Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics
Volume:9 Issue: 3, Sep 2023

The superfamily Evanioidea (Hymenoptera, Apocrita) of Türkiye is reviewed based on the data taken from literature as well as newly collected material. In the current study, two species from Aulacidae, 10 species from Gasteruptiidae and two species from Evaniidae are identified, being new records for the mentioned provinces. Morever, Brachygaster minutus (Olivier, 1791) is recorded for the first time from Türkiye. Gasteruption insidiosum Semenov, 1892, G. merceti Kieffer, 1904, G. tournieri Schletterer, 1885, Pristaulacus gloriator (Fabricius, 1804), and Prosevania fuscipes (Illiger, 1807) are also new records for the Black Sea region. An updated checklist of the Evanioidea from Türkiye is provided for the first time. The family Aulacidae is represented by five species belonging to the genus Pristaulacus Kieffer, 1900, Evaniidae by five species belonging to three genera, Brachygaster Leach, 1815 (one species), Evania Fabricius, 1775 (three species), Prosevania Kieffer, 1911 (one species), and Gasteruptiidae by 36 species belonging to the genus Gasteruption Latreille, 1797.

The longhorn beetle, Hesperophanes pilosus Bodungen, 1908, (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) is recorded as new for the Iranian fauna. The adult specimens were obtained by rearing its larvae and pupa in the root crown of Halocnemum strobilaceum (Pall.) Bieb. (Amaranthaceae), which were collected around of Soldoz wetland in West Azarbaijan province. Hesperophanes pilosus has been reported only from the Republic of Azerbaijan. This is the first case of host identification for H. pilosus. Notes on diagnostic characters, life history along with related photographs are provided.

Cataglyphis nodus (Brullé) is one of the fairly known ants of Iran. Here, we present new data on a morphotype from Chaharmahal-o Bakhtiari province (Cheri - Mavarz) closely related to C. nodus. The examined specimens were morphologically had very similar characters with the original description of C. nodus. In order to explore the phylogenetic position of Iranian specimens, a fragment of the mitochondrial Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (COI) was used. The Iranian specimens belong to a clade containing C. holgerseni Collingwood & Agosti; C. niger (André), C. nodus and C. savignyi (Dufour). Surprisingly, it was clustered with C. holgerseni, indicating existence of a possibly undescribed species. The final taxonomic conclusion and description of the possible new species postponed until examination of the type specimens of both C. nodus and C. holgerseni.

The present investigation was carried out to study the fauna of aquatic beetles of Koundinya wildlife sanctuary (India). A total of forty two species belonging to four families was recorded. The highest number of species was found in the family Dytiscidae followed by Hydrophilidae, Gyrinidae and Noteridae. All the species are recorded for the first time from the wildlife sanctuary and 9 species are new from the state of Andhra Pradesh.

The book "Lepidoptera Iranica" is a comprehensive and meticulously researched publication that explores the butterfly and moth fauna of Iran. Edited by Hossein Rajaei and Ole Karsholt, the book includes contributions from seventy-three Iranian and international researchers over 13 years. The book provides a historical review of lepidopterology in Iran and discusses the general patterns of Lepidoptera fauna in the country. It also estimates the number of Lepidoptera species waiting to be discovered in Iran and includes a gazetteer of elusive localities of Iranian Lepidoptera records. The final chapter is a comprehensive catalogue of the Lepidoptera of Iran, including a checklist of all 4,812 known species, as well as information and notes on their taxonomy, distribution, and biology. The book serves as an important tool for scholars, preservationists, and enthusiasts, and highlights the importance of continued research and conservation efforts in the country.

The flat wasps genus, Pristepyris Kieffer is reported for the first time from Türkiye based on the identification of Pristepyris masii (Soika, 1933). Now, with this new record, the species number of Bethylidae from Türkiye has increased to ten. Additionally, new data are presented for Epyris niger Westwood, 1832, Sclerodermus ephippius (Saunders, 1881) and Pristocera depressa (Fabricius, 1804), which were previously recorded from Turkey. All taxa are morphologically illustrated and their geographical distribution in Türkiye and in the World is also provided.

The current study gives more information on Lepidoptera (butterfly) diversity and their food plant resources in the conifer woods of Shimla Water Catchment Wildlife Sanctuary, Himachal Pradesh. The study was carried out during the three distinct seasons; summer, monsoon, and autumn from March 2019–April 2022. A total of 1650 butterflies, representing 68 species and 6 families were recorded. The Nymphalidae comprised the greatest number of species (28 species), followed by the Lycaenidae (15), Pieridae (13), Papilionidae (7), Hespiradie (4) and Riodinidae (1). Species abundance and richness were more in mixed forest type which owing water and grass-cover availability supported most unique butterfly assemblages as compared to pure conifers and oak forest. The months from April to November harbor the greatest abundance of species. An overall reduction in species abundance was seen from December through January and until the end of March. This study provides an understanding of butterflies and has inspired additional investigation for the restoration of forest habitats in this protected area. The current study on diversity shows the importance of preserving biodiversity and monitoring climate change. It offers a basic identification, gathers data from a comparative viewpoint, allows synthesis, and develops and stimulates ideas and hypotheses that are applicable to other fields.

The present study is on the morphology and molecular data of the genus Dineutus MacLeay, were collected from the Eastern Ghats mountains in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu states located in the eastern Ghats of India. The morphological identification was based on elytral spines, setation on paramere and structure of the median lobe. Molecular characterization was based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and 16s ribosomal RNA gene. Species identified as being D. indicus, D. spinosus, and D. unidentatus. Phylogenetic trees were constructed for both genes, and the COI fragment shows raw genetic distance between 10–12% among the three species of D. indicus, D. spinosus and D. unidentatus, whereas 16s gene shows a divergence of 4–5%. The present study contributes five novel mitochondrial COI and five ribosomal RNA sequences for D. spinosus and D. unidentatus for the first time from India.

Adult caddisflies were collected from the spring area located in the Blinajë Hunting Reserve in Kosovo between May and September 2022. In this study, we identified 21 species belonging to 9 families of caddisflies (Goeridae, Hydropsychidae, Hydroptilidae, Limnephilidae, Philopotamidae, Polycentropodidae, Psychomyiidae, Rhyacophilidae, and Sericostomatidae). The genus Orthotrichia Eaton, 1873 and species Orthotrichia tragetti Mosely, 1930 are reported for the first time from Kosovo. Agraylea sexmaculata Curtis, 1834 is reported from Kosovo again after more than one century. Several other narrowly distributed endemic species were also identified, including Rhyacophila macedonica Karaouzas, Valladolid & Ibrahimi, 2022 and Tinodes janssensi Jacquemart, 1957. This study contributes to the knowledge of the caddisfly fauna of the Blinajë Hunting Reserve in Kosovo and highlights this area for its interesting composition of caddisfly species.

During samplings were performed during 2019 in Birjand area located in South Khorasan province, three species are identified from families Entomobryidae and Bourletiellidae. Drepanura tuxeni Nosek, 1964, Drepanosira gisini Nosek, 1964 and Cassagnaudiella c.f. gamae (Bretfeld, 1994) are newly reported for the Iranian fauna of Collembola. The material examined, brief description and some illustration were given. Cassagnaudiella c.f. gamae represents the second species record of the family Bourletiellidae from Iran.

In July 2022 several grasshoppers of the genus Miramella Dovnar-Zapolskij, 1932 were encountered on two localities in Montenegro. Voucher specimens were sampled. It became clear that these did not belong to the species Miramella albanica Mistshenko, 1952. They also deviated in morphology and habitat from Miramella irena (Fruhstorfer, 1921). After further investigation of external morphology and the male genitalia, confirmation was derived about its undescribed status of the specimens and the species is here formally described and illustrated as Miramella demissa sp. nov. The new species is known from a restricted area in southern Montenegro. It is adapted to particularly low elevations, quite aberrant for the genus. A key to both sexes is given for the species in the region.

The family Chrysolampidae Dalla Torre, 1898 and the genus Chrysomalla Foerster, 1859 (Chalcidoidea, Chrysolampidae, Chrysolampinae) are recorded for the first time from Iran where it was represented by one species, Ch. roseri Foerster, 1859. Studied specimens were collected with sweeping net in three localities: Kerman, South-Khorasan and West-Azarbaijan provinces in the east and northwest of Iran, respectively. A brief diagnosis, with illustrations of the morphological characters and geographical distribution is provided for this species.

The biodiversity of the Noctuidae, an economically important family of Noctuoidea which include major crop pests, is becoming well-identified nowadays in Iran due to the increased number of faunal expeditions. The two large subfamilies of Noctuidae namely Xyleninae Guenée, 1837 and Noctuinae Latreille, 1809 comprise the majority of Iran's noctuid moth fauna. Two species, Leucochlaena hoerhammeri (Wagner, 1931) and Dichagyris (Stenosomides) mansoura (Chrétien, 1911) members of Xyleninae and Noctuinae subfamilies, respectively, are recorded from Iran for the first time. This is also the first record of the subgenus Stenosomides Strand, 1942 from Iran. Both the external and genital characteristics of the newly recorded species are presented together with illustrations of the adults and their genitalia.

In this study, the Iranian specimens of the cixiid tribe Cixiini (genera Cixius Latreille and Tachycixius, Wagner) housed in Hayk Mirzayans Insect Museum (HMIM) were examined. The examined specimens were collected and deposited in HMIM since 1970 including our recent studies and collecting trips since 2007. Cixius remotus Edwards, 1888 is a new record for the fauna of Iran. An Identification key to the genera and species, and distribution maps for the species in the tribe Cixiini present in Iran are provided and zoogeographic implications are discussed.

The genus Cicadula Zetterstedt is reported for the first time from Pakistan with a newly recorded Cicadula simlaensis Viraktamath & Yeshwanth. In addition, Platymetopius fidelis (Distant) is also rediscovered from Pakistan and studied here. A brief diagnosis along with the digital photographs of the habitus and male genitalia of both species are provided. General distribution of these species in both Palaearctic and Oriental regions is also briefly discussed.

We present a list of grasshoppers of two families from Ghyalchok, Gorkha district with four new species records for Nepal. The checklist of species is given to provide basic information on the grasshopper diversity of that region. With detailed information of all species recorded and plates with photos from different angles of each species, the present work shall contribute towards a better understanding of grasshoppers of Nepal's Ghyalchok, Gorkha region. This study contributes to future revisionary works on grasshopper diversity and distribution in Nepal. We surveyed 13 different localities of Ghyalchok for three years from 2019–2022, following visual count, while the specimens were collected by using a sweep net or by handpicking where feasible. We recorded 29 species of grasshoppers, of which 26 species belong to Acrididae and 3 species to Pyrgomorphidae. Four grasshopper species, Phlaeoba antennata antennata Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893; Bibracte burmana burmana Ramme, 1941; Caryanda cachara (Kirby, 1914) and Gonista bicolor (Haan, 1942) are recorded for the first time from Nepal.