Frankliniella panamensis (Insecta: Thysanoptera), an Emerging Global Threat or Not? Evidence from the Literature

<i>Frankliniella panamensis</i> Hood 1925 (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is a thrips species of increasing interest as a potential pest of crops in Central and South America and as a contaminant in international trade, especially for ornamentals. We identify, collate, summarize, and critically analyze information from national, regional, and international sources, on the taxonomy, diagnostics, distribution, biology and ecology, pest status, and pest management of <i>F. panamensis</i>. Approximately 90 articles of relevance were identified. Most were locatable in either Google or Google Scholar, but electronic or hard copies were sometimes difficult to obtain. The taxonomic status of <i>F. panamensis</i> is established. After past issues, especially those that related to the distinction between <i>F. panamensis</i> and <i>Frankliniella occidentalis</i>, suitable morphological and molecular diagnostics for <i>F. panamensis</i> have been developed. <i>F. panamensis</i> has mostly been recorded from between 1400 and 3600 m asl in several Central and South American countries and especially in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Panama. Adults of <i>F. panamensis</i> have been recorded from flowers and leaves of many endemic and introduced plants, including weeds, in Central and South America, but details on the feeding and breeding hosts for this thrips species are rare<i>. F. panamensis</i> seems to be multivoltine and exhibits arrhenotoky. <i>F. panamensis</i> is clearly a transitory species in some protected crops but there is little evidence as to whether it maintains breeding populations under these conditions. <i>F. panamensis</i> is listed as a pest in several South American publications, but we found little published evidence of direct or indirect damage caused by the species to any cultivated or uncultivated plant species. Until the pest status of <i>F. panamensis</i> is clarified, this species will probably remain a quarantine issue in international trade in some countries. We identify knowledge gaps and priority areas for future research.