Investigating Species Diversity of Pseudoscorpions (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones) in Oak Forests and Cultivated Areas of Lorestan Province, Iran

In the present study, the biodiversity of pseudoscorpions was studied in two different habitats (Oak forests and cultivated areas) in Kuhdasht, Khorramabad, and Delfan counties during eight months of 2016. For this purpose, in each habitat, a cycle area of about 100m radius was selected and samples were taken from 20 plots each with 200 m2 inside the cycle. Soil samples were collected at a depth of 10 and a diameter of 50cm. The soil samples were then transferred to the laboratory and the specimens were extracted using Berlese trap. Different indices of biodiversity (Shannon, Simpson, and Brilloun) were calculated using Excel and SDR v.4. Comparison of species diversity in different habitats showed that Delfan (Shannon index = 2.529) had a greater diversity of species than Khorramabad (Shannon index = 2.508) and Kuhdasht (Shannon index = 2.390). The results of calculating the species structure of the pseudoscorpion population in the province showed that Minniza babylonica, Calocheiridius centralis, and Cardiolpium bisetosum were dominant in three studied counties. It seems that these three species were unrestricted in terms of height, temperature, and humidity in the three cities.