Palanisamy A.1, Marimuthu M.1, Narayanasamy Ch.2, Venkatasamy B.2, Gandhi K.3, Lakshmanan P.4 2024. Identifying the host-associated morphological differentiation of the tobacco thrips Thrips parvispinus (Karny, 1925), an invasive thrips species // Euroasian Entomological Journal. Vol.22 (for 2023). No.6: 296–303 [in English].
1 Department of Agricultural Entomology, Centre for Plant Protection Studies, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore 641003 India. E-mail: muruganmarimuthu@tnau.ac.in. ORCID: 0000-0003-0659-6047; 0000-0002-7485-1153; 0000-0002-6434-6381
2 Controller of Examinations, TNAU, Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore 641003 India. ORCID: 0000-0001-6797-3016
3 Department of Plant Pathology, Centre for Plant Protection Studies, TNAU, Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore 641003 India. ORCID: 0000-0002-9502-8481
4 Department of Vegetables, Horticultural College & Research Institute, TNAU, Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore 641003 India.
doi 10.15298/euroasentj.22.06.04
ABSTRACT. Thrips parvispinus (Karny, 1925), a new invasive species of the order Thysanoptera (Terebrantia: Thripidae), was first discovered in Karnataka papaya crops in 2015. Since then, it has spread to many other states and crops, wreaking havoc in the chili industry. Despite quarantine limitations, the recent invasion of thrips into India rapidly is cause for concern, particularly given the globalisation situation. The current study documented the spread of the invasive T. parvispinus (Karny) pest on significant horticultural crops in Tamil Nadu. The species and its unique taxonomic traits are documented to aid identification. For further precise identification, the essential characteristics of T. parvispinus (Karny) were quantified. According to the principal component analysis (PCA) of the measurable components of each crop from which the species was derived, habitat alterations in precise, crop range expansion had the least impact on morphometric features (PC1 and PC2: 15.6 and 14.8%, respectively).
KEY WORDS: Thrips parvispinus, morphology, morphometry, principal component analysis.