Composite thrips, Microcephalothrips abdominalis, a new alien species for Bulgarian fauna

Microcephalothrips abdominalis (Crawford, 1910) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) has been reported as a new alien species for Bulgarian fauna. The composite thrips were recorded during complex research on Thysanoptera diversity in the southwestern part of Bulgaria, with a special emphasis on the locality of the Petrich region. The thrips specimens, especially the adult females were collected on the 18th of May 2004, but the material was slide-mounted and identified in 2019. The species was found on Calendula officinalis Linnaeus only and has since become established outdoors. M abdominalis could be a potential threat for this region of Bulgaria, especially in glasshouses with an ability to transmit economically important viruses such as Tobacco Streak Virus (TSV).