Thrips (Thysanoptera) species associated with mango trees in South Africa

Thrips, (Thysanoptera) were collected on mango trees (Mangifera indica L. ( Anacardiaceae)) from 1992-1996 in the main mango production areas in South Africa to identify the complex of species associated with this crop and to monitor their abundance. Different monitoring techniques were used, which i ncluded sampling of flowers, fruit and leaves and the use of both yellow ca rd and dispersal/emergence trapping methods. Fifteen thrips species were re corded, eleven belonging to the family Thripidae and four to the family Phl aeothripidae. The citrus thrips, Scirtothrips aurantii Faure, and the red-b anded thrips, Selenothrips rubrocinctus (Giard), were the only two species that caused lesions on the fruit. Numbers of S. rubrocinctus were usually l ow in mango orchards and did not seem to be of economic importance. By cont rast, Scirtothrips aurantii was abundant on new growth, causing stunting of growth and leaf malformation. Aleurodothrips fasciapennis (Franklin) and H aplothrips bedfordi Jacot-Guillarmod were the only predatory thrips recorde d. The western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), was co llected from mango flowers in the Letsitele area, while Thrips acaciae Tryb om, Thrips tenellus Trybom and S. aurantii were the most abundant species i n the flowers.