Three genera and species of Tephritidae (Insecta: Diptera) newly recorded from the Arabian Peninsula

Background Previous studies have documented 64 confirmed tephritid fruit fly species in 38 genera in Saudi Arabia. The majority of these species and genera exhibit a primarily Afrotropical distribution, though some species are also found in the Palaearctic and Oriental Regions. Results This study reports the first occurrence of three tephritid genera, Perilampsis , Pliomelaena , and Coelotrypes , in Saudi Arabia, marking their first documented presence in the Arabian Peninsula and the broader Middle East, thereby providing significant contributions to the understanding of the biodiversity of the region. These genera belong to the subfamilies Dacinae, Tephritinae, and Trypetinae, respectively. The study documents the first occurrence of the genus Perilampsis , specifically Pe. pulchella (Austen), and the species Pliomelaena brevifrons (Bezzi) and Coelotrypes pulchellus (Bezzi) outside their known range, which was previously thought to be restricted to Sub-Saharan Africa, significantly expanding their known geographical distribution. Unlike many tephritids, these species aren’t considered agricultural pests; instead, they seem to have some beneficial aspects, associated with plants in the families Loranthaceae, Acanthaceae, and Convolvulaceae, which include parasitic and epiphytic plant species. The study provides detailed diagnoses, synonymies, type localities, global and regional distribution data, collection details, high-resolution color photographs, and distribution maps for these newly recorded genera and species. Conclusions This study broadens the documented tephritid fruit fly fauna in Saudi Arabia by adding the genera Perilampsis , Pliomelaena , and Coelotrypes , with the Afrotropical species Pe. pulchella (Austen), Pl. brevifrons (Bezzi), and C. pulchellus (Bezzi), increasing the total number to 41 genera and 67 confirmed species. These findings reinforce the perspective that the southwestern Arabian Peninsula, including Saudi Arabia’s provinces of Al-Baha, Asir, Jazan, and Najran south of the Tropic of Cancer, aligns with the Afrotropical biogeographical region.