Host plants of Panchaetothripinae (Thysanoptera: Terebrantia: Thripidae) in New Zealand

Abstract

ABSTRACTBased on institutional collections, database records, literature and new field collections, 247 breeding host associations were found in New Zealand for the four species of the subfamily Panchaetothripinae. The endemic Sigmothrips aotearoana bred only on indigenous plants (21 species). The three adventive species, Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis, Hercinothrips bicinctus and Parthenothrips dracaenae, bred on indigenous plants in native ecosystems and on other plants in and outside native ecosystems; 165, 52 and 9 species, respectively. Of the 172 plant genera, only 17 hosted more than one species. Several plant families and orders hosted only one thrips species; notably, S. aotearoana on Orchidaceae and Loganiaceae; Hercinothrips bicinctus on Compositae (Asteraceae) and Solanales; Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis on Cornales, Ericales, Fagales, Malvales, Poales, Pinales, Rosales and Vitales. The robustness and usefulness of the patterns of host plant associations for predicting plant species at risk could be tested by observations in countries with other species of Panchaetothripinae.