Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics
Volume:5 Issue: 2, Jun 2019

A survey of Braconinae wasps was conducted at five sites, represented by various agroecosystems, rangelands and forests in Western Iran (Hamadan province) during 2015−2016 with a series of light and Malaise traps. Fifteen species belonging to three genera (Bracon Fabricius, Glyptomorpha Holmgren and Pseudovipio Szépligeti) were identified, among them five species, viz. Bracon concavus Tobias, B. fumigidus Szépligeti, B. iskilipus Beyarslan & Tobias, B. moczari Papp and B. novus Szépligeti, were recorded for the first time from Iran. 15 species are new provincial records for Hamadan.

In this study a total of 37 syrphid species belonging to 25 genera were identified in Mazandaran province, northern Iran. One genus and species, Brachyopa (Brachyopa) bicolor (Fallén, 1817) and two species Heringia (Neocnemodon) latitarsis (Egger, 1865) and Cheilosia soror (Zetterstedt, 1843) are recorded for the first time from Iran. In addition, saproxylic syrphids of Iran are briefly discussed.

In this study 46 species of bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) and their 17 associated mite species from Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province reigns with some specimens collected from Yasouj and Dezful have been examined. Four species of mites were new for Iran: Sennertia zhelochovtsevi Zachvatkin, Vidia lineata Oudemans, Sennertionyx manicati (Giard) and Crabrovidia oudemansi Fain. These mites were found on bees’ families of Halictidae, Megachilidae, Apidae and Andrenidae. The identified mites were belonging to families of Neopygmephoridae, Scutacaridae, Chaetodactylidae, Anoetidae, Acaridae, Saproglyphidae and Winterschmidtiidae. Among bees’ families, the most association was observed on Halictidae and the lowest was on Andrenidae. Bee species of Halictus (Halictus) resurgens Nurse, 1903 had the highest percentage of association. All specimens are deposited in the Iranian Pollinator Insects Museum of Yasouj University. Herein a list of mite species associated with bees and bees’ species list are provided. Some specimens belong to genera of Imparipes Berlese, 1903 (n=12 specimens) and Chaetodactylus Rondani, 1866 (n=11 specimens) were new for science which would be described in a subsequent paper.

Caenocrepis arenicola (Thomson, 1878) (Hymenpotera: Pteromalidae) is a new record for Iran. A female specimen of this species was collected from south of Kerman province by sweeping net on Medicago sativa in November 2016. It is egg parasitoid of Pachycerus madidus (Olivier, 1807) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) which distributed in the Palaearctic region. Morphological characteristics and its geographical distribution are presented.

A new species of tiphiid wasp, namely, Tiphia kashmirensis Hanima & Girish Kumar sp. nov. is described from Kashmir, India. Male of Tiphia khasiana is described for the first time. Key to species of Tiphia from the Indian subcontinent of Allen (1975) is modified here to accommodate the new species and male of T. khasiana.

The present study has been carried out in order to determine the entomofauna of four different agroecosystems from the study area, northwestern Algeria. Regular sampling was done using the Barber pitfall trap and the sweep net in addition to visual observations in the field. Nine (09) taxonomic orders of insects was identified from the four studied environments. It varies from one agroecosystem to another. Coleoptera and Orthoptera were the most represented in terms of both species and numbers. Entomofaunal diversity was more important in un-cultivated fields (diversity index = 4.15 bits, equitability = 0.89) than in arable fields (index ranging from 1.68 to 2.87 and a equitability between 0.41 and 0.72). Limited biodiversity in cultivated areas was the consequence of insect communities’ interactions disturbances caused by agricultural practices in these environments. Therefore, it is important to reduce these disturbances in order to enhance food resources, habitats and overwintering sites for insects. This will ensures sustainable entomological diversity, thereby increasing the role of biological control in pest management systems.

Proconura persica Delvare, 2011 (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) was originally described from Iran. Type materials of this species were include just female specimens. Recently we collected a population of this species from Shiraz in the south of Iran comprising males and females. The previously unknown male of P. persica is described for the first time and diagnostic characters are illustrated to differentiate this species from related species of the genus.