BIHAREAN BIOLOGIST 6 (1): pp.61-64 ©Biharean Biologist, Oradea, Romania, 2012 Article No.: 121107 http://biozoojournals.3x.ro/bihbiol/index.html New records of Phanerotomella rufa (Marshall, 1898) and Phanerotoma (Phanerotoma) acuminata Szépligeti, 1908 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from northern Iran Samira FARAHANI1, Ali Asghar TALEBI1* and Ehsan RAKHSHANI2 1. Department of Agricultural Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box: 14115-336, Tehran, Iran. 2. Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture, University of Zabol, Iran. * Corresponding author: A.A. Talebi, E-mail: [email protected] Received: 22. October 2011 / Accepted: 10. April 2012 / Available online: 4. May 2012 / Printed: June 2012 Abstract. Two rare species, Phanerotomella rufa (Marshall, 1898) and Phanerotoma (Phanerotoma) acuminata Szépligeti, 1908 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Cheloninae) have been recorded for the first time in Iran. P. rufa represents the first record of the genus Phanerotomella Szépligeti, 1900 in Iran. Specimens were collected using malaise traps from different habitats of northern Iran during 2010. Diagnostic characters and geographical distribution of the species are briefly discussed. Key words: Cheloninae, Phanerotomini, new record, rare species, Iran. Introduction then treated with 100% ethanol for 5 min. followed by hexamethyld- isilazane (HMDS) for 30 min and finally placed on the glass plate for Braconidae is one of the largest families of the parasitic drying (Heraty & Hawks 1998). The dried specimens were then card- wasps and is grouped into 48 subfamilies worldwide (Yu et mounted and labeled. The specimens were identified using reliable al. 2006), with a diverse habitat and biology (van Achterberg keys and comparing with the original descriptions (van Achterberg 1990). Geographical characteristics of the collecting sites are given in 1990, 1993, Shaw & Huddleston 1991). The Cheloninae is the Table 1. All specimens are deposited in the insect collection of the most easily recognizable subfamily of Braconidae, because of Department of Entomology, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran. the metasomal carapace (formed by the fusion of the first three tergites), the complete posterior transverse carina on the mesosternum and three submarginal cells in the fore- wing. Members of the subfamily Cheloninae are cosmopoli- tan species that include the solitary egg-larval endoparasi- toids of Lepidoptera, especially Tortricoidea and Pyraloidea, but also other taxa whose larvae are born in stems, buds or fruits (Shaw 1997). Cheloninae comprise more than 1300 de- scribed species worldwide (Yu et al. 2006, Edmardash et al. 2011). In spite of the worldwide distribution, only the tribes Chelonini Förster, 1862 and Phanerotomini Baker, 1926 are represented in the Palaearctic region (van Achterberg 1990, Yu et al. 2006, Aydogdu 2008). The western Palaearctic spe- cies of the Phanerotomini were revised and keyed by van Achterberg (1990), who reported a total of 47 species. To date, a total of 288 species of Phanerotomini have been re- ported in the world and approximately 50 species are found Figure 1. The habitat in which specimens in the Palaearctic region (Yu et al. 2006). The fauna of Iranian were collected by malaise trap. Braconidae was poorly studied. The first work mentioning some Cheloninae from Iran was that of Telenga (1941) who reported six species. Until recently, 27 species of Cheloninae Results and Discussion have been recorded from Iran (van Achterberg & Mehrnejad 2002, Ghahari et al. 2009, Fallahzadeh & Saghaei 2010, Gha- Two species belonging to the tribe Phanerotomini were iden- hari & Fischer 2011, Lashkari Bod et al. 2011), distinctly rep- tified and recorded for the first time from Iran. The genus resenting a small part of this large group of insects. Six spe- Phanerotomella has been reported here for the first time from cies of the genus Phanerotoma have already been known from Iran. Iran (Hedwig 1957, Zettel 1990, Al-e-Mansour & Mostafavi Phanerotomella rufa (Marshall, 1898) (Fig. 2-6) 1993, Fallahzadeh & Saghaei 2010, Ghahari & Fischer 2011). Here, we present two new records of the tribe Phanero- Material examined: Alborz province - Karadj (N: 35° 46.336', tomini from Iran. E: 50° 56.749', 1278m asl), 22-VI-2010, 1♂; 07-IX-2010, 1♀; Al- borz province - Shahriar (N: 35° 40.135', E: 50° 56.944', 1168m asl), 28-IX-2010, 1♂, leg. A. Nadimi. Material and Methods Diagnosis: body length 2.6 mm (for the Iranian speci- mens), body yellowish or brown (Fig. 2); number of antennal Material for this study was collected from different habitats of the northern Iran using malaise traps during 2010 (Fig. 1). The speci- segments of male 32 (Fig. 4) and female 31; eyes compara- mens were extracted from the traps and sorted weekly. They were tively large (Fig. 6); ocelli small; frons nearly always with 62 Farahani, S. et al. Table 1. Geographical characteristics of sampling locations in Guilan and Alborz provinces during 2010. Locality Latitude and longitude Altitude (m) Habitat Alborz province, Karadj N= 35˚ 46.336' / E= 50˚ 56.749' 1278 Orchard Alborz province, Shahriar N= 35˚ 40.135' / E= 50˚ 56.944' 1168 Orchard Guilan province, Eshmankamachal N= 37˚ 22.061' / E= 49˚ 57.964' -1 Humid forests Guilan province, Rudsar, Orkom N= 36˚ 45.739' / E= 50˚ 18.798' 1201 Deciduous forests and hazelnut Figures 2-6. The external morphology of adult male of Phanerotomella rufa, 2., dor- sal view of general habitus; 3. Forewing; 4. Antenna; 5. Dorsal aspect of metasoma; 6. Lateral aspect of head. some rugose laterally and smooth medially; fore wing length of male and female 23 (Fig. 9); face rugose; mesosternum 2.4 mm, marginal cell of fore wing narrow and short, fore shiny, mesoscutum densely and finely rugose (Fig. 12); fore wings 2-SR and SR1 straight, 1-R1 subequal to pterostigma; wing length 4-4.5 mm, marginal cell of fore wing wide and parastigma small, second submarginal cell usually distinctly long, 2-SR and SRI straight; 1-R1 longer than pterostigma petiolate (Fig. 3); hind wing length 1.9-2 mm, vein cu-a of (1.3 time), parastigma large, dark; first discal cell pigmented, hind wing absent; legs yellowish; apex of third metasomal hind wing length 3.2-3.5 mm, subbasal cell of hind wing tergite of male with lateral pair of lamelliform-lobes (Fig. 5), open, SC+R1 of hind wing straight; middle tibia with con- first and second tergites reticulated; spicuous blister (Fig. 11); third metasomal tergite of female Distribution: Austria, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Turkey, narrowed distally (Fig. 10) and its lateral sides nearly USSR (Moldavia), Serbia (van Achterberg 1990, Yu et al. straight, metasoma strongly flattened. 2006, Zikic et al. 2010) and Iran (newly recorded). Distribution: Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Eng- Biology: unknown. land, Italy, France, Netherlands, Romania, former USSR (Azerbajdzhan, Crimea), Germany, Serbia, Mongolia, Mon- Phanerotoma (Phanerotoma) acuminata Szépligeti, 1908 tenegro (van Achterberg 1990, Yu et al. 2006, Papp 2009, (Fig. 7-12) Zikic et al. 2010) and Iran (newly recorded). Material examined: Guilan province - Eshmankamachal (N: Biology: It has been reported as a parasitoid of the 37°22.061', E: 49°57.964', -1m asl), 05-VII-2010, 1♀; 11-VII- Clover hay-worm moth, Hypsopygia costalis Fabricius, 1775 2010, 2♂; Guilan province - Rudsar, Orkom (N: 36˚45.739΄, E: (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) (Yu et al. 2006). 50˚18.198΄, 1201m asl) 06-VII-2010, 2♀, leg. M. Khayrandish. Very little information is available about taxonomy of Diagnosis: body length 4-4.9 mm (for the Iranian speci- the tribe Phanerotomini in Iran. Until recently, six Phanero- mens), body yellowish (Fig. 7); number of antennal segments toma species have been reported from Iran. These are: Phan- New records of Phanerotomella rufa and Phanerotoma (Phanerotoma) acuminate from northern Iran 63 erotoma (Bracotritoma) parva Kokujev, 1903, P. (B.) masiana erotomella has been recorded from Greece (van Achterberg Fahringer, 1934, P. (P.) fracta Kokujev, 1903, P. (P.) leucobasis 1990), Turkey (Aydogdu & Beyarslan 2009), Russia Far East Kriechbaumer, 1894, P. (P.) syleptae Zettel, 1990 and P. (B.) (Belokobylskij 1986), India (Ahmad & Shujauddin 2003), Ko- permixtellae Fischer, 1968 (Hedwig 1957, Zettel 1990, Al-e- rea (Papp, 2003), Austria (Zettel, 1987) and Germany, Bohe- Mansour & Mostafavi 1993, Fallahzadeh & Saghaei 2010, mia, Hungary, Moldavia (Zettel, 1989). The genus Phanero- Ghahari & Fischer 2011). Recently, Ghramh (2011) has re- toma has also a wide distribution in Central Asia (van ported four species of the genus Phanerotoma from Saudi Achterberg 1990, Aydogdu & Beyarslan 2009) indicating a Arabia. The genus Phanerotomella has been recorded for the need for further studies in Iran, concerning their potential as first time from Iran. Many species have been described from biological control agents against some important lepidop- Afrotropical region (van Achterberg 1990). The genus Phan- teran pests. Figures 7-12. The external morphology of adult female of Phanerotoma (P.) acuminata: 7. lateral view of general habitus; 8. Forewing; 9. An- tenna; 10. Dorsal aspect of metasoma; 11. Mid- dle tibia; 12. Dorsal view of mesosoma. Acknowledgements. We would like to thank the department of Aydogdu, M. (2008): A new species of the genus Chelonus Panzer, 1806 Entomology, Tarbiat Modares University for providing financial (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Cheloninae) from Western Anatolia (Turkey). support for this research. We are most grateful