Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics
Volume:6 Issue: 3, Sep 2020

The genera Psilocera Walker and Stinoplus Thomson (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae, Pteromalinae) are recorded for the first time from Iran. They are represented by two species, Psilocera obscura Walker, 1833 and Stinoplus etearchus (Walker, 1848), respectively. First species was collected from central part (Isfahan Province) of Iran, by the Malaise-trap and the second was collected from North East (North Khorasan Province) by sweeping net. Brief diagnosis, with illustrations of the morphological characters are provided for each species.

The family Leucospidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) are the largest chalcidoid wasps with some distinct morphological characters. During insect collection of the Faculty of Agriculture in Karbala, Leucospis bifasciata Klug, 1814 was collected in 2019. It was collected using sweep nets. This is the first record of L. bifasciata from Iraq. Including previously recorded L. dorsigera Fabricius, Leucospidae of Iraq reaches to two species.

This study has been carried out to collect and identify Ichneumonidae species from northwestern Iran using Malaise traps during 2014. In total, fifteen species into 6 subfamilies are identified. Four species are recorded for the first time from Iran, i.e. Hoplocryptus melanocephalus (Gravenhorst, 1829), Zoophthorus palpator (Müller, 1776), Exochus erythronotus (Gravenhorst, 1820) and Enicospilus cerebrator Aubert, 1966. The geographical distribution data of the recorded species are provided.

This study is carried out to present new species records and new distributional data of the genera Casinaria Holmgren and Dusona Cameron (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae, Campopleginae) from Iran and also to provide the illustrated taxonomic notes on their diagnostic morphological characters. Specimens were collected using Malaise traps during 2013, 2015 and 2016 from Fars, Kerman and Mazandaran provinces. Four species present here as Casinaria kriechbaumeri (Costa, 1884); Casinaria trochanterator Aubert, 1960; Dusona cultrator (Gravenhorst, 1829) and Dusona erythrogaster (Förster, 1868). Two species i.e. D. cultrator and D. erythrogaster are newly reported from Iran. Data about distribution of D. rugifer and D. stygia in Iran as part of eastern Palaearctic fauna is updated to the western Palaearctic realm, based on collecting sites in Iran (D. rugifer from Golestan province and D. stygia from West Azerbaijan province). Available data on adult flight period of Iranian species of Casinaria and Dusona may indicate that five species are univoltine and the others are bivoltine.

Mites of the families Parasitidae and Laelapidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) are among the most common and widely distributed mites of the suborder Gamasina. During 2015-2017, fauna of parasitid and laelapid (Acari: Mesostigmata) mites from domestic animal manure collected and surveyed in Khuzestan Province, southwestern Iran.Totally, four Parasitidae species belonging to three genera and seven Laelapidae species belonging to four genera collected from domestic animal manure in Khuzestan Province. Among them, Cornigamasus ocliferius Skorupski & Witaliński, 1997 is a new record for mite fauna of Asia and Androlaelaps projecta Furman, 1972 is a new name for mite fauna of Iran. Four species are new to Khuzestan Province fauna as well. We also recorded six manure-associated species which have never been previously reported from manure in Iran. Parasitus fimetorum (Berlese, 1904) was the most frequent Parasitidae species among our records. The mites distribution and habitats data in Khuzestan Province are provided for all of the species, together with some taxonomic and bio-ecological notes.

An extensive literature review was performed to determine the list of stored product beetles reported from Iran. A total of 122 species of stored product beetles belonging to 59 genera and 45 tribes have been recorded in Iran. Species–richest families are Dermestidae (24 species) and Tenebrionidae (24 species), followed by Chrysomelidae (15 species), Cryptophagidae (13 species), Ptinidae (10  species), Curculionidae  (6 species), Staphylinidae (4 species), Nitidulidae (4 species), Bostrichidae (3 species), Laemophloeidae (3 species), Silvanidae (3 species), Trogossitidae (2 species), Anthicidae (2 species), Cleridae (2 species) and seven families are monospecific: Carabidae, Cerambycidae, Anthribidae, Erotylidae, Latridiidae, Melyridae and Mycetophagidae. The present study is not only a faunistic report but also help in design and development of integrated pest management of stored product beetles.

Following a short-term faunistic study on soil inhabiting heterostigmatic mites (Acari: Prostigmata: Heterostigmata), during spring-winter 2019, in Gorgan, Golestan Province, northern Iran, a total of six species from five genera of two families were identified. Among them Promicrodispus pumilis (Sevastianov, 1975) and Premicrodispus montanus Khaustov, 2006 are new records for mite fauna of Iran. The genus Promicrodispus Khaustov, 2017 is recorded for the first time for the mite fauna of Iran. Moreover, Pre. akermanae (Sevastianov & Al Douri, 1988), Paramicrodispus scarabidophilus Hajiqanbar & Rahiminejad, 2012, Pygmodispus (Allodispus) latisternus Paoli, 1911 and Scutacarus sphaeroideus Karafiati, 1959 were collected from soil in the sampling sites. The world distribution of the mites is reviewed.

The catocala moth, Catocala lesbia lesbia Christoph, 1887, caught in the Ordubad district of the Nakhchivan AR is recorded for the first time for Azerbaijan fauna. A single specimen was collected using UV light trap in 2018.  Geographical distribution of the species is briefly discussed.