host record

Three species of the genus Inostemma Haliday (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae), i.e. Inostemma discessus Szelenyi, I. koponeni Buhl and I. contariniae Szelenyi are reported as new records for the Iranian fauna. Inostemma discessus was reared for the first time from Ephedra gall midge, Ephedromyia debilopalpis Marikovskij (Dip.: Cecidomyiidae) on Ephedra sp. (Plantae: Ephedraceae) in the northwest Iran. The Iranian species of the genus Inostemma were listed.

A survey was carried out to investigate heterostigmatic mites associated with insects in Borujerd, Lorestan province, western Iran, in 2016. Insects were captured using light traps in the areas. Two species of the family Neopygmephoridae including Allopygmephorus spinisetus Khaustov & Sazhnev, 2016 and A. punctatus Khaustov & Sazhnev, 2016 were identified associated with beetles Drasterius bimaculatus (Rossi, 1790) (Coleoptera: Elateridae) and Augyles sp. (Col.: Heteroceridae). Both species are new records for mite fauna of Iran with the former being also new for Asia. Moreover, the association between mites of Allopygmephorus and elaterid beetles is new. A list of Iranian neopygmephorid mites is also provided.

Aegyptobia hamus is redescribed from new materials which were collected on Fallopia convolvulus (Polygonaceae) in Iran, representing a new country and host record for this species.

New morphological data on Strunkobia pamirica Livschitz & Mitrofanov is provided from materials collected from Euphorbia sp. (Euphorbiaceae) and a new host plant, Artemisia aucheri (Asteraceae) in Iran. This species is a new record to the spider mite fauna of Iran.

Aegyptobia pavlovskii is redescribed from new materials collected in Iran. This species is a new record for the false spider mite fauna ofIran. Additionally two new host records from the family Rosaceae are reported for this species.