Which statement best describes thrips (order Thysanoptera)?

Which statement best describes thrips (order Thysanoptera)?

• A. Thrips have rasping/sucking mouthparts, four fringed wings, and develop gradually.
• B. Thrips have chewing mouthparts and undergo complete metamorphosis.
• C. Thrips are aquatic insects with no wings.
• D. Thrips have scaled wings and undergo complete metamorphosis.

Answer: (A)

Thrips are tiny insects whose feeding is done with rasping-sucking mouthparts that pierce plant tissue and suck out fluids. They have two pairs of narrow wings that are fringed with long hairs, giving them a distinctive fringed appearance. Their development is gradual (incomplete metamorphosis), meaning young nymphs resemble smaller versions of the adults and there isn’t a pupal stage. This combination—rasping-sucking mouthparts, four fringed wings, and gradual development—fits what the statement describes. The other choices mix in chewing mouthparts, complete metamorphosis, aquatic lifestyle, or scaled wings, none of which align with thrips’ actual anatomy and life cycle.

Thrips are tiny insects whose feeding is done with rasping-sucking mouthparts that pierce plant tissue and suck out fluids. They have two pairs of narrow wings that are fringed with long hairs, giving them a distinctive fringed appearance. Their development is gradual (incomplete metamorphosis), meaning young nymphs resemble smaller versions of the adults and there isn’t a pupal stage. This combination—rasping-sucking mouthparts, four fringed wings, and gradual development—fits what the statement describes. The other choices mix in chewing mouthparts, complete metamorphosis, aquatic lifestyle, or scaled wings, none of which align with thrips’ actual anatomy and life cycle.