Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics
Volume:7 Issue: 2, Jun 2021

In the present study, new data about the distribution of 27 species of digger wasps (Hymenoptera: Spheciformes: Crabronidae) collected from different regions of province (southeast Iran) are presented. The specimens were collected at 21 localities using Malaise traps during March to September 2017. The identified species belong to three subfamilies: Bembicinae (three genera, seven species), Crabroninae (seven genera, 18 species) and Philanthinae (single genus, two species). Among them, two species, Gastrosericus moricei E. Saunders, 1910 and G. sabulosus Pulawski, 1995 are newly recorded for the Iranian fauna. Photographic illustrations of morphological characteristics of the newly recorded species are presented.

This study was carried out in the province of Kurdistan (Iran) during April to August 2015 in order to document the click beetle fauna (Coleoptera: Elateridae) of this region. The specimens were collected using sticky traps, window traps and pan traps. Fifteen species from six genera were identified, of which three species are new for the fauna of Iran: Melanotus kravchenkoi Platia, 2010, Melanotus orbachorum Platia, 2010 and Melanotus chikatunovi Platia, 2010. In addition, nine species are recorded from the province of Kurdistan for the first time. Brief diagnoses for the new record species from Iran and zoogeographical information for all species are provided.

Two cuckoo wasp species (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae), Trichrysis lacerta (Semenov, 1954) from the subfamily Chrysidinae, and Cleptes striatipleuris Rosa, Forshage, Paukkunen & Soon, 2015 from the subfamily Cleptinae, are newly documented for the Iranian fauna. The specimens were collected using Malaise traps in the Fars Province, south of Iran during 2015-2016. Notes about taxonomy, relevant references as well as geographical distribution of both species are given. The total number of Iranian Trichrysis and Cleptes currently increased to four and three species, respectively.

This paper provides new information on the distribution of 32 species of Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea) in Iran. Two genera i.e. Isadelphus Forster, 1869 and Linycus Cameron, 1903 as well as 13 species i.e. Casinaria mesozosta (Gravenhorst, 1829), Cymodusa antennator Holmgren, 1860, Gambrus tricolor (Gravenhorst, 1829), Ichneumon inops Holmgren, 1880, Idiolispa grossa (Gravenhorst, 1829), Isadelphus gallicola (Bridgman, 1880), Linycus exhortator (Fabricius, 1787), Lissonota buccator (Thunberg, 1822), L. carbonaria Holmgren, 1860, L. coracina (Gmelin, 1790), L. folii Thomson, 1877, L. saturator (Thunberg, 1822), Theroscopus esenbackii (Gravenhorst, 1829) are newly added to the Iranian wasp fauna.

In this study, the distribution of 88 species of the family Megachilidae, out of 3678 specimens in the Iranian Pollinator Insects Museum of Yasouj University (IPIM), which were collected in spring and summer 2009–2017 from different regions of Iran including Ardabil, Chaharmahal-o Bakhtiari, Fars, Golestan, Isfahan, Kerman, Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh-va Boyer-Ahmad, Sistan-o Baluchestan, Alborz, are presented. Data on the number of specimens, locations, coordinates and distribution maps for Iran and global distribution of all species (where available) are also provided. Megachile (Megachile) octosignata Nylander 1852 is first recorded from Iran. Ninetheen species are reported for the first time from Chaharmahal-o Bakhtiari and Kohgiluyeh-va Boyer-Ahmad Provinces.

Date stone beetles (Coccotrypes dactyliperda Fabricius, 1801) tunnel into palm seeds to establish brood galleries with their larvae consuming the seed’s albumen. Based on behavioural observations this paper describes the biomechanical parameters that govern the initial excavation of the tunnels and the establishment of the brood galleries.

We present two new distribution records which add information about the presence of Pseudotorymus ispirlii Doğanlar and P. pulchellus Masi (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea, Torymidae) in the northwest of Iran. Based on present records, both species were found for second times after type localities.