Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood, 1919

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 : 186

Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood

Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood, 1919: 90 .

This cosmopolitan species, commonly known as chilli or strawberry thrips, described from India but is now widespread across the world (ThripsWiki 2023). It is among few Scirtothrips species having rows of microtrichia present medially on abdominal sternites III–VII, but is closely related to S. oligochaetus . From that Indian species it can be distinguished by abdominal tergites III–VII with dark antecostal ridge and median area, and 3 setae on lateral microtrichial field, whereas S. oligochaetus has the abdominal targites and antecostal ridge pale, and 4–5 discal setae on the lateral microtrichial field ( Mound & Stiller 2011).

Material studied. Al Baha. Shada Al Aala, Qarwiya, nine females, three males one larvae from Pepper , 25.iv.2020, ( BT), Rasool, I . Riyadh. Dirab, Two females from Poaceae , 02.vi.2020, one female from Tribulus terrestris , 09.vi.2020, ( BT), Rasool, I. five females, one male from Poaceae , same locality except, 28.vi.2020, ( SW) Soliman A .