نشریه تاکسونومی و بیوسیستماتیک
سال دوازدهم شماره 1 (پیاپی 42، بهار 1399)

This research evaluates the conservation status of Lorestan newt to find new habitats and offers solutions for its protection. In this study, first by studying past researches and inquiring from local people and specialists, and then field visits and collecting information about the fauna and flora of the region and photographing, information about previous habitats as well as new habitats were obtained. Due to the dependence of Lorestan newt on rainfall, humidity, and temperature, changes in precipitation during a year and changes in temperature and humidity were studied, which could help explain the reason for the decline of Lorestan newt. Among the reasons for the decline of this species can be: a) natural threats such as floods, drought, prey, diseases, parasites, b) human threats such as financial abuse, decoration, illegal trade, unscientific research activities, tourists and mountaineers by creating noise pollution and habitat destruction, and adding detergents to water, and c) lack of applied research projects. In this study, 29 habitats were identified and surveyed. The area where the Lorestan newt is found starts from Tang Haft (Lorestan province) to Shahzade Ahmad (Khuzestan province). Habitats of Lorestan province include Tafo, Darreh Gol, Dolshali, Ab Anbar, Nargeseh or Zalazel, Kolchep Waterfall, Abkash, Choobeh, Ashk Ab, Lisaneh, Dol Nisar, Kresar, Moor Dastan, and Vejan Ab Waterfall. Habitats of Khuzestan province include Sargach, Leopard Valley, Karam Ab, Labsefid, Cheshmeh Zayd, Abshare Bozorg, Ab Zaleh, Ab Sardeh, Chenar Mengereh, Deh Sorkheh, Shahzade Ahmad, Haji Barikab, Kol Saad, and Tale Zang or Abshar Shui.  A new habitat has been identified in Haft Cheshmeh village of Poldakhtar city of Lorestan province, called Chalkel, which is located 5 km from Balmak wetland. Unlike waterfall habitats, this habitat has hot dry weather conditions.

 This research focuses on the Flora of Shabliz and Shoorom, an area with approximately 12000 hectares and an altitude range between 1300-3100 m above the sea level located in the eastern longitude 50°48' to 51°13' and the northern latitude of 30°59' to 31°16, 87 km west of Yasuoj City in Kohgiloyeh and Boyer Ahmad province. This Transect survey was performed during 1394 and 1395 AH (2015 and 2016). It showed that in this region, 409 species belonged to 270 genera and 73 families. The largest groups in the area were Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Brassicaceae, Lamiaceae, and Poaceae with 59, 40, 37, 30, and 26 species, respectively. In addition, Therophytes with 163 species (%40), Hemicryptophytes with 142 species (%34.7), Geophytes with 44 species (%10.7), Phanerophytes with 30 species (%7.3), and Chamephytes with 22 species (%5.3) were the largest biological types in the region. In terms of the geographical distribution, Irano-Turanian vegetative elements with 232 species (%60) and Irano-Turanian-Mediterranean elements with 39 species (%10) were the most important vegetative elements in the region. Out of 409 identified species, 56 species (13.6%) were endemic to Iran, 112 species (27.3%) were medicinal, and 88 species (21.5%) were toxic.

In this study, cytogenetic characteristics of F1 progeny produced by crossbreeding of female Asp and male Kutum (Leusiscus aspius × Rutilus frisii) were determined using the tissue-squashing method of kidney and giemsa staining. Nucleolus organizer regions were also localized using AgNO3. Chromosome number was determined from a total of 85 metaphases plates achieved from 20 hybrid specimens with an average weight of 49.7 ± 2.5 g (S.E). Karyogram and ideogram were arranged from the best metaphase plates. Different characteristics of karyotype including the number of chromosome arms, the length of short and long arms, the centromic index, the arm ratio, and the relative and total length of chromosomes were calculated. The number of diploid chromosomes and chromosome arms was 2n=50 and NF=80, respectively. The karyotypes consisted of 10 pairs of metacentric, 5 pairs of submetacentric, and 10 pairs of acrocentric to sub-telocentric (10 m+5 sm+10 a-t). The ranges of centromic index, arm ratio, and relative length were 0-0.443, 1.266-∞ and 2.265-6.554 μm, respectively. The total length of chromosomes in the haploid series was 29.98 μm. The longest and shortest chromosomes were a pair of submetacentric and telocentric chromosomes, respectively. Nucleolus organizer regions were localized on the ends of long arms of the longest pair of acro-centric. These findings confirmed that F1 hybrids inherited the number and type of chromosomes from their parents.

The Afus region with 1146 hectares area is located at 10 Km to Buin Miandasht region (Isfahan province) between the northern latitudes of 33° 05΄ and 33° 58΄ and the eastern longitudes 50° 02΄ and 50° 09΄. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the flora of the region. So, the plant species were collected from different places using the survey sampling method during spring, summer, and autumn 2017-2018 and were identified using valid resources. In this study, a complete list of the flora, life forms, chorotypes of plant elements, and endemic plants was prepared. The identified vascular plants in the region were mostly flowering with 184 species belonging to 37 families and 132 genera. Asteraceae (24 genera, 32 species), Apiaceae (12 genera, 12 species), Poaceae (11 genera, 13 species), and lamiaceae (9 genera, 13 species) were the most important families in this region, respectively. The largest genera were Astragalus (12 species), Euphorbia (5 species), Silene and Stachys (4 species), Cousinia, Fritillaria and Scorzonera (3 species) and Centaurea (2 species), respectively. The largest geographic floral element of the region was related to Irano-Turanian region with 136 species (73/9%). Hemicryptophytes (107 species, 58/15%), geophytes (25 species, 13/59 %), theophytes (24 species, 13/04%), chamaephytes (17 species, 9/24%), phanerophytes (7 species, 3/80%), and cryptophytes (4 species, 2/17%) made up the most important life forms, respectively.

 The production of dried fruits and nuts that are free of any pests increases their economic value. In the present study, mite fauna of dried fruits and nuts were investigated in West Azerbaijan province and 135 samples were collected from 12 types of products of dried fruits and nuts, namely pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hazelnut, almond, apricot, plum, walnut, currant, dried berries, raisin, tonic, and cherry from stores located in nine cities. Hoyer’s medium was used for microscope fixed slide and the specimens were then identified. A total of 17 species, 16 genera, and 11 families of the three orders of Sarcoptiformes, Trombidiformes, and Mesostigmata was identified. The number of mites per kilo of the sample ranged from zero to 302 and in 85% of samples, this number was less than 52 per kilo. The highest abundance of pest and predatory mites was recorded for Lepidoglyphus destructor (40.41%) and Blattisocius tarsalis (30.81%). About 63% of dried fruit and nut samples were contaminated with mites and the highest number of mites was found in pumpkin and sunflower seeds. In the following list, genus and species marked with * are new registrations for the mite fauna of West Azerbaijan Province: Sarcoptiformes, Acaridae: Acarus siro; Aleuroglyphus ovatus; Caloglyphus berlesei*; Tyrophagus putrescentiae; Rhizoglyphus echinopus*;Glycyphagidae, Lepidoglyphus destructor; Trombidiformes, Cheyletidae: Acaropsellina sollers; Cheyletus malaccensis;Stigmaeidae: Agistemus sp. Erythraeidae: Erythraeus (Erythraeus) garmsaricus*; Erythraeus (Zaracarus) rajabii*; Smarididae: Smaris sp*. Tydeidae: Tydeus sp.*,Pyemotidae: Pyemotes herfsi *(Oudemans, 1936) Mesostigmata, Laelapidae: Androlaelaps casalis casalis*; Blattisociidae: Blattisocius tarsalis*; Ameroseiidae: Kleemannia plumosa*.

 In order to investigate the diversity and frequency of thrips species on oak trees, weekly sampling was done during different seasons in Kalan region (Eyvan county), as a part of oak forests of Ilam province (western Iran), in 2018. In this relation, 10 oak trees and 20 leaves were selected from each tree. Thrips were collected by shaking the leaves on a white plastic tray. The species diversity indices were calculated using the number of species and their relative abundance. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the statistical differences between species diversity indices in different sampling months. Out of the 841 collected thrips specimens, 14 thrips species were identified, which belonged to six genera and four families. Amongst them, Thrips tabaci Lindeman was the Eudominant species accounting for 47.65% of the abundance. In addition, among the collected thrips, Aeolothrips gloriosus, A. intermedius, A. melaleucus, Haplothrips globiceps, H. longipes, and H. subtilissimus were predators, and the rest were phytophagous. The highest abundance for predatory species with 13.32% was related to A. intermedius. The population peak of thrips was observed in May. The results of this study also showed that there was a statistically significant difference between species diversity indices in different months of the year (P≤0.05). The highest and lowest biodiversity indices (i.e. Shannon-Wiener diversity, Pielou, Margalef, and Simpson’s evenness) were 3.55 and 0.92 (for June and December), 0.76 and 0.28 (for September and December), 2.84 and 1.26 (for June and December), and 0.77 and 0.28 (for June and December) respectively.