Study of the genus Platylabus Wesmael, 1845 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) in north of Iran, with a new record for the Middle East

The present study is based on the material collected from Alborz and Guilan provinces of Iran during March to November 2010 and 2011. Three species of the genus Platylabus Wesmael were collected and identified, of which Platylabus orbitalis (Gravenhorst, 1829) (Hym.: Ichneumonidae: Ichneumoninae, Platylabini) is newly recorded from Iran and the Middle East region. This study increases the number of known Iranian species of the tribe Platylabini and genus Platylabus to 12 and 5 species, respectively. An identification key to Iranian Platylabus, as well as a brief description and diagnostic characters of the new record species is provided.