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Which features do scientists use to classify different thrips families and species?

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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*).

Scientists classify thrips into families and species by examining a variety of morphological characteristics, as no single structure is definitively indicative of a taxonomic level.1

Features for Familial Classification

To determine familial relationships, researchers primarily analyze the following structural traits:
* Antennae: The number of segments and the form of sensory appendages (such as linear or circular disks, or peglike cones) on intermediate segments.21
* Wings: The shape and structure of the forewings, including the presence of microtrichia (fine hairs) and the arrangement of longitudinal or cross veins.21
* Abdomen: The form of the female ovipositor (e.g., sawlike, downturned, or absent) and the structure of the 10th abdominal segment.231
* Other: The location of glands and specific setal (bristle) arrangements.1

Features for Generic and Species Classification

At the more specific generic and species levels, taxonomists focus on finer details, including:
* Antennal details and specific mouthpart structures.1
* Body sculpturing, such as hexagonal designs or flanges.41
* Coloration and the specific arrangement of bristles.41