Orosius albicinctus Distant

(Figs 5–8, 24–26, 36–38, 48–50)

Orosius albicinctus Distant, 1918: 85

Orosius albicinctus Metcalf, 1967: 1670 – Bindra, 1973: 28

Orosius albicinctus Dlabola, 1979: 131 – Datta, 1988: 155

Thamnotettix filigranus Haupt, 1927: 30

Orosius filigranus Metcalf, 1967: 1672

Nesophrosyne filigranus Dlabola, 1963: 314

Nesophrosyne (Orosius) filigranus Linnavuori, 1964: 336

To Orosius albicinctus Ghauri, 1966: 236

Orosius aegypticus Khatri & Webb, 2010: 15 — Khatri, et al., 2011: 24

Description. In addition to generic characters, the specific characters are:

Body length: 2.7–3.0 mm.

Male genitalia: Pygofer broadly rounded with median elongation posteriorly, with irregular setae over posterior half (Fig. 38); valve is free to pygofer, triangular shape, articulation of valve with pygofer pointed (Fig. 49); subgenital plate with one row of macrosetae near margin, with stout membranous finger-like process on mesal edge of posterior margin (Fig. 37); style bent small fingerlike with preapical lobe, apex inflated (Fig. 36); connective articulated with aedeagus, Y shape (Fig. 26); anal tube appendages articulated to posterodorsal margin of pygofer laterally, form end like spine, very long and narrowed, arising from base of anal tube (Fig. 48); aedeagal shafts arising from base, shafts with branches extended and with significantly diverging, apices of branches pointed, lateral view, shafts narrowed extend their length, branches length 3 times the base, base with a little projection (Figs 24–25).

Female genitalia: female 7th sternite approximately 3 times as broad at base as long medially, with sinuous posterior margin, posterior margin with lobe with median V-shape notch in middle (Fig. 50); numerous macrosetae on pygofer.

Specimens examined: 1♀ KSA: Riyadh: Education farm of KSU: 24°43'17.7"N 46°37'38.8"E, 24. I. 2009 , light trap, A. I. Soffan; 2♀, same but Al Diriyah: 24°44'39.9"N 46°32'45.1"E, 12. IV. 2016 ; 1♀, same but 24°11.00’N, 47°18.00’E, 7. III. 2012, El Sonbati, S. A.; 1♀, same but Derab farm: 24°41.86’N, 46°65.408’E, 18. IX. 2014 , H. Al Dhafer, H. Fadl, M. Abdel-Dayem, A. El-Gharbawy, A. El-Torky, S. El-Sonbati; 2♀ 2♂ Rhodet khorim: 25°25.943’N, 47°13.863’E 572m, 7. I. 2012 , S. El-Sonbati; H. Al Dhafer; 1♀ 5♂, same but 25°22.986’N, 47°16.712’E, 559m, 1. IV. 2012, light trap; 1♀ 1♂, same but 26. IV. 2012; 1♀ 1♂, same but 28. IV. 2012; 3♀ 5♂, same but 14. IV. 2012; 1♀ 5♂, same but 14. V. 2012; 1♂, same but 26. V. 2012; 1♂, same but 27. V. 2012; 1♀ 1♂, same but 13. XI. 2011; 2♀ 1♂ Muzahimiyah: Al Khararah: 24° 23’ 01’ N, 46° 41’ 14’’ E, 30. III. 2011 , light trap, Y. Aldrayhim, H. Al Dhafer, A. El-Gharbawy, H. Setyaningrum; 1♀, same but 31. X. 2011; 33♀, same but 17. IV. 2012, H. Al Dhafer, H. Fadl, M. Abdel-Dayem, A. El-Torky, A. Al-Ansi; 1♂ Deirab: 24°30'34.3"N 46°37'04.9"E, 31. X. 2010 , light trap; 1♂, same but 19. XII. 2010; 1♂ Al Aflag: Al Naifiyah, Farshet Sheaal: 22°24.591’N, 46°35.555’E, 594m, light trap, H. Al Dhafer, M. Abdel-Dayem, A. El-Torky, A. El-Gharbawy, A. Soliman ; 1♂, same but 4. III. 2 015; 4♀ 4♂, same but 10. IV. 2015; 1♀ 8♂, same but 15. X. 2015; 9♀ 2♂, same but AzZulfi, Rhodet AlSabalah: 26°21.524’N, 44°59.010’E, 669m, 19.V. 2015 ; 1♀, same but 14.X. 2009; 2♀ Al Magardah W. Yabah: 19°14.911’N, 41°47.255’E, 402m, 11. X. 2013 , S. El- Sonbati, I. Rasool, M. Al-Harbi, S. Khan; 3♀, same but W. Talalea: 19°02.740’N, 41°46.333’E, 259m, 12. X. 2013 , S. El- Sonbati; 5♀ KSA: Asir, Abha, Raydah: 18°11.749’N, 42°23.345’E, 1614m, 20. X. 2014 , light trap, H. Al Dhafer, H. Fadl, M. Abdel-Dayem, A. El- Gharbawy, A. El-Torky, S. El Sonbati; 1♀, same but 24. II 2014, S. El Sonbati, R. Iftekhar; 1♀, same but 18°12.265’N, 42°24.744’E, 2820m, 20. II. 2014; 1♀, same but 18°11.679’N, 42°23.691’E, 1851m, 4. III. 2015; 2♀, same but 18°27.125’N, 42°10.770’E, 2734m, 2. XI. 2013; 1♀, same but Saloos Almanzar W. Baqrah: 18° 47.977’N, 42° 01.375’, 425m, 4. VI. 2014 , H. Al Dhafer, S. El Sonbati; 1♀ KSA: Al Baha, Shada Al Ala: 19°50.329’N, 41°18.604’E, 1563m, 15. II. 2014 , light trap, H. Al Dhafer, H. Fadl, M. Abdel-Dayem, A. El- Gharbawy, A. El-Torky, S. El Sonbati; 2♀, same but 19°52.598’N, 41°18.672’E, 892m, 16. II. 2014; 2♀, same but 24. IV. 2014; 1♀, same but 19°50.575’N, 41°18.691’E, 1666m, 21. IV. 2014; 2♀, same but 19°50.710’N, 41°18.267’E, 1474m; 1♀, same but 23. VIII. 2014, M. Al Harbi, S. Shazaad; 3♀, same but 19°51.762’N, 41°18.089’E, 1225m; 8♀ 1♂, same but 19°51.066’N, 41°18.037’E, 1325m; 1♀, same but 3. VI. 2014; 1♀, same but 19°50.411’N, 41°18.686’E, 1611m, 22. VIII. 2014; 1♀, same but 17. X. 2014; 3♀, same but 18°47.511’N, 41°18.258’E, 3. XI. 2013; 1♀ 1♂ Jazan, Al Dayer: 17°20.19.1’N, 43°07.51.4’E, 1. V. 2014 , vacuum, S. El- Sonbati. 1 ♂ Oman: Al Mudhaibi, Samad Ashan, 22°49.62’N, 58°09.00’E, 28. VII. 2018 , A. Al-Jahdhami.

Distribution: India, Pakistan, Palestine, Israel, Egypt, Uganda (Ghauri, 1966; Fletcher, et al., 2016); Oceania: Norfolk Island (Australia), Iraq (Metcalf, 1967), Saudi Arabia (Dlabola, 1980).

Ecology and biology. The most common Orosius species worldwide and known as a vector of various diseases e.g. Sesame phyllody phytoplasma and Chickpea chlorotic dwarf virus in different countries. The abundance of O. albicinctus is markedly higher in April in all localities in Saudi Arabia (Figs 59–61). Most specimens were collected from Jazan to north of Riyadh region by light trap. Most of these localities has a diverse flora of plants and determination of any host plant is not yet possible.

Diagnosis: O. albicinctus can be distinguished by the characters of the aedeagus, spine at base of anal tube and pygofer: aedeagal shafts branches extent with significant diverging, base with a little projection laterally (Figs 24–25); spine of anal tube very long and narrowed arising from base (Fig. 48); pygofer broadly rounded with median elongation posteriorly (Fig. 38).