A preliminary study on the insect fauna of Al-Baha Province, Saudi Arabia, with descriptions of two new species.

A preliminary study was carried out on the insect fauna of Al-Baha Province, south-western part of Saudi Arabia. A total number of 582 species and subspecies (few identified only to the genus level) belonging to 129 families and representing 17 orders were recorded. Two of these species are described as new, namely: Monomorium sarawatensis Sharaf & Aldawood, sp. n. [Formicidae, Hymenoptera] and Anthrax alruqibi El-Hawagry sp. n. [Bombyliidae, Diptera]. Another eight species are recorded for the first time in Saudi Arabia, namely: Xiphoceriana arabica (Uvarov, 1922) [Pamphagidae, Orthoptera], Pyrgomorpha conica (Olivier, 1791) [Pyrgomorphidae, Orthoptera], Catopsilia florella (Fabricius, 1775) [Pieridae, Lepidoptera], Anthrax chionanthrax (Bezzi, 1926) [Bombyliidae, Diptera], Spogostylum near tripunctatum Pallas in Wiedemann, 1818 [Bombyliidae, Diptera], Cononedys dichromatopa (Bezzi, 1925) [Bombyliidae, Diptera], Mydas sp. [Mydidae, Diptera], and Hippobosca equina Linnaeus, 1758 [Hippoboscidae, Diptera]. Al-Baha Province is divided by huge and steep Rocky Mountains into two main sectors, a lowland coastal plain at the west, known as "Tihama", and a mountainous area with an elevation of 1500 to 2450 m above sea level at the east, known as "Al-Sarat or Al-Sarah" which form a part of Al-Sarawat Mountains range. Insect species richness in the two sectors (Tihama and Al-Sarah) was compared, and the results showed that each of the two sectors of Al-Baha Province has a unique insect community. The study generally concluded that the insect faunal composition in Al-Baha Province has an Afrotropical flavor, with the Afrotropical elements predominant, and a closer affiliation to the Afrotropical region than to the Palearctic region or the Eremic zone. Consequently, we tend to agree with those biogeographers who consider that parts of the Arabian Peninsula, including Al-Baha Province, should be included in the Afrotropical region rather than in the Palaearctic region or the Eremic zone.

Introduction

Al-Baha Province (Fig. 1) is situated in the south-western part of Saudi Arabia between the Holy Makkah and Asir Regions (Doha 2009), with a population of about 500,000. It is the smallest province in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia (about 10362 km²), situated between longitudes 41°/42° E and latitudes 19°/20° N. This Province is known for its beauty and has many tourist attractions such as forests (about 53 forests), wild life areas, valleys, and mountains. It is characterized by natural tree cover and agricultural plateaus. The region is divided by huge and steep rocky mountains into two main sectors, a lowland coastal plain at the west, known as “Tihama”, and a mountainous area with an elevation of 1500 to 2450 m above sea level at the east, known as “Al-Sarat or Al-Sarah” which form a part of Al-Sarawat Mountains range (Alahmed et al. 2010, and Ibrahim and Abdoon 2005).

Figure 1.

Map of Saudi Arabia showing Al-Baha Province.

Al-Baha Province consists of six main districts, four of which are located in Al-Sarah sector beside the downtown “Al-Baha”, i.e., Al-Aqiq, Al-Mandaq, Al-Qura, and Baljurashi, while two of the districts are located in Tihama sector, namely Al-Mekhwa including Dhee Ain Village (The Marble Village), and Qelwa (website: http://www.albahakfhaa.org/Albaha.htm).

PageBreakThe climate in Al Baha Province is greatly influenced by its varying topography. It is generally moderate in summer and cold in winter with average temperatures ranging between 12–23 °C. In Tihama, the climate is hot in summer, warm in spring and mild in winter, with humidity ranging between 52% - 67%, and a rainfall less than 100 mm annually. While in the mountainous area, Al-Sarah, The climate is greatly different from that in Tihama although the two sectors are separated by no more than 30 km. The weather is cooler in summer and winter due to its high altitude. Al-Sarah is exposed to the formation of clouds and fog, and this often happens in winter because of air masses coming from the Red Sea, accompanied by thunderstorms. In spring and summer, the climate is mild and pleasant. Also, rainfall is higher with falls in the range of 229–581 mm. The average rainfall throughout the whole province is 100–250 mm annually (websites: http://www.tititudorancea.com/z/weather_al_baha_saudi_arabia.htm).

The purpose of this paper is to present a preliminary list of insect fauna in Al-Baha Province. Such a study is of particular interest as the study area is a part of the Arabian Peninsula which is thought by many authors to touch three of the world’s main zoogeographical regions: the Afrotropical, the Palaearctic, and the Oriental (Hölzel 1998).

Many authors agree that the Afrotropical region covers all of Africa south of the Sahara with the island of Madagascar and the nearby smaller islands constituting a distinct subregion. Many authors also include parts of the Arabian peninsula in the Afrotropical region, but there seems to be no agreement as to how much. Sclater (1858) and Wallace (1876) proposed the classical zoogeographical regions and placed the northern border of the Afrotropics along the Tropic of Cancer. Thus, Al-Baha Province was included in the Afrotropical region, and the Northern limit of the Afrotropical region was placed in the Taif area, about 200 km north to Al-Baha (Hölzel 1998). However, according to Uvarov (1938), Greathead (1980), and Larsen (1984) this area should be united with the central Arabian deserts which are either considered part of the Palaearctic, or by some authors as an autonomous Eremic zone (also called the Saharo-Sindian faunal region). All these facts seem to be reflected somehow on the insect faunal composition in Al-Baha Province as shown in the following results.

Undoubtedly, this study is of particular interest also as the insect fauna of Al-Baha Province has not been studied thoroughly before, and this is the first comprehensive study on the entire insect fauna in the region. For this reason, the following previously established data are intended to serve as a basis for further investigations.

Only a few scattered studies have been carried out on select insect groups particularly in Al-Baha (Doha 2009) or have focused on the description of individual species (Aldawood et al. 2011; Lehrer and Abou-Zied 2008; Sharaf and Aldawood 2011, 2012; Sharaf et al. 2012a, 2012b). However, many studies in select insect groups have been carried out in Saudi Arabia as a whole. Many of these studies have been consulted in order to classify the species collected in the current survey or to determine species previously recorded from Al-Baha, and such studies include the following: Abdullah and Merdan (1995), Alahmed et al. (2010), Aldryhim and Khalil (1996), Amoudi (1993), Amoudi and Leclercq (1992), Balkenohl (1994), Basilewsky (1979), Bílý (1979, 1980, PageBreak1982, 1985, 1990), Bolton (1976, 1977, 1980, 1995), Boorman (1989), Brown (2000), Bryant (1957), Büttiker (1980), Chassain (1979, 1983), Coiffait (1979), Collingwood (1985), Collingwood and Agosti (1996), Collingwood and van Harten (2005), Collingwood et al. (1997), Collingwood et al. (2004), Cranston and Judd (1989), Crosskey and Buttiker (1982), Daccordi (1979), Damoisseau (1979), Dawah and Abdullah (2006), Decelle (1979), Deeming (1998), Dlabola (1979, 1980), Doguet (1979, 1984), Doha (2009), Español (1981), Fürsch (1979), Fürsch (1979), Gorochov (1993), Greathead (1980, 1988), Guichard (1985, 1986, 1988), Hamid and Hamid (1985), Hölzel (1980, 1982, 1983a, 1983b, 1987, 1988, 1998), Holzschuh (1979), Holzschuh and Téocchi (1991) Horstmann (1981), Ibrahim and Abdoon (2005), Kaltenbach (1982), Kaszab (1979, 1981, 1982), Kwieton (1981), Larsen (1979, 1983, 1984), Leclercq (1982, 1986, 2000), Lewis and Buttiker (1980), Linnavuori (1986), Linnavuori and Alâmy (1982), Lopatin (1979, 1982, 1983), Medvedev (1996), Merz and Dawah (2005), Nagel (1982), Paulian (1980), Pittaway (1985), Pont (1991), Popov (1981a, 1981b), Povolný (1980, 1981, 1983, 1986), Richards (1984), Schawaller (1993), Schawaller et al. (2011), Uhmann (1998), Waterston (1980), Wiltshire (1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988), Winkler (1981), Würmli (1979), and Zunino (1981).

Material and methods

Insect material for the present study was collected extensively from different localities in Al-Baha Province, from 2008 to 2012 by the authors using sweeping and aerial nets, bait traps, beating sheets, digging, hand picking, light traps, malaise traps, pitfall traps, sticky traps, tray sifting, and yellow pan traps. Data from specimens preserved in the insect collections and literature records are also taken into consideration.

All taxa are arranged herein in alphabetical order. Localities and date of collection are included for the purpose of mapping distribution and activity periods of species in the study region.

Abbreviations of museums

BMNH Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom.

CASC California Academy of Science Collection, San Francisco, California, USA.

EFC Efflatoun collection, Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Egypt.

KSMA King Saud Museum of Arthropods, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

MHNG Muséum ďHistoire Naturelle, Geneva, Switzerland.

NHMB Naturhistorisches Museum, Basel, Switzerland.

WMLC World Museum Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.

Results

A total number of 582 species and subspecies (few identified only to the genus level) belonging to 129 families and representing 17 orders, have been recorded from Al-Baha Province through the present study as follows:

Class: Insecta

Subclass:

Division:

Order:

Suborder:

Family:

(Sélys, 1839)

Ghabet Raghdan: Decemper.

Dhee Ain: January-February.

Family:

(Burmeister, 1839)

Al-Mekhwa: January-May.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May.

Dhee Ain: May.

* Collecting method of specimens of the order Aerial nets.

Order:

Suborder:

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Uvarov, 1933

Al-Mekhwa: February.

Klug, 1830

Al-Mekhwa: March.

(Krauss, 1902)

Al-Mekhwa: February.

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Al-Mekhwa: February.

Klug, 1830

Al-Mekhwa: February.

PageBreakSubfamily

Forsskal, 1775

Common: April-September.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Uvarov, 1952)

Al-Aqiq: September.

Al-Baha: June.

(Uvarov, 1936)

Al-Baha: June.

Subfamily:

(Uvarov, 1936)

Baljurashi: May.

(Krauss, 1902)

Al-Mekhwa: March.

sp.

Al-Mekhwa: March.

(Walker, 1871)

Dhee Ain: May.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Herrich-Schäffer, 1838)

Jebel El-Baher: May-July.

Alhawya: April-July.

Tribe:

(Walker, 1870)

Jebel El-Baher: April–August.

Al-Hawya: April-August.

Ghabet Raghdan: April-July.

Ghabet Shahba: May-July.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May.

(Fabricius, 1781)

Al-Mekhwa: April.

PageBreakTribe:

(Walker, 1870)

Jebel El-Baher: April–August.

Al-Hawya: April-August.

Ghabet Raghdan: April-July.

Ghabet Shahba: May-July.

Saussure, 1884

Jebel El-Baher: April-August.

Al-Hawya: April-August.

Ghabet Raghdan: April-July.

Ghabet Shahba: May-July.

Tribe:

(Walker, 1870)

Al-Mekhwa: March-May.

Tribe:

(Thunberg, 1815)

Al-Mekhwa: March-May.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May.

Family:

Subfamily:

(Uvarov, 1922) [A new record in Saudi Arabia].

Al-Baha: October-May.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Uvarov, 1922)

Jebel El-Baher: May-June.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May.

(Klug, 1832)

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May.

PageBreakTribe:

(Olivier, 1791) [A new record in Saudi Arabia]

Ghabet Raghdan: February.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Rambur, 1838)

Dhee Ain: May.

Suborder: Ensifera

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Gorochov, 1993

Ghabet Raghdan: April.

Linnaeus, 1758

Al-Mekhwa: February-August.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: March.

De Geer, 1773

Al-Baha City: September.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May.

sp.

Al-Baha (Jebel El-Baher): December.

Subfamily:

Rambur, 1838

Dhee Ain: May.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Uvarov, 1933

Dhee Ain: May.

sp.

Dhee Ain: May.

PageBreakSubfamily:

Tribe:

Popov, 1981

Al-Baha: June.

Wadi Galla: May.

* Collecting methods of specimens of the order Sweeping and aerial nets were the main methods; however, katydids (Tettigoniidae) and crickets (Gryllidae) were collected using light traps as well.

Order:

Family:

Subfamily:

Linnaeus, 1758

Wadi Galla: May.

Order:

Family:

Ross, 1981

Wadi Marwan: ?.

* Collecting method of specimens of the orders Pitfall traps.

Order:

Family:

Subfamily:

New, 1979

Al-Mandaq: April.

* Collecting method of specimens of the order Hand picking.

Order:

Family:

Subfamily:

Silvestri, 1918

Jebel Ibrahim: August.

* Collecting method of specimens of the order Digging and hand picking.

PageBreakOrder:

Family:

Subfamily:

(Linnaeus, 1767)

All localities: Throughout the year.

Subfamily:

Grandcolas, 1994

Wadi Marwani: April.

Family:

Uvarov, 1936

Wadi Galla: May.

sp.

Al-Baha: September.

* Collecting methods of specimens of the order Hand picking and Pitfall traps.

Order:

Family:

Subfamily:

Giglio-Tos, 1917

Al-Baha: April.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Krauss, 1902

Al-Baha: June.

Family:

Saussure, 1871

Al-Baha: April.

Al-Mekhwa: May-August.

sp

Ghabet Raghdan: May-July.

Ghabet Shahba: May-August.

Jebel El-baher: April-June.

PageBreakFamily:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

sp.

Al-Baha City: April.

Subfamily:

Saussure, 1870

Adanan: September.

Uvarov, 1931

Adama: September.

sp.

Jebel El-Baher: November.

Subfamily:

Uvarov, 1924

Adanan: September.

Werner, 1908

Adanan: June-September.

Kaltenbach, 1984

Al-Baha: April.

Subfamily:

Uvarov, 1924

Al-Baha: April.

* Collecting methods of specimens of the order Hand picking and Sweeping nets.

Order:

Suborder: Anoplura

Family:

De Geer, 1767

All localities: Throughout the year.

PageBreakFamily:

Cummings, 1915

Adama: September.

* Collecting method of specimens of the order Hand picking.

Order:

Family:

(Thunberg, 1783)

Dhee Ain: May.

Al-Mekhwa: February.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Fieber, 1860)

Haraja: February.

Family:

(Stal, 1853)

Dhee Ain: May.

Wadi Galla: May.

Family:

(Fabricius, 1794)

Wadi Dahyan: May.

Family:

Subfamily:

Hamid & Hamid, 1985

Baljurashi: August.

Scapula, 1763)

Ghabet Raghdan: May-July.

Ghabet Shahba: May-June.

Dhee Ain: May.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May.

PageBreakSubfamily:

Tribe:

(Spinola, 1837)

Al-Baha: February-July.

Wadi Turabet zahran: May.

Dhee Ain: May.

Subfamily:

(Costa, 1847)

Al-Baha: May-July.

Ghabet Raghdan: May-August.

Mancini, 1939

Ghabet Raghdan: May-August.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Puton, 1887)

Zahran: February.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Rambur, 1842)

Ghabet Raghdan: May.

Wagner, 1957

Adnan: September.

Linnavouri, 1975

Adama: September.

Zahran: September.

(Blanchard, 1852)

Zahran: February.

(Reuter, 1903)

Al-Mandaq: April.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Reuter, 1890)

Wadi Ganaah: February.

Linnavouri, 1964

Al-Mandaq: April.

Linnavouri &Al-Neamy, 1982

Adama: September.

Tribe:

Linnavuori, 1961

Zahran: February.

(Linnavuori, 1986)

Zahran: February.

Linnavuori, 1975

Zahran: February.

Linnavouri, 1957

Zahran: September.

Family:

Subfamily:

Gerstäcker, 1873

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May.

Herrich-Schaeffer, 1849

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Klug, 1845)

Ghabet Raghdan: May-August.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: April-July.

Dhee Ain: April-September.

Tribe:

Linnavouri, 1975

Ghabet Raghdan: May.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: June.

Tribe:

(Westwood, 1837)

Dhee Ain: May.

Wadi Genouna: May.

PageBreakTribe:

(Mulsant & Rey, 1866)

Dhee Ain: May-July.

Wadi Gala: May-June.

Wadi Genouna: May-July.

Wadi Turabet zahran: May-June.

Tribe:

sp.

Wadi Dahyan: April-July.

Wadi Galla: May-August.

Dhee Ain: May-June.

Family:

Subfamily:

Puton, 1890

Adama: April.

sp.

Al-Mekhwa: February.

Subfamily:

Rambur, 1839

Wadi Genouna: May.

Subfamily:

Horvath, 1910

Baljurashi: August.

Miller, 1951

Wadi Ganaah: February.

Subfamily:

(Dispons, 1962)

Baljurashi: August.

PageBreakFamily:

Subfamily:

(Fabricius, 1794)

Wadi Turabet Zahran: February-May.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

, (Stal, 1866)

Wadi Turabet Zahran: June.

Family:

(Thunberg, 1783)

Wadi Dahyan: May.

sp.

Ghabet Shahba: February-March.

* Collecting methods of specimens of the order Beating sheets and sweeping nets were the main methods; however, some specimens of Lygaeidae and Pentatomidae were collected using light traps as well.

Order:

Suborder:

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Dlabola, 1980

Al-Baha: September.

sp.

Al-Mekhwa: February-March.

(Melichar, 1911)

Wadi Morah: April.

sp.

Wadi Dhayan: May.

sp.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May-July.

PageBreakSubfamily:

Tribe:

sp.

Dhee Ain: May.

Subfamily:

Linnavouri, 1962

Wadi Morah: April.

Subfamily:

Dlabola, 1979

Wadi Turabet Zahran: June.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

sp.

Al-Baha (place and date unknown).

Family:

Linnavuori, 1962

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah).

Family:

Subfamily:

sp.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: June.

Family:

Melichar, 1902

Dhee Ain: February.

Family:

Dlabola, 1980

Adama: September.

PageBreak* Collecting methods of specimens of the order Beating sheets and sweeping nets were the main methods; however, specimens of Cicadellidae, Cicadidae and Cixiidae were collected using light traps as well.

Division:

Order:

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Holzel,1980

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April-May.

(Rambur, 1842)

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April-May.

Holzel, 1988

Baljurashi: April.

Tribe:

Hölzel, 1980

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Walker, 1853)

Baljurashi: April.

Tribe:

(Navas, 1912)

Baljurashi: April.

Olivier, 1811

Al-Baha City: April-July.

Tribe:

(Navas, 1914)

Turabet Zahran: April.

(Návas, 1913)

Baljurashi: April.

Al-Baha City: April-July.

(Návas, 1926)

Turabet Zahran: April.

Tribe:

(Holzel, 1982)

Baljurashi: April.

(Rambur, 1842)

Turabet Zahran: April.

(Klug in Ehrenberg, 1834)

Turabet Zahran: April.

Collecting methods of specimens of the order Light trap was the main method; however, some specimens of Chrysopidae were collected using sweeping nets as well.

Order:

Suborder:

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

sp.

Wadi Turabet zahran: June.

(Dejean, 1825)

Wadi Dahyan: May.

Subfamily:

Klug, 1832

El-Hawya: September.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Dejean, 1829

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May-June.

Dhee Ain: January-May.

Tribe:

Dejean, 1825

Wadi Ganaah: February.

PageBreakTribe:

sp.

Al-Baha: September.

Tribe:

Menetries, 1832

Al-Baha: September.

Dejean, 1825

Baljurashi (Al-Qamh): January.

Tribe:

Linne, 1758

Al-Baha: September.

Tribe:

Mateu, 1986

Wadi Ganaah: February.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Raffray, 1885

Jebel Shada: April-June.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Dejean, 1828

Baljurashi (Al-Qamh): January.

sp.

Ghabet Shahba: February-March.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Herbst, 1784)

Dhee Ain: January.

PageBreakSubfamily:

Tribe:

Walker, 1871

Wadi Turabet Zahran: June.

Zee Ghazal: May.

(Schaum, 1863)

Dhee Ain: January-May.

Wadi El-Zarayeb: May.

(Chaudoir, 1876)

Dhee Ain: January.

sp.

Dhee Ain: January.

Schaum, 1863

Dhee Ain: January.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Walker, 1871)

Al-Mandaq: April.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Reiche, 1850

Baljurashi: October.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Klug, 1834)

Al-Mandaq: April.

(Sharp, 1882)

Al-Mandaq: April.

Family:

(Marsham, 1802)

Al-Mandaq: April.

Wadi Khoda: November.

PageBreakSuborder:

Family:

Subfamily:

(Pic, 1924)

Adnan: September

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

LaFerté-Sénectère, 1848

Al-Mekhwa: February-March.

(Marseul, 1879)

Dhee Ain: January.

Tribe:

(Laferte, 1849)

Al-Aqiq Road: January.

Dhee Ain: January.

Tribe:

(LaFerté, 1847)

Al-Mekhwa: February-March.

Wadi Turabah: June.

LaFerté-Sénectère, 1849

Al-Mekhwa: February-March.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Marseul, 1883)

El-Hawya: September.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Olivier, 1795)

Wadi Turabet Zahran: June.

(Olivier, 1790)

Dhee Ain: August.

PageBreakFamily:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Obenberger, 1920

Al-Mandaq: September.

Subfamily:

(Klug, 1829)

Dhee Ain: May.

(Klug, 1829)

El-Hawya: May.

Wadi Galla: May.

Family:

Holzschuh, 1993

Dhee Ain: May.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

sp.

Al-Mekhwa: February.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Lacordaire, 1848

Al-Baha: May.

Tribe:

sp.

Al-Mekhwa: February.

PageBreakSubfamily:

Tribe:

Chapuis, 1879

Al-Mekhwa: February.

(Illiger, 1807)

Al-Mekhwa: February.

Weise, 1903

Al-Baha: May.

Pic, 1909

Wadi Ganaah: February.

Allard, 1867

Al-Baha: May.

Tribe:

Gahan, 1896

Ghabet Raghdan: May.

Family:

Subfamily:

Fairmaire, 1892

Wadi Dhyian: September.

Subfamily:

De Geer, 1775

Wadi Galla: May.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Goeze, 1777)

Al-Baha: May-June.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May-June.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Marsuel, 1868

Al-Mekhwa: February-April.

PageBreakFamily:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Wagner, 1908)

Jebel Ibrahim: September.

(Voss, 1961)

Wadi Gaanah: February.

Tribe:

(Wagner, 1910)

Jebel Ibrahim: September.

Tribe:

(Hartmann, 1897)

Jebel Ibrahim: September.

Tribe:

(Hoffmann, 1962)

Jebel Ibrahim: September.

(Faust, 1895)

Jebel Ibrahim: September.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Rosenhauer, 1856)

Al-Baha: May.

Family:

(Costa, 1883)

Wadi Turabet Zahran: June.

Family:

Subfamily:

(Latreille, 1827)

El-Hawya: September.

PageBreakSubfamily:

Tribe:

Chassain, 1979

Adnan: August.

Family:

(Regimbart, 1905)

Wadi Gaanah: February.

Kuwert, 1891

Al-Mandaq: April.

Khoda: September.

Wadi Gaanah: February.

Wadi Noval: September.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Pallas, 1782)

Jebel El-Baher: May-July.

Ghabet Shahba: April-August.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Fabricius, 1775)

Wadi Gala: May.

Pic, 1924

Baljurashi: August.

Family:

sp.

El-Hawya: May.

Dhee Ain: May.

PageBreakFamily:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Germar, 1827)

Jebel El-Baher: May-June.

Family:

Subfamily:

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Dhee Ain: January.

Family:

Wittmer, 1980

Wadi Gala: May.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May-October.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Balthasar, 1939

Wadi Ganaah: February.

(Olivier, 1789)

Adama: September.

Wadi Ganaah: February.

Balthasar, 1935

Wadi Ganaah: February.

Tribe:

Peyerimhoff, 1929

Adama: September.

Tribe:

(Fairmaire, 1892)

Wadi Al-Uqdah: February.

(Klug, 1845)

Wadi Ganaah: February.

Fairmaire, 1982

Adanan: September.

Wadi Al-Uqdah: February.

Wadi Ganaah: February.

Pittino, 1984

Wadi Ganaah: February.

Pittino, 1984

Wadi Ganaah: February.

Mayet, 1887

Wadi Ganaah: February.

Wadi Shumran: February.

(Klug & Erichson, 1842)

Adama: September.

Adanan: September.

Wadi Ganaah: February.

Wadi Shumran: February.

Dhee Ain: October.

Harold, 1871

Wadi Ganaah: February.

Pittino, 1984

Adama: september.

Adanan: September.

Dhee Ain: May.

Subfamily:

Schaum, 1841

Al-Aqiq Road: January.

Dhee Ain: January.

Rigout, 1985

Wadi Galla: May.

Fabricius, 1775

Ghabet Shahba: May-December.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May.

Dhee Ain: May.

Subfamily:

Koenig, 1888

Adnan: August-September.

Baljurashi: August-September.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tournier, 1868

Wadi Turabet Zahran: July-October.

Family:

Subfamily:

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Dhee Ain: May.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Koch, 1934

Dhee Ain: April-June

Wadi Galla: May.

sp.

Al-Mekhwa: February.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Muche, 1982

Adnan: September.

Muche, 1982

Adnan: September.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Klug, 1830)

Al-Baha: September.

Adnan: September.

Tribe:

Reiche & Saulcy, 1857

Baljurashi (Al-Qama’): January

Tribe:

Klug, 1830

Al-Baha City (El-Hawya): September.

Wadi Galla: May.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May.

Haag, 1876

Dhee Ain: January.

Tribe:

Fabricius, 1775

Baljurashi: August.

Subfamily: Tenebrioninae

Tribe:

Seidlitz, 1896

Adnan: September.

Tribe:

(Wollaston, 1864)

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May.

(Reiche, 1850)

Al-Aqiq Road: January.

Family:

(Lefebvre, 1835)

Ghabet Amadan: May.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Pascoe, 1863)

Wadi Al-Zarayeb: April.

* Collecting methods of specimens of the order Pitfall traps, especially for Carabidae and Tenebrionidae; beating sheets, especially for Anobiidae and PageBreakCurculionidae; and sweeping nets, especially for Chrysomelidae, Cerambycidae, Buprestidae and other families were the main methods; however, specimens of Dytiscidae were collected using light traps.

Order:

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Ulmer, 1912

Wadi Ilyab: November.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Mosely, 1948

Wadi Arida: September.

Wadi Ganaah: February.

Wadi Ilyab: November.

Family:

Subfamily:

Malicky, 1986

Wadi Arida: September.

* Collecting methods of specimens of the order Light traps.

Order:

Suborder:

Family:

Subfamily:

(Hubner, 1821)

Al-Mikhwa: January-April.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Linnaeus, 1761)

Ghabet Raghdan: April-August.

PageBreakSubfamily:

Tribe:

sp.

Al-Baha: June.

Tribe:

sp.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: November.

(Hopffer, 1855)

Ghabet Shahba: May-June.

Larsen, 1983

Adnan: February-April.

Fabricius, 1793

Al-Mikhwa: January-March.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: November.

Fabricius, 1775

Al-Mikhwa: January-March.

Subfamily:

(Fabricius, 1775)

Dhee Ain: February-March.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Rydon, 1982

Ghabet Shahba: May.

Felder, 1867

Ghabet Raghdan: May-June.

Subfamily:

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Al-Mekhwa: January-March.

Dhee Ain: June-Novenber.

Dhee Ain: October.

Subfamily:

sp.

Dhee Ain: December-January.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Fabricius, 1798

Ghabet Shahba: May-July.

Tribe:

Linnaeus, 1758

Al-Baha (Jebel El-Baher): March-July.

Ghabet Raghdan: March-July.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: November.

Subfamily:

(Warnecke, 1929)

Ghabet Shahba: May.

Family:

Subfamily:

Linnaeus, 1758

Al-Mekhwa: March-April.

Dhee Ain: January.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: December.

sp.

Ghabet Raghdan: May-June.

Family:

Subfamily:

(Fabricius, 1775) [A new record in Saudi Arabia]

Al-Mekhwa: November.

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Wadi Turabet Zahran: October.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Esper, 1800)

Amadan: October.

Tribe:

(Fabricius, 1775)

Al-Mekhwa: January-March.

Dhee Ain: January.

(Lucas, 1852)

Al-Mekhwa: February-Maech.

Dhee Ain: February-March.

(Klug, 1829)

Al-Mekhwa: November.

(Fabricius, 1775)

Al-Mekhwa: January-February.

Dhee Ain: October.

(Klug, 1829)

Al-Mekhwa: November.

Fabricius, 1775

Dhee Ain: March.

(Klug, 1829)

Al-Mekhwa: November.

(Klug, 1829)

Dhee Ain: October.

(Klug, 1829)

Dhee Ain: October-December.

(Klug, 1829)

Al-Mekhwa: March.

Ghabet Raghdan: May.

(Boisduval, 1836)

Al-Mekhwa: March.

Dhee Ain: February-June.

Tribe:

(Fabricius, 1793)

Al-Baha (Jebel El-Baher): May-June.

Ghabet Raghdan: May-July.

(Olivier, 1804)

Dhee Ain: Fabruary.

(de Niceville, 1884)

Amadan: October.

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Al-Mekhwa: January – June.

Al-Baha: March – August.

Dhee Ain: February – July.

(Godart, 1819)

Aqabet Al-Baha-Tihama: April-May.

Linnaeus, 1756

Ghabet Raghdan: May-July.

(Klug, 1829)

Ghabet Raghdan: May-October.

Suborder:

Family:

Subfamily:

Warnecke, 1934

Baljurashi: August.

Drury, 1773

Al-Baha (G. El-Baher): May.

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Al-Mekhwa: March.

Subfamily:

(Rebel, 1907)

Baljurashi: September.

Wiltshire, 1983

Baljurashi: August.

Family:

Diakonoff, 1983

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

Family:

Mann, 1857

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): September.

PageBreakFamily:

(Staudinger, 1897)

Baljurashi: September.

(Oberthür, 1876)

Adnan: May.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Staudinger, 1859

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

Stainton, 1867

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

Zeller, 1873

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

Povolny, 1980

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

Povolny, 1980

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

(Meyrick, 1916)

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

(Meyrick, 1921

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

Family:

Subfamily:

Fletcher, 1958

Baljurashi: April.

Prout, 1931

Baljurashi: September.

Wiltshire, 1982

Baljurashi: August.

Guenée, 1858

Baljurashi: August-September.

Wiltshire, 1986

Baljurashi: April.

Wiltshire, 1982

Baljurashi: September.

Guenée, 1858

Baljurashi: September.

(Prout, 1931)

Baljurashi: September.

Subfamily:

Hübner, 1808

Jebel Ibrahim: August-September.

Wiltshire, 1980

Baljurashi: September.

Subfamily:

(Prout, 1916)

Baljurashi: April.

Wiltshire, 1982

Baljurashi: September.

(Fabricius, 1794)

Baljurashi: September.

Subfamily:

Wiltshire, 1949

Baljurashi: September.

Wiltshire, 1983

Baljurashi: September.

(Rothschild, 1913)

Al-Mandaq: September.

Wiltshire, 1982

Jebel Ibrahim: September.

Zeller, 1847

Baljurashi: April.

Jebel Ibrahim: September.

Wiltshire, 1982

Baljurashi: April.

Hampson, 1896

Jebel Ibrahim: August-September.

Guenée, 1858

Baljurashi: June.

PageBreakFamily:

Kocak, 1981

Baljurashi: September.

Wiltshire, 1986

Baljurashi: April.

Freina&Witt, 1988

Baljurashi: April.

Klug, 1829

Baljurashi: April.

Family:

Wiltshire, 1947

Baljurashi: August.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Walker, 1855

Ratha: August.

Hampson, 1905

Baljurashi: April-September.

(Hampson, 1910)

Baljurashi: August-September.

Walker, 1865

Baljurashi: September.

Family:

Subfamily:

Hampson, 1910

Baljurashi: August.

Subfamily:

Guenée, 1852

Baljurashi: August.

Subfamily:

Wiltshire, 1986

Baljurashi: September.

Subfamily:

Townsend, 1958

Baljurashi: July.

Hampson, 1896

Adnan: September.

Gaede, 1939

Baljurashi: August.

Staudinger, 1899

Baljurashi: April.

Cramer, 1777

Baljurashi: April.

Walker, 1857

Baljurashi: November.

Guenée, 1854

Wadi Gaanah: February.

Subfamily:

Wiltshre, 1986

Baljurashi: July.

Subfamily:

(Duponchel, 1827)

Baljurashi: July.

Wadi Al-Uqdah: February.

Subfamily:

(Moore, 1881)

Wadi Al-Uqdah: February.

Wiltshire, 1980

Baljurashi: September.

Hampson, 1896

Baljurashi: September.

(Wiltshire, 1961)

Baljurashi: September.

Hampson, 1910

Jebel Ibrahim: September.

(Hübner, 1808)

Al-Baha: August.

Jebel Ibrahim: September.

Subfamily:

Rebel, 1911

Al-Baha: January-June.

(Hufnagel, 1766)

Al-Baha: January-June.

Al-Mekhwa: December-February.

Hampson, 1918

Baljurashi: September.

Wiltshire, 1986

Baljurashi: September.

Wiltshire, 1986

Baljurashi: September.

Bani Sar: February.

Wiltshire, 1986

Baljurashi: September.

Wiltshire, 1982

Baljurashi: September.

(Warnecke, 1930)

Baljurashi: July.

Wiltshire, 1982

Baljurashi: August.

Wiltshire, 1956

Baljurashi: September.

Guenée, 1852

Baljurashi: September.

(Hubner, 1808)

Al-Baha: January.

(Boisduval, 1833)

Al-Baha: February-July.

Ghabet Raghdan: May-June.

Al-Mekhwa: December-April.

(Boisduval, 1833)

Al-Baha: February-July.

Subfamily:

(Wallengren, 1856)

Beljurashi: July.

Subfamily:

(Wiltshire, 1980)

Adnan: September.

(Hampson, 1916)

Al-Baha: September.

Family:

Subfamily:

Stainton, 1849

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

Herrich-Schäffer, 1854

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

Subfamily:

Povolny, 1983

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

Family:

Subfamily:

Meyrick, 1920

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Walker, 1864

Baljurashi: May.

(Zeller, 1847)

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

Family:

Amsel, 1935

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

PageBreakFamily:

Subfamily:

Tribe: i

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Al-Baha (Jebel El-Baher): May.

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Al-Baha: May.

Dhee Ain: April.

(Esper, 1780)

Al-Baha (Jebel El-Baher): May-June.

Ghabet Raghdan: June.

Al-Mandaq: May.

Al-Mekhwa: April-June.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Al-Baha (El-Hawya): October.

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Al-Baha: November-April.

Tribe:

Wiltshire, 1980

Al-Baha: February.

Family:

Gozmany, 1982

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

Family:

Staudinger, 1895

Jebel Ibrahim: September.

Family:

Subfamily:

Petersen, 1961

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

Meyrick, 1912

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

Subfamily:

Petersen & Gaedike, 1982

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

(Petersen, 1959)

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

Petersen & Gaedike, 1982

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

Warren & Rothschild, 1905

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Diakonoff, 1983

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

Tribe:

Diakonoff, 1983

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

Diakonoff, 1983

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

(Obraztsov, 1959)

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

Tribe:

Zeller, 1852

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): August.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Diakonoff, 1983

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): August.

(Mann, 1857)

Baljurashi (Wadi Marah): April.

Family:

Subfamily:

(Rebel, 1899)

Al-Mikhwa: March-May.

* Collecting methods of specimens of the order Aerial nets for butterflies (suborder: Rhopalocera), and light traps for moths (suborder: Heterocera).

Order:

Suborder:

Family:

(Austen, 1912)

Al-Mekhwa: May.

Bejurashi: June.

Austen, 1921

Al-Mekhwa: May.

Beni Hassan: June.

Kieffer, 1910

Ghabet Raghdan: September.

Family:

Subfamily:

(Kieffer, 1918)

Wadi Al-Uqdah: February-March.

Wadi Diyhan: March.

Wadi Shumrukh: April.

Fittkau, 1962

Adnan: September.

Wadi Diyhan: March.

Wadi Ilyab: March.

(Freeman, 1954)

Adnan: September.

(Goetghebuer, 1935)

Al-Mandaq: April.

(Freeman, 1955)

Wadi Ilyab: February.

Fittkau, 1962

Wadi Ibrahim: August.

Al-Mandaq: April.

Subfamily:

(Walker, 1856)

Wadi Diyhan: March.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Kieffer, 1924

Adnan: September.

(Freeman, 1957)

Adnan: September.

Wadi Diyhan: March.

Freeman, 1957

Adnan: September.

Wadi Ibrahim: August.

(Edwards, 1929)

Adnan: September.

Wadi Diyhan: March.

Wadi Ilyab: February.

Freeman, 1955

Al-Foqa: September.

Cranston, 1989

Wadi Ilyab: February.

Cranston and Judd, 1989

Adnan: September.

(Kieffer, 1921)

Jebel Ibrahim: September.

Wadi Ilyab: February.

Tribe:

(Goetghebuer, 1934)

Al-Mandaq: April.

Al-Baha: February.

(Freeman, 1954)

Adnan: September.

Jebel Ibrahim: September.

Lehmann, 1970

Wadi Ilyab: February.

Freeman, 1958

Wadi Diyhan: March.

Freeman, 1958

Wadi Diyhan: March.

Wadi Ibrahim: August.

(Goetghebuer, 1935)

Wadi Diyhan: March.

Family:

Cranston, 1980

Adnan (W. Iwrakh): September.

Family:

Subfamily:

Cambouliu, 1902

All regions of Al-Baha: Throughout the year.

(Theobald, 1907)

Al-Baha: June - August.

Al-Mandaq: July.

Subfamily:

(Pallas, 1771)

Al-Mekhwa: Throughout the year.

Al-Baha: Throughout the year.

(Bigot, 1861)

Al-Baha: Throughout the year.

Linnaeus, 1758

All regions of Al-Baha: Throughout the year.

Family:

Subfamily:

Sinton, 1928

Al-Dafeer: April to August.

Al-Mandaq: March to November.

Theodor, 1953

Al-Baha: April to December.

Al-Dafeer: April to December.

PageBreakAl-Mandaq: June to December.

Al-Mekhwa: July to December.

Parrot, 1934

All localities: March to December.

Parrot, 1936

Al-Mekhwa: October to December.

(Scopoli, 1786)

Al-Dafeer: April to December.

Parrot, 1917

Al-Aqiq: April to November.

Al-Baha: April to December.

Al-Dafeer: April to December.

Al-Mekhwa: May to November.

(Newstead, 1912)

Al-Mandaq: April.

(Sinton, 1928)

Beni Hassan: April.

(Adler, Theodor & Lourie, 1930)

Al-Mandaq: March to November.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Gibbins, 1934

Baljurashi: April.

W.Shumrukh: April.

Family:

Subfamily

Tribe:

sp.

Ghabet Raghdan: November.

Suborder:

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

PageBreak Loew, 1858

Ghabet Shahba: June.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Portschinsky, 1881)

Ghabet Raghdan: May-June.

Greathead, 1967

Ghabet Raghdan: May-June.

Ghabet Shahba: May-June.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

sp.

Ghabet Shahba: May-june.

Ghabet Raghdan: May-June.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

El-Hawagrysp. n.

Al-Mekhwa: March.

Aqabet Al-Baha-Tihama: April.

Ghabet Raghdan: May.

Ghabet Shahba: June.

(Bezzi, 1926) [A new record in Saudi Arabia]

Al-Mekhwa: March-April.

Greathead, 2003

Baljurashi: September.

Ghabet Raghdan: June.

Ghabet Shahba: May-June.

Klug, 1832

Al-Mekhwa: March-April.

(Bowden, 1964)

Aqabet Al-Baha-Tihama: April-May.

(Wiedemann, 1828)

Al-Mekhwa: April.

Hermann, 1907

Al-Mekhwa: April-May.

near tripunctatum Pallas in Wiedemann, 1818 [A new record in Saudi Arabia]

Al-Mekhwa: March-April.

Aqabet Al-Baha-Tihama: April-May.

Ghabet Shahba: June.

Tribe:

(Bezzi, 1925) [A new record in Saudi Arabia]

Al-Mekhwa: April-May.

Aqabet Al-Baha-Tihama: April.

(Greathead, 1967)

Al-Mekhwa: April-May.

Aqabet Al-Baha-Tihama: April.

Tribe:

Greathead, 1980

Al-Mekhwa: March-April.

Bezzi, 1925

Al-Mekhwa: March-May.

Greathead, 1967

Al-Mekhwa: April-May.

Paramonov, 1928

Al-Mekhwa: March-May.

Macquart, 1840

Al-Mekhwa: March-May.

(Wiedemann, 1828)

Aqabet Al-Baha-Tihama: May.

(Meigen, 1820)

Beni Hassan: June.

Ghabet Raghdan: May-June.

Bezzi, 1924

Adnan (near El-Mandaq): September.

Greathead, 1980

Al-Mekhwa: January-February.

(Klug, 1832)

Al-Mekhwa: January-February.

Ghabet Raghdan: May-June.

(Bezzi, 1924)

Ghabet Raghdan: May-June.

Bezzi, 1924

Baljurashi: September.

(Klug, 1832)

Ghabet Raghdan: May-June.

(Röder, 1887)

Ghabet Raghdan: May-June.

Tribe:

(Macquart, 1840)

Ghabet Shahba: June.

(Fabricius, 1794)

Aqabet Al-Baha-Tihama: April.

(Bezzi, 1924)

Ghabet Raghdan: May.

Bezzi, 1924

Aqabet Al-Baha-Tihama: April.

(Meigen, 1804)

Ghabet Raghdan: May.

Bezzi, 1912

Jebel El-Baher: June.

Tribe:

(Wiedemann, 1828)

Ghabet Shahba: May-June.

Bezzi, 1921

Ghabet Shahba: May-June.

(Sack, 1909)

Ghabet Shahba: May-June.

El-Hawagry sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5CF1182F-656F-4EB1-929C-CD2BA4E7CB4C

http://species-id.net/wiki/Anthrax_alruqibi

Figs 2 4

Figure 2.

Wing of El-Hawagrysp. n.

Figure 3.

Male genitalia of El-Hawagrysp. n.

Figure 4.

Spermatheca of female El-Hawagrysp. n.

Remarks.

This species resembles Anthrax tureus Greathead, 1980 in size, vestiture, and venation. However, it differs in having faint brownish spots on r-m crossvein, on the origin of vein R2+3, on the middle of cell br slightly after origin of vein R1, and another fainter and smaller spot may be present on crossvein bm-cu. It differs also in having the wing very feebly tinged brownish at the base. Further, the sides of the 2nd and 4th tergites have tufts of long blackish scales and scaly hairs. The epiphallus terminates in a forceps-like process slightly inclined dorsally and continued with a long flange directed ventrally.

Etymology.

A patronymic name (A. alruqibi) is proposed in honor of Dr Saeid Al-Ruqib, dean of scientific research in Al-Baha University, Saudi Arabia.

Description.

Holotype male. Dull black medium sized species. Body length: 8 mm. Wing length: 9 mm.

Head: Frons with whitish pruinose, tending to be silvery at margins, covered with black hairs, and yellowish to brownish scales at the middle, and the scales become longer, more dense and pale above the antennae; ocellar tubercle black; occiput with whitish pruinose, whitish scales at eye margin, short sparse black hairs becoming more dense behind the ocellar tubercle, and long brownish scaly hairs around the occipital cavity; face covered with whitish long scaly hairs and long black hairs; eyes at upper part of frons separated by about twice width of ocellar triangle; antennae black with some pale brownish pruinose. Thorax: Scutum and scutellum covered with fine white and yellowish to brownish white scaly hairs; bristles and hairs black; anterior corners with snowy white scaly hairs, being shaggy and more slender at fore margin; hind margin of scutellum with short white scales; legs black; hairs and bristles black; coxae and tibiae covered with white scales, mixed with brownish white ones on tibiae; claws black; pulvilli grayish; wing hyaline (Fig. 2) with a feeble basicostal infuscation, with a faint brownish spots on r-m, on the origin of vein R2+3, on the middle of cell br slightly afPageBreakter origin of vein R1, and another fainter and smaller one may present also on bm-cu crossvein; squama with a short white fringe; plumula white; coastal hook black with white scales; halteres brown with knobs white at tip. : Corners of 1st tergite with snowy whitish tuft of long scaly hairs; sides of 2nd and 4th tergites with tufts of long blackish scales and scaly hairs; sides of 3rd tergite with tufts of long snowy whitish scales and scaly hairs; bristles of abdomen black and strongly developed; sides of 3 last tergites with long white hairs seen lower to the black bristles; posterior margin of all tergites with snowy whitish scales, becoming more dense and broad at sides especially at sides of 6th tergite; yellowish white scaly hairs and small scales present across mid-line of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th tergites; tergites with dense black scales lying flat especially on sides of 4th and 5th ones. (Fig 3): Posterior processes of gonocoxites long and narrow; epiphallus terminating in a forceps-like process slightly inclined dorsally and continued with a long flange directed ventrally. . Similar to holotype male; spermatheca (Fig. 4) weakly sclerotized, with globular capsules, ejection apparatus short.

Distribution.

Holotype male, Aqabet Al-Baha-Tihama, Al-Baha Province, Saudi Arabia (20.00000°N, 41.43758°E, 1300 m.a.s.l.), 18-19.IV.2012 (El-Hawagry ). Paratypes: 1 female, the same holotype data; 1 male, Al-Mekhwa, 21.III.2012 (El-Hawagry); 1 male, Ghabet Raghdan, 12.V.2012 (El-Hawagry); Ghabet Shahba, 8.VI.2012 (El-Hawagry). Holotype and paratypes are deposited in Efflatoun collection, Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Egypt (EFC).

Family:

Subfamily:

sp. [A new record in Saudi Arabia]

Al-Mekhwa: April.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Austen, 1911

Al-Baha: July.

Tribe:

Austen, 1908

Al-Mandaq: April.

Jebel Ibrahim: September.

Wadi Diyhan: September.

sp.

Wadi Diyhan: May.

Wadi Gala: May.

Family:

Subfamily:

sp.

Al-Mekhwa: January-March.

Dhee Ain: April.

Suborder:

Section:

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Wiedemann, 1818

Ghabet Raghdan: May-June.

Al-Baha (Jebel El-Baher): June.

Tribe:

sp.

Ghabet Raghdan: May-June.

Al-Baha (Jebel El-Baher): June.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Fabricius, 1794)

Ghabet Raghdan: May-June.

Al-Baha (Jebel El-Baher): June.

Section:

Subsection:

Family:

Beschovski, 1978

Baljurashi: May.

Becker, 1912

Baljurashi: May.

(Lamb, 1918)

Al-Mekhwa: March.

Becker, 1910

Al-Baha: June.

Family:

Dalman, 1817

Al-Mekhwa: December-February.

Dhee Ain: February-May.

(Rondani, 1873)

Al-Mekhwa: December-February.

Dhee Ain: February-May.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Meigen, 1830

Common species.

sp.

Al-Baha (Al-Hawya): May-June.

Family:

Subfamily:

Malloch, 1927

Al-Mekhwa: March

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Becker, 1922

Al-Mekhwa: February.

Dhee Ain: September.

Bezzi, 1908

Dhee Ain: September.

(Saunders, 1842)

Al-Mekhwa: February.

Baljurashi: September.

Beni Hassan: August.

Dhee Ain: September.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

PageBreak (Linnaeus, 1764) Host plant: Asteraceae

Ghabet Raghdan: June.

Tribe:

(Frauenfeld, 1857) Host plant:

Al-Mekhwa: May.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Preyssler, 1791)

Al-Mekhwa: February.

Subsection:

Family:

Subfamily

Tribe:

Malloch, 1924

Ghabet Amadan: May.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: October.

Family:

Subfamily:

(Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830)

Al-Baha (Jebel Al-Baher): February to July.

Subfamily:

(Wiedemann, 1819)

Al-Baha City: September.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May.

Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830

Wadi Galla: May.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May.

Subfamily:

(Meigen, 1826)

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May.

Subfamily:

Rognes, 1987

Wadi Dahyan: May.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May.

Subfamily:

Townsend, 1917

Wadi Galla: May.

Wadi Genouna.

Family:

Subfamily

Leach, 1817

All localities (on camels): Throughout the year

Linnaeus, 1758 [? A new record in Saudi Arabia]

Al-Baha [Al-Maslakh] (on cattle): Throughout the year

Fabricius, 1805

All localities (on dogs): Throughout the year

Megerle, 1803

All localities (on camels and cattle): Throughout the year

Subfamily

(Linnaeus, 1758)

All localities (on sheep and goats): Throughout the year

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Wiedemann, 1830

Dhee Ain: October.

sp.

Al-Mekhwa: April-July.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Wiedemann, 1830

Al-Mekhwa: March-July.

Linnaeus, 1758

Common everywhere and all the time.

(Loew, 1856)

Al-Baha (Shahba): April.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Stein in Becker, 1903)

Baljurashi: August.

(Stein, 1913)

Baljurashi: March.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Wiedemann, 1830

Wadi Turabet Zahran: October.

Tribe:

Meigen, 1826

Al-Baha (Jebel El-Baher): April-August

Al-Mekhwa: March-September.

Family:

(Linnaeus, 1958)

Al-Maslakh (on sheep): March to August.

Brauer, 1858

Al-Maslakh (on goats): March to August.

Family:

Subfamily:

Lehrer and Abou-Zied, 2008

Al-Baha (Jebel Al-Baher): March to August.

(Lehrer, 1995)

Al-Baha (Jebel Al-Baher): March to November.

Thompson, 1869

Al-Baha (Jebel Al-Baher): February to September.

Family:

.

Ghabet Shahba: May-July.

* Collecting methods of specimens of the order Aerial nets, sweeping nets and malaise traps were the main methods. However, other methods were effective too as bait traps for Calliphoridae and Sarcophagidae; yellow pan traps for Chloropidae, Chironomidae and Syrphidae; sticky traps for Psychodidae; and light traps for Ceratopogonidae and Psychodidae.

Order:

Suborder:

Family:

Subfamily:

van Noort, 1997

Jebel Ibrahim: ?

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Fabricius, 1787

Wadi Galla: May-September.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May-October.

Dhee Ain: May-August.

Linnaeus, 1758

Common everywhere and all the time

Tribe:

(Alfken, 1937)

Dhee Ain: May.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Wadi Turabet Zahran: March-April.

sp.

Ghabet Raghdan: May-June.

Family:

Subfamily:

Kohl, 1906

Al-Baher: May.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Panzer, 1801

Jebel El-Baher: June-July.

sp.

Al-Mekhwa: February-April.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

Kohl, 1894

Jebel El-Baher: May-July.

Subfamily:

Klug, 1845

Ghabet Shahba: June-August.

Walker, 1871

Jebel El-Baher: May-August.

Panzer, 1799

Jebel El-Baher: May-August.

Fabricius, 1775

Jebel El-Baher: May-August.

Family:

sp.

Wadi Galla: May.

Saussure, 1852

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May-August.

Family:

Subfamily:

Sharaf & Aldawood, 2012-12-23

Aqabet Al-Baha-Tihama: April.

Subfamily:

Sharaf & Aldawood, 2012

Dhee Ain: May-September.

Sharaf, 2009

Ghabet Shahba: May.

Collingwood, 1985

Baljurashi (Al-Qama’): May.

Ghabet Shahba: May.

Wadi El-Zarayeb: May.

Subfamily:

sp.

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May.

Subfamily:

Collingwood & Agosti, 1996

Baljurashi (Al-Qama’): May.

Emery, 1915

Wadi Al-Uqdah: August.

Wadi Aridah: September.

Dhee Ain: May.

Forel, 1894

Wadi El-Zarayed: May.

Dhee Ain: May.

Fabricius, 1798

Wadi Aridah: September.

Wadi Dhiyan: September.

Dhee Ain: May.

Mayr, 1862

Al-Baha City: May.

Baljurashi (Al-Qama’): May.

Ghabet Raghdan: May.

Forel, 1904

Wadi Aridah: October.

sp.

Amadan: May.

Al-Baha City: May.

Baljurashi (Al-Qama’): May.

Ghabet Raghdan: May.

Ghabet Shahba: May.

Wadi El-Zarayeb.

(Roger, 1859)

Al-Baha City: May.

Baljurashi (Al-Qama’): May.

Ghabet Raghdan: May.

Ghabet Shahba: May.

(Forel, 1894)

Wadi Aridah: February.

(Forel, 1909)

Al-Baha: March.

Collingwood & Agosti, 1996

Al-Baha City: May.

Baljurashi (Al-Qama’): May.

Ghabet Raghdan: May.

Ghabet Shahba: May.

(Andre, 1882)

Wadi Arida: March.

Santschi, 1926

Al-Baha: March.

(Dufour, 1862)

Amadan: May.

Ghabet Raghdan: May.

Emery, 1897

Al-Baha: March.

(Emery, 1901)

Amadan: May.

Baljurashi (Al-Qama’): May.

Ghabet Raghdan: May.

Wadi El-Zarayeb: May.

(Finzi, 1936)

Baljurashi (Al-Qama’): May.

Wadi El-Zarayeb: May.

(Latreille, 1802)

Dhee Ain: May.

Subfamily:

PageBreak Sharaf & Aldawood, 2011

Dhee Ain: May.

Forel, 1907

Amadan: May.

Al-Baha City: May.

Dhiyan: September.

Baljurashi (Al-Qama’): May.

Ghabet Raghdan: May.

Wadi El-Zarayeb: May.

Mayr, 1862

Aridah: September.

sp.

Ghabet Shahba: May.

Santschi, 1927

Amadan: May.

Baljurashi (Al-Qama’): May.

Ghabet Raghdan: May.

Wadi El-Zarayeb: May.

sp.

Amadan: May.

Wadi El-Zarayeb: May.

(Jerdon, 1851)

Dhee Ain: May.

Aldawood & Sharaf, 2011

Amadan: May.

Baljurashi (Al-Qama’): May.

?exiguum Forel, 1894

Dhee Ain: May.

Forel, 1902

Amadan: May.

Ghabet Raghdan: May.

Ghabet Shahba: May.

Wadi El-Zarayeb: May.

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Amadan: May.

Baljurashi (Al-Qama’): May.

Ghabet Shahba: May.

Sharaf & Aldawood sp. n.

Aqabet Al-Baha-Tihama: April.

sp.

Ghabet Shahba: May.

Dhee Ain: May.

Mayr, 1862

Baljurashi (Al-Qama’): May.

Dhee Ain: May.

(Fabricius, 1793)

Wadi Al-Uqdah: August.

Mayr, 1866

Dhee Ain: May.

sp.

Amadan: May.

Baljurashi (Al-Qama’): May.

Ghabet Raghdan: May.

Ghabet Shahba: May.

Wadi El-Zarayeb: May.

Sharaf & Aldawood, 2012

Baljurashi (Al-Qama’): May.

sp.

Dhee Ain: September.

Sharaf & Aldawood, 2011

Amadan: May.

Roger, 1857

Baljurashi (Al-Qama’): May.

Emery, 1877

Amadan: May.

Baljurashi (Al-Qama’): May.

Ghabet Raghdan: May.

Ghabet Shahba: May.

Wadi El-Zarayeb: May.

Collingwood & Agosti, 1996

Amadan: May.

(Roger, 1857)

Al-Baha City: May.

Baljurashi (Al-Qama’): May.

Menozzi, 1933

Amadan: May.

Al-Baha City: May.

Ghabet Raghdan: May.

Ghabet Shahba: May.

sp.1

Al-Baha City: May.

Baljurashi (Al-Qama’): May.

sp.2

Dhee Ain: May.

Subfamily:

Mayr, 1904

Dhee Ain: September.

Subfamily:

Mayr, 1895

W. Ibrahim: March.

W. Sanakah: September.

Sharaf & Aldawood sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9E547C91-E6B5-4E42-9DC2-386D846C4167

http://species-id.net/wiki/Monomorium_sarawatensis

Figs 5 –15

Figures 5–6.

SEM of sp.n., paratype worker, head in full-face view.

Figures 7–8.

SEM of sp.n., paratype worker 7 body in profile, 8 head in profile.

Figures 9–10.

SEM of sp.n., paratype worker 9 mesosoma in profile 10 propodeal spiracle.

Figures 11–12.

SEM of sp. n., paratype worker 11 clubbed hairs 12 petiole and postpetiole.

Figures 13–15.

Automontage of sp.n., paratype worker 13 body in profile 14 body in dorsal view 15 head in full-face view.

Measurements and indices:

TL Total Length; the outstretched length of the ant from the mandibular apex to the metasomal apex.

HW Head Width; the maximum width of the head behind eyes in full face view.

HL Head Length; the maximum length of the head, excluding the mandibles.

CI Cephalic Index (HW × 100/HL).

SL Scape Length, excluding basal neck.

SI Scape Index (SL × 100/HW).

EL Eye Length; the maximum diameter of the eye.

ML Mesosoma Length; the length of the mesosoma in lateral view, from the point at which the pronotum meets the cervical shield to the posterior base of the propodeal lobes or teeth.

PRW Pronotal width, maximum width in dorsal view.

PL Petiole Length; the maximum length measured in dorsal view, from the anterior margin to the posterior margin.

PW Petiole Width; maximum width measured in dorsal view.

PPL Postpetiole Length; maximum length measured in dorsal view.

PPW Postpetiole Width; maximum width measured in dorsal view.

PageBreakAll measurements are in millimeters and follow the standard measurements (Bolton 1987).

This new species is a member of the -group as defined by Bolton (1987), but it does not fit any of the species in Bolton’s key to the Afrotropical species or the key to the Arabian species given by Collingwood and Agosti (1996). superficially seems to be similar to Santschi and Bolton described from Zaire. The three species share the following characters: dorsum and sides of propodeum and waist blanketed everywhere with dense reticulate-punctate sculpture; fourth (basal) tooth of mandible slightly smaller than the third, and not broadly separated; genae faintly longitudinally striated; body pilosity clubbed. However, sarawatensis can be easily separated by the uniform yellow color, whereas the color of the latter species is dark brown to blackish-brown. In comparison with affabile, sarawatensis is consistently larger (TL 1.77-2.13), versus (TL 1.5) and the eyes are smaller (EL 0.17-0.22 × HW, versus EL 0.24 × HW).

The type locality is a farm planted with L. (Annonaceae), (L.), (Mill.) (Rosaceae), L. (Family: Myrtaceae), ssp. mays L. (Family: Poaceae), in addition to banana, and mango. The new species was found nesting inside a woody fruit of . No males or queens were seen.

Diagnosis:

This new species is characterized by a combination of the following characters: eyes with five-six ommatidia in the longest row; genae faintly longitudinally striated; metanotal groove deep and broad; propodeal dorsum making a weak obtuse angle with propodeal declivity; mesosoma and waist densely reticulate-punctate; body pilosity clubbed.

Measurements: Holotype worker.TL1.98, HL 0.52, HW 0.42, SL 0.38, ML 0.56, EL 0.08, PRW 0.25, PL 0.14, PW 0.12, PPL 0.11, PPW 0.14, SI 90, CI 81.

.TL1.77-2.13, HL 0.48-0.53, HW 0.36-0.42, SL 0.30-0.39, ML 0.45-0.56, EL 0.07-0.08, PRW 0.21-0.25, PL 0.09-0.14, PW 0.09-0.12, PPL 0.08-0.11, PPW 0.11-0.14, SI 81-95, CI 75-84.

(N=12).

Head distinctly longer than broad, with a nearly straight posterior margin and shallowly convex sides; head dorsum smooth and shining with few scattered hair-pits; anterior clypeal margin feebly concave between a pair of obtusely projecting angles which separate anterior and lateral margins; clypeal carinae broadly separated and subparallel; eyes with five-six ommatidia in the longest row (EL 0.17-0.22x HW). With head in profile the posterior margins of eyes at the midlength of sides; antennal scapes, when laid back from their insertions, failing to reach posterior margin of head; genae faintly longitudinally striate. Mesosoma in lateral view with the promesonotum straight or feebly convex; metanotal groove deep and broad; propodeal dorsum making a weak obtuse angle with propodeal declivity; mesosomal pilosity few and sparse, two pairs of erect setae on pronotum, five or more on mesonotum, three on propodeum; propodeal spiracle small and pinhole-like; mesosoma densely reticulate-punctate except for pronotal sides which are nearly smooth and shining. Petiolar node high and acuminatein profile, usually with two pairs of erect setae, petiolar peduncle thick and short. Postpetiole in dorsal view clearly broader than long. Petiole and postpetiole densely reticulate-punctate. Color uniformly yellow. Body pilosity clubbed.

Holotype worker, Aqabet Al-Baha-Tihama, Al-Baha Province, Saudi Arabia (20.00000°N, 41.43758°E, 1300 m.a.s.l.), 19.IV.2012 (M. R. Sharaf ), deposited in King Saud Museum of Arthropods (KSMA), College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Paratypes. 33 workers, same locality and data as holotype; 1 deposited in the Muséum ďHistoire Naturelle, Geneva, Switzerland (Dr Bernhard Merz); 1 in NaturhisPageBreaktorisches Museum, Basel, Switzerland (Mrs. Isabelle Zürcher-Pfander); 1 in California Academy of Science (Dr Brian Fisher); 1 in the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA (Prof. E. O. Wilson); 1 in the Division of Entomology (Snow Entomological Collections), University of Kansas Natural History Museum, Lawrence, Kansas, USA (Prof. Michael S. Engel); 1 in World Museum Liverpool, Liverpool, U.K (Mr. Tony Hunter), 1 in The Natural History Museum, London (Mr. Barry Bolton); the remaining paratypes are in the King Saud Museum of Arthropods, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Note.

Specimens were photographed by Erin Prado using a JVC KY-F70B 3CCD digital camera attached to a Leica M420 stereomicroscope. All digital images were processed using Auto-Montage (Syncroscopy, Division of Synoptics Ltd, USA) software. Images of the specimens are available in full color on www.antweb.org.

Family: Ichneumonidae

Subfamily:

sp.

Jebel El-Baher: May-June.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Guérin, 1843)

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May.

Family:

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Klug, 1832)

Gebel El-Baher: May.

(Fabricious, 1775)

Dhee Ain: May-July.

(Fabricius, 1787)

Al-Baha City (Jebel El-Baher): May.

Subfamily:

PageBreak sp.

Al-Mekhwa: March.

Al-Baha City (Jebel El-Baher): May.

Family:

Subfamily:

Kirby, 1900

Al-Mekhwa: March.

Jebel El-Baher: May-August.

Kohl, 1901

Jebel El-Baher: May-August.

(Le Guillou, 1841)

El-Baha: June.

Subfamily:

Christ, 1791

Ghabet Raghdan: June.

Family:

Subfamily:

(De Saussure, 1852)

Ghabet Raghdan: June.

(de Saussure, 1852)

Ghabet Raghdan: June.

Subfamily:

Tribe:

(Fabricius, 1781)

Gebel El-Baher: May.

Subfamily:

Linnaeus, 1771

Wadi Turabet Zahran: May-August.

* Collecting methods of specimens of the order Aerial nets, sweeping nets and malaise traps were the main methods; however, the yellow pan traps PageBreakwere effective for small Hymenoptera as well, and ants (Formicidae) were collected using tray sifting.

Faunal richnessand Zoogeographic affinities

25% of the known faunal richness has been accounted for by order Lepidoptera, Diptera comprise 22%, Coleoptera 18%, Hymenoptera 14%, Hemiptera 7%, and Orthoptera 6%. The other insect orders made up 8% of all recorded species.

Insect species richness in Al-Baha Province has been compared between sectors, and with the total species richness in the province as a whole. Results demonstrated that the two sectors (Tihama and Al-Sarah) are varied in their species composition (Fig. 16). The figure summarizes variation in species composition in two ways: firstly, by the number of species shared between the two sectors, and secondly, by the number of species unique to each sector. It was found that 465 species have been recorded from Al-Sarah, with 408 of them (88%) unique; while 174 species have been recorded from Tihama, with 117 of them (67%) unique. However, only 57 species have been recorded as common to both sectors, representing only about 10% of all species recorded from the province as a whole. These results clearly suggest that each of the two sectors of Al-Baha Province (Tihama and Al-Sarah) has its own insect community.

Figure 16.

Insect species in the two main sectors (Tihama and Al-Sarah) of Al-Baha Province. The total number of species in each sector is given in bold, the number of species occurring in common in the two sectors is given along the line joining them, and the number of species unique to each sector is given within parentheses within circles.

Most of insect species here recorded from Al-Baha Province are characteristic of the Afrotropical region. Tabel (1) indicates the broad scale distribution patterns suggesting a closer affiliation to the Afrotropical region than to the Palearctic region or the Eremic zone. This affiliation was obviously greater in Tihama (69%) than in Al-Sarah (60%). The study showed Palaearcic elements comprising 27% or less in both sectors, in addition to some few Oriental elements (3% or less).

Discussion

The south-western part of Saudi Arabia, including Al-Baha Province, is considered by many authors to be the most important part of the country and the Arabian Peninsula in general in terms of vegetation and speciation. This area is similar to the high altitude mountains of north-eastern and eastern parts of Africa, both floristically and ecologically (Zohary 1973 and Eig 1938).

Insect diversity (richness) shows a positive correlation with plant diversity (El–Moursy et al. 2001), in other words, the species diversity of consumers should depend to some degree upon the diversity, as well as the productivity, of their food resources (Davidson 1977). Hence, the variation in insect richness in the two sectors of Al-Baha Province seems to reflect their varying vegetation patterns. This variation in insect richPageBreakness could also be a result of the distance (more than 25km) and altitude (more than 1500 m) between the two sectors, where distance and height could affect the ability of species to disperse between sectors (Fisher 1996). Consequently, each of the two sectors has its own insect community. There is also little doubt that abiotic conditions (relative humidity, soil moisture, temperature, etc.) may affect this pattern of insect distribution in Al-Baha Province.

Considering the insect fauna in Al-Baha Province as a whole, we can obviously conclude that Al-Baha has an extraordinary complex and interesting insect fauna. This may be attributed to its geographical position at the junction of two of the world’s main zoogeographical regions: the Afrotropical and the Palaearctic (Hölzel 1998).

The vegetation of Arabian Peninsula is more or less similar to that of the north-eastern and northern parts of the African Continent. So, some present day biogeographers are of the opinion that the biogeographical divisions within the northeastern and eastern parts of Africa should be extended towards east to cover the regions within the Arabian Peninsula too, namely “Afromontane Archipelago”, covering the high altitude regions of the southern Al-Sarawat Mountains (Zohary 1973; Eig 1938).

Indeed, the present preliminary study is not sufficient to draw more than general conclusions about insect zoogeography in Al-Baha Province. However, the insect faunal composition in this region has an Afrotropical flavor as the Afrotropical elements have been predominantly indicated. Consequently, we tend to agree with those boigeographers who believe that parts of the Arabian Peninsula, including Al-Baha Province, should be included in the Afrotropical region rather than in the Palaearctic region or the Eremic zone, but we cannot indicate the northern border of this region exactly. Especially, Zoogeographical regions often have definable boundaries due to physical barriers, such as mountains, deserts, or water. However, where no such barriers exist, each region gradually merges with the next, pockets of one extending some way into the other due to variable environmental conditions. Such transitional zones may themselves have certain definable characteristics and are often classified as distinct regions. The desert between the Palaearctic and Afrotropical regions is one such zone, and is known as the Afroeremic zone (de Lattin 1967), the Eremic zone (Uvarov 1938; Greathead 1980; Larsen 1984) or the Saharo-Arabian subregion (Takhtajan 1986). However, the northern border of the Afrotropical Region was proposed to be along the Tropic of Cancer (Sclater 1858; Wallace 1876).

We think that the exact indication of the northern border of the Afrotropical region requires more study, not only of the insect fauna but also of the flora and other animal faunas in central deserts, south, south-eastern, and south-western parts of Saudi Arabia.

1	Wing entirely hyaline, without any infuscated pattern; scales on abdomen mostly white; length 8mm	Anthrax tureus Greathead, 1980
–	Wing with an infuscated pattern composed either of a dark blackish brown infuscation on at least the basal third, or with spots on the cross-veins; scales on abdomen mostly black; length 8mm or more	2
2	Wing pattern composed of spots on cross-veins and with only costal cell and bases of basal cells brownish	3
–	Wing pattern composed of extensive basicostal infuscation or numerous irregular blackish brown confluent spots	4
3	Wing with brown spots on cross-veins, origin of R2+3 and fork of R4+5; sides of abdominal tergites (except the 1st) with black hairs; gonocoxites truncate without long posterior processes; length about 10mm	Sticticus Klug, 1832
–	Wing with spots on cross-veins and origin of R2+3 faint brown, fork of R4+5 without a spot; sides of 3rd abdominal tergite with tufts of long snowy whitish scales and scaly hairs, and sides of 3 last tergites with long white hairs seen lower to the black bristles, length about 8mm	Anthrax alruqibi El-Hawagry sp. n.
4	Wing pattern very dark blackish-brown with a clear-cut margin	5
–	Wing pattern brown with a diffuse margin merging with darker spots on cross-veins	Anthrax decisus Bezzi, 1924
5	Clear area with one or two small isolated spots	Anthrax aygulus Fabricius, 1805
–	Clear area without isolated spots	Anthrax fuscipennis Ricardo, 1903

1	Antennae with 11 segments	2
–	Antennae with 12 segments	5
2	Terminal funicular segment broadly swollen	Monomorium clavicorne Andre, 1883
–	Terminal funicular segment enlarged, not Swollen	3
3	Mesosoma without hairs	Monomorium aeyade Collingwood & Agosti, 1996
–	Mesosoma with hairs	4
4	Mesonotum with at least six pairs of hairs, two on pronotum, four on mesonotum; antennal scapes shorter (SI 74-84); CI higher (74–80)	Monomorium exiguum Forel, 1894
–	Mesosoma with fewer hairs, one pair on pronotum and two one mesonotum; antennal scapes slightly longer (SI 90); CI smaller (71)	Monomorium baushare Collingwood & Agosti, 1996
5	Mesosoma and waist densely and conspicuously reticulate-punctate	Monomorium sarawatensis sp. n.
–	Mesosoma and waist smooth and shining	6
6	Head, in full-face view, with long hairs surrounding posterior margin and head sides forming a fringe; metanotal groove shallow	Monomorium qarahe Collingwood & Agosti, 1996
–	Head, in full-face view, without a fringe of long hairs; metanotal groove sharp and distinct	7
7	Larger yellow species; TL 1.70–2.30, HW 0.40; metanotal groove sharp but too small to break the dorsal outline; pronotum with a single pair of curved hairs	Monomorium montanum Collingwood & Agosti, 1996
–	Smaller yellowish to light brownish yellow species, first and second gastral tergites with light brownish bands; TL 1.42–1.84; HW 0.32–0.36; metanotal groove sharp and distinctly breaks the dorsal outline; anterior pronotal margin with two pairs of hairs, middle part of pronotum with a single pair	Monomorium dryhimi Aldawood & Sharaf, 2011

Table 1.

Zoogeographic affinities of insect species of Al-Baha Province.

Region	Affinities (%)
	Tihama sector	Al-Sarah sector
Afrotropical	69	60
Palaearctic	23	27
Oriental	2	3
Undetermined	6	10