LIBRARY

THYSANOPTERA 253
Thrips are widely distributed throughout the tropical and temperate regions
and may be found wherever plants occur except in the polar regions. Although
about 350 genera and 2,500 species have been described, there remain perhaps
as many or even more awaiting discovery and investigation.
COLLECTING, PRESERVING, AND MOUNTING
As has already been stated, thrips abound in flowers, on foliage. fruits, bark,
fungi, mosses, and other forms of vegetable life; and in debris, decayed vegetation,
and in the soil. They may be restricted to a genus or family of plants or
may be general feeders. It is therefore important to know the hosts of every
species taken, which means that much of the collecting must be very carefully
done although beating and sweeping may be resorted to on many specific plants.
Traps may be employed in capturing debris- and soil-inhabiting forms,
Specimens may be preserved in 80 per cent alcohol or other liquid preservative.
For microscopical study the specimens may be prepared by removing body
contents in a 5 or 10 per cent solution of KOH or NaOH or in lactic acid; by
dehydrating in alcohol; clearing in clove oil, cedarwood oil, xylol, or similar
materials, and mounting directly into euparal or canada balsam.
Very good mounts may also be obtained by placing fresh material directly in
Berlese, Faure, or similar media, heating at lOO°F for 1 hr., and ringing with
a suitable cement.
Immature forms and transparent specimens may be greatly improved for
study by staining in fuchsin, fast green, and other permanent stains.
CLASSIFICATION
A. Suborder TEREBRANTIA Haliday 1836
1. Superfamily lEOLOTHRlPOIDEA Hood 1915
1. Family tEOLOTHRIPIDlE Uze11895 (COLEOPTERATID.£ Beach 1896)
2. .. OROTHRIPIDlE Bagnall 1926
3. MELANTHRIPIDtE Bagnall 1926 1
4. " DACTULIOTHRIPIDIE Moulton 1931
5. " FRANKLlNOTHRIPIDlE Bagnall 1926
II. Superfamily MEROTHRIPOIDEA Bagnall 1930
6. Family MEROTHRIPIDA,!: Hood 1914
III. Superfamily THRIPOIDEA Hood 1915
7. Family HETEROTHRIPIDlE Bagnall 1912 2
8. " HEMITHRIPlDJE Bagnall 1930 a
9. CERATOTHRIPIDJE Bagnall 1912
10. PANCHlETOTHRIPIDJE Bagnall 1912
11. THRIPIDlE Stephens 1829. Uzel 1895 (STENOPTERID£ Beach
1896)
1 Placed in the superfamily MELANTHRIPOIDEA by Bagnall 1930.
2 Placed in the superfamily HETEROTHRWOIDEA by Bagnall 191)0,
a Placed in the superfamily HEMITHRIPOlDEA by Bagnall 1930.