A Checklist of Iranian Cockroaches (Blattodea) with Description of Polyphaga Sp As a New Species in Iran
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J Arthropod-Borne Dis, December 2015, 9(2): 161–175 SS Hashemi-Aghdam and MA Oshaghi: A Checklist … Original Article A Checklist of Iranian Cockroaches (Blattodea) with Description of Polyphaga sp as a New Species in Iran Saedeh Sadat Hashemi-Aghdam 1, *Mohammad Ali Oshaghi 2 1Deptartment of Biology, Damghan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Damghan, Iran 2Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (Received 15 Apr 2013; accepted 31 May 2014) Abstract Background: Cockroaches are of vital importance medically and hygienically. They are able to contaminate foods and act as vectors of pathogenic agents such as bacteria, protozoa, and parasites to human environment either me- chanically or through their digestive system. Cockroaches belong to the phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, and order Blattodea or Blattaria. To date, over 4,500 cockroach species have been reported from different parts of the world. We overviewed the documents involved Iranian cockroaches to up-to-date checklist of cockroach species distributed in various provinces of Iran. Methods: An extensive literature review was performed in 2013 on Iranian handbooks, reports and published data available since 1986 to obtain a comprehensive list of Iranian cockroaches. Furthermore, in an entomological survey in Tehran, cockroach specimens were collected and identified based on morphological and the DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit II (COII) gene (mt-DNA COII) characteristics. Results: Morphological characterization revealed presence of an un-described species very similar to Polyphaga aegyptiaca, P. indica and somehow to Pycnoscelus surinamensis, however, supplementary molecular analysis revealed the species was associated with Polyphaga of Corydiidae (Polyphagidae). With re- gards to the report of the un-described species, the cockroach fauna of Iran includes three families, 14 genera, and 26 species. Conclusion: Some species has not been collected or reported recently and also many geographical regions of the country have not been studied yet, hence a systematic research is required to reveal the real cockroach list of the country. Geographical distributions, nomination changes, and synonyms of cockroach species are presented. Keywords: Cockroach, Blattodea, Polyphaga sp, mtDNA-COII, Molecular systematics Introduction Cockroaches are one of the oldest and the al. 1999). Cockroaches live all over the world most successful insect lives have been pre- but most of the species are found in tropical sent on the earth from Pennsylvanian Epoch and equatorial regions (Schal and Hamilton (the Upper Carboniferous period). The fossil 1990). Cockroaches hygienically are one of records indicate that cockroaches have un- the important pests widely distributed through- dergone rapid changes correlated with de- out the world. Frightening and pesky appear- velopmental cycles to obtain the ideal body ance of cockroaches is another significant form and survived as resistant taxa (Moore factor to call them pest. The sanitary and med- et al. 1952). To date, over 4,500 cockroach ical significance of cockroaches is owing to species have been reported from different their presence in homes, groceries, food ware- parts of the world of which about 30 species houses, restaurants, hotels, hospitals on the are associated with human habitats (Valles et one hand and in sewer systems and rubbish 161 *Corresponding author: Dr Mohammad Ali http://jad.tums.ac.ir Oshaghi, E-mail: [email protected] Published Online: March 11, 2015 J Arthropod-Borne Dis, December 2015, 9(2): 161–175 SS Hashemi-Aghdam and MA Oshaghi: A Checklist … bins on the other hand. They can act as vec- beroidea. And number of family tops out at tors of pathogenic agents such as bacteria, nine including Blaberidae, Ectobiidae (syno- protozoa (single-celled eukaryotes), and par- nym: Blattellidae), Blattidae, Lamproblattidae, asite eggs and can transmit diseases to hu- Tryonicidae, Cryptocercidae, Termitidae, Cory- mans either mechanically or through their diidae (Synonym: Polyphagidae), Nocticolidae digestive system. Thus they are considered a (Inward et al. 2007, Lo et al. 2007). How- very important vector of diseases including ever, Lo et al. (2007) criticized the classi- cholera and typhoid fever to humans. More- fication of termites as a family of Blattaria over, cockroach infestations, including saliva, and suggested to retain the order of Isoptera feces and cast skins, are a source of allergens (Termites with seven families including and can irritate allergies and asthma in people, Mastotermitidae,Termopsidae, Hodotermitidae, especially children (Farhoudi et al. 2003, Ah- Kalotermitidae, Serritermitidae, Rhinotermi- med et al. 2010, Sookrung and Chaicumpa tidae, and Termitidae) as an unranked name 2010, Shahraki 2011). Almost 40%–60% of within Blattaria (i.e Blattaria: Isoptera), until patients with asthma in urban and inner-city cockroach phylogeny is better resolved and areas possess IgE antibodies to cockroach an appropriate ranking can be applied. Cur- allergens (Sohn and Kim 2012). Cockroaches rently, Beccaloni and Eggleton (2013) clas- belong to the order Blattodea or Blattaria sified the termites as an epifamily (ie Ter- (sometimes considered a suborder, Blattaria, mitoidae including 9 families of Mastoter- of order Dictyoptera), and are regarded as mitidae, Archotermopsidae, Hodotermitidae, the most primitive winged insects. Blatta is Stolotermitidae, Kalotermitidae, Stylotermi- of Latin origin and means shunning light tidae, Rhinotermitidae, Serritermitidae, and (Hanafi-Bojd and Sadaghiani 2009). Termitidae) and created two other epifamilies Many adult cockroaches have fully devel- to contain the cockroach species also placed oped wings, whereas other cockroaches have in the superfamily Blattoidea with the ter- short wings or lack wings altogether. Young, mites. Unfortunately, in terms of faunistic immature cockroaches resemble adults but studies on the Iranian cockroaches, there are are smaller and wingless. Cockroaches are no enough records available. The only evi- identified by the following taxonomic fea- dence is a paper written by Mirzayans (1986) tures: color, number and the shape of spines in which four families, eleven genera and 24 on the femora, tarsus and wings, reproduc- species of cockroaches were reported in Iran. tive organs, and head frontal. Moreover, at However, considering the report of Parcoblatta the posterior end of the male abdomen, there sp by Fathpour et al. (2003) and on the base are cercus, stylus and hypandriun which are of recent classification, Iranian cockroaches important factors in species identification. could be classified in three superfamilies, Historically, according to the classifica- three families, 14 genera, and 25 species. tion of Mckittrick (1964) and Roth (1970), Different species of family Blattidae can cockroaches have been regarded as a sepa- be found all over the world. Most of the spe- rate order divided into two superfamilies of cies that are recognized as house pests be- Blattoidea and Blaberoidea which totally in- long to this family. Among family Blattidae, clude five families of Polyphagidae, Blaberidae, five species have been reported from different Blattellidae, Blattidae, and Cryptocercidae. parts of Iran. Species of family Corydiidae However, in more recent classification, num- (Polyphagidae) live in arid regions particularly ber of superfamilies tops out at three includ- in desert and semi desert areas. In Iran twelve ing Corydioidea (Synonym: Polyphagoidea), species of this family have already been rec- Blattoidea (Synonym: Termitoidea), and Bla- ognized. In terms of the number of species, 162 http://jad.tums.ac.ir Published Online: March 11, 2015 J Arthropod-Borne Dis, December 2015, 9(2): 161–175 SS Hashemi-Aghdam and MA Oshaghi: A Checklist … family Ectobiidae (Blattellidae) is the largest Besides, in an entomological survey in order of cockroaches in the world and eight north Tehran, cockroach specimens were col- species of this family have been reported lected actively using boxes from indoor of from the country. The German roach, Blattella buildings in summer 2011. The collected spec- germanica, the major pest of residential dwell- imens were transferred to the Insect Molec- ings, belongs to family Blattellidae as well. ular Laboratory of School of Public Health, In an entomological survey, we have found Tehran University of Medical Sciences (SPH- two male cockroach specimens originated from TUMS) and then were morphologically stud- north of Tehran which showed morphologi- ied using the available pictorial and morpho- cal characters of Corydiidae (Polyphagidae) logical keys of Pratt and Stojanovich (1966), and by some means to Pycnoscelus suri- Mirzayans (1986), Cochran (1999), and Hanafi- namensis. However, further taxanomic in- Bojd and Sadaghiani (2009). Further molec- vestigation revealed some morphological ular characters were provided to test se- characters distinct the two specimens from quence homology and phylogenetic relation- Polyphaga aegyptiaca, P. indica, and Py. ship with the available entries in GenBank. surinamensis. This encouraged us to use molecular technique to determine their iden- DNA extraction, mtDNA-COII PCR, se- tity. Currently, different mitochondrial and quencing, and Phylogeny nuclear DNA markers have been used for The male specimens were subjected to species identification and phylogenetic anal-