NORTH-WESTERN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 8 (2): 268-277 ©NwjZ, Oradea, Romania, 2012 Article No.: 121122 http://biozoojournals.3x.ro/nwjz/index.html Herb gallwasp fauna of Iran (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae, Aylacini) George MELIKA1,* and Younes KARIMPOUR2 1. Pest Diagnostic Department, Plant Protection and Soil Conservation Directorate of County Vas, 9762 Tanakajd, Ambrozy setany 2, Hungary. E-mail: [email protected] 2. Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran. E-mail: [email protected] * Corresponding author, G. Melika, Ee-mail: [email protected] Received: 12. October 2011 / Accepted: 14. April 2012 / Available online: 31. May 2012 / Printed: xxxxxxxxx Abstract. During a 5-year survey (2006-2010) of the herb gallwasp fauna of Iran a total of 21 gallwasp species (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae, Aylacini) in 6 genera were found, reared from different species of Asteraceae, Lamiaceae and Papaveraceae plants. Ten species, Aulacidea hieracii, A. scorzonerae, A. tragopogonis, Aylax minor, A. papaveris, Barbotinia oraniensis, Isocolus centaureae, I. similis, Phanacis heteropappi, P. varians, are new records for the fauna of Iran. With the exception of Aulacidea irani which was swept on flower heads of Echinops sp., all specimens were reared from galls collected on host plants. Keys to the species identification and detail data on species biology, distribution are given. Keywords: Aylacini, Cynipidae, distribution, herb gallwasps, Iran. Introduction (Burks 1979, Melika 2006). This is the first study summarizing all the data The gallwasps (Cynipidae), which comprises on herb gallwasps of Iran. around 1300 species world-wide, are divided into two main trophic groups: the gall inducers and the gall-associated inquilines, which together make up Materials and methods six tribes, which from representatives of 4 tribes Different plants, with which the herb gallwasps are are known from Iran: Cynipini, Aylacini, Dip- known to associate, were collected in different seasons lolepidini and Synergini. Recent studies on from meadows and rangelands in different parts of Iran, cynipid fauna of Iran were focused mainly on the mainly in Azerbaijan-e Gharbi (=West-Azerbaijan) (vicini- oak gallwasps (Cynipini) and their cynipid inqui- ties of Urmia) and Lorestan provinces. Collected plants lines (Synergini) (Melika & Stone 2001, Melika et were kept in glass boxes in the laboratory, they were al. 2004, Azizkhani et al. 2006, Tavakoli et al. 2008, checked weekly and the emerged wasps were preserved in 75% alcohol for further identification. Pénzes et al. 2009, Sadeghi et al. 2006, 2010). Very little is known about the herb gallwasp (Aylacini) fauna of Iran (Melika & Gharaei 2006, Tavakoli & Results Melika 2006, Melika & Karimpour 2008, Karim- pour et al. 2008, Karimpour 2011). During a 5-year survey (2006-2010) a total of 321 The tribe Aylacini comprises a group of ple- herb gallwasp specimens were reared which be- siomorphic genera of cynipid gall-inducers associ- long to 21 species from 6 genera of Aylacini ated with herbaceous plants. Most of the represen- (Cynipidae). With the exception of Aulacidea irani, tatives are associated with species of Asteraceae, which was collected from Echinops sp., all speci- some genera and species with Apiaceae, La- mens were reared from galls collected from host miaceae, Papaveraceae, Rosaceae and Valeriana- plants. Below, keys to genera and species of Ira- ceae (Melika 2006). Galls of Aylacini are not as nian Aylacini are given with data on each species. complex as in Cynipini or Diplolepidini; they are formed mainly in stems, flower heads, fruits and Key to genera of Aylacini in Iran seeds. All Aylacini species are monovoltine, only (all tarsal claws are simple, without basal lobes) sexual generations are known, without heterogeny 1. Mesopleuron reticulate or ruguloso-reticulate; or alternation of generations (Csóka et al. 2004). pronotum with indistinct submedian pronotal The Aylacini has a holarctic distribution, with pits or with transverse narrow impression; head near 130 species in 18 genera, from which ap- never broader than high in anterior view proximately 100 species are known from the Phanacis Palaearctic region and 30 species from the Nearctic Aylacini of Iran 269 -- Mesopleuron with transverse striae; pronotum Europe, three species are known from Tajikistan always with two distinct submedian pronotal and Turkmenistan (Diakontschuk 1984, 1988), one pits, separated by carina; head broader than high species was recently described from the Far East of in anterior view 2 Russia (Melika 2004) and 7 species are listed for 2. R1 and Rs not quite reaching wing margin; ra- America north of Mexico (Burks 1979). A total of dial cell of forewing entirely opened along mar- six species are known from Iran, and of these six gin 3 species two are found nowhere else. -- Rs almost reaching anterior margin of wing, R1 Key to Aulacidea species of Iran touching wing margin or continuing along wing (in all species known from Iran, the forewing mar- margin; radial cell closed, partially closed or ob- gin with a moderately long cilia; the head always soletely closed 4 slightly broader or at least as broad as high in an- 3. Mesopleuron with transverse striae, interspaces terior view; the female antenna with 11-12 flagel- reticulate; head trapezoid in anterior view; galls lomeres) in fruit capsules of Papaver Barbotinia -- Mesopleuron with transverse striae, interspaces 1. F2 in female antenna nearly 2.0 times as long as smooth, shiny; head rounded in anterior view, F1; metascutellum medially 3.0-4.0 times as high never trapezoid; mesoscutum with more or less as height of ventral impressed area; 2nd me- distinct transverse striae; galls on Centaurea and tasomal tergite with posterior band of punctures, other Asteraceae Isocolus occupying its half length, without distinct patch 4. Radial cell opened along margin, R1 usually not of dense setae anterolaterally; male antenna with reaching wing margin or if so, than continuing 11 flagellomeres; galls in stems of Acroptilon re- on short distance along margin; pronotum dor- pens acroptilonica sally relatively short, submedian pronotal pits -- F2 in female antenna nearly equal, shorter or strongly transverse, narrowly separated; scutel- slightly longer than F1; metascutellum medially lar foveae small, coriaceous; galls on Papaver nearly as high as height of ventral impressed Aylax area; 2nd metasomal tergite without posterior -- Radial cell closed or almost closed, R1 always band of punctures, with distinct patch of dense more or less continuing along wing margin; setae anterolaterally; male antenna with 12 flag- pronotum dorsally always quite long; submedial ellomeres; galls in other plants 2 pronotal pits and scutellar foveae different; galls 2. 3rd metasomal tergite entirely punctuate 3 on Asteraceae and Salvia (Lamiaceae) 5 -- 3rd metasomal tergite with posterior band of 5. Mesopleuron uniformly and entirely trans- punctures which usually extending to at most nd versely striate; 2 metasomal tergite with dis- half length of tergite 5 tinct patch of white setae anterolaterally; female 3. Scutellar foveae transversely ovate, always antenna with 11 flagellomeres; notauli usually broader than high, smooth, shiny; punctures on complete, reaching pronotum; wing margin with 3rd metasomal tergite uniformly dense and dis- moderately long cilia; galls mainly on Asteraceae tinct; hypopygium large; galls in stems on Scor- Aulacidea zonera scorzonerae -- Mesopleuron partially transversely striate, par- -- Scutellar foveae elongated, longer than broad, nd tially alutaceous; 2 metasomal tergite without with wrinkles; punctures on 3rd metasomal ter- patch of white setae anterolaterally; female an- gite more sparse and weak anteriorly; hypopy- tenna with 10 flagellomeres; notauli incomplete, gium small; galls on Tragopogon 4 wing margin without cilia; galls on Salvia 4. POL 1.7 times as long as OOL and 3.7 times Hedickiana longer than diameter of lateral ocellus; clypeus quadrangular, nearly as high as broad; pedicel in Genus Aulacidea Ashmead, 1897 female antenna subglobose, only 1.25 times Type species: Aulax mulgediicola Ashmead, 1896 (= longer than broad; lateral propodeal carinae Aulax harringtoni Ashmead, 1897). The genus can converging outwards in posterior 1/3; F1 in be easily distinguished from other Aylacini by the male antenna longer than F2, F2 shorter than F3; closed radial cell of the forewing and the uni- galls always at the base of Tragopogon flowers, formly transverse striation of the mesopleuron. never in stems tavakolii Holarctic genus, with 29 world-wide known spe- -- POL 1.2 times as long as OOL and 4.5–4.7 times cies (Melika 2006): 17 species are known from as long as diameter of lateral ocellus; clypeus 270 G. Melika & Y. Karimpour rectangular, at least 2.0 times as broad as high; Aulacidea hieracii (Linnaeus, 1758) pedicel in female antenna elongate, 1.5 times as Synonyms. Aulax graminis Cameron, 1875, Aulax long as broad; lateral propodeal carinae nearly artemisiae Thomson, 1877, Aulax foveigera Thom- straight, slightly converging inwards posteriorly; son, 1877, Aulax crassinervis Thomson, 1877, Aylax F1 in male antenna slightly shorter than F2, F2 sabaudi Hartig, 1840, Aulacidea cacaliae Belizin, equal F3; galls in Tragopogon stems, often merge 1959. into large conspicuous lignified, hard swellings Gall. In stems, multilocular, differently up to 40 mm in length, with rough surface shaped, large, hard and fuzzy galls; the stem