Recognition data

Distinguishing features

Macropterous, strongly bicoloured, mainly brown with anterior margin of pronotum yellow, also all tarsi yellow and tibiae extensively yellow; abdominal segments III–VI yellowish brown with dark antecostal ridge; fore wing with three dark and three pale bands, apex pale. Head with occipital ridge not close to eyes; ocellar triangle with irregular reticulation; ocellar setae III on anterior margins of triangle; three pairs of postocular setae, median pair long and arising laterally. Pronotal sculpture mainly transverse, blotch deeply emarginate posteriorly. Metanotal sculpture linear on posterior half. Tergites II–VI with no marginal comb medially. Sternites fully covered with microtrichia, posterior margins with groups of long microtrichia between bases of marginal setae.

Male with pore plate on sternite VII only.

Related and similar species

This species differs from the Australian native species of Neohydatothrips in having the occipital ridge on the head well separated from the posterior margins of the compound eyes.

Distribution data

Recorded from Mexico, El Salvador, California, Florida, Hawaii, Japan, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Kenya, and eastern Australia

Biological data

Host plants

Tagetes species (Asteraceae)

Life history

Feeding and breeding on leaves and in flowers

Taxonomic data

Current valid name

Neohydatothrips samayunkur Kudo

Original name and synonyms

• Hydatothrips (Neohydatothrips) samayunkur Kudo