Phlepsopsius arabicus Dlabola 1979
Creators: name: El-Sonbati, Saad
name: Wilson, Michael
name: Dhafer, Hathal Al
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hemiptera
Cicadellidae
Phlepsopsius
Phlepsopsius arabicus

description: 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.
description: Published as part of 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, pp. 257-266 in Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 58 (1) on page 264, DOI: 10.2478/aemnp-2018-0023, http://zenodo.org/record/3699260