Phlepsopsius arabicus Dlabola, 1979

El-Sonbati, Saad, Wilson, Michael & Dhafer, Hathal Al, 2018, Contribution to the knowledge of selected genera of the tribe Opsiini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 58 (1), pp. 257-266 : 264

Phlepsopsius arabicus Dlabola, 1979

( Figs 3–4 , 9–10 , 30–40 )

Phlepsopsius arabicus Dlabola, 1979: 132 . Phlepsopsius africanus Abdul-Nour, 2007: 303 , syn. nov.

Type material examined. P. africanus : HOLOTYPE:, LIBYA: Mizdah (Tripolitania), 2.ix.2005, P. Weill leg. ( MNHN).

Additional material examined. KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA: RIYADH: 11 ♀♀ 4, Ibex Reserve National Park, Wadi Hutet Beni Tamem, 180 km S of Riyadh, 7.v.2012, light trap, 23°27.133′N, 46°41.281′E, 676 m, H. Al Dhafer, M. Abdel-Dayem, A. El Torky & A. Al-Ansi leg.; 1, Muzahimiyah, Al Khararah, 7.vi.2011, light trap, 24°24.59′N, 46°14.74′E, Y.Al Drayhim, H.Al Dhafer,A. El-Gharbawy & H. Setyaningrum leg.; 1, same but 5.v.2015; 1, same but 26.iv.2011; 7 ♀♀ 8, Al Aflag,Al Naifiyah, Farshet Sheaal, 10.iv.2015, light trap, 22°24.935′N, 46°35.287′E, 599 m, H. Al Dhafer, M. Abdel-Dayem, A. El Torky, A. Elgharbawy & A. Soliman leg. ASIR: 1 ♀, Wadi Targ, 14.iii.2012, light trap, 19°37.385′N, 42°18.020′E, 1317 m, H. Fadhallah & H. Setyaningrum leg.; 1, Abha, Al-Hubail, Wadi Reem, 17.x.2014, light trap, 18°06.981′N, 42°13.939′E, 451 m,Al Harbi & I. Rasool leg.; 8 ♀♀ 6, Al Magardah, Wadi Yabah, 11.x.2013, light trap, 19°14.911′N, 41°47.200′E, 402 m, S. El-Sonbati, I. Rasool, M. Al Harbi & S. Khan leg.; 1, Al Magardah, Wadi Tourabah, 1.v.2012, light trap, 20°14.369′N, 41°15.234′E, 1757 m, H. Al Dhafer, M. Abdel-Dayem, A. Al-Ansi & A. Al-Othman leg.; 1, Al Magardah, Wadi Talalea, 12.x.2013, light trap, 19°02.740′N, 41°46.333′E, 259 m, S. El-Sonbati leg. BAHAH: 1, Shada Al Ala, 24.iv.2014, light trap, 19°52.598′N, 41°18.672′E, H.Al Dhafer & S. El-Sonbati leg. JAZAN: 1 ♀, Fifa,Al Abasia, 1.v.2014, suction sampling, 17°15.831′N, 43°05.498′E, S. El-Sonbati leg. MAKKAH: 1 ♀, Taif, Sadai- rah, 24.x.2013, baiting trap, 21°24.962′N 40°33.065′E.; 1, Mahazat As Sayd, 23.xi.2011, baiting trap, 22°14.678′N 41°50.428′E (all KSMA).

Redescription. The only species in the genus, see the generic redescription.

Distribution ( Figs 51–52 ). Libya ( ABDUL- NOUR 2007), KSA ( DLABOLA 1979). In KSA, widely distributed in the central region including several areas, e.g. Al Aflag and Muzahimiyah, Al Khararah, and in the southwestern region, e.g. Shada Al A’la protectorate in Al Bahah province and Raydah protectorate in Asir province ( Fig. 54 ), which is considered the richest area for biodiversity in Saudi Arabia ( HEGAZY et al. 1998).

Ecology and biology. The abundance of P. arabicus is significantly higher in April and October. Most specimens were collected at light and no host plants can be given.

Remarks. Phlepsopsius africanus Abdul-Nour, 2007 is proposed here to be a new junior subjective synonym of P. arabicus based on the examination of the male holotype of P. africanus , which has identical genitalia to numerous specimens collected in KSA.

Figures

Figs 1–6. 1–2 – Concavifer marmoratus Dlabola, 1960: 1 – dorsal view of male; 2– dorsal view of female. 3–4 – Phlepsopsius arabicus Dlabola, 1979: 3 – dorsal view; 4 – head and thorax. 5–6 – Hishimonus phycitis (Distant, 1908): 5 – dorsal view; 6 – head and thorax.

Figs 7–12. 7–8 – Concavifer marmoratus Dlabola, 1960: 7 – lateral view; 8 – face. 9–10 – Phlepsopsius arabicus Dlabola, 1979: 9 – lateral view; 10 – face. 11–12 – Hishimonus phycitis (Distant, 1908): 11 – lateral view; 12– face.

Figs 30–40. Phlepsopsius arabicus Dlabola, 1979. 30 – aedeagus, dorsal view; 31 – aedeagus, lateral view; 32 – style; 33 – subgenital plate; 34 – pygofer; 35 – connective; 36 – valve; 37 – apodemes; 38 – female 7th sternite; 39 – detail of ovipositor apex; 40 – ovipositor, lateral view.

Figs 51–54. 51–52 – distribution of Concavifer spp., Phlepsopsius arabicus Dlabola, 1979 and Hishimonus phycitis (Distant, 1908) (51 – distribution at global scale; 52 – distribution in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia). 53–54 – habitats of Concavifer and Phlepsopsius spp. 53 – locality of Concavifer marmoratus Dlabola, 1960 and Phlepsopsius arabicus in Rhodet Khorim, Ramah governorate, Saudi Arabia; 54 – locality of Phlepsopsius arabicus and Hishimonus phycitis in Raydah Protectorate, Saudi Arabia.