Fauna Of Iran Research Articles

New and revised small shelly fossil record from the lower Cambrian of northern Iran

AbstractSmall shelly fossils (SSFs) are highly informative of the ‘Cambrian explosion’. Their palaeobiodiversity has been documented from lower Cambrian deposits worldwide but it remains elusive in areas such as Iran, despite this region occupying a critical position on the north‐western Gondwana margin during the early Cambrian. This new study of the SSFs of the lower Cambrian of northern Iran provides a large new dataset from this understudied area. We revise the micropalaeontological signal of the Soltanieh Formation of the Alborz Mountains and introduce novel data from the Soltanieh and overlying Barut Formations of the Soltanieh Mountains. The new, solid taxonomic and stratigraphic SSF data enable us to distinguish two successive microfaunal assemblages. The first occurs in the Soltanieh Formation of the Soltanieh and Alborz Mountains and is dominated by anabaritids (Anabarites trisulcatus,A. ex gr. trisulcatus,A. tristichus,A. dalirensesp. nov.,Cambrotubulus decurvatus) along with protoconodonts (Protohertzina anabaricaandP. unguliformis), maikhanellids (Maikhanella multa,Purella squamulosaandPurellasp.),Aetholicopalla adnata, indeterminate cones and irregular tubes. The second assemblage, from the Barut Formation, is dominated by a diverse assemblage of molluscs (Oelandiella korobkoviand cap‐shaped morphotypes). Siphogonuchitid sclerites also occur in both assemblages. The two SSF assemblages are characteristic of the Terreneuvian. Our dataset enables us to assess the sequence of faunal change of the Ediacaran–Cambrian transition; in contrast to the tube–sclerite–brachiopod succession presented in the literature, the Iranian fauna changes from one dominated by tubes and sclerites, to one dominated by molluscs and sclerites.

On the genus Elegia Ragonot, 1887 (Pyralidae: Phycitinae: Phycitini) from Iran with description of Elegia kharazii sp. nov.

Elegia species deposited in the Hayk Mirzayans Insect Museum (HMIM) were examined and three species were identified. Elegia kharazii sp. nov. is described based on a single male and two females collected in Gilan and Golestan Provinces, Iran and compared with the externally similar European species E. similella (Zincken, 1818). Elegia saecula Kemal, Kzlda Kok, 2020 (syn. nov.) is considered as a junior synonym of Elegia iozona (Meyrick, 1937). Elegia atrifasciella Ragonot, 1887, collected in the north-west Iran (East Azarbaijan Province), is a new species for the fauna of Iran.

Some new records of mesostigmatid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) associated with greenhouse plants from Iran

During 2018-2019, fauna of mesostigmatic mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) associated with greenhouse plants were collected and identified in Rasht region, Guilan Province, Northern Iran. Totally, 62 species belonging to 36 genera and 17 families were collected and identified. Among them, 6 species Cilliba sellnicki (Hirschmann & Zirngiebl-Nicol, 1964), Epicrius canestrinii (Haller, 1881), Vulgarogamasus trouessarti (Berlese, 1892), Rhodacarellus epigynalis Sheals, 1956, Gamasolaelaps excisus (Koch, 1879) and Proctolaelaps holoventris Moraes et al., 2016 are new record for mite’s fauna of Iran.

Additions to the Iranian fauna of Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea) with first records of two genera and 13 species

Additions to the Iranian fauna of Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea) with first records of two genera and 13 species

A survey on the click beetles (Coleoptera, Elateridae) in the province of Kurdistan (Iran), with three new records for the Iranian fauna

A survey on the click beetles (Coleoptera, Elateridae) in the province of Kurdistan (Iran), with three new records for the Iranian fauna

Checklist of digenean trematodes of Iran.

Digeneans are an important class of trematodes which infect variety of animals ranging from vertebrates (mainly final hosts) to invertebrates (mainly as intermediate hosts). Additionally, some of these parasites are zoonotic and one health importance. Diversity of digeneans in Iran and reports of several zoonotic cases show the importance of these parasites in this country. This is the checklist of digenean parasites reported from Iran representing a total of 118 species, from 105 genera, 43 families, 21 subfamilies, and 3 orders that are reported from 139 species of different hosts including humans. Some of the most important final number of families, genera, and species reported in Iran fauna include: Fasciolidae, Genus: Fasciola, Fasciola gigantica, Fasciola hepatica, Family: Dicrocoeliidae, Genus: Dicrocoelium, Dicrocoelium dendriticum, Family: Diplostomidae, Genus: Diplostomum, Diplostomum spathaceum, Family: Heterophyidae, Genus: Haplorchis, Haplorchis taichui, Family: Notocotylidae, Genus: Notocotylu, Notocotylus aegyptiacus, Family: Bucephalidae, Genus: Rhipidocotyle, Rhipidocotyle illense.

New Record and New Species of the Genus Dioctria Meigen, 1803 (Diptera: Asilidae) from Iran, with an Updated Checklist

The genus Dioctria Meigen, 1803 (Diptera: Asilidae, Dioctriinae) was sampled in northern Iran. The specimens were collected using Malaise traps during 2010–2012. A new species Dioctria faciata Mohammadi, Talebi & Van den Broek sp. nov., is described and illustrated. Dioctria tauricaLehr, 2001 is recorded for the Iranian fauna for the first time. The new species can be distinguished from Dioctria cornutaLehr, 2001 by the following characters: black mystax; face slightly swollen at edge of mouth and larger body (8-9 mm vs 5.8 mm). The number of Dioctria species in Iran is now increased to 17. An updated checklist of Iranian species of the genus Dioctria is provided.

<p><strong>Contribution to the Iranian Buprestidae (Coleoptera) with one genus new for the country</strong></p>

This paper deals with additional data on Iranian Buprestidae (Coleoptera) which appeared after the publication of the Annotated Catalogue of Iranian Buprestidae. Sternocera (Sternocera) chrysis Fabricius, 1775 as a new country record, and 22 species from 11 genera published by other authors are listed for the fauna of Iran. Totally, 502 species and subspecies from 41 genera belonging to 20 tribes and six subfamilies are reported from Iran so far. Key words: Buprestidae, new record, fauna, catalogue, Iran

Description of Petalomium olszanowskii sp. nov. (Acari: Neopygmephoridae), Redescription of P. Aleinikovae, and Some New Records of the Myrmecophilous Petalomium from Iran

The prostigmatic mites including Heterostigmata (Acari: Trombidiformes) comprise one of the most myrmecophilous mite lineages. One of the well known heterostigmatic ant-associates genus is Petalomium (Pygmephoroidea: Neopygmephoridae). In an investigation on ant-associate mites in some parts of central and southern Iran, five species of the genus Petalomium Cross were collected from ants of the genera Camponotus, Lasius and Messor (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). One new species, P. olszanowskiisp. nov., is described and illustrated here. The other species include P. aleinikovae (Sevastianov, 1967), P. crinitusKhaustov and Trach, 2013, P. formicarum (Berlese, 1903), and P. gottrauxiMahunka, 1977. Except the latter, all species are new to arthropod fauna of Iran. In addition, P. aleinikovae is redescribed, and world distributions and host records of all the congeners are reviewed.

AN UPDATED CATALOGUE OF THE IRANIAN ZOPHERIDAE (COLEOPTERA TENEBRIONOIDEA)

A checklist for the Iranian Zopheridae(Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea) is proposed. Based upon a literature re-view, a total of 22 species within 13 genera, and two subfamilies Colydiinae (20 species) and Zopherinae (two species) are listed as the fauna of Iran.

Aphids living on Asteraceae plants in North Khorasan, Iran: report of three aphid species new to fauna of Iran

Aphids living on Asteraceae plants in North Khorasan, Iran: report of three aphid species new to fauna of Iran

New records of three Eurytomidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) associated with Stipa arabica Trin. & Rupr. (Poaceae) in Iran

ABSTRACT Despite the valuable scientific contributions of professional workers and amateur naturalists our knowledge of galls is still poorly known in Iran. In this study three species of the genus Eurytoma Illiger, viz Eurytoma collaris Walker, 1832, Eurytoma differta Zerova, 1977 and Eurytoma stepposa Zerova, 1980 reared from Stipa arabica Trin. & Rupr. (Poaceae) were reported for the first time for the fauna of Iran, collected from Kerman province in 2000. Diagnostic characters, short taxonomic comments and geographical distribution of these species are briefly mentioned.

Maladera rugosa (Blanchard, 1850) new combination-a valid species and senior synonym of Maladera graeca Petrovitz, 1969 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Sericini).

Maladera Mulsant Rey, 1871 occurs in the Palaearctic, Oriental and Afrotropical regions and comprises already more than 300 species only in the Palaearctic alone (Ahrens Bezděk 2016). In the past years the species of eastern West Palaearctic including Iran has been exhaustively explored and many new taxa were added (e.g. Ahrens 2000a,b, 2006; Ahrens et al. 2016; Fabrizi et al. 2018; Keith Ahrens 2002; Keith 2005, 2010; Sabatinelli 1977; Sehnal 2008; Sehnal Simandl 2008; Montreuil Keith 2009; Montreuil 2016). While new collecting activities focused principally on the Iranian fauna (Nikodyìm Král 1998; Keith Ahrens 2002; Keith 2005, 2010; Montreuil Keith 2009; Montreuil 2016), from where practically no records before the 1980s were available, no recent data were published on Maladera species of Europe and Minor Asia since the last taxonomic revision of the West Palaearctic species of the genus (Petrovitz 1969).

An annotated catalogue of the Iranian Galerucinae sensu stricto (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) with taxonomic remarks

ABSTRACT An annotated catalogue for the Iranian Galerucinae s. str. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is proposed. Based upon literature review and examination of collected material, a total of 56 species in 18 genera are listed for the fauna of Iran. Some species are represented in Iran with more than one subspecies, bringing the total number of taxa to 59. Farsogaleruca Lopatin, 1981 is proposed as new synonym of Radymna Reitter, 1913. The following new combinations are proposed: Radymna insperabilis (Lopatin, 1981) (comb. nov.) and Radymna rufina (Lopatin, 1981) (comb. nov.). The following new synonyms are established: Galerucella medvedevi Beenen, (2008) = Galerucella rishwani Makhan, 2012 syn. nov.; Radymna insperabilis (Lopatin, 1981) (comb. nov.) = Radymna latifrons Beenen, 2014 (syn. nov.). Four species, Calomicrus lividus (Joannis, 1865), Lochmaea caprea (Linnaeus, 1758), Luperus floralis Faldermann, 1837 and Euluperus nairicus (Lopatin, 1990) and one subspecies, Galeruca spectabilis spectabilis (Faldermann, 1837) are recorded from Iran for the first time. Two species have been excluded from the fauna of Iran: Diorhabda elongata (Brullé, 1836) and Luperus flavipennis.

The Long-snout Freshwater Goby Awaous jayakari (Boulenger, 1888) (Teleostei: Gobiidae), an additional fish element for the Iranian waters

Members of the genus Awaous are found in fresh and brackish waters and have a circumtropical distribution from Africa to the Americas, with most species being found in the Indo-West Pacific region. Based on the detailed morphology and osteology of a specimen collected in southeastern Iran and comparison with type specimens, the Iranian population of snout goby is taxonomically assigned to Awaous jayakari. This is an additional genus and species for the fish fauna of Iran. A key for the inland and coastal gobies of Iran is provided.

Report of some Eurytomid wasps (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) and their associated host plants from two provinces of Iran

The species of Eurytomidae family and their trophic associations with different plants were studied in two provinces of Iran (Hamedan and Lorestan). Seed-feeding Eurytomid wasps were reared from different plant seeds collected during 2008-2012. Totally 600 specimens of Eurytomid wasps were collected. Among them, 6 Eurytomid wasp species were identified as a new species for Iranian fauna and three species were described as a new species for science. Among 26 identified Eurytomid wasps, 18 species belong to Bruchophagus, 6 species to Systole and 2 species to Eurytoma. Moreover, 66 plant species are firstly indicated here as host plants for Eurytomidae species. Host plants that reported in this study belonging to Fabaceae, Apiaceae, and Lamiaceae.

A new species of the genus Brachycoleus (Hemiptera: Miridae), with a revised identification key to the species found in Iran

Abstract A new species, Brachycoleus medes sp. nov. (Miridae: Mirinae: Mirini), is described from Kurdistan province, Iran. A revised taxonomic key to the Iranian species of Brachycoleus Fieber, 1858, illustrations of male genitalia, male and female habitus photographs of this new taxon and other reported species from Iran are provided. Diagnosis of the new species is based on a comparison with other congeners found in Iran. Presence of Brachycoleus decolor Reuter, 1887 in the fauna of Iran still remains doubtful.

New records of long-legged flies (Diptera, Dolichopodidae) from Morocco

This paper provides new data on the distribution of 39 long-legged fly species (Diptera, Brachycera, Dolichopodidae) belonging to 19 genera from Morocco. Twelve species, Gymnopternus assimilis (Staeger, 1842), Hercostomus apollo (Loew, 1869), Hercostomus morenae (Strobl, 1899), Medetera media Parent, 1925, Medetera pallipes (Zetterstedt, 1843), Medetera petrophiloides Parent, 1925, Medetera aff. roghii Rampini et Canzoneri, 1979, Micromorphus minusculus Negrobov, 2000, Sciapus aff. negrobovi Naglis et Bartak, 2015, Campsicnemus simplicissimus Strobl, 1906, Sympycnus pulicarius (Fallén, 1823), and Syntormon pilitibia Grichanov, 2013 are newly added to the Moroccan insect fauna. In addition, available information on geographical distribution for each species is also included.

Parasitic wasps (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) associated with flower-heads of Asteraceae in Iran

This study was conducted to collect and identify chalcidoid wasps associated with Asteraceae and their possible hosts in the northwest of Iran during 2013–2014. Fourteen species of parasitoid wasps were recovered from 19 species of Asteraceae. These parasitoids include five Eulophidae: Aprostocetus malagensis, Crataepus marbis, Hyssopus nigritulus, Pronotalia hungarica; two Eurytomidae: Eurytoma compressa, Eurytoma robusta; one Eupelmidae: Eupelmus vesicularis; one Ormyridae: Ormyrus orientalis; three Pteromalidae: Pteromalus albipennis, Pteromalus sp., Sphengigaster nigricornis; two Torymidae: Pseudotorymus leguminum, Microdontomerus annulata. Four species, Aprostocetus malagensis, Pronotalia hungarica, Pseudotorymus leguminum and Sphengigaster nigricornis, are new records for the Hymenoptera fauna of Iran. All host-plant associations were newly established to the science. General distribution of these parasitoids and their biological associations were discussed. A list of associated Chalcidoidea to Tephritidae in Iran was presented.

An annotated checklist of the Iranian Figitidae (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea)

ABSTRACT An annotated list of Figitidae (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea) present in Iran is given. A total of 33 species belonging to 11 genera and five subfamilies are reported: Anacharitinae (3 genera, 4 species), Aspicerinae (2 genera, 4 species), Charipinae (3 genera, 21 species), Eucoilinae (1 species) and ‘unplaced tribe’ (2 genera, 3 species). Two species are excluded from the fauna of Iran as nomina dubia, and 2 species (Phaenoglyphis longicornis (Hartig, 1840) and Melanips syrphidiphagus (Narayanan, 1941)) are new for Iran. These data show the little knowledge we have of these Hymenoptera (Figitidae) from this country; excepting the Charipinae subfamily other groups are virtually unknown.