New record of Halticoptera polita (Walker, 1834) (Hym.: Pteromalidae) from Iran (short report)

The poplar leaf-miner moth, Phyllonorycter populifoliella (Treitschke) (Lep.: Gracillariidae) is one of the important pests of Populus spp. This pest is widely distributed in Iran with a high economic importance. Larvae of this pest penetrate the leaf and cause different shapes of mines. It is one of the important pests of populus plantations in West-Azarbaijan province and has many natural enemies that vigorously control the pest. In order to study of its parasitoids in Mahmod-Abad (N 36˚ 43' 08", E 46˚ 30' 55") of Shahindezh area (south of the West-Azarbaijan province), during 2010, the leaves infected by leaf-miner moths were collected and reared in laboratory condition. Emerged parasitoids were separated and transferred into vials containing alcohol 75%. Identification was made by second author. Parasitoid wasp was identified under the name of Halticoptera polita (Walker) (Hym.: Pteromalidae), which is reared for the first time on P. populifoliella. The most important morphological characteristics of this species are as follow: Antennal scape as long as the length of compound eyes, scape larger than other segments and located far from the eyes, funicular segments nearly quadrate, male with two terminal segments of maxillary palpi very inflated and subglobose; marginal vein in forewings longer than postmarginal vein and 1.5- 3.5 times the length of stigmal vein; pygostylar bristles subequal in length (3). This species has been reported from northwest of Europe, UK, Sweden and former Czechoslovakia, Romania, Germany, Hungary, New Zealand, China, Sudan, Turkey, United Kingdom, Northern Ireland and England (2, 4), but has not been reported from Iran. It is reported as parasitoid of several families of Diptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera (4).