Scolothrips sp.

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 : 188

Scolothrips sp.

Female macroptera: Body pale yellow with brown markings. Antennal segments I–II yellow, III–VIII grey; pronotum with two brown areas laterally; pterothorax irregularly brown; legs yellow; fore wings pale with two transverse dark bands, sub-basal band complete, reaching to anterior costal margin, clavus shaded on basal half; abdominal tergites II–VII shaded brown entirely. Male similar to female, smaller in size; sternites III–VIII with broad, transverse pore plates.

Comments. This species is close to sexmaculatus species-group (hoodi, pallidus, sexmaculatus ) based on presence of paired discal setae posteromesad on pronotum. But unlike those species it has the fore wing sub-basal dark band complete, reaching to anterior costal margin. This fore wing pattern is found stable in all collected 60 females and males. In addition to this, it has tergites II–VII entirely shaded, unlike sexmaculatus where tergites II–IV are shaded medially but never reaching to lateral area, and shaded areas on tergites V–VII diffuse and incomplete medially ( Mound 2011b). This species needs further investigation, particularly in relation to variation in sexmaculatus .

Material studied. All collected by Rasool, I. and present in KSMA except where indicated. Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Dirab, KSU farm, within population of Tetranychus urticae on Withania somnifera leaves, 09.vi.2020, ( BT)., 7 females, one male same as previous [ ANIC]; same locality as previous, 15 females, 10 males from grasses, 23.vii.2020. Al Baha, Biljurashi, 6 females from web of T. urticae on Coccinia grandis leaves, 22.ix.2020., Al Makhwa, 13 females, two males, two larvae from web of T. urticae on eggplant, five females from Anisotes sp. leaves, 25.ix.2020; Madinah, 15 females with Eutetranychus orientalis on Citrus sp. leaves, 19. x.2021, ( BT).