 different genera and included 10 species of thrips from 8 genera and 3 families represented. Breeding populations of predatory Karnyothrips (Phlaeothripidae) were common in Spanish moss during all months of the year. The adults of 2 phytophagous species of Frankliniella (Thripidae) were common in the spring months, but only a few larvae were collected over the course of the year. The adults of other species collected were: Heterothrips quercicola J. C. Crawford (Heterothripidae); Chilothrips pini Hood, Neohydatothrips variabilis (Beach), and Selenothrips rubrocinctus (Giard) (Thripidae); and Hoplandrothrips pergandei Hinds and Liothrips ocellatus Hood (Phlaeothripidae). Although a diverse group of phytophagous thrips species inhabited Spanish moss, there was little evidence that it was a host. It may simply have been a temporary shelter with no other biological significance. The predatory thrips were abundant probably feeding on the diverse group of small arthropods that inhabit Spanish moss.