Faunistic inventory, identification keys and zoogeographical analysis of the Thysanoptera-Terebrantia of Saudi Arabia, including two new species.

This faunistic study of the Thysanoptera suborder Terebrantia of Saudi Arabia has revealed 79 species in 39 genera and four families. Two families Melanthripidae Bagnall and Stenurothripidae Bagnall, also 25 genera and 51 species, are newly recorded for Saudi Arabia, and Mycterothrips arabicus sp. n. and Scirtothrips erectus sp. n., are described. Males of Thrips lomatus zur Strassan and Odontothrips elbaensis Priesner are described for the first time. Keys to the families, genera and species of Terebrantia of Saudi Arabia are presented, together with a species check list. Zoogeographical analysis indicates that general affinity of the thrips fauna of Saudi Arabia is dominated by Afrotropical (22.6%) and Saharo-Arabian (17.9%) species, followed by Cosmopolitan (16.7%), endemic (11.9%), Palearctic (10.7%), Oriental (9.5%), Mediterranean (7.1%), and traces of Nearctic (2.4%) and Holarctic (1.2%) species.

The Dendrothripinae (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) of Saudi Arabia, with new records, one new species, and revised status of Pseudodendrothrips stuardoi (Moulton).

Two genera Dendrothrips Uzel and Pseudodendrothrips Schmutz are recorded from Saudi Arabia. A key is provided to eight members of Dendrothrips that have antennae with 9-segments and D. saudicus sp. n. is described in this group. P. aegyptiacus (Priesner) and P. stuardoi are newly reported from Saudi Arabia, with P. stuardoi rev. stat. from the leaves of Ficus carica being newly distinguished from P. mori (Niwa) that lives on the leaves of Morus alba. Some published records of P. mori from Mediterranean countries are possibly misidentifications of P. stuardoi.

The Thripidae subfamily Sericothripinae (Thysanoptera) from Saudi Arabia with a new species of Hydatothrips Karny.

The subfamily Sericothripinae Karny (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is recorded for the first time from the Saudi Arabian fauna. Four species belonging to two genera, Hydatothrips Karny and Neohydatothrips John, are recognized, and H. bahaensis Rasool, sp. n. is described from Al Baha region (southwestern of Saudi Arabia). Host-plant associations are given for the new species and also N. amygdali Minaei, and the male and larvae of N. amygdali are reported for the first time. An illustrated key to the genera and species is provided.

An annotated checklist of Coccinellidae (Insecta, Coleoptera) with eight new records from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The members of Coccinellidae are among the most important biological control agents being used throughout the world. The objective of this study was to provide the current scenario of this family in Saudi Arabia. Collection surveys of ladybird individuals were conducted throughout Saudi Arabia. A total of 5400 specimens of Coccinellidae were collected belonging to 51 species in 19 genera and seven tribes: Sticholotidini (2 genera / 10 species), Coccidulini (1/3), Scymnini (4/24), Diomini (1/1), Hyperaspidini (1/3), Chilocorini (3/8), Noviini (1/3), Coccinellini (8/11), Epilachnini (2/2). One genus, Clitostethus, and eight species and subspecies, Cheilomenes lunata lunata (Fabricius, 1775), Clitostethus arcuatus (Rossi, 1794), Nephus ornatulus Korschefsky, 1931, N. nigricans (Weise, 1879), Pharoscymnus fleischeri (Weise, 1883), Novius yemenensis Raimundo & Fürsch, 2006, Scymnus (Scymnus) scapuliferus Mulsant, 1850, and Stethorus endrodyi Fürsch, 1970, are reported as new records to Saudi Arabia. Two endemic species, Scymnus agrumi and S. arabicus, were recorded. This study also describes the geographical distribution for each species and the diagnostic characters for new records.

The Carabidae (Coleoptera) of Shada Al-A'Ala Nature Reserve, Southwestern Saudi Arabia, with description of a new species of Paussinae.

We report the Carabidae collected at the Shada Al-A'Ala Nature Reserve (SANR) in Baha Province in southwestern Saudi Arabia during 2013-2015. In total, 62 carabid species and subspecies representing 39 genera, 17 tribes, and 10 subfamilies were identified, including one new species, Paussusminutulus Nagel & Rasool, sp. n, four new country records, and 24 species that are new provincial records for Baha. The carabid fauna was dominated by the Lebiini with 19 species. A high number of species were rarely collected (34 species) in comparison to the more abundant and common species (9 species). The highest number of species (52 species) was collected during autumn. The carabids of SANR are represented by a large component of Afrotropical faunal elements (28.1%) and smaller numbers of Oriental species (3.5%) and endemic taxa (5.3%). In comparison to Garf Raydah Nature Reserve in Asir Province, also in southwestern Saudi Arabia, SANR had an equal number of carabids sharing 64.5% of the species but with lower number of endemic elements. Our study can serve as a component for implementing a conservation plan for SANR using carabid beetles as sentinel taxa. These research results may support future ecological studies on SNAR carabids.

Faunistic inventory and zoogeographical analysis of the ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) of Garf Raydah Nature Reserve, Southwestern of Saudi Arabia, and description of a new species of Paussinae.

Study of ground beetles of the Garf Raydah Nature Reserve, located in the Asir Mountains of southwestern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) resulted in one species, Paussus abditus Nagel, sp. n. described as new to science. Thirteen species (21.3%) are reported as new country records and fifteen species (24.6%) are new records for Asir Province. Adult beetles were collected from 2013 to 2017. The determination of this material yielded a total of 61 species in 40 genera and 17 tribes belonging to nine subfamilies of Carabidae. The species richness represented approximately 36.1% of carabid species previously reported from KSA. The most species rich tribes were the Lebiini (20 species), the Harpalini (10 species), and the Bembidiini (6 species). The life form analysis of adults indicated 18 life form types that are grouped into three categories, Zoophagous (77.1%), Mixophytophagous (18.0%), and Myrmecophilous (4.9%). Zoogeographical analyses indicated that the Afrotropical (19.3%) and the Saharo-Arabian (19.3%) species dominate the carabid fauna of this region of KSA. Coryza cf. maculata (Nietner, 1856) is considered the only Oriental representative. Only one cosmopolitan species, Perigona nigriceps (Dejean, 1831), was collected. Eleven endemics were identified; six species are considered KSA endemics and five are Arabian Peninsula endemics.

The Dromiusina Bonelli, 1810 of southwestern Saudi Arabia with description of a new species (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Lebiini).

In this paper, species of the subtribe Dromiusina Bonelli, 1810 from southwestern Saudi Arabia are revised. Eleven species in six genera (Calodromius, Dromius, Mesolestes, Metadromius, Microlestes, and Zolotarevskyella) are recognized. Dromius saudiarabicus Rasool, Abdel-Dayem and Felix, sp. n. is newly described species from Rayda Nature Reserve Asir province. The presence of Metadromius ephippiatus in Saudi Arabia is doubtful. A key is also provided to genera and species level for Dromiusina of Saudi Arabia.

A review of the Subtribe Lebiina Bonelli (Lebiini, Carabidae, Coleoptera) from Southwest of Saudi Arabia.

In this paper, descriptions, illustrations, distributional maps and a key for the subtribe Lebiina Bonelli, 1810 of Lebiini are presented for the two genera, Lebia Latreille, 1802 and Matabele, Peringuey, 1896 and six species from the southwest of Saudi Arabia. Lebia raeesae sp. n is described as a new species, L. melanacra (Chaudoir, 1878) and L. melanura (Dejean, 1831) are new records to the fauna of the country. Thus, the Saudi fauna of Lebiina based on this study has increased from three to six species.

A review of subtribe Cymindidina Laporte, 1834 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Lebiini) in Southwestern Saudi Arabia, with descriptions of two new species.

The carabid subtribe Cymindidina Laporte, 1834 is reviewed for the southwestern Saudi Arabia. Five species belonging to two genera (Afrotarus Jeannel, 1949 and Cymindis Latreille, 1806) are studied, including two species described as new: A. fadli sp. n. from Baha Province and A. soudaensis sp. n. from Asir Province. A key to genera and species of Saudi Arabia is given.