Arorathrips mexicanus (Crawford)

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 : 170

Arorathrips mexicanus (Crawford)

Chirothrips mexicana Crawford, 1909: 114

First described from Mexico, this species is widespread in tropical and subtropical countries, and commonly feeds and breeds in the florets of Chloris barbata . It is similar to A. crassiscelis from Argentina but is distuinguished by: vertex with six stout setae; 5–6 costal setae developed on fore wings basal to anterior fringe cilia; outer posteroangular setae on pronotum as long as or longer than inner setae. In contrast, in A. crassiscelis vertex with 10–18 stout setae; 0–2 weak costal setae on fore wings basal to anterior fringe cilia; outer posteroangular setae on pronotum shorter than inner setae ( Mound 2011a).

Material studied. Al Baha. Wadi Turabah , five females from Chloris barbata , 6.iv.2019, ( BT) ; Al Makhwa, four females from Conyza bonariensis , 8.iv.2019, ( BT) ; Aqiq, one female from Poaceae , 24.ix.2020, ( BT) ; The Ain Village , 136 females, 13 males from Chloris barbata , 14 females, four males from Boerhavia sp. , 15 females, eight males from Withania sp. , 25.ix.2020, ( BT) ; Riyadh. Hraymla, four females from Avena fatua , 28.ii.2019, ( BT) ; Al Dawadmi, Khafifa, one female from Chloris barbata , 13.iii.202, ( BT) ; Al Hair, two females from Imperata cylindrica , 27.iii.2019, ( BT) ; Houta Sudair, one female from Agrostis sp. , 28.iii.2019, ( BT) , Aldryhim, Y. N. and Rasool, I; Wadi Dawasir , one female Chloris barbata , 9. v.2018, ( SW) , Hathal, et al.