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http://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/zoology/

Turkish Journal of Zoology Turk J Zool(2015) 39: 279-284© TÜBİTAKdoi:10.3906/zoo-1312-45

Cryptinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) fauna of Isfahan Province of central Iran

Hossein BARAHOEI1,*, Elham NADER2, Ehsan RAKHSHANI2

1Agricultural Research Institute, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran2Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran

* Correspondence: barahoei@uoz.ac.ir

1. IntroductionThe subfamily Cryptinae is the largest group of Ichneumonidae, with 397 genera in the world (Yu et al., 2012). Members of this subfamily are usually parasitoids of cocoons of Lepidoptera. They also parasitize other taxa of Ichneumonoidea, Neuroptera, Arachnida, Diptera, Trichoptera, Coleoptera, and Hymenoptera (Townes, 1970). The most common hosts of Cryptinae are pupae or prepupae of endopterygote insects enclosed in cocoons or inside plant tissues. However, there are some endoparasitic species in the subtribes Hedycryptina, Phygadeuontina, and Stilpnina. Some species parasitize the egg sacs of other arthropods like Pseudoscorpionida and Araneae, and many of them can develop as secondary parasitoids (Goulet and Huber, 1993). Many species are idiobiont ectoparasitoids, and some genera also contain koinobiont endoparasitoids (Wahl, 1993). Until now, 99 species from the subfamily Cryptinae have been recorded from Iran (Barahoei et al., 2012; Ghahari and Schwarz, 2012), of which only 2 species, Mesostenus transfuga Gravenhorst, 1829 and Synechocryptus sanguinolentus (Gravenhorst, 1829), have already been recorded from Isfahan Province (Kolarov and Ghahari, 2007; Barahoei et al., 2012).

In this paper we present new information about the occurrence of some species belonging to the subfamily

Cryptinae from Isfahan Province, located in the central part of Iran. A brief diagnosis is presented for the newly recorded species.

2. Materials and methodsIchneumonid specimens were collected using Malaise traps and sweeping nets at various locations in Isfahan Province during June–November 2012. The specimens were extracted from the Malaise traps at weekly intervals. The collected specimens were then transferred into 96% ethanol, dried on filter paper, and mounted. The same procedures were performed with the swept materials.

The external morphology of specimens was studied using a Nikon SMZ645 stereomicroscope. Identification was performed based on the diagnostic characters presented in previous keys and descriptions (Rossem, 1969; Townes, 1970; Horstmann, 1986, 1991; Jussila et al., 2010). Identification of some species was made by Martin Schwarz and Matthias Riedel.

The specimens were deposited in the Insect Collection of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zabol (FAUOZ). Nomenclature and distribution data are mainly taken from Yu et al. (2012).

The list of the taxa is arranged alphabetically, and the newly recorded species are marked with an asterisk.

Abstract: A survey on the fauna of the Cryptinae of Isfahan Province was carried out in the summer of 2012. Specimens were collected using Malaise traps and sweeping nets. Nine species belonging to 9 genera of Cryptinae occurring in Isfahan Province were collected and identified. Among them, 7 species have been recorded from Iran previously. These species are Cryptus inculcator (Linnaeus, 1758); Dichrogaster saharator (Aubert, 1964); Gelis areator (Panzer, 1804); Lysibia nana (Gravenhorst, 1829); Mesostenus transfuga Gravenhorst, 1829; Stilpnus gagates (Gravenhorst, 1807); and Trychosis priesneri Rossem, 1971. Mesoleptus laevigatus (Gravenhorst, 1820) and Zoophthorus plumbeus (Thomson, 1884) are new records for the fauna of Iran. The genus Zoophthorus is recorded here for the first time from Iran as well as from Asia. All recorded species, except M. transfuga, are new records for Isfahan Province.

Key words: Cryptinae, distribution, Mesoleptus laevigatus, Zoophthorus plumbeus, new record

Received: 25.12.2013 Accepted: 02.07.2014 Published Online: 27.02.2015 Printed: 27.03.2015

Research Article

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3. ResultsNine species belonging to 9 genera in total were collected and identified, of which 1 genus and 2 species are newly recorded for the fauna of Iran. All species except Mesostenus transfuga are new records for Isfahan Province. 3.1. Tribe Cryptini Kirby, 1837Cryptus inculcator (Linnaeus, 1758)

Material examined: 1♀ and 5♂♂, Malaise trap, Najafabad, 02-VII-2012; 2♀♀, swept on Medicago sativa L., Nazhvan, 27-X-2012; 1♂, Malaise trap, Tiran, 19-VI-2012.

Distribution in Iran: Alborz (Masnadi and Jussila, 2008), Sistan and Baluchestan (Barahoei et al., 2012, 2013; Firuzi Jahantighi et al., 2012), Yazd (Zarepour et al., 2008).

General distribution: Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, Uzbekistan (Yu et al., 2012).

Mesostenus transfuga Gravenhorst, 1829Material examined: 1♀, Malaise trap, Falavarjan, 02-

VI-2012; 1♀, Malaise trap, Hoyeh, 04-VI-2012.Distribution in Iran: Fars, Guilan, Isfahan, Khorasan-

e-Razavi, Mazandaran (Kolarov and Ghahari, 2007), Qazvin (Ghahari and Schwarz, 2012).

General distribution: Algeria, Austria, Azerbaijan, Azores, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canary Islands, Czech Republic, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Mongolia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine (Yu et al., 2012).

Trychosis priesneri Rossem, 1971Material examined: 2♂♂, Malaise trap, Falavarjan, 19-

VI-2012.Distribution in Iran: Sistan and Baluchestan (Barahoei

et al., 2012).General distribution: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia,

France, Greece, Poland, Switzerland, Turkey, Yugoslavia (Yu et al., 2012).3.2. Tribe Phygadeuontini Förster, 1869Dichrogaster saharator (Aubert, 1964)

Material examined: 1♂, swept on Poaceae, Falavarjan, 07-XI-2012; 2♀♀, swept on Phragmites australis, Hoyeh, 14-VI-2012.

Distribution in Iran: Ardabil, Fars, Khuzestan, Mazandaran, Tehran, Zanjan (Kolarov and Ghahari, 2007), Sistan and Baluchestan (Kolarov and Ghahari, 2007; Firuzi Jahantighi et al., 2012; Barahoei et al., 2013).

General distribution: Algeria, Bulgaria, Iran, Israel, Turkey (Yu et al., 2012).

Gelis areator (Panzer, 1804)Material examined: 6♂♂, Malaise trap, Ardestan,

20-VIII-2012; 6♂♂, Malaise trap, Ardestan, 06-X-2012; 1♂, Malaise trap, Najafabad, 02-VII-2012; 1♀ and 5♂♂, Malaise trap, Tiran, 22-VI-2012.

Distribution in Iran: Not exactly defined (Haeselbarth, 1985).

General distribution: Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine (Yu et al., 2012), Turkey (Okyar et al., 2012).

Lysibia nana (Gravenhorst, 1829)Material examined: 1♀, swept on aquatic plants,

Hoyeh, 14-VI-2012; 2♀♀, swept on Medicago sativa L., Falavarjan, 07-XI-2012; 3♀♀, swept on M. sativa L., Filour, 28-IX-2012; 4♂♂, swept on M. sativa L., Hoyeh, 14-VI-2012; 3♀♀, swept on Medicago sativa L., Nazhvan, 27-X-2012.

Distribution in Iran: Mazandaran (Kolarov and Ghahari, 2007), Qazvin (Ghahari and Schwarz, 2012).

General distribution: Afghanistan, Austria, Azerbaijan, Azores, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canary Islands, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Madeira Islands, Moldova, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United States, Ukraine, Yugoslavia (Yu et al., 2012).

Mesoleptus laevigatus (Gravenhorst, 1820)* (Figures 1A–1H and 2)

Material examined: 3♂♂, swept on Medicago sativa L., Filour, 28-IX-2012.

Diagnosis: Frons usually punctured (Figure 1B), flagellum (in male specimens) with at least 4 tyloids, usually 3 long and 1 short (Figure 1D), forewing (Figure 1H) with vein 2m–cu with 2 bullae, hind wing (Figure 2) with vein m+cu fully pigmented, first metasomal tergite (Figures 1E and 1G) without distinct lateral carinae, metasoma (Figure 2) compressed, second tergite short, at most twice as long as wide, lateral crease separating epipleurum from tergite 2 present, extending from base to apex of the tergite (Jussila et al., 2010).

Distribution in Iran: New record for Iran.General distribution: Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium,

Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine (Yu et al., 2012).

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Figure 1. The external morphology of male specimen of Mesoleptus laevigatus (Gravenhorst): A- Dorsal view of head; B- frontal view of head; C- propodeum; D- antenna; E- lateral view of thorax, propodeum, and first segment of gaster; F- mesoscutum;G: lateral view of propodeum and first segment of gaster; H- forewing.

Figure 2. Mesoleptus laevigatus (Gravenhorst), lateral view of male specimen.

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Stilpnus gagates (Gravenhorst, 1807)Material examined: 2♂♂, Malaise trap, Nazhvan, 11-

VI-2012.Distribution in Iran: Sistan and Baluchestan (Firuzi

Jahantighi et al., 2012).General distribution: Austria, Azerbaijan, Azores,

Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Canary Islands, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Moldova, Mongolia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United States (Yu et al., 2012).

Zoophthorus plumbeus (Thomson, 1884)* (Figures 3A–3G and 4)

Material examined: 3♂♂, Malaise trap, Hoyeh, 04-VI-2012; 1♂, swept on Medicago sativa L., Nazhvan, 21-X-2012.

Diagnosis: Clypeus bulging very strongly, mandibles subbasally curved a little (Figure 3B), notauli almost reaching to the middle of mesoscutum (Figure 3F), pronotum dorsally without longitudinal keel, epomia absent or weakly indicated by a small wrinkle, postpectal carinae wide, interrupted before coxa, dorsolateral longitudinal carinae of the first segment of metasoma entirely absent, dorsal carinae of tergite 1 missing, tergite 2 (Figure 4) very finely and densely punctate, smooth, hind margin thickened, epipleurum of tergite 2 of females 3–4 times as long as wide, slender in the male, slightly longer than tergite 1, ovipositor tip dorsally convex, length of ovipositor sheath longer than the first segment of gaster (Horstmann, 1991).

Distribution in Iran: Genus and species are new records for Iran as well as for Asia.

General distribution: Czech Republic, England, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Sweden, United Kingdom (Yu et al., 2012).

Figure 3. The external morphology of male specimen of Zoophthorus plumbeus (Thomson): A- Dorsal view of head; B- frontal view of head; C- propodeum; D- antenna; E- lateral view of head, thorax, propodeum, and first segment of gaster; F- mesoscutum; G- forewing.

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4. DiscussionA short-term sampling led to the discovery of 9 species belonging to Cryptinae. Among them, Mesoleptus laevigatus and Zoophthorus plumbeus are new records for the fauna of Iran. Mesoleptus laevigatus has a wide distribution in the Palearctic and Oriental regions (Yu et al., 2012). Z. plumbeus was hitherto only known from Europe (Yu et al., 2012); thus, it is a new record for Iran as well as for Asia. Only 2 species, Mesostenus transfuga and Synechocryptus sanguinolentus, have previously been recorded from Isfahan Province (Barahoei et al., 2012).

With the addition of the new records, the number of Cryptinae recorded from Iran has been increased to 101 species, which clearly represents a very small portion of the known Cryptinae in the Palearctic region.

Although there are a considerable number of records for the host associations of some Cryptinae (Gauld and Hanson, 1995), very little is known about their biology and seasonal occurrence. The discrete and overall nature of the sampling methods could be the major reason for dominance of the male specimens, which complicated identification. Further appraisal sampling in the same regions, as well as in other areas in the central part of Iran, is necessary to find a more complete assemblage of Cryptinae in this region.

AcknowledgmentsWe express our gratitude to Dr Martin Schwarz (Kirchschlag, Austria) and Dr Matthias Riedel (Klinik Fallingbostel, Bad Fallingbostel, Germany) for the identification of some specimens. This work was supported by Project No. 9201003 of Agricultural Research, University of Zabol.

Figure 4. Zoophthorus plumbeus (Thomson), lateral view of male specimen.

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