THRIPIDAE Stevens, 1829

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 : 162

THRIPIDAE Stevens

Among the families of Terebrantia , the Thripidae is the most species rich, comprising 2170 species in four subfamilies and 287 genera (ThripsWiki 2023). The species of this family are found across the world. Generally, Thripidae diversity is higher in tropical and subtropical regions than in temperate regions ( Zhang et al. 2019). Geographically, Saudi Arabia covers both tropical and subtropical climate zones that may be suitable for establishment of diverse thrips species. In Arabian Peninsula, 92 species in 44 genera of Thripidae are recorded (zur Strassen 1979, 1990, 2004; zur Strassen & Van Harten 2006, 2008). In contrast, 24 species in 15 genera were reported from Saudi Arabia (zur Strassen 1979; Rasool et al. 2021a, b, c). The family Thripidae can be easily recognized from other families by combination of characters: wings narrow and pointed at apex; antennae 6–9 (usually 7 or 8)-segmented, segments III and IV with either simple or forked sense cones; ovipositor turned downwards.