First record of the subfamily Epitraninae from Saudi Arabia (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Chalcididae), with the description of three new species

Abstract The monotypic subfamily Epitraninae Burks, 1936 (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea, Chalcididae) is reported for the first time in Saudi Arabia. Seven Epitranus species are recorded in the Southwestern and Central regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, of which three species are new: E. delvarei Soliman & Gadallah, sp. nov. (female & male), E. similis Gadallah & Soliman, sp. nov. (male), and E. subinops Soliman & Gadallah, sp. nov. (female), are described and illustrated. Four new records, E. clavatus (Fabricius), E. hamoni complex, E. inops Steffan, and E. torymoides (Risbec), are also reported. An illustrated key to species is provided.


Introduction
Epitraninae Burks was first treated as tribe Chalcitellini by Ashmead (1904) with the type genus Chalcitella Westwood. This tribe was renamed Epitranini by Burks (1936) when the genus Chalcitella was treated as a junior synonym of Epitranus Walker. Habu (1960) raised Epitranini to the subfamily rank, Epitraninae, based on the fact that this group differs completely in its morphological characters from any other tribal taxa. The controversial taxonomic history of Epitraninae is well discussed by Bouček (1982). From the phylogenetic point of view, Epitraninae was treated as a tribe in the subfamily Dirhininae by Heraty et al. (2013) based on both morphological and molecular data. On the other hand, a recent phylogenetic study was carried out by Cruaud et al. (2020), treated it as a separate subfamily among the family Chalcididae, based on recent morphological and molecular data with novel computational approaches.
Members of Epitraninae are easily recognized by the following combination of characters: absence of cephalic horns; antennae inserted at lowermost part of face, very near to oral fossa on a protrusion or, most often, on a protruding lobe of frons "frontal lobe" (wrongly named clypeus by some authors), masking clypeus; frontal lobe with its free margin either rounded or denticulate, and may be divided by inter-antennal lamella; frons more or less flat; gena with strong posterior carina that extends into a flange; mesoscutellum simple, strongly convex and rounded at posterior margin; propodeum horizontal, its sculpturing clear and well-marked, areola often present medially; tegula flattened sometimes extends into a flange posteriorly to overlap base of hind wing; marginal vein of fore wing extremely long relative to the short stigmal vein and the reduced or absent postmarginal vein; metafemur with a comb of contiguous small teeth or spaced teeth following a large more or less triangular basal tooth; metatibia ending in a curved tibial spine, with a distinct tarsal scrobe, varying in length, that extends to reach a proximal sub-basal prominence; metasoma with a long narrow, striated petiole, several times as long as wide, or in some cases may be longer than half length of the gaster; gastral body rather small, compressed from side-to-side, and bulging ventrally, first gastral tergite occupying almost the total part of metasoma, thus mostly concealing the remaining tergites (Steffan 1957;Bouček 1982Bouček , 1988Husain and Agarwal 1982;Narendran and van Achterberg 2016;Delvare 2017).
Sexual dimorphism is only slight (Bouček 1982). In the female, the metasoma is somewhat acuminate distally, with a pair of short dark ovipositor sheaths, the hypopygium ends at a short distance before the ovipositor sheaths (in male, the metasoma is shorter and blunt distally); in female the antenna shorter, more or less clavate, with apical flagellomeres shorter (in male, the antenna longer and filiform, with longer flagellomeres) (Bouček 1982).
Little is known about the biology of Epitraninae. Hosts are known from only seven Oriental (Bouček 1982(Bouček , 1988Narendran 1989;Narendran and van Achterberg 2016;Noyes 2019), and a single Afrotropical species (Sauphanor et al. 1987). All of them parasitizing small lepidopteran moths of the families Crambidae, Pyralidae and Tineidae (Bouček 1982(Bouček , 1988Sauphanor et al. 1987;Narendran 1989;Narendran and van Achterberg 2016;Noyes 2019). This is in addition of two records, E. chilkaensis (Mani) reared from a nest of Camponotus compressus (Formicidae) (Narendran 1989) and E. emissicius Steffan that was found as living in subterranean nests of Mastotermes sp. (Mastotermitidae) (Rasplus 1993). Other few species are reported as having economic importance attacking lepidopteran pests infesting stored products (Sauphanor et al. 1987). Adults can be seen on foliage of trees and shrubs, and collected from fonds of woody plants, but usually not on grass (Bouček 1982(Bouček , 1988. The relatively large ocelli in some species suggests their activity at dusk or even at night (Bouček 1982).
Concerning the fauna of the Arabian Peninsula, the only work dealing with this group, was that by Delvare (2017) in his revision of the whole family (Chalcididae) in the United Arab Emirates. He reported two Epitranus species, E. hamoni (Risbec) and E. torymoides (Risbec).
The present study is the first attempt to study the Epitraninae of the fauna of the Saudi Arabia. Four new records, E. clavatus (Fabricius), E. hamoni complex, E. inops Steffan, and E. torymoides (Risbec), as well as three new species are described and illustrated, E. delvarei sp. nov., E. similis sp. nov. and E. subinops sp. nov. A key to separate the species, as well as faunistic list are also provided.

Materials and methods
The present study is based on specimens collected from some mountains and wadis in Al-Baha, Asir and Jazan (southwestern regions of Saudi Arabia) and Riyadh (central region of Saudi Arabia) provinces (Fig. 31). Sampling was done by means of a sweeping net, vacuum machine (McCulloch GBV325 vacuum), and Malaise trap. Identifications of some species were done with the help of Gerard Delvare (Cirad, Montferrier-sur-Lez, France) during the visit of NG to Cirad, Montpellier. In addition, the authors used the keys and original descriptions of Schmitz (1946), Steffan (1957), andBouček (1982). Morphological terms follow Bouček (1988). The terminology of body sculpture follows Harris (1979). Photographic images were taken using a Canon EOS 70D camera attached to a LEICA MZ-125 stereomicroscope. Individual source images were then stacked using HeliconFocus v6.22 (HeliconSoft Ltd) extended depth of field software. Abbreviations AOL = Distance between median and lateral ocelli; F1, F2, F3, F7 = first, second, third & seventh funicular segments; Gt = gastral tergite; MPS = multiparous plate sensilla; MV = marginal vein of fore wing; OD = lateral ocellus diameter; OOL = distance between lateral ocellus and inner eye margin; POL = distance between lateral ocelli; SMV = submarginal vein; STV = stigmal vein.
Description. Female (holotype, Figs 1-4). Body length: 3.8 mm; fore wing length: 2.3 mm. Head ( Fig. 2A−E). Slightly wider than mesoscutum in dorsal view (1.1×), distinctly transverse (1.5× as wide as high in frontal view), and ca. 2.8× as wide as its length in profile. Frontovertex 1.6× as wide as eye height. Vertex almost smooth along OOD, finely densely punctate between lateral ocelli; AOL 0.85× OOL; OOL 1.75× OD; POL 2.14× OOL; discal surface not much expanded, squamosa reticulate, separated from orbit by 5-6 rows of piliferous points, and from median ocellus by three rows; orbital surface transversely alutaceous, laterally with fine upwardly directed long setae; preorbital carina extremely weak; malar area densely finely punctate; malar space 0.78× as long as eye height in lateral view; malar carina absent; suborbital carina distinct; gena coarsely foveolate, with inwardly directed fine setae; post-orbital carina lamellate, joining genal carina at a level of ventral edge of eye, strongly converging to the higher edge of the eye (nearly touching it); occipital area finely densely reticulate (with raised network), with some very superficial punctures in between; occipital carina, just above formen magnum (or dorsally), relatively thick. Interantennal distance moderate (0.6× as wide as torulus diameter); a weak longitudinal carina could be seen between antennal toruli. Frontal lobe very short, not masking clypeus, with free margin entire.
Wings (Fig. 3C). Fore wing 2.77× as long as wide, bare on upper and undersides; MV 0.68× as long as costal cell; STV slightly longer than wide, forming with anterior margin an angle of ca. 45°. Hind wing bare, with three hamuli.   Hind leg (Figs 1C, 4A, B). Metacoxa 2.5× as long as wide, widened basally, slightly shorter than metafemur (0.92×), finely transversely alutaceous on outer-dorsal face, rest densely punctured with short setae more densely distributed basoventrally. Metafemur 1.97× as long as wide, with dense setiferous punctures throughout, outer ventral margin with a stout tooth basally, followed by 12 smaller, similar teeth. Tarsal scrobe long, reaching sub-basal prominence; proximal fourth of metatibia finely punctate; edge of sub-basal prominence with four denticles concealed under white pubescence. Metasoma (Figs 1A−C, 3A). Petiole relatively short (4.5× as long as wide, 0.92× as long as dorsal length of Gt 1 , and 0.68× as long as gaster), with a weak incomplete median carina, extending along its basal half, two (sublateral and lateral) ridges extending along its whole length, area between sublateral ridges faintly coriaceous (smooth apically). Gaster subcircular in lateral view (1.45× as long as height), somewhat ovoid in dorsal view. Gt 1 long, occupying most of gaster (0.75× as long as the whole length of gaster in dorsal view), deeply concave posteriorly, mostly smooth (densely finely punctulate postero-laterally); remaining tergites short, densely finely punctulate, finely setose. Gt 2 slightly concave posteriorly. Ovipositor slightly extended to apex of gaster.
Color (Figs 1A−C, 3C). Head including antennal flagellomeres and clava are black, except a broad band around inner margin of eye, malar area, clypeus and antennal scape to anellus are reddish brown. Mesosoma including legs and metasoma reddish brown, except anterior third of mesoscutal middle lobe, antero-inner corner of scapula, posterior margin of mesoscutellum, dorsellum, most of propodeum and ovipositor are black; propodeum postero-laterally reddish brown; outer faces of fore and mid femora and tibiae, dorsal face of metacoxa, inner face of metafemur, basal two-thirds of petiole and Gt 1 dorsally with blackish tint. Tegula glassy yellowish red. Wings hyaline, with pale brown to yellowish veins.
Male (Paratype, Fig. 5A−C). Differs from the female in the following: AOL slightly longer than OOL (1.16×); OOL 1.2× as long as OD; POL 2.8× as long as OOL; interantennal distance 1.2× as long as antennal torulus diameter; F1 longer (1.4× as long as wide, 1.06 as long as F7); mesoscutum length 3.3× as long as pronotum median length; metacoxa shorter, ca. 1.18× as long as width; petiole longer (5.7× as long as wide), with medial carina extending along its whole length; head and mesosoma completely black (except clypeus and tegula); metacoxa and petiole mostly black.
Remarks. Epitranus delvarei differs from all species of the genus in having small teeth on the metafemur; the presence of dense reticulation in the bottom of punctures on mesoscutellum, metepimeron, as well as areola of propodeum; tarsal scrobe of metatibia reaching sub-basal prominence.
Head (Figs 7A−D, 8B). Triangular in frontal view, 1.25× as wide as high, wider than mesoscutum in dorsal view (1.2×), 2.6× as wide as its length in profile. Frontovertex 1.5× as wide as eye height; AOL 2.0× OOL; OOL 0.85× OD; POL 4.3× OOL; supra antennal surface absent; frons transversely finely strigulate medially beneath antennal scape (at scrobe), laterally with sparse setiferous punctures, the setae lanceolate and long; preorbital carina absent; malar area mostly polished, with scattered superficial setiferous punctures; malar space ca. 0.6× as long eye height in profile; malar carina absent; gena broad, nearly smooth, with a row of setae directed inwards along post-orbital carina that is well-developed, lamellate and joining genal carina at a level of ventral edge of eye; post-orbital carina hardly converging to the higher edge of the eye (nearly parallel); suborbital carina weak. Occiput alutaceous, with sparse setiferous punctures (setae long and dispersed, pale yellow). Interantennal projection absent; interantennal distance ca. 0.5× as long as torulus diameter; frontal lobe quite long, with subantennal distance 4.0× as long as interantennal distance, ventral margin with two pairs of indentations delimiting three lobes, the outer ones are narrowly rounded; projection with a sharp longitudinal median carina extended throughout its length; surface of projection with long, lanceolate and whitish setae.
Antenna (Fig. 7D). Scape 1.35× as long as eye height, ending very closely to median ocellus, its ventral face strongly excavated, the excavation densely and finely pubescent; pedicel hardly longer than wide (1.15×); anellus transverse (0.4× as long as wide); F1 moderate, 1.7× as long as wide, 1.3× as long as F2 and F7 as well; clava 2.35× as long as wide.
Wings (Fig. 8C). Fore wing 3.2× as long as wide, bare on upper side, sparsely setose subapically on underside; MV ca. 0.72× as long as costal cell; STV rudimentary (1.25× as long as wide), strongly diverging from anterior margin of wing at an angle of ca. 80°. Hind wing hyaline and asetose, with three hamuli.
Hind leg (Figs 6C, 8D, E). Metacoxa widened basally, 2.45× as long as wide, 0.9× as long as metafemur, densely setose on ventral side, punctured but with transverse ridges near apex on outer dorsal side. Metafemur 1.9× as long as wide, with dense setiferous punctures on outer face, its ventral margin with a triangular sub-basal tooth followed by nine teeth that are equally separated, progressively smaller towards apex. Tarsal scrobe of metatibia fully occupying the completely delimited, smooth and deep metatibial process, reaching sub-basal prominence anteriorly (Fig. 12E), the edge of the later with four denticles concealed by pubescence (could be seen when examined from dorsal view).
Metasoma (Figs 6A, 9A, B). Petiole quite long, 7.12× as long as broad, 1.58× as long as length of Gt 1 in dorsal view, and 1.2× as long as length of gaster in dorsal view, dorsally with two, lateral and sublateral, longitudinal ridges that is vague along the apical two-thirds, the area between sublateral ridges transversely wrinkled. Gaster ovoid in dorsal view, 1.25× as long as its height in lateral view. Gt 1 long (0.75× as long as gaster in dorsal view), deeply concave posteriorly, sparsely finely setiferous punctate (setae fine and short, punctures dense postero-laterally); remaining tergites short, sparsely finely punctate and finely setose.
Color (Figs 6A−C, 8C). Body black, except the following parts, bright reddish brown: frontal lobe, malar area, a relatively broad strip around eye, gena, pronotum, a lateral longitudinal strip on middle lobe of mesoscutum, lateral and posterior borders and postero-inner corner of scapula, inner part of axilla, area around epicnemial carina on mesopleuron, upper part of metepimeron, and posterior part of adpetiolar area on metepisternum. Gaster reddish brown with black tint dorsally. Antennal scape and pedicel reddish brown, flagellum brown. Legs reddish brown, with black tint on mesofemur, ventral face of metacoxa and outer face of metafemur. Tegula glassy golden yellow. Wings hyaline with brown veins that are paler on hind wing. Genitalia pale yellow.
Female. Unknown. Variation. The paratype specimens differ from the holotype specimen in the predominance of red brown color on: head (except post-orbital and occipital carinae in one of the paratype specimens or a band along occipital carina, post-orbital carina and a narrow longitudinal median strip on the frons in the other paratype specimen); middle lobe of mesoscutum (except a triangular area on disc); lateral lobe of mesoscutum (except an oval area on disc); the whole axilla, mesoscutellum (except longitudinal median strip); the whole metapleuron; metacoxa and metafemur (except black tint on the former).
Remarks. The new species is morphologically similar to E. nitidus (Schmitz) (Democratic Republic of Congo) especially the identical frontal projection; the absence of interantennal projection; similar flagellum; the presence of outstanding setae on mesosoma; similar STV, and similar petiole. But differs from it by the partly reddish head and mesosoma (entirely black in E. nitidus); the presence of distinctive setation on different parts of mesosoma as reported above (mesosoma with regular setation in E. nitidus); propodeum with petiolate median areola (complete in E. nitidus); shorter and relatively stouter metacoxa (quite slender in E. nitidus).
Etymology. The word similis is an adjective in Latin and means similar or resembling, referring to the similarity of this species to E. nitidus.
Head (Figs 11A−C, 12B). Transverse (1.16× as wide as high in frontal view), slightly wider than mesoscutum in dorsal view (1.1×), and ca. 2.45× as wide as its length in profile. Frontovertex 1.25× as wide as eye height. Vertex almost smooth, sparsely punctate between median ocellus and eyes, with AOL as long as OOL; OOL 1.5× OD; POL 2.4× OOL; orbital surface superficially transversely alutaceous, laterally with fine sparse setae directed upwards; malar area superficially wrinkled; malar space 0.57× as long as eye height in lateral view; malar carina faint and polished; gena coarsely foveolate, nearly bare; post-orbital carina well developed, joined genal carina at a level distinctly above the ventral edge of the eye, distinctly converging to the higher edge of the eye; preorbital and suborbital carinae developed. Occipital area densely reticulate; interantennal distance distinctly short, 0.4× as long as torulus diameter, interantennal projection well developed (lamellate); frontal lobe relatively long (subantennal distance 3.3× as long as interantennal distance), free margin with three lobes.
Wings (Fig. 12C). Fore wing ca. 3.0× as long as wide, rather densely setose on the underside of apical two-thirds, setae distinctly long; MV 0.6× as long as costal cell; STV somewhat reduced (0.1× as long as MV), 2.0× as long as wide, forming with anterior margin an angle of ca. 45°. Hind wing sparsely setose apically, with three hamuli.
Metasoma (Figs 10A, B, 12A, 13C). Petiole relatively short, 3.5× as long as wide, 0.92× as long as dorsal length of Gt 1 , and ca. 0.6× as long as gaster, with an incomplete median carina (0.45× as long as petiole length), two incomplete submedian carinae (0.73× as long as petiole length), and two complete lateral ridge, area between sublateral ridges nearly smooth and shiny. Gaster fusiform in dorsal view, 1.55× as long as its height in profile. Gt 1 0.6× as long as the whole length of gaster in dorsal view, deeply concave posteriorly, almost entirely smooth; remaining tergites short, densely finely punctate at base, finely setose. Gt 2 slightly concave posteriorly. Ovipositor slightly extended behind gaster.   Color (Figs 10A−C, 12C). Body generally reddish to reddish brown, with the following parts black: head (except lateral sides just below lower edge of eyes, and frontal lobe), anterior margin of mesoscutum middle lobe, propodeum (except postero-lateral margins). Metasoma dark reddish brown; antenna with scape and pedicel bright red, rest reddish brown; tegula testaceous. Wings hyaline with yellowish brown veins that are paler on hind wing.

Male. Unknown.
Etymology. The new species name subinops refers to the similarity of this species to E. inops.

Re-description. Female
Male. Similar to female but differs in having: body with extensive black tint on different parts; flagellum longer and slenderer (1.13× as long as head width); metasomal petiole longer (4.1× as long as wide, ca. 0.66× as long as dorsal length of gaster), with sides parallel and dorsum with weak median carina.

Epitranus hamoni complex Figures 17-24
Spilochalcis hamoni Risbec, 1957: 240. (Figs 17-20). Body length ca. 3.15 mm; fore wing length ca. 2.0 mm. Body blackish brown, with the following parts are red to reddish brown (Figs 17A, B,  18A): head (except a black, broad lower band on occiput), pronotum, scapula, propo- deum postero-laterally, metepimeron, gastral petiole, antenna and legs (dorsal face of metacoxa and outer face of metafemur with black tint). This species is diagnosed by the following combination of characters: Occiput densely reticulate, nearly bare (Fig. 18D); frontal lobe reduced to a faint transverse carina, thus exposing clypeus (Fig. 18B); interantennal projection represented by a low, but sharp lamina; flagellum somewhat clavate (Fig. 18C), ca. 0.93× as long as head width; anellus transverse, ca. 0.3× as long as wide; F1 as long as its width, ca. 0.9× as long as F2; F3 as long as wide; clava ca. 2.45× as long as wide. Interspaces between foveolae as well as their bottoms on mesosomal dorsum and pleura are densely reticulate (Fig. 18D); propodeum fairly dull, with areolae vague and finely punctate on their bottoms; median areola opened posteriorly, with lateral ridges short (not extending to meet transverse carina of adpetiolar areola) (Fig. 18D). Fore wing (Fig. 19A) with distinctly reduced pilosity, with scattered setae and microtrichiae on apical half of underside; STV reduced, gently sloping, forming with the anterior margin an angle of ca. 35°. Metafemur with a broad triangular tooth basoventrally followed by eight spaced teeth (Fig. 19B); tarsal scrobe on metatibia 0.6× as long as metatibial length, polished and reaching sub-basal extremely low hump that represents the sub-basal prominence (Fig. 19C). Metasomal petiole relatively long (5.7× as long as wide, 1.1× as long as dorsal length of Gt 1 , and 0.8× as long as gaster), dorsally with two longitudinal (sublateral and lateral) ridges, of which sublateral one ends slightly before apex of petiole, area between them flat and finely punctate (Fig. 19D); Gaster relatively short, 1.43× as long as high in profile (Fig. 17A).
Remarks. This species shows variation in color, some body sculpturing, and measurements among females and males as well. One of the three examined females, the body (including antennae and legs) is generally bright red, only darkened along the anterior and lateral sides of mesoscutellum, inner surface of metafemur, and gaster (Fig. 20A, B); in the other female specimens, body blackish brown, with the following parts are red to reddish brown (Figs 17A, B, 18A): head (except a black, broad lower band on occiput), pronotum, scapula, propodeum postero-laterally, metepimeron, gastral petiole, antenna and legs (dorsal face of metacoxa and outer face of metafemur with black tint). In the reddish specimen, the middle lobe of mesoscutum with denser and smaller setiferous punctures (Fig. 20B), mesoscutellum foveolate, with spaces less than a foveola diameter (ca. 0.5× diameter apart), bottom of foveolae smooth (Fig. 20B) (in the dark specimens, punctures on mesoscutum sparser and a little larger (Fig. 18D); mesoscutellum densely and deeply foveolate, without considerable interspaces between foveolae (Fig. 17B)); in the red specimen, petiole 6.3× as long as wide, 0.9× as long as gaster in dorsal view (Fig. 20B) (in the dark specimens, petiole ca. 5.7× as long as wide, 0.77× as long as gaster in dorsal view (Fig. 17B)); in the reddish specimen, posterior margin of Gt 1 straight (Fig.  20B) (in the dark ones, posterior margin of Gt 1 deeply concave (Fig. 17B)); in the red- dish specimen, F1 ca. 2. 15× as long as wide, and distinctly longer than F7 (1.2×) (ca. 1.27× as long as wide, and slight shorter to as long as F7 in the dark specimens); STV obviously separated from anterior margin of the wing, making an angle of 45° in the  light specimen (while in the darker specimens STV adheres to anterior margin of the wing making an angle of ca. 35°).
In the two examined males, one with the red color predominates, being seen in the head (except dark occiput) including antennae, pronotal collar, propodeum, legs (hind legs darker), and petiole (Fig. 24A, B); the other male specimen is nearly entirely dark brown to black, with inner margins of eye, lower half of face and pronotal lateral panel red (Fig. 21A, B). In the reddish specimen, mesoscutum sparsely setiferous punctate anteriorly, and sparsely foveolate posteriorly (Fig. 24B) (in the dark specimen superficially, sparsely foveolate throughout (Fig. 21B); in the reddish specimen, head asetose postero- laterally (Fig. 24B) (in the dark one, head densely setose postero-laterally (Fig. 21B)); in the reddish specimen metacoxa 2.6× as long as wide (Fig. 24B) (in the dark specimen, metacoxa 2.77× as long as wide (Fig. 21A); in the reddish specimen, petiole 9.3× as long as wide, and approximately as long as gaster middle length in dorsal view (Fig. 24B), 1.6× as long as gaster height in lateral view (Fig. 24A) (in the dark specimen, petiole 8.0× as long as wide, 1.12× as long as gaster in dorsal view (Fig. 23C), 2.4× as long as gaster height in lateral view (Fig. 21A)); in the reddish specimen, posterior margin of Gt 1 deeply concave (Fig. 24B) (in the dark specimen, posterior margin of Gt 1 straight (Fig. 23C)).

Discussion
Epitraninae are native from the Old World were probably accidentally introduced in the New World before cautionary measures were made. Their presence in some parts of the New World countries as Caribbean islands and Brazil, pre-1900, strongly suggests their introduction via maritime ports.
The Afrotropical species of the genus Epitranus Walker were revised by Schmitz (1946, under Anacryptus) and Steffan (1957), who provided keys and described many new species. In addition, some sporadic studies who included descriptions of Epitranus species among other chalcidids (Westwood 1835;Walker 1862;Ruschka 1924;Masi 1940Masi , 1943Risbec 1953Risbec , 1957. Approximately 38% of the total number of species of the world possess Afrotropical affinities (see Noyes 2019). Since Steffan (1957), no further revisions covered the Afrotropical Epitranus.
In the Arabian Peninsula, Epitranus was recorded by one study (Delvare 2017), which reported two species, E. hamoni and E. torymoides, both in the United Arab Emirates.
The present study supplies new information in the Arabian Peninsula, and the first for Saudi Arabia. Here we reported four new records, E. clavatus, E. hamoni complex, E. inops, and E. torymoides, all of them with Afrotropical distribution. Three new species are also described and illustrated, E. delvarei, E. similis, and E. subinops, thus raising the total number in the whole Arabian Peninsula to seven species. Little is known about the biology of the Afrotropical species of the genus Epitranus, from what is known from a single species, E. inops. It was reared from stored yam together with the pyralid moth, Euzopherodes vapidella, and other small moths (Sauphanor et al. 1987).
All species under study were collected from Al-Baha, Asir, Jazan, and Riyadh provinces (southwestern and central regions of Saudi Arabia). Consequently, the area under study (southwestern Saudi Arabia) should be included in the Afrotropical realm (see Gadallah and Brothers 2020), and this is closely correlated with the floristic composition of this area, thus supporting many of other previous works (El-Hawagry et al. 2013Sharaf et al. 2014;Gadallah et al. 2018;Gadallah and Brothers 2020).
However, more species are expected to occur because of the biodiversity richness of the country, as it occupies the major part of the Arabian Peninsula (Aldhebiani and Howladar 2015). For this reason, more collection trips and studies are necessary to clarify the distributions as well as the host records of this interesting genus in other parts of Saudi Arabia.