Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics
Volume:9 Issue: 4, Oct 2023

The following paper outlines a study conducted on the abundance, distribution, and diversity of butterflies in Mt. Koritnik. located in the Republic of Kosovo, during 2019–2022. This research resulted in a total of 8166 recorded specimens, which belonged to 6 butterfly families, 50 genera and 131 species. The richest family in terms of abundance was Nymphalidae with 4611 specimens (56.47%), followed by Lycaenidae 1924 specimens (23.56%), Pieridae 856 (10.48%), 561 Hesperiidae (6.87%), Papilionidae 179 specimens (2.19%) and Riodinidae with 24 specimens (0.29%). In terms of species richness, Nymphalidae were the richest with 55 species, Lycaenidae 40, followed by 15 Pieridae, 15 Hesperiidae, 5 Papilionidae and 1 Roidinidae. Among 131 registered species, 11 have Near Threatened status in Europe. Our results indicated that species richness and abundance of butterflies were significantly negatively correlated with altitude (p<0.01), whereas they showed a strong positive correlation (p<0.01) with the temperature. The highest abundance and number of species were presented in the lower altitudinal range and the numbers decreased with altitude increasing. Activities such as intensive agriculture, grazing, fires and illegal timber cutting, which were observed during our survey, may be the main threats for butterflies in Mt. Koritnik in the future, therefore, we suggest the data from this research serve as a basic information for authorities to monitor future changes in butterfly diversity.

This paper provides the first occurrence report of Pisaura novicia (L. Koch, 1878) from India, based on male and female specimens collected from the ecozone area of the Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area, Himachal Pradesh. The distribution of the species ranges from the Mediterranean to Central Asia. The previous Indian records of the genus are only from the coastal belts of Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, thereby the current study extends the range of Indian Pisaura spp. northwards to the Western Himalayas.

This paper is a part of a long-term study on the Noctuidae fauna of Kerman province. Here we report the newly identified species, which were collected mostly in the South of this province during the years 2015 and 2016. Totally, here we report 30 Noctuidae taxa from 13 genera and six subfamilies namely: Acronictinae (five taxa), Amphipyrinae (three taxa), Heliothinae (two taxa), Condicinae (two taxa), Bryophilinae (six taxa) and Noctuinae (12 taxa). Among these reports there are 12 new provincial records from Kerman. Amphipyra kitti Gaal-Haszler, Lödl, Ronkay, Ronkay & Varga, is recorded here as a new species for the fauna of Iran. Material examined is listed together with provincial distribution for each taxon. Wing pattern and male and female genitalia structures of A. kitti illustrated here. The female genitalia of this species describe here for the first time. According to this data, we concluded that despite the vast area of Kerman province, its fauna has been less explored compared to some of its neighboring provinces. We suggest to explore especially higher altitudes of this province.

The “jewel beetle” - Belionota prasina (Thunberg, 1789), is a polyphagous insect pest found throughout India and its neighboring countries. To develop semiochemical-based pest control strategies, we must first comprehend the entire morphological features of the insect’s antennal sensory structure. This is the first study report revealing the morphology and ultrastructure of antennal sensillae of male and female of B. prasine using light and scanning electron microscopy. Both antennae are serrated in appearance with 11 antennomers. In both sexes, Böhm sensilla, sensilla trichodea, sensilla basiconica, sensilla chaetica, and multiporous grooved peg sensilla are common. Sexual dimorphism is present in the case of length and width (basal and distal) of entire antenna as well as each antennomer. Male antennomeres are larger and more robust. The antenna of B. prasina shows a high degree of sexual dimorphism. The C4 type aporous serrated sensilla chaetica, which serves a tactile function, are highly specific to male antennae. The sensilla basiconica subtype 4 is found in female antennomeres while multigrooved are pegs present only in male antennomerers. The number and type of sensillae are greater in males than females. Apical fossae are present dorsally and ventrally on each male antennomere. The function and distribution of all types of sensilla are explained and illustrated in this paper.

Caddisfly sampling conducted during August 2021 from the Gurgur River in the Sabalan Mountains, Ardabil province, Iran, revealed the first record of Glossosoma unguiculatum Martynov, 1925 for Iran. Previously, this species had only been known from few localities in Turkey, the Caucasus and Kazakhstan. The morphology of male genitalia in the collected specimens generally corresponds to the described species, with the exception of a less incised ventral margin of the abdominal segment IX in ventral view, which may be attributed to geographical variability. This discovery marks the second species of the genus Glossosoma Curtis, 1834 found in Iran.

Range extension of the square-headed wasp, Vechtia rugosa (F. Smith, 1858), which is primarily the Southeast Asian species, towards India is presented. A key to species and subspecies of the genus Vechtia Pate, 1944 is also provided with illustrations of V. rugosa rugosa (F. Smith, 1858). The known distribution of the Vechtia species in Southeastern Asia is also discussed.

Two species of family Thripidae, Hydatothrips onari Kudô, 1997 from subfamily Sericothripinae and Thrips alius Palmer, 1992 from subfamily Thripinae are collected on Guizotia abssinica and general vegetation respectively for the first time from India after their original description. Due to the addition of these two species in the Indian fauna, the number of species increased under the genus Hydatothrips from 10 to 11 and under the genus Thrips from 44 to 45. Species diagnosis with illustrations and distribution of the newly recorded taxa is also provided.

Two poorly known species of the zodariid spider genus Zodariellum Andreeva & Tystshenko, 1968 – Z. spasskyi (Charitonov, 1946) and Z. zebra (Charitonov, 1946) – are redescribed based on type specimens from eastern Uzbekistan. Additionally, a lectotype is designated for the former species.

Risk assessment is utilized to prioritize preventive measures based on the probability of dispersal success of pests. A main part of the risk assessment procedure is to determine the effects of environmental variables on the current and potential geographical distributions. In the present study, the spatial distribution of the Mediterranean pine engraver, Orthotomicus erosus (Wollaston), was mapped and predicted using MaxEnt. Presence records of O. erosus (north, northeast, west and centre of Iran), environmental and topographic variables, with the lowest correlations among themselves and the highest effects on the pest distribution were used. A total of 76 presence records of O. erosus were collected. The results of the distribution prediction modelling revealed that the northern part of Iran and the areas along the Zagros are the most suitable habitats for this species. Examining environmental variable importance on the distribution of O. erosus showed that the variables related to temperature and precipitation had more contribution in the MaxEnt model, respectively than the altitude. Furthermore, the high accuracy of the model (0.928) indicated that the MaxEnt had an acceptable performance for the prediction of O. erosus distribution. These findings would provide primary and critical information about the potential distribution of O. erosus in Iran, which could be effective for the stable population regulation of this destructive pest.

Based on all collected literature dealing with the fauna of springtails in Vojvodina Province (Republic of Serbia), a list of species was created and taxonomically revised according to the latest system of Collembola taxonomy. In total, the check list of springtails of Vojvodina includes 125 species in 58 genera from 16 families and 3 orders. The most abundant order is Entomobryomorpha (55%), followed by Poduromorpha (24%) and Symphypleona (21%). According to the general distribution of the species themselves, the presented list has the following composition: 27.2% of the recorded species are European, the same number are Palearctic, 24% of the species on the list are Holarctic, 18.4% are cosmopolitan, and 3.2% are endemic to Serbia (mostly related to type localities). The species Drepanura deliblatica Loksa & Bogojević, 1970, Sinella jugoslavica Loksa & Bogojević, 1970, Deuterosminthurus quadrangulatus (Loksa & Bogojevic, 1970) and Fasciosminthurus angulipunctatus (Loksa & Bogojevic, 1970) are strictly protected species in the Republic of Serbia. This paper is a contribution to the knowledge of the Collembola fauna of Europe and represents a step towards the formation of a checklist of springtails of the Republic of Serbia.

To study the fauna of oribatid mites (Oribatida) in Sistan & Baluchestan province (southeastern Iran), soil and leaf litter samples were collected in Saravan and Gulshan counties from March to September 2021. In total, 40 species belonging to 30 genera from 18 families were collected and identified, among them genera Hoplophorella, Javacarus, subgenera Leptogalumna, Paralamellobates, and seven species, Acrotritia rustica Niedbała, 1991, Hoplophorella vitrina (Berlese, 1913), Javacarus foliatus Hammer, 1972, Lamellobates misella (Berlese, 1910), Rostrozetes ovulum ovulum (Berlese, 1908), Striatoppia cf. quadrilineata Hammer, 1982, and Scheloribates praelineatus Hammer, 1977 are newly recorded for the fauna of Iran.

The diversity and distribution of aquatic and semi-aquatic Hemipterans were studied from Amrabad and Kawal Tiger Reserve of the state Telangana. This report documents 38 species of aquatic and semi-aquatic hemipterans belonging to 22 genera and ten families from Amrabad and Kawal Tiger Reserve. Interestingly, 20 species were noted as additions to the state of Telangana. Two species Ranatra libera Zettel, 1999 and Rhagovelia sumatrensis Lundblad, 1933 were observed, where both species are new distributional records to peninsular India. Kawal Tiger Reserve (KTR) showed higher species diversity than the Amrabad Tiger Reserve (ATR) with respect to species richness. The present report is the first documentation from both tiger reserves on aquatic and semi-aquatic hemipterans from the state of Telangana.

Chalcidoidea is a hyperdiverse superfamily of mostly small, parasitoid wasps of which 14 families and at least 422 species have been recorded from Greece. In the present study, additional distributional data from Greece is provided for Brachymeria rugulosa (Forster, 1859) and Brachymeria tibialis (Walker, 1834). Furthermore, Brachymeria podagrica (Fabricius, 1787) and Monodontomerus obscurus Westwood, 1833 are recorded for the first time from Greece. As well, a new host gall species for B. rugulosa is noted and the presence of Brachymeria inermis (Fonscolombe, 1840) is briefly discussed. Finally, a checklist for the genera Brachymeria (Hymenoptera, Chalcididae) and Monodontomerus (Hymenoptera, Torymidae) is compiled.

A new species of pincer wasp, Lonchodryinus ater sp. nov. (Hymenoptera, Dryinidae) is described from Madagascar, Toliara province, Beza Mahafaly Reserve. The new species is close to L. hovanus Olmi, 2004. However, it is different because POL is about twice as long as OL; the mesoscutum is dull, very strongly punctate and sculptured by short irregular longitudinal keels; the paramere has not a mosaic structure on the inner side (in L. hovanus, head with POL less than twice as long as OL; mesoscutum shiny, very strongly punctate, unsculptured among punctures; paramere with mosaic structure on inner side). A new key to the males of the Afrotropical Lonchodryinus is presented.

Trapdoor spiders are known for digging deep burrows into the ground closed with a thick trapdoor. Actinopus balcarce Ríos-Tamayo & Goloboff was described based on two males from Balcarce, Buenos Aires, Argentina. In a recent survey in the type locality, we found females probably belonging to this species. Morphology of the females found allowed us to attribute them to Actinopus balcarce, which are described for the first time. Photographs of the spermathecae are presented along with comments on the natural history of the species. Some morphological insights on the female of this species are also discussed.