New reports of Collembola for Iran with surveying of their importance in the greenhouses of Esfahan province, Iran

Through inspections in vegetables and ornamentals greenhouses in Esfahan province, during 2005-2006, some specimens of Collembola were found feeding on the root and crown of wilting or dying seedlings. Identified species and their hosts were as follow: Sinella tenebricosa (Entomobryidae) and Proisotoma minuta (Isotomidae) from African violet, and Ceratophysella sp. (Hypogastruridae) from greenhouse cucumber and parsley. Studies indicated that these collembolans reach to high density, with more damage on plants, in greenhouses and pots with higher humidity and shorter irrigation periods. In the infested plants, secondary roots were devoured completely and the plants could be easily infected by pathogens, due to collembolan damages to plant crown. Among the indicated species, only P. minuta was recorded from Iran, and Ceratophysella sp. might be a new species to the world.