How are the mouthparts of thrips adapted for piercing pollen and plant tissue?

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Detailed illustration of a western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis, showing its elongated yellow-brown body, six legs, and two pairs of fringed wings spread outward. — thrips Western flower thrips (*Frankliniella occidentalis*).

Thrips (order Thysanoptera) possess specialized mouthparts adapted for piercing plant tissues and pollen granules. The head is slightly skewed, with the mouth cone directed posteriorly.1

Key features of their mouthparts include:

Mandible: Only the single left mandible is developed, which functions as an efficient chisel for piercing pollen granules.12
Maxillae: These are modified into piercing stylets used to penetrate plant tissue.1
Palps: Both the maxillae and the labium bear segmented sensory projections known as palps.1

This specialized structure allows thrips to feed on plant juices and pollen, a feeding habit that likely influenced the early evolution and diversification of the order.312