Mycterothrips tschirkunae (Yakhontov)

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 : 182

Mycterothrips tschirkunae (Yakhontov)

Rhopalandrothrips tschirkunae Yakhontov, 1961: 1473 .

This is Palearctic species, described from Uzbekistan, but is widespread in Russia, Iran, ( Masumoto & Okajima 2006), Israel, Turkey (zur Strassen & Kuslitzky 2011), Tajikistan ( Mirab-balou 2018), and new to Saudi Arabia. The species is close to M. albidicornis , however, it can be distinguished by sense cones on antennal segment III and IV about 1.4 times as long as segment V; segment III brown at apex, about 3 times longer than wide. In contrast, in M. albidicornis the sense cones on antennal segment III and IV are as long as segment V, and segment III is uniformly pale, about 2–2.5 times as long as wide ( Masumoto & Okajima 2006).

Material studied. Al Baha. Almendaq, Wadi Turabah , one female Argemone ochroleuca ., nine females, three males from Marrubium vulgare , 6.iv.2019, ( BT) .