First discovery of the genus Miota Foerster, 1856 (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae) from Iran and the Middle East, with four records of species

The diapriid genus, Miota Foerster (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae) is discovered from the first time from the Middle East area, represented by four species in Iran. The specimens were collected using Malaise traps during 2011-2018 in northern Iran. Four newly recorded species were Miota fungorum (Kieffer, 1910), M. monilicornis (Kieffer, 1910), M. polita (Thomson, 1858) and M. thomsoni Wall, 1998. Diagnostic characters, illustrations, geographical distributions, and a key to Iranian species are provided

A contribution to the knowledge of Belytinae (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae) in Hyrcanian forests, with the first record of five genera and species from Iran

A faunistic survey of the subfamily Belytinae (Hymenoptera: Diaprioidea, Diapriidae) was carried out in northern Iran during 2010-2018. Based on the specimens collected from Golestan, Guilan, and Mazandarean provinces, five genera Diphora Foerster, 1856, Acanosema Kieffer, 1908, Acanopsilus Kieffer, 1908; Psilomma Foerster, 1856 and Synacra Foerster, 1856, are recorded for the first time from Iran. Each genus is represented by one newly recorded species. Diagnostic characters of the newly recorded taxa are provided along with illustrations. A key to the genera of the subfamily Belytinae from Iran is presented

Helorus alborzicus Izadizadeh

<i>Helorus alborzicus</i> Izadizadeh, van Achterberg & Talebi sp. nov. <p> <b>Material examined. Holotype:</b> Female (TMUC)—Alborz province, Chalous Road, Arangeh (35º55′07.20″N, 51º05′09.24″E, 1891 m a.s.l.), 29-VI-2010, A. Nadimi.</p> <p> <b>Paratypes.</b> 11♀ 4♂ (TMUC, RMNH): same locality data as holotype, 1♀, 06-VII-2010, 3♀, Alborz province, Chalous Road, Sarziarat (35º55′10.38″ N, 51º06′51.24″ E, 1980 m a.s.l.), 29-VI-2010, 3♀ 2♂, 10-VIII-2010, 2♀ 2♂, 14-IX-2010, 2♀, A. Nadimi.</p> <p> <b>Diagnosis.</b> <i>Helorus alborzicus</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> differs from the closely related species <i>Helorus striolatus</i> Cameron, 1906 by having the first tergite slenderer (stout in <i>H. striolatus</i>) in lateral view (Fig. 2 D), frons laterally, middle lobe of mesoscutum and vertex completely smooth and shiny (frons laterally finely and more or less densely punctate and middle lobe of mesoscutum and vertex moderately shiny and finely punctulate in <i>H. striolatus</i>).</p> <p> <b>Description.</b> Female—Length of body 4.9 mm, of fore wing 3.5 mm.</p> <p> <b>Head</b> (Fig. 2 A)—First flagellomere (excluding ring segment or anellus) 1.2 × as long as second flagellomere; first, second and penultimate flagellomeres 3.3, 2.8 and 2.0 × as long as wide, respectively; apical (fifth) segment of maxillary palp 1.6 × as long as fourth segment; face and clypeus smooth, densely and long setose; clypeus broadly semicircular; frons laterally and vertex completely smooth; length of eye in dorsal view 1.3 times as long as temple height in dorsal view; temple with long setae; OOL:OD:POL = 10:3.5:9; malar space 0.35 × as long as height of eye; malar sulcus present.</p> <p> <b>Mesosoma</b> (Fig. 2 B)—Mesosoma 1.45 × as long as high; sides of pronotum with strong longitudinal carinae; mesopleuron distinctly crenulate–rugose near anterior margin; posterior edge of mesopleuron with vertical, crenulate mesepimeral sulcus; median part of mesopleuron glabrous; anterior edge of metapleuron with vertical crenulate groove; metapleuron coarsely reticulate and with long setae; prepectal and postpectal carinae present; middle lobe of mesoscutum largely smooth and with short setae; notauli deep and finely crenulate; scutellar sulcus deep and coarsely crenulate; mesoscutellum smooth, weakly convex and without posterior crest or carina, but with narrow transverse crenulate groove; metanotum crenulate anteriorly, smooth and rounded posteriorly; median ridge on upper face of propodeum strong; propodeum coarsely reticulated.</p> <p> <b>Wings</b> (Fig. 1 B)—Fore wing pterostigma slender, 3 × as long as its maximum width; fore wing vein 1-R1 slightly longer than pterostigma; Fore wing vein 2-SR widened and straight; base of fore wing SR1 widened.</p> <p> <b>Legs</b> (Fig. 1 A)―Length of femur, tibia and basitarsus of hind leg 5.0×, 7.5× and 9.8× their width, respectively.</p> <p> <b>Metasoma</b> (Figs 2 C, 2D)—First metasomal tergite slender, with longitudinal wrinkles; first tergite in dorsal view narrowed apically and 3.2× as long as its maximum width; first metasomal tergite in lateral view 3.5× as long as its maximum width; syntergite narrowed basally; hypopygium punctate.</p> <p> <b>Colour</b> (Fig. 1 A)—General colour of body black; tegulae, palpi, apical 0.25 of fore femur, apical 0.1 of middle femur, fore and middle tibiae and tarsi brownish-yellow; flagellum brown; hind tibia and tarsus dark brown to black; pterostigma and wing veins brown.</p> <p> <b>Male.</b> Very similar to female.</p> <p> <b>Variations</b> (paratypes). Length of body of female 4.1–4.9 mm (of male 3.9–4.2 mm); length of fore wing of female 3.0– 3.5 mm (male 2.9–3.1 mm); length of first metasomal tergite 3.1–3.3× (in dorsal view) and 3.2–3.5× (in lateral view) maximum width.</p> <p> <b>Biology.</b> Unknown.</p> <p> <b>Etymology.</b> The name of the new species is derived from the name of the type locality, the Alborz mountains in northern-central Iran.</p>Published as part of <i>Izadizadeh, Mohammad, Talebi, Ali Asghar, Achterberg, Cornelis Van & Rakhshani, Ehsan, 2015, First record of the family Heloridae (Hymenoptera: Proctotrupoidea) from Iran, with description of a new species, pp. 577-582 in Zootaxa 3946 (4)</i> on pages 578-579, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3946.4.6, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/244907">http://zenodo.org/record/244907</a&gt

Helorus

Key to West Palaearctic species of the genus <i>Helorus</i> <p> 1. First metasomal tergite slender subbasally; 2.7–3.3 × as long as its maximum width in dorsal view (in ♂ <i>H. striolatus</i> 2.3–2.7), in lateral view relatively slender (Fig. 2 D, 4D); face and mesoscutum smooth, with inconspicuous sculpture and at most punctulate (e.g. marked with very small dots or punctures)..................................................... 2</p> <p>- First metasomal tergite wider subbasally, 1.8–2.3 × as long as its maximum width in dorsal view, in lateral view moderately high and mesoscutum distinctly finely punctate or coarsely rugose-punctate (e. g. marked with spots, holes or depressions)...................................................................................................... 4</p> <p> 2. Pterostigma stout (Fig. 3 B), 2.1–2.6 × as long as wide; mesopleuron with smooth area near anterior margin; antenna yellowish brown (Fig. 3 A); fore and middle legs yellow or yellowish-brown (Fig. 3 A).................. <i>H. ruficornis</i> Förster, 1856</p> <p>- Pterostigma slender (Fig. 1 B), 2.9–3.6 × as long as wide; mesopleuron distinctly crenulate-rugose subanteriorly; antenna dark brown or black (Fig. 1 A); coxae, trochanters and basal halves of femora of fore and middle legs black (Fig. 1 A)......... 3</p> <p> 3. Frons laterally, vertex (Fig. 2 A) and middle lobe of mesoscutum (Fig. 2 B) largely smooth; first metasomal tergite 3.2–3.5 × as long as wide in lateral view (Fig. 2 D)....................... <i>H</i>. <i>alborzicus</i> Izadizadeh, van Achterberg & Talebi <b>sp. nov.</b></p> <p> - Frons laterally finely and more or less densely punctate and middle lobe of mesoscutum and vertex moderately shiny and finely punctulate; first metasomal tergite 2.3–3.0 × as long as wide in lateral view............ <i>H. striolatus</i> Cameron, 1906</p> <p> 4. Face, vertex, temple and middle lobe of mesoscutum coarsely reticulate–rugose................ <i>H. nigripes</i> Förster, 1856</p> <p> - Face, vertex, temple and middle lobe of mesoscutum moderately finely punctate............ <i>H. anomalipes</i> (Panzer, 1798)</p>Published as part of <i>Izadizadeh, Mohammad, Talebi, Ali Asghar, Achterberg, Cornelis Van & Rakhshani, Ehsan, 2015, First record of the family Heloridae (Hymenoptera: Proctotrupoidea) from Iran, with description of a new species, pp. 577-582 in Zootaxa 3946 (4)</i> on page 578, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3946.4.6, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/244907">http://zenodo.org/record/244907</a&gt

Helorus ruficornis Forster 1856

<i>Helorus ruficornis</i> Förster, 1856 <p> <b>Material examined.</b> Iran, Mazandaran province, Noor, Chamestan, Tangehvaz (36º18′51.42″N, 52º07′48.00″E, 1353 m a.s.l.), 28-VI-2011, 3♂, M. Khairandish.</p> <p> <b>Diagnosis.</b> Length of body 4.1–5.1 mm; length of fore wing 3.1–3.6 mm; antenna yellowish brown; length of eye in dorsal view 1.25× as long as temple height (Fig. 4 A); mesoscutum punctate, notauli deep and finely crenulate (Fig. 4 B); propodeum reticulate; pterostigma stout, 2.4–2.6× as long as wide (Fig. 3 B); legs (except hind coxa) yellowish-brown (Fig. 4 A); first metasomal segment slender, in dorsal and lateral view 3–3.3 times as long as its maximum width (Figs 4 C, 4D); syntergite basally slender.</p> <p> <b>Distribution.</b> Andorra, Austria, Bulgaria, England, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Pakistan, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland and U.S.A. (Townes 1977; van Achterberg 2006) and Iran (new record).</p> <p> <b>Biology.</b> This species is a larval endoparasitoid of <i>Dichochrysa ventralis</i> (Curtis, 1834) and <i>Pseudomallada prasinus</i> (Burmeister, 183) (Townes 1977).</p>Published as part of <i>Izadizadeh, Mohammad, Talebi, Ali Asghar, Achterberg, Cornelis Van & Rakhshani, Ehsan, 2015, First record of the family Heloridae (Hymenoptera: Proctotrupoidea) from Iran, with description of a new species, pp. 577-582 in Zootaxa 3946 (4)</i> on page 580, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3946.4.6, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/244907">http://zenodo.org/record/244907</a&gt

FIGURE 3. Helorus ruficornis Foerster, 1856. A in First record of the family Heloridae (Hymenoptera: Proctotrupoidea) from Iran, with description of a new species

FIGURE 3. Helorus ruficornis Foerster, 1856. A. Lateral aspect of male general habitus, B. Fore wing

First record of the family Heloridae (Hymenoptera: Proctotrupoidea) from Iran, with description of a new species

Izadizadeh, Mohammad, Talebi, Ali Asghar, Achterberg, Cornelis Van, Rakhshani, Ehsan (2015): First record of the family Heloridae (Hymenoptera: Proctotrupoidea) from Iran, with description of a new species. Zootaxa 3946 (4): 577-582, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3946.4.

First report of the occurrence of the genus Pantolyta Foerster, 1856 (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae) from Iran

During our studies on the family Diapriidae, two species of the genus Pantolyta Foerster, 1856 were collected and identified for the first time from Iran: Pantolyta pallida Kieffer, 1908 and Pantolyta nixoni Macek, 1993. A key to the Iranian species of the genus Pantolyta and diagnostic characters for both newly recorded species are provided along with illustrations. In addition, distribution map of the two species in the Palaearctic region is presented