Checklist of terebrantian thrips (Insecta: Thysanoptera) recorded from India

Abstract

A consolidated systematic list of 333 species of terebrantian thrips, belonging to 118 genera (Insecta: Thysanoptera) recorded so far from India, is provided in this article. The list reveals that the family Thripidae has the lion's share of 307 species, while Aeolothripidae, Melanthripidae, Merothripidae and Stenurothripidae contain very few species. Further, analysis of the present study shows that around 40% of the listed 333 terebrantian species appear to be endemic based on the comparison of Indian fauna with that of the published data of thrips of adjoining regions. Reports on the occurrence of exotic flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) and Neohydatothrips samayunkur (Kudo) are of concern to the country, as they are notorious for damage to the cultivated plants.