Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics
Volume:1 Issue: 2, Dec 2015

The subfamily Cremastinae Förster, 1869 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) was studied in Fars and Hormozgan provinces (southern Iran). The specimens were collected using Malaise traps and sweeping nets. Nine species were identified of which two species including Temelucha afghana Šedivý, 1968 and Temelucha confluens (Gravenhorst, 1829) are new records for the fauna of Iran. With result of this study, the number of Cremastinae species known from Iran has increased to 24 species in six genera. An identification key to Iranian Cremastinae is provided, as well as a morphological diagnosis for the newly recorded species.

Grass flies of the subfamily Chloropinae were studied in the Shabestar region, East Azerbaijan province- Iran, during 2013–2014. As a result, 26 species belonging to 12 genera were identified of which one genus and three species are as new records for the insect fauna of Iran: Phyladelphus Becker, 1910; Lagaroceras curtum Sabrosky, 1961; Neohaplegis glabra (Duda, 1933) and Phyladelphus thalhammeri, Becker 1910.

This study was carried out to determine the species of the subfamily Hormiinae in Hormozgan province (Southern Iran), during February 2011–July 2013. Malaise traps, sweep nets and light traps were used to obtain adult specimens from various habitats in Hormozgan province. Five species were collected and identified of which Pseudohormius turkmenus Tobias & Alexeev, 1973 is newly recorded from Iran. The subfamily Hormiinae is reviewed and a key is provided for identification of Iranian species.

The studied specimens of the family Asilidae collected from various locations of East Azerbaijan province during 2011-2014. Nine genera and thirteen species of the family Asilidae are recognized. Two species Antipalus varipes (Meigen, 1820), Engelopogon goedli (Loew, 1854) are reported as new records to the Iranian fauna.

The genus Euxoa Hübner, [1821] is regarded as the most highly evolved among the genera of the subfamily Noctuinae and contains by far the largest number of species of the subfamily in Europe and in the Palaearctic region. Fifty-four species of this genus has been already reported from Iran. In this paper a list of 17 already recorded species and subspecies of Euxoa from the north-east of Iran is given and discussed. Furthermore, E. acuminifera (Eversmann, 1854) is newly reported for the fauna of Iran. Figures of its adult male and female and their genitalia are provided together with bionomics and distribution of the species.

From 2009 to 2012, 16 species of Curculionidae (Coleoptera) from the subfamily Lixinae were collected on 17 species of food plants in Iranian rangelands. Identified species belong to seven genera in the tribes Lixini and Cleonini. The host plants from which they were collected were in the families Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Apiaceae, Campanulaceae, Brassicaceae and Zygophyllaceae. Of the 16 species that we captured, two (Lixus subfarinosus Desbrochers, 1893 and Larinus remissus Faust, 1889) represent the first records from Iran. These new data also extend the known ranges of several species (Larinus fucatus Faust, 1894, Larinus grisescens Gyllenhal, 1835, Microlarinus rhinocylloides Hochhuth, 1847 and Bangasternus planifrons (Brulle, 1832) in Iran. The distribution of beetles and their associated host plants are presented and ecological notes on each species are provided.

A survey was conducted in fields of cucumber and watermelon in Bengaluru, India during April 2014 for dertermination of the common parasitoids (Hym.,Braconidae, Aphidiinae) attacking melon aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemi., Aphididae). Three species of Aphidiinae, including Aphidius platensis Brethes, 1913; Binodoxy sacalephae (Marshall, 1896) and Lipolexis oregmae(Gahan, 1931) were collected and identified, from which Aphidius platensis is newly recorded from India. The early evidence of Aphidius colemani in India can also be contributed to A. platensis. Diagnostic characters of three species with closely related species are briefly discussed.