Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics
Volume:9 Issue: 1, Mar 2023

The study was conducted in oak forests and the conifer stands in Marivan county located in west of Kurdistan province. The leaf litter and soils samples from these forests were taken during 2016 to 2019 and specimens were extracted by the Berlese funnels. Results of the study led to identification of 39 species of 11 families. The three genera Doutnacia Rusek, 1974 (Tullbergiidae), Heterosminthurus Stach, 1955 (Bourletiellidae) and Calx Christiansen, 1958 (Entomobryidae) and eight species including Willemia virae Kapruś, 1997, Xenylla tullbergi Börner, 1903 (Hypogastruridae), Axenyllodes caecus (Gisin, 1952) (Odontellidae), Thalassaphorura franzi (Stach, 1946) (Onychiuridae), Doutnacia xerophila Rusek, 1974 (Tullbergiidae), Calx kailashi Mandal, 2018, Seira dori Gruia, Poliakov & Broza, 2000 (Entomobryidae) and Heterosminthurus insignis (Reuter, 1876) (Bourletiellidae) are new for Iranian fauna. All species from the present study are reported for the first time from Kurdistan province. Short explanation of each collected species including material examined, distribution and short description and illustration for the new records are given.

The survey was carried out in some citrus orchards in the area of Bernalda, in the region of Basilicata, south Italy. Aphids and their natural enemies were monthly sampled from citrus tree canopies and spontaneous plants in four citrus orchards differently managed (organic and conventional with and without herb layer). Four weed species (Rumex crispus, Sonchus oleraceus, Euphorbia peplus and Vicia sp.) were reported as hosts of four non-pest aphids of citrus, which were Myzus persciae, Acyrthosiphon pisum, Hyperomyzus lactucae and Aphis rumicis, serving as preys for natural enemies including coccinellids (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae), lacewings (Neuroptera, Chrysopidae), hoverflies (Diptera, Syrphidae) and various parasitoid species (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) that were recorded on citrus canopies. Statistical analysis of collected data showed a positive correlation between weed management systems and wild plants hosting aphidophagous communities. Furthermore, organic weeding approaches had a positive effect on aphidophagous richness and abundance, whereas the conventional weeding method could cause scarcity of aphid natural enemies, but interactions among strata (entomofaunal diversity on citrus tree canopies & wild plant cover) are still unclear. Overall, this work is a further step towards the investigation of the interaction between plants, crops and arthropods in citrus orchards in the Mediterranean basin to make weed management strategy a key for aphid management in crops.

The sap beetle, Phenolia (Lasiodites) picta (Macleay) (Coleoptera, Nitidulidae), is the first record of this genus and species for the Iranian fauna. The larvae and adults were collected inside ripe fruits of Citrus aurantium, Citrus sinensis var. valencia, Diospyros kaki, Pyrus communis, Prunus persica var. nectarine and P. persica var. nucipersica in the gardens of Gavan Ahangar village of Mazandaran province. Notes on the distribution and observed damage are also presented.

In the present work, Euurobracon cephalotes cephalotes (Smith, 1858) is recorded for the first time from India. A new state record of Euurobracon triplagiata (Cameron, 1900) from Madhya Pradesh is also documented. This species was previously known in the Indian states of Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh. A distributional checklist of the world species of Euurobracon Ashmead is also provided.

During the collection of Ichneumonidae from West Azarbaijan province in the northwest of Iran in 2019, we collected a specimen belonging to the subfamily Tersilochinae and identified it as Aneuclis pumilus (Holmgren). This is a new record of this species for the Iranian fauna. A checklist of all known Iranian species of the subfamily is provided.

Species of the genus Chalybion Dahlbom, 1843 from India are studied. The species C. gracile Hensen, 1988 is recorded for the first time from India. The reported distributions of C. bengalense Dahlbom, 1845 within various states of India are augmented here. A modified key to the species of Chalybion from India is provided. Diagnosis, figures, and table showing comparison of newly recorded species, i.e., C. gracile with the widely distributed C. bengalense is provided. Diagnostic morphological characters of both C. gracile and C. bengalense are illustrated here.

Centranthera tranquebarica (Spreng.) Merr. (Orobranchaceae) and Mallotus repandus (Rottler) Müll. Arg. (Euphorbiaceae) are reported as new host plants of Junonia orithya (Linnaeus, 1758) (Nymphalidae) and Rapala manea (Hewitson, 1863) (Lycaenidae) butterflies from Paschim Bardhaman district of West Bengal, India. Schleichera oleosa (Sapindaceae), a deciduous tree, is reported as new host plant of Coladenia indrani (Moore, [1866]) (Hesperiidae) from Bankura district of West Bengal, India. Defensive mechanism of Junonia orithya larva by rolling itself into a tight spiral is also observed.

The fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea (Drury, 1773) (Lepidoptera, Erebidae), is one of the most important pests of forest trees in northern Iran. In order to identify the native parasitoids of this pest a survey was conducted in Guilan province, in 2019. The larvae and pupae of the fall webworm suspected being parasitized, were collected from different host trees and wood piles, and reared under laboratory conditions until the parasitoids emerged. This pest was found parasitized with five species of Hymenoptera, Brachymeria lasus (Walker, 1841) (Chalcididae), Chouioia cunea Yang, 1989 (Eulophidae), Psychophagus omnivorus (Walker, 1835) (Pteromalidae), Pimpla rufipes Brulle, 1846, Virgichneumon dumeticola (Gravenhorst, 1829) (Ichneumonidae), and four species of Diptera, Compsilura concinnata (Meigen, 1824), Exorista larvarum (Linnaeus, 1758), Pales sp. (Tachinidae), and Megaselia scalaris (Loew, 1866) (Phoridae). Among them six species (e.g., P. rufipes, V. dumeticola, B. lasus, E. larvarum, C. concinnata and Pales sp.) are newly reported as the parasitoids of H. cunea from Iran.

The present study was carried out to reveal the checklist of butterfly species in the Tadoba National Park, Chandrapur area of 623 sq. km. Study was carried out from 2011 to 2021. A total of 134 species were recorded, with an addition of 27 new records for Tadoba National Park. Of the total, 60 species were very common, 34 species were common, 9 were frequent common, 19 were rare, and 12 were very rare. Most of the butterflies recorded belong to the Nymphalidae (43 species) with 4 new records. Of Lycaenidae, 41 species with 12 new records. In Pieridae 19 species with 3 new records were recorded. A total of 20 Hesperiidae species with 6 new records and 10 species were recorded from the Papilionidae with 2 new records and one species recorded from the family Riodinidae. About 12 species of the recorded ones come under the protection category of the Indian Wild Life protection Act 1972. The study provided an updated list of butterflies of Tadoba National Park.

The Nandhour Landscape located in an eco-fragile biodiversity rich Terai Arc Landscape of India is protected in the form of a wildlife sanctuary and is least explored in terms of insect diversity and functions. Therefore, this study aimed to provide baseline information on the biodiversity of insects and their ecological functions in tropical to sub-tropical forest ecosystems which is important for the successful long-term provisioning of ecosystem functions and services in the protected landscape. Using standardized sampling techniques, the present study examined the structure and composition of insect assemblages in terms of their comparative diversity and richness across a range of habitat types in the Nandhour Landscape. Besides, the present study also evaluated the ecological significance of insect fauna. A total of 230 insect species belonging to 47 families and nine orders were recorded from various habitats and Lepidoptera was the most dominant insect order in terms of both richness and abundance, followed by Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Odonata and others. Species diversity and richness were the highest in dense moist and open dry riverine forests, while the least in plantation forest and agricultural land. The heterogeneous structure and composition substantiated the importance of overall spatial heterogeneity and natural forests in sustaining and maintaining the rich insect diversity. Conservation of insect diversity is highly important as several species provide crucial ecosystem services and aid in the functioning of various ecologically fragile habitats of the landscape.

A new species of the genus Ceratina Latreille, 1802 is described from Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, Eastern Himalaya, India. The new species is assigned to the subgenus Ceratinidia Cockerell & Porter, 1899 which was previously represented by seven species from mainland India. Ceratina (Ceratinidia) bryanti Cockerell, 1919 is also reported for the first time from India. Diagnostic features are elaborated and illustrated and distinguishing characters are discussed from closely allied species Ceratina (Ceratinidia) bryanti Cockerell, 1919. Type localities mapped and augmented. An updated checklist of Ceratina species and their distribution in India is mapped and discussed.

The aim of this study is to make an inventory of the fauna of the Odonata in Theniet El Had National Park, which helps managers to make appropriate decisions for the conservation of these species. The site is entirely forested (Cedrus and Quercus species) with numerous intra-forest natural environments (clearings, grasslands, rocky habitats, springs, pools and ponds, etc.), this mosaic of habitats harbours a remarkable wealth of fauna and flora. Our study focused on the natural and artificial temporary forest ponds, scattered throughout the park, which are of biological and ecological interest for a very wide range of insects, most notably the hemimetabola. These are characterised by a larval stage that is quite different from the adult stage in terms of habitat and lifestyle, namely odonates, where the larvae are aquatic whereas the adults have an aerial life. The inventory of odonates was carried out through monthly surveys of 8 water bodies (7 forest ponds and one hill reservoir) during one year, from March 2017 to February 2018. This preliminary inventory allowed us to inspect 240 individuals of odonates belonging to 18 species i.e. 11 genera and 5 families. The species recorded at the end of this study are the subject of a cartographic representation showing their distribution at the local scale (in the park) and at the national scale.