The identification of the flower thrips, Frankliniella Karny (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) intercepted at U. S. ports of entry Author Skarlinsky Ii, Thomas L. APHIS, PPQ, Miami Plant Inspection Station, 6302 NW 36 th Street, Miami, Florida, USA text Insecta Mundi 2024 2024-04-05 2024 39 1 64 journal article 10.5281/zenodo.11450706 1942-1354 11450706 403B362E-9A7F-4385-A0F1-9DB87FE09AD2 Frankliniella desmodii Mound and Marullo ( Fig. 10A , 26 ) Diagnosis. Frankliniella desmodii belongs to a cohort of species characterized by having a long buccal cone and is similar to Frankliniella rostrata* Preisner and Frankliniella lantanae* Mound, Nakahara, and Day. Distinguishing features. Color. Body, forewings, legs pale. Usually, the abdominal tergites have dark anteroangular blotches ( Fig. 26A ). Pigmented ventral eye facets with the 1-1-2 pattern. Structure. The antennal segment VIII of F.desmodii is approximately 4 times longer than its width. Head with an elongate mouth cone, longer than the width of the head ( Fig. 10A ), usually without the PO1 setae, OC3 setae in position 2A ( Fig. 26B ). Pronotum usually with 4 mAM setae ( Fig. 26B ). Upper surface of the hind coxae with microtrichia ( Fig. 26C ). Abdominal tergite VIII posteromarginal comb complete, microtrichia 10–14 µm ( Fig. 26D ). Interception frequency. Rare. Region(s) of interceptions. North America. Comments. Mound and Marullo (1996) reported F. desmodii was found on the leaves of Desmodium intortum and not the flowers.