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Urbanization affects all elements of the pre-urban environment, including soils, hydrology, vegetation, and microclimate. Recently, Saudi Arabia has experienced rapid urbanization and growth. Thus, the country's biodiversity has been threatened. In Riyadh, beetle assemblages were assessed along a rural-suburban-urban gradient. A total of 2,791 individuals from 94 species belonging to seven families were collected at 15 sites along three different gradients of urbanization in Wadi Hanifa. Tenebrionidae dominated abundance (60.1%) and richness (38%). Beetle abundance, evenness, and diversity were not different among habitats; however, species richness was higher in rural habitats. DCA and CCA analyses showed distinct differences among sites along gradients. Urbanization intensity, soil variables, and land cover were significantly correlated with DCA axis 1, while elevation and flora were significantly correlated with DCA axis 2. The most critical operating environmental variables in Wadi Hanifa were buildings, elevation, soil organic carbon, litter cover, and litter depth, as well as plants such as Launaea capitata, Lycium shawii, Alhagi graecorum, and Heliotropium currasavicum. Ten species in our study are associated with urban habitats, six with suburban habitats, and seven with rural habitats. Consequently, expanding urban areas may negatively affect the richness and composition of beetles and may result in the loss of some native species.

Two genera Dendrothrips Uzel and Pseudodendrothrips Schmutz are recorded from Saudi Arabia. A key is provided to eight members of Dendrothrips that have antennae with 9-segments and D. saudicus sp. n. is described in this group. P. aegyptiacus (Priesner) and P. stuardoi are newly reported from Saudi Arabia, with P. stuardoi rev. stat. from the leaves of Ficus carica being newly distinguished from P. mori (Niwa) that lives on the leaves of Morus alba. Some published records of P. mori from Mediterranean countries are possibly misidentifications of P. stuardoi.

The Anaphothrips genus-group is recorded from Saudi Arabia for the first time. Nine species are recorded in four genera, Aptinothrips Haliday, Anaphothrips Uzel, Eremiothrips Priesner and Psilothri...

In this study, the Saudi Arabian Thorictinae beetle species,Thorictus riyadhensisHáva & Abdel-Dayem,sp. nov.,T. shadensisHáva & Abdel-Dayem,sp. nov.,T. sharafiHáva & Abdel-Dayem,sp. nov.,T. hanifahensisHáva & Abdel-Dayem,sp. nov.are described, illustrated, and compared with related species. Three other species:T. castaneusGermar, 1834;T. foreliWasmann, 1894; andT. peyerimhoffiChobaut, 1904 are excluded from the fauna of Saudi Arabia. A list of Thorictinae species from the Arabian Peninsula is provided.

The Farasan Archipelago is a group of small coral islands and islets in the southern Red Sea, offshore of the southwestern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). These islands are internationally important as breeding sites for turtles and bird species and regionally for its threatened, rare, and endemic flora and other fauna. The beetles (Coleoptera) of the Archipelago have not been previously surveyed. This study presents the first data on the beetle fauna based on a recent survey of the Farasan Archipelago. In total, 179 beetle species (including three synanthropic species) in 145 genera and 31 coleopteran families were determined. The Carabidae are represented by 31 species, followed by the Tenebrionidae (22 species), Chrysomelidae (17 species), Scarabaeidae (13 species), and Coccinellidae (12 species). The genusLasioceraDejean, 1831 and the speciesAmblystomus villiersanusBruneau de Miré, 1991 (Carabidae) are new for the beetle fauna of the Arabian Peninsula, and eighteen species are new country records for KSA. Sand dune habitats on the islands were inhabited by the greatest number of species in comparison with other habitats. Zoogeographically, the beetle fauna of the Archipelago was dominated by the representatives of the Saharo-Arabian and Afrotropical elements (74 spp., 41.0%). Fourteen species (7.8%) were recognized as cosmopolitan and subcosmopolitan. No species was known to be exclusively endemic to Farasan Archipelago. Eighteen species (10.1%) were endemic to Arabian Peninsula and KSA. Approximately 64.8% (116 spp.) of the archipelago beetle species is found on the KSA mainland and is most closely allied to the south and southwestern KSA regions (sharing 91 spp.). Comparisons of the beetle faunas of the Farasan and Socotra archipelagos indicate that 30 families, 70 genera, and 28 species are shared.

The dramatic increased rates of uncontrolled urbanization in various parts of the World have resulted in loss of native species and overall threats to biodiversity. Over the last few decades Saudi Arabia has witnessed a remarkably rapid population growth and unparalleled levels of urbanization, leading to threats to biodiversity. Ants were pitfall-trapped across an urban-rural gradient to evaluate ant assemblage responses to urbanization in Wadi Hanifa, Riyadh, Central Saudi Arabia. Fifteen sampling sites were selected along three different urbanization gradients, each traversing urban, suburban and rural zones. Within each site 10 traps were distributed and operated for 7 consecutive days, at 3-monthly intervals throughout one year. Vegetation, ground cover, and chemical and physical soil variables at sampling sites were analyzed concurrently. Ant abundance, species richness, evenness, and diversity indices of Shannon and Simpson were calculated for each site using PC-ORD to demonstrate diversity patterns along the urbanization gradients. Ant assemblages were assessed by detrended corresponding analysis (DCA), canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), and analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) using PC-ORD. Indicator species analysis was conducted to define representative species along the urbanization gradient. A total of 42 ant species were identified. The diversity parameters were consistent across the urbanization gradient. However, significant differences were observed in the ant assemblages between rural and urban, suburban and urban, but only marginal between rural and suburban. Eleven ant species were identified as indicator species (IV values between 50.7-80.7%). The ant assemblages were influenced by flora, ground cover, and soil variables.

Despite the species richness of hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) world-wide (about 6,200 species) and their role as agents for controlling plant pests, their significance as pollinators, and as bioindicators of site quality, hoverfly fauna of Saudi Arabia is poorly known. In exploring the biodiversity of Diptera in southwest Saudi Arabia a survey of the hoverfly fauna of Jazan, Asir, Najran and Al-Baha was performed mainly using Malaise traps, sweep nets and light traps from 2011 to 2014. Forty known species of Syrphidae were identified and recorded in this study, 19 of them new to Saudi Arabia. This makes the total number of Syrphidae species recorded in Saudi Arabia (including one species recorded by others) is 41. In addition, three taxa belonging to the genera Eumerus Meigen, Orthonevra Macquart, and Paragus Latreille that could not be identified safely to species level because there were no adequate identification keys or males were missing in the collected material. A key to the genera of Syrphidae occurring in Saudi Arabia is provided. The fauna of Syrphidae recorded in this study consists much more of Afrotropical zoogeographical elements than Palaearctic ones. A complete checklist of Syrphidae of Saudi Arabia is provided. Biological data, where known, and world-wide distribution of the studied taxa are provided. This paper is published with the purpose of assisting biogeographical, biological or ecological studies on syrphids in Saudi Arabia.

Rawdhats are unique alluvial meadows that provide a major opportunity for conservation of biodiversity in the Arabian hyper-arid regions. This study investigated the diversity and composition of the ground-dwelling beetle assemblages in two locations within Rawdhat Khorim National Park, Saudi Arabia. Beetles were collected during 24-periods from November 2011 to October 2012 using pitfall traps. A total of 114 species, 96 genera and 22 families were identified. Four Tenebrionidae dominated the catch, Mesostena puncticollis Solier, Oxycara saudarabica Kaszab, Gonocephalum prolixum (Erichson) and Apentanodes arabicus (Kirchsberg). Although richness and abundance did not differ significantly between the locations, diversity and evenness were different. The beetle family abundance showed variations between the locations. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and the analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) showed a high dissimilarity degree in species composition. Scavengers occurred in higher abundance and richness in one location. Predators and herbivores occurred in higher abundances in the other location. This study suggests that scavengers can be used for monitoring the ecology integrity in xeric-lands. It revealed the difficulty of interpreting richness and diversity measures without a high species identification level and knowledge about feeding guilds. Our findings will assist in monitoring approaches for conservation of natural habitats in arid lands.

The onthophagine fauna of the Arabian Peninsula is reviewed. New data from public and private collections are given. The total number of Onthophagini known from the Peninsula now stands at 30 species, without taking into account dubious records, belonging to seven genera. Of these 30 species, three (Onthophagus aethiopicus d’Orbigny, 1902, O. falsus Gillet, 1925 and O. frontalis Raffray, 1877) are reported for the first time from the Arabian Peninsula, six species (Digitonthophagus eucatta Génier in Génier & Moretto, 2017, Onthophagus aethiopicus d’Orbigny, 1902, O. brittoni Paulian, 1948, O. falsus Gillet, 1925, O. rugulipennis Fairmaire, 1887, and O. trapezicornis d’Orbigny, 1902) are new records from Saudi Arabia, three (D. eucatta, O. aethiopicus and O. frontalis) are new from Yemen and five (O. bicolor Raffray, 1877, O. latipennis d’Orbigny, 1898, O. nitidulus Klug, 1856, O. quadriarmatus Fairmaire 1892 and O. sellatus Klug, 1845) are new from Oman. Furthermore, Onthophagus infuscatus Klug, 1845 is recorded from Djibouti for the first time. For all the treated species a general distribution, literature citations and eventual unpublished records are provided. A new synonymy (Onthophagus saudiensis Frey, 1962 under O. sticticus Harold, 1867) is proposed. Most of the species were recorded from locations in southern Saudi Arabia, Oman and Yemen, south Tropic of Cancer. Yemen and Saudi Arabia have the highest species numbers, hosting the richest fauna with 24 and 23 species, respectively. The majority of the Onthophagini fauna (73.33 %) has Afrotropical and Afrotropical-Palaearctic affinities, while the Palaearctic and Oriental-Palaearctic species are both represented by 6.66 %. The four Arabian endemisms represent the 13.33 % of the whole fauna. Lastly, a dichotomous key for the identification of Arabian onthophagine species is provided and a redescription of Onthophagus brittoni is supplied.

Study of ground beetles of the Garf Raydah Nature Reserve, located in the Asir Mountains of southwestern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) resulted in one species, Paussus abditus Nagel, sp. n. described as new to science. Thirteen species (21.3%) are reported as new country records and fifteen species (24.6%) are new records for Asir Province. Adult beetles were collected from 2013 to 2017. The determination of this material yielded a total of 61 species in 40 genera and 17 tribes belonging to nine subfamilies of Carabidae. The species richness represented approximately 36.1% of carabid species previously reported from KSA. The most species rich tribes were the Lebiini (20 species), the Harpalini (10 species), and the Bembidiini (6 species). The life form analysis of adults indicated 18 life form types that are grouped into three categories, Zoophagous (77.1%), Mixophytophagous (18.0%), and Myrmecophilous (4.9%). Zoogeographical analyses indicated that the Afrotropical (19.3%) and the Saharo-Arabian (19.3%) species dominate the carabid fauna of this region of KSA. Coryza cf. maculata (Nietner, 1856) is considered the only Oriental representative. Only one cosmopolitan species, Perigona nigriceps (Dejean, 1831), was collected. Eleven endemics were identified; six species are considered KSA endemics and five are Arabian Peninsula endemics.

In this paper, descriptions, illustrations, distributional maps and a key for the subtribe Lebiina Bonelli, 1810 of Lebiini are presented for the two genera, Lebia Latreille, 1802 and Matabele , Peringuey, 1896 and six species from the southwest of Saudi Arabia. Lebia raeesae sp. n is described as a new species, L. melanacra (Chaudoir, 1878) and L. melanura (Dejean, 1831) are new records to the fauna of the country . Thus, the Saudi fauna of Lebiina based on this study has increased from three to six species.

Fourteen species of aphids (Hemiptera: Aphidoidea) are recorded as new to Saudi Arabia. These are: Aphis coreopsidis (Thomas, 1878); Aphis illinoisensis Shimer, 1866; Baizongia pistaceae (Linnaeus, 1767); Capitophorus elaeagni (del Guercio, 1894); Dysaphis plantaginea (Passerini, 1860); Eucarazzia elegans (Ferrari, 1872); Geoica lucifuga (Zehntner, 1897); Hayhurstia atriplicis (Linnaeus, 1761); Macrosiphoniella absinthii (Linnaeus, 1758); Macrosiphoniella sanborni (Gillette, 1908); Smynthurodes betae Westwood, 1849; Uroleucon cichorii (Koch, 1855), and Wahlgreniella nervata (Gillette, 1908). Among these, three species, i.e. A. coreopsidis, A. illinoisensis, and W. nervata are alien species.

In this paper, species of the subtribe Dromiusina Bonelli, 1810 from southwestern Saudi Arabia are revised. Eleven species in six genera (Calodromius, Dromius, Mesolestes, Metadromius, Microlestes, and Zolotarevskyella) are recognized. Dromiussaudiarabicus Rasool, Abdel-Dayem and Felix, sp. n. is newly described species from Rayda Nature Reserve Asir province. The presence of Metadromiusephippiatus in Saudi Arabia is doubtful. A key is also provided to genera and species level for Dromiusina of Saudi Arabia.

This study was conducted as a part of a comprehensive baseline survey of insect biodiversity of Rawdhat Khorim National Park (RKNP), Central Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). During this study a total of 262 Coleoptera species belong to 182 genera in 35 families were identified, of which 247 are named at a species level. Fifteen species (6.0%) are apparently endemic to KSA. Thirty-eight species are new to the known beetle fauna of KSA, including 25 species reported from the Arabian Peninsula for the first time. The families Tenebrionidae (45 species), Scarabaeidae (34 species), and Carabidae (27 species) were the most species rich families. About 37% of the beetle abundance was represented by species of Scarabaeidae, especially Aphodius ictericus ghardimaouensis Balthasar. Karumia inaequalis Pic (Dascillidae) was also an abundant species. Approximately 43.5% of beetle species collected during this study are considered very rare taxa in RKNP. The RKNP beetle fauna shows more affinity to Sahro-Arabian (36.4%), Afrotropical-Sahro-Arabian (17.4%) and Palaearctic-Sahro-Arabian (10.5%). Twenty-three species (9.3%) are considered cosmopolitan or subcosmopolitan. The data on month of collection, method of collection, and abundance status within RKNP, together with the distribution within KSA and the general distribution (zoogeography) of each species are presented.

119 named species, belonging to 48 genera are recorded from the Arabian Peninsula. Of these 21 species are described as new to science, being Scoliophthalmus cryptonevriformis, Elachiptera acanthellata, Pselaphia acuticornis, P. albiseta, P. sabroskyi, P. yemenensis, Polyodaspis abhaensis, Calamoncosis sorghivora, Tricimba africana, Aphanotrigonum vanemdeni, Incertella dimorphica, Sabroskyina sinuata, Trachysiphonella dawahi, T. recurva, Eutropha dancei, E. longicornis, Chloropsina enigma, Merochlorops vanharteni, Lagaroceras argillum, Stenophthalmus baderi and S. occidentalis. Seven species are placed in new combination, being Melanochaeta umbrosa (Becker), M. vulgaris (Adams), M. scapularis (Adams), M. atricornis (Adams) and M. flavofrontata (Becker) to Lasiochaeta, Conioscinella amabilis (Becker) to Gaurax and Chlorops lucidifrons Becker to Lasiosina. Lasiosina aurea Dely-Draskovits is placed as a junior synonym of L. lucidifrons (Becker) and Aprometopis sylvestrii Seguy is placed as a junior ...

The carabid subtribe Cymindidina Laporte, 1834 is reviewed for the southwestern Saudi Arabia. Five species belonging to two genera (Afrotarus Jeannel, 1949 and Cymindis Latreille, 1806) are studied, including two species described as new: A. fadli sp. n. from Baha Province and A. soudaensis sp. n. from Asir Province. A key to genera and species of Saudi Arabia is given.