Franklinothrips megalops (Trybom)

Rasool, Iftekhar, Alattal, Yehya Zaki & Aldhafer, Hathal M., 2023, Faunistic inventory, identification keys and zoogeographical analysis of the Thysanoptera-Terebrantia of Saudi Arabia, including two new species, Zootaxa 5306 (2), pp. 151-200 : 158-159

Franklinothrips megalops (Trybom)

Mitothrips megalops Trybom, 1912: 147

Described from Kenya, this Afrotropical species is widely distributed across Africa ( Mound & Reynaud 2005) and Middle East (zur Strassen & van Harten 2006). The genus is new to Saudi Arabia where it is widespread across the country associated with different vegetables. It is closely similar to F. variegatus from Australia ( Mound & Reynaud 2005) from which it can be distinguished by: antennal segment I yellow, shaded area at apex of segment IV distinctly longer than wide, whereas in F. variegatus segment I is almost brown and shaded area on IV only at extreme apex.

Material studied. Al Baha. Shada Al Aala , six females from Leptochloa sp. , 8.iv.2019, ( BT), Rasool, I. Aqiq, Abu faisal farm, three females, six males from flowers of bean, 23.ix.2020 ( BT), Rasool, I . Riyadh. Al-Deri’yya, Sudus, 26 females, four males from Ricinus communis , 19.ii.2019, ( BT); Al Oyayna, one female from Sisymbrium irio , 14.iii.2019, ( BT), Aldryhim, Y. N. and Rasool, I; Al Kharj, Wadi Nesah, 51 males from tomato, 24.iv.2018, ( SW); Wadi Dawasir , one female from vegetables, 9.v.2018, ( SW), Hathal, et.al.; Dirab, KSU farm, four females, two males with population of Tetranychus sp. on Withania somnifera , 2.vi.2020, one female, two males from grasses, 28.vi.2020, ( SW), Soliman, A .