ISSN 1211-8788 Acta Musei Moraviae, Scientiae biologicae (Brno) 101(1): 55–62, 2016

The () of northern Iran: a faunistic study

HASSAN GHAHARI 1 & REIJO JUSSILA2 1 Department of Plant Protection, Yadegar-e-Imam Khomeini (RAH) Shahre Rey Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. Email: [email protected] 2 Zoological Museum, Section of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences, Department of Biology, FI-20014 University of Turku, Finland. Email: [email protected]

GHAHARI H. & JUSSILA R. 2016: The Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera) of northern Iran: a faunistic study. Acta Musei Moraviae, Scientiae Biologicae (Brno) 101(1): 55–62. – Ichneumonid wasps (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) are important as biological control agents, many of them parasitizing the larvae and pupae of various groups of pest . This paper consists of a faunistic study of these beneficial insects collected from certain regions of northern Iran. In total, 17 ichneumonid species from seven subfamilies – Cryptinae, Ichneumoninae, Mesochorinae, Metopiinae, Pimplinae, Rhyssinae, and – were collected and identified, among which were eight species that are new records for the fauna of Iran. Key words. Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, fauna, new records, Iran

Introduction Ichneumonidae is a large family of Hymenoptera and is considered one of the most species-rich in the order, with around 100,000 species worldwide (GAULD 2000, 2002). The ichneumonids use a wide range of other insects and arachnids as their hosts and play an essential role in the normal functioning of most ecosystems, underlining the need to inventory their diversity. Ichneumonids have been successfully used as biocontrol agents; they constitute a largely undocumented fauna with a huge potential for managed biocontrol programmes (GUPTA 1991). Unlike microhymenoptera, ichneumonoids rarely parasitize individual eggs, and a few are egg-larval , laying an egg in the host egg but consuming the host in its larval stage (GAULD 1988, WAHL & SHARKEY 1993). The most usual host groups are , Coleoptera and Diptera, to a lesser extent spiders and the egg sacs of spiders and pseudoscorpions (LAURENNE 2008). The Ichneumonidae fauna of Iran has not been extensively studied in the past, but is now progressing quite well. A checklist by KOLAROV & GHAHARI (2005) mentioned 144 species from 14 subfamilies, and seven years later BARAHOEI et al. (2012) listed 502 species belonging to 189 genera and 24 subfamilies from Iran. Later, a number of authors (GHAHARI 2014; GHAHARI & JUSSILA 2014a, b, 2015; GHAHARI et al. 2014a, b; BARAHOEI et al. 2014a, b, 2015, and others) have made contributions. Since the knowledge of the fauna of these important and powerful parasitoids was relatively sparse in some regions of Iran, this paper presents the results of a preliminary faunistic survey, over three years (2011–2013), from certain regions of northern Iran including Golestan, Guilan and Mazandaran Provinces (south of Caspian Sea), to determine and investigate the ichneumonid species of this region.

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Materials and Methods Specimens were collected using Malaise traps and hand nets in the years 2011–2013 from various regions of northern Iran (Golestan, Guilan and Mazandaran Provinces). The materials were pinned or mounted on small cards, and preserved in 75% ethanol. For the most part, the taxonomical works of KASPARYAN (1973, 1981), KASPARYAN & TOLKANITZ (1999) and YU et al. (2012) were employed in determination. The distribution of Ichneumonidae suggested by YU et al. (2012) has been followed.

Results A total of 17 ichneumonid species from seven subfamilies were collected and identified from northern Iran (including, Golestan, Guilan and Mazandaran Provinces). Eight species – Aptesis terminata (Gravenhorst, 1829), Astiphromma splenium (Curtis, 1833), Colpotrochia cincta (Scopoli, 1763), Drepanoctonus tricoloratus (Šedivý, 1971), Endasys rubricator (Thunberg, 1822), Gelis zonatus (Foerster, 1850), fontinalis (Holmgren, 1857) and Latibulus argiolus (Rossi, 1790) – are new records for the fauna of Iran. The list of species appears below with distribution data.

Subfamily Cryptinae Aptesis Förster, 1850 Aptesis terminata (Gravenhorst, 1829)

Material examined. Guilan Province, Rudsar, 36°42′N 50°18′E, 1 ♂, September 2013. New record for Iran. General distribution. Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, British Isles, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

Genus Endasys Förster, 1869 Endasys rubricator (Thunberg, 1822) = Endasys thunbergi Sawoniewicz & Luhman, 1992

Material examined. Guilan Province, Fuman, 37°13′N 49°19′E, 1 ♀, July 2013. New record for Iran. General distribution. Azerbaijan, Belgium, British Isles, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Turkey.

Genus Gelis Thunberg, 1827 Gelis proximus (Foerster, 1850) = Gelis inflatipes Hellen, 1970

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Material examined. Golestan Province, Gorgan, 36°50′N 54°30′E, 1 ♀, October 2011. Mazandaran Province, Sari, 36°30′N 53°30′E, 2 ♀, April 2012. General distribution. Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, British Isles, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine.

Gelis zonatus (Foerster, 1850) =Thaumatogelis audax (Olivier, 1792)

Material examined. Guilan Province, Lahijan, 37°14′N 50°02′E, 2 ♂, June 2013. New record for Iran. General distribution. Austria, Azerbaijan, British Isles, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland.

Genus Idiolispa Förster, 1869 Idiolispa analis (Gravenhorst, 1807)

Material examined. Golestan Province, Minudasht, 37°10′N 55°30′E, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, May 2013. General distribution. Algeria, Austria, Belgium, British Isles, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Iran, Isle of Man, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Mongolia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, USA.

Genus Latibulus Gistel, 1848 Latibulus argiolus (Rossi, 1790)

Material examined. Mazandaran Province, Babol, 36°30′N 52°35′E, 1 ♀, April 2013. New record for Iran. General distribution. Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, former Yugoslavia.

Genus Mesostenus Gravenhorst, 1829 Mesostenus grammicus Gravenhorst, 1829

Material examined. Golestan Province, Azadshahr, 37°07′30″N 55°06′00″E, 2 ♂, April 2011. Mazandaran Province, Galogah, 36°43′N 53°48′E, 1 ♂, 2 ♀, July 2013. General distribution. Afghanistan, Algeria, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Canary Islands, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iran,

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Italy, Malta, Morocco, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, former Yugoslavia.

Subfamily Ichneumoninae Genus Cratichneumon Thomson, 1893 Cratichneumon fugitivus (Gravenhorst, 1829)

Material examined. Mazandaran Province, Chalus, 36°27′N 51°10′E, 1 ♂, September 2012. New record for Iran. General distribution. Austria, Belarus, Belgium, British Isles, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine.

Genus Cyclolabus Heinrich, 1935 Cyclolabus pactor (Wesmael, 1845)

Material examined. Mazandaran Province, Savadkooh, 36°05′N 52°55′E, 1 ♀, August 2013. General distribution. Andorra, Azerbaijan, Belgium, British Isles, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Iran, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, former Yugoslavia.

Genus Virgichneumon Heinrich, 1977 Virgichneumon albosignatus (Gravenhorst, 1829)

Material examined. Golestan Province, Gorgan, 36°50′N 54°30′E, 1 ♂, 2 ♀, October 2011. Mazandaran Province, Behshahr, 36°41′N 53°44′E, 1 ♂, May 2013. General distribution. Afghanistan, Andorra, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, British Isles, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Mongolia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine.

Subfamily Mesochorinae Genus Astiphromma Förster, 1869 Astiphromma splenium (Curtis, 1833)

Material examined. Guilan Province, Lahijan, 37°14′N 50°02′E, 2 ♀, June 2013. New record for Iran. General distribution. Austria, Belgium, British Isles, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, USA.

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Subfamily Metopiinae Genus Colpotrochia Holmgren, 1855 Colpotrochia cincta (Scopoli, 1763)

Material examined. Mazandaran Province, Behshahr, 36°41′N 53°44′E, 1 ♂, 2 ♀, May 2013. New record for Iran. General distribution. Austria, Belarus, Belgium, British Isles, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Macedonia, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, former Yugoslavia.

Genus Drepanoctonus Pfankuch, 1911 Drepanoctonus tricoloratus (Šedivý, 1971)

Material examined. Guilan Province, Astara, 38°20′N 48°46′E, 1 ♂, 1 ♀, September 2012. New record for Iran. General distribution. Georgia, Mongolia, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine.

Subfamily Pimplinae Genus Exeristes Förster, 1869 Exeristes roborator (Fabricius, 1793)

Material examined. Golestan Province, Kalaleh, 37°43′N 55°49′E, 1 ♀, October 2012. General distribution. Albania, Algeria, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia- Herzegovina, British Isles, Bulgaria, Canary Islands, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea, Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, former Yugoslavia.

Genus Scambus Hartig, 1838 Scambus (Scambus) foliae (Cushman, 1938)

Material examined. Mazandaran Province, Behshahr, 36°41′N 53°44′E, 1 ♂, May 2013. General distribution. Austria, Belarus, British Isles, Bulgaria, Finland, Greece, Iran, Isle of Man, Italy, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Sweden, Turkey, former Yugoslavia.

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Subfamily Rhyssinae Genus Rhyssa Gravenhorst, 1829 Rhyssa persuasoria (Linnaeus, 1758)

Material examined. Mazandaran Province, Ramsar, 36°47′N 50°32′E, 1 ♀, August 2011. Guilan Province, Lahijan, 37°14′N 50°02′E, 2 ♀, June 2013. General distribution. Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, British Isles, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Montenegro, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, USA, Ukraine, former Yugoslavia.

Subfamily Tryphoninae Genus Hercus Townes, 1969 Hercus fontinalis (Holmgren, 1857)

Material examined. Guilan Province, Astara, 38°20′N 48°46′E, 1 ♀, June 2012. New record for Iran. General distribution. Armenia, Austria, British Isles, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, USA, former Yugoslavia.

Discussion The results of this research with seven new records, together with existing research in northern Iran (e.g. GHAHARI et al. 2010; GHAHARI & JUSSILA 2010, 2011, 2012; GHAHARI & SCHWARZ 2011) indicate that the fauna of ichneumonids is very diverse in the northern regions. The area with humid climate to the south of the Caspian Sea supports a wide range of plants and also a considerable range of agricultural and forest pests. A similarly diverse fauna of parasitoids such as Ichneumonidae is therefore to be expected there. These beneficial insects have been used successfully as biocontrol agents and have huge potential for utilization in managed biocontrol programs (GUPTA 1987). Determination of hosts is the first step in the establishment of biological control programs. However, most faunistic works on Iranian Ichneumonidae are based on the use of Malaise traps and sweep-nets and the hosts of many of these parasitoids remain unknown. Faunistic surveys that focus on the early development of parasitoids are therefore required.

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Acknowledgements The authors are grateful to N.S. Gadallah (Egypt) for invaluable help in the progress of the project. The research was supported by Islamic Azad University (Yadegar-e-Imam Khomeini (RAH) Shahre Rey Branch), and the Zoological Museum of Finland.

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