Hossein Lotfalizadeh

• Professor
• Research Director at Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection (IRIPP)

A phylogenetic study of the Eurytominae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) treating 178 taxa and based on 150 morphological characters is given. Several cladograms using the complete species sample, but obtained with different weightings, are presented. Local studies were also carried out to provide possible alternate topologies. The deep nodes of the tre...

Taxonomic studies on parasitic Hymenoptera were mainly based on comparative morphology of adult wasps and occasionally on molecular surveys. Nowadays, wing interference patterns (WIPs) are applied to separate cryptic species of microhymenoptera. In our current research, colour characters of WIPs are quantified as wing interference colours (WICs), f...

Wing interference patterns (WIPs) and colours (WICs) have been highlighted in taxonomy for their usefulness in the discrimination of species, particularly in the case of some parasitic wasps. Here, we evaluate the usefulness of these stable structural colour patterns as species-specific characters in nine species of Aphidiinae (Hymenoptera: Braconi...

eurytomidae (Chalcidoidea) species associated with fig trees (Ficus) are still poorly documented. A phylogenetic analysis of 63 morphological characters was conducted to revise Afrotropical species of Sycophila Walker and Ficomila Bouček associated with fig trees. Based on our results, which also included Palaearctic species of Sycophila, three sub...

The ber fruit fly (BFF), Carpomya vesuviana Costa, 1854 (Diptera: Tephritidae), is an important key pest of the jujube, Ziziphus jujuba Miller. The main control measures against this pest are to use chemical control, but the first survey for its natural enemies was performed in Iran. Here, we report eight species of parasitic wasps of the BFF from...

The family Macromesidae Graham, 1959, and the genus Epicopterus Westwood, 1833, from the family Eunotidae Ashmead, 1904, are recorded for the first time from Iran, by two species Macromesus amphiretus Walker, 1848, and Epicopterus choreiformis Westwood, 1833, respectively. Specimens were collected using Malaise traps during 2010-2011 from the Guila...

Through a survey that was conducted in Basrah Province, Southern Iraq in 2021, specimens were collected from alfalfa fields (Medicago sativa L.) using a sweep net. These specimens were identified as Neotrichoporoides Girault, 1913 (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea, Eulophidae), which is a new report of the genus in Iraq. Three species were collected and i...

Diglyphus Walker, 1844 (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) has previously been recorded in Iraq, with two species registered in the region: D. isaea Walker, 1838 and D. crassinervis Erdös 1958 During a survey conducted in Basrah Governorate, Southern Iraq, specimens were collected from alfalfa fields (Medicago sativa L.) using a sweep net and yellow pan trap...

Samples of the common reed, Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. (Poaceae), were collected in a survey conducted in the south of West Azarbaijan province, Iran, from 2021 to 2023. The plant tissues were transported to the Entomology Laboratory of Urmia University, where chalcidoid wasps were obtained through laboratory rearing. The chalcidoi...

The fig leaf roller (FLR), Phycodes radiata (Ochsenheimer, 1808) (Lepidoptera: Brachodidae), is an Oriental defoliator pest of Ficus spp. In the Oriental region, only two parasitic wasps, belonging to the Chalcididae and Eulophidae (Hymenoptera) families have been identified as natural enemies of FLR. Therefore, attempts are being made to discover...

A few species of aphids are widespread and economically important in Iran's apple orchards. In this study, we looked for economical, environmentally friendly, and efficient management of aphids with particular emphasis on green apple aphid (GAA) Aphis pomi (de Geer). We aimed to avoid early-season pesticide applications, avoiding specific applicati...

The monotypic genus, Sedma Bouček, 1991, represented by a single species, Sedma dispar Bouček, 1991, is recorded for the first time in the Middle East region. A concise diagnosis, along with illustrations of the relevant characters and comparison with the type specimen, are provided. Its distribution along the southern part of the Western Palearcti...

Species of the subfamily Diplazontinae (Hym.: Ichneumonidae) were studied in West Azarbaijan province (Northwest of Iran). The specimens were collected using Malaise traps, during 2019–2020. Five species belonging to three genera were collected and identified. One species, Homotropus riedeli Johansson, 2020 was a new record for Iran as well as Asia...

During a survey of the family Ichneumonidae in northwestern Iran, a total of 17 species belonging to the subfamilies Banchinae, Cryptinae, Ichneumoninae, Mesochorinae, Metopiinae, Orthopelmatinae, Phygadeuontinae and Tersilochinae were identified. Two species, Lissonota (Lissonota) rufofacies Riedel nov. sp. and Orthopelma mukriyana Riedel nov. sp....

The diversity of plant species belonging to the Poaceae family in Iran is very rich with about 500 known species. Many species of gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) have a feeding relationship with plants of the Poaceae family. Despite the great species richness of Poaceae in Iran and the association between Cecidomyiidae/Poaceae, only 6 species...

Based on the collection from Karbala, southern Iraq, seven species from six genera of the family Pteromalidae were identified. All of the genera are the first records of the fauna of Iraq. Norbanus tabatabaeii Lotfalizadeh & Alsendi sp. nov. was described from Iraq and compared with closely allied species of the genus in the Palaearctic region. Six...

The order Hymenoptera comprises an important group of insects, with ecological and economic importance, and serving as ecological indicators. Investigating the diversity and distribution of fauna is considered a prerequisite for biodiversity conservation. In this research, the hymenopteran fauna in mangrove forests on the southern coast of Iran wer...

Erimerinae has been proposed as a subfamily group name prior to Microdontomerinae and the latter was considered as a junior synonym of Erimerinae. A new genus, Perserimerus Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus, gen. nov., and three new species, Perserimerus marginalis Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus, sp. nov., Microdontomerus iriphagus Lotfalizadeh & Janšta, sp. nov., an...

Baryscapus evonymellae (Bouché, 1834) (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) was rediscovered on Leucoma wiltshirei Collenette, 1938 (Lepidoptera, Erebidae) attacked by different parasitoids. This species had already been reported under different names; therefore, its inaccurate identifications were corrected. It was reared as a larval and pupal hyperparasitoid...

An overview of the family Leucospidae (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea) is provided for the leucospid fauna of the Arabian Peninsula. Two genera containing four species are identified based on morphometrics and colour patterns. One species, Leucospis ayezae Usman, Anwar & Ahmad, sp. nov., is described. Leucospis elegans Klug had been previously recorded...

During the survey in the orchards of Al-Husiniya in Karbala in June 2019, specimens of Psilochalcis elegantula (Masi, 1929) were collected using a sweep net. It is the first record of the genus Psilochalcis Kieffer, 1905 and P. elegantula from Iraq. The important morphological characters are illustrated and discussed. An updated list of the chalcid...

Three ladybird (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) species, Coccinella septempunctata L., C. undecimpunctata L. and Hippodamia variegata (Goeze), were recorded as hosts of Dinocampus coccinellae (Schrank, 1802) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in the Iranian provinces of Khuzestan and Kurdistan. Coccinella undecimpunctata is a new host of this parasitoid in the c...

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is recognized as one of the oldest perennial forages with considerable economic importance due to its characteristic biomass yield, quality forage, adaptability to various environments, and nitrogen fixation. The alfalfa seed chalcid, Bruchophagus spp. (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea, Eurytomidae), is a key pest of alfalfa s...

Through a survey that was conducted from 2020 to 2021, specimens were collected from wheat fields (Triticum aestivum L.) in West Azarbaijan province in the northwest of Iran using a sweep net. These are Neotrichoporoides nyemitawus (Rohwer, 1921), a new report for Iranian fauna and the West Palaearctic subregion. Illustrations of N. nyemitawus are...

The Campopleginae is the third largest subfamily of Ichneumonidae in the world and Iran. During a study of the family Ichneumonidae in northwestern Iran, we collected 30 species of the subfamily Campopleginae. One genus, Parameloboris Riedel, and two species, Diadegma persicum Riedel sp. nov. and Parameloboris nigrocephalus Riedel sp. nov., are new...

Through a survey conducted in West Azarbaijan province, northwestern Iran in 2022, infested fruits of Elaeagnus angustifolia L. (Elaeagnaceae) were collected. Anarsia eleagnella Kuznetsov, 1957 (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) was obtained from laboratory rearing. A parasitic wasp was collected in the rearing container that was identified under Hyssopus...

Two chalcidoid parasitic wasps (Hym.: Chalcidoidea) of two lepidopterous pests on willow trees, Salix spp., were collected in Tehran and Alborz provinces, Iran. Ooencyrtus populicola Myartseva, 1995 (Hym.: Encyrtidae) and Colpoclypeus florus (Walker, 1938) (Hym.: Eulophidae) were reared on Ceruravinula (L., 1758) (Lep.: Notodontidae) and Nycteola a...

Aulagromyza heringii (Hendel) is a widespread leaf miner fly all over Europe, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and China of Fraxinus excelsior. Infested leaves with leaf-miner larvae were collected from F. excelsior in Tehran province in 2016. During laboratory rearing, adult flies and parasitoids were obtained and identified. We present here the first r...

The genus Psilocera Walker, 1833 comprises about 32 described species in the world, of which only Psilocera obscura Walker, 1833 was recorded from Iran. In a survey carried out in Guilan province, a new record species of the genus Psilocera was collected using a Malaise trap from 9–22 June 2011 from Roodsar, Rahim abad, Ghazichak (36°45′57.54″ N, 5...

Beneficial ladybird beetles are parasitized by several species of parasitoid wasps and flies. Samples of ladybirds from Western Iran including Lorestan, Khuzestan and Kurdistan provinces revealed the presence of the parasitoid Oomyzus scaposus (Thomson, 1878). Adult wasps emerged from larvae and pupae of the ladybird Coccinella septempunctata L. (C...

Sycophila Walker (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) is the fourth largest genus of Eurytomidae (Chalcidoidea) and comprises 117 valid species worldwide. While tropical and subtropical species of Sycophila are mainly associated with figs and are typically considered true parasitoids or inquilines, their diversity and biology are not well understood, especia...

The genus Israelius Richards, 1952 comprises two species. We describe here after a new species, Israelius persicus Lotfalizadeh sp. nov., for which we provide illustrations of the external features. The morphology of this species is compared to previously known species and a key to species of Israelius is provided.

The families Cleonymidae and Ooderidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea)were studied in Eastern (Sistan-o Baluchestan and North Khorasan), Central (Isfahan), South Eastern (Kerman) and Western (Kermanshah) provinces of Iran. Four genera were collected: Agrilocida Steffan; Callocleonymus Masi; Notanisus Walker (Cleonymidae); and Oodera Westwood (Ooderidae...

The family Chrysolampidae Dalla Torre, 1898 and the genus Chrysomalla Foerster, 1859 (Chalcidoidea, Chrysolampidae, Chrysolampinae) are recorded for the first time from Iran where it was represented by one species, Ch. roseri Foerster, 1859. Studied specimens were collected with sweeping net in three localities: Kerman, South-Khorasan and West-Azar...

Nine species of Eucharitidae belonging to three genera, namely Eucharis (Eucharis) adscendens (Fabricius, 1787); E. (E.) carinifera Gussakovskij, 1940; E. (E.) caspicus Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus sp. nov.; E. (E.) shajariani Lotfalizadeh & Ghafouri Moghaddam sp. nov.; Eucharis (E.) vashicus Lotfalizadeh & Ghafouri Moghaddam, sp. nov.; E. (Psilogastrell...

This is the first case of host record for parasitoid wasps of the genus Diglyphus Walker (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae) from the Anthomyiidae (Diptera) family. This result is based on specimens of D. anadolucus Doğanlar, 1982 which reared from parasitized larval specimen of Pegomya terebrans (Rondani) as a leaf miner of cotton thistle, Onopordum acanthi...

Considering the importance of the species of the genus Diglyphus Walker, 1844 (Hym., Eulophidae: Eulophinae) in the biological control of leafminers, a faunal study was conducted during 2018–2020 in alfalfa fields in West Azarbaijan province, northwestern Iran. Six Diglyphus species were collected and identified, i.e. Diglyphus crassinervis Erdös,...

During the collection of Ichneumonidae from West Azarbaijan province in the northwest of Iran in 2019, we collected a specimen belonging to the subfamily Tersilochinae and identified it as Aneuclis pumilus (Holmgren). This is a new record of this species for the Iranian fauna. A checklist of all known Iranian species of the subfamily is provided.

Based on the materials which recently collected from west Azerbaijan province/Iran, two genus of gall midges including Giraudiella Rübsaamen, 1915 and Stenodiplosis Reuter, 1895 and seven species of them namely, Baldratia salicorniae Kieffer, 1897; Cystiphora taraxaci (Kieffer, 1888); Dasineura plicatrix (Loew, 1850); D. teucrii (Tavares, 1903); G....

The pistachio psylla, Agonoscena pistaciae Burckhardt & Lauterer (Hem.: Psyllidae), is the most important pest of pistachio orchards in Iran. It causes quantitative and qualitative reduction of the product. Different concentrations, 4 (+dimethicone) and 8 per thousand of silica, and 4 (+dimethicone), 6 (+dimethicone), and 8 per thousand of diatomac...

Two species of the genus Foenatopus Smith, 1846 (Hym.: Stephanidae), were collected from West-Azarbaijan province, the northwest Iran; Foenatopus prousti Aguiar & Turrisi, 2010 and F. turcomanorum (Semenov, 1891). These species belong to the bimaculate group of this genus. Foenatopus turcomanorum is a new record for Iran. Their morphological charac...

The family Chalcididae (Order: Hymenoptera) is known as one of the large chalcidoid wasps with some distinct morphological characters. The first occurrence of two parasitoid species belonging to this family in the Al-Husayniya district Karbala Province, Iraq are reported: Brachymeria podagrica (Fabricius, 1787) and Chalcis myrifex (Sulzer, 1776). B...

In the present study, species diversity of Encyrtidae and Pteromalidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) parasitoid wasps were investigated in southern counties of Kerman province. The specimens were collected from 15 regions in 5 counties, using Malaise trap during 2015 and 2016. All obtained specimens were identified to species level and the number of...

Eurytoma amygdali Enderlein is one of the most important pests of almond trees in Iran. In this investigation, seven new and commercial almond varieties and genotypes were evaluated in East Azarbaijan province. The results showed that there was a significant difference among the different varieties of almonds (P<0.01) in terms of infestation perc...

Chalcidoidea play an important role in the biological control of many agricultural pests. The present study determines and compares the diversities of this superfamily in four ecosystems in the Lake Urmia basin. It is the largest hypersaline lake in the world with a large basin of different ecological conditions in northwest Iran. These stations we...

Parasitoid wasps are one of the natural enemies and major causes of mortality of Oak gall wasps (Cynipidae). This study was conducted during 2018-2019 in Rabat and Vavan regions (Sardasht –West-Azerbaijan) in order to identify the sexual generation of oak gall wasp’s species on the Persian oak Quercus brantii and their natural enemies. The galls we...

Species of the family Pteromalidae from the Middle East countries are reviewed. A total of 445 species within 134 genera and 17 subfamilies are recorded from 20 countries including Algeria (25 genera, 37 species), Egypt (27 genera, 37 species), Iran (84 genera, 211 species), Iraq (13 genera, 18 species), Israel (34 genera, 53 species), Jordan (8 ge...

Prior to this study, eight species of Mesopolobus Westwood were recognized from Iran. In this study, one species namely M. aspilus (Walker) is newly recorded. An illustration of the external features of this species is provided. All known species from Iran were reviewed, the key to species and their geographical distribution in Iran is provided.

In total 23 oothecae of seven species of mantids from six genera Bolivaria Stål, 1877 (Rivetinidae), Elaea Stål, 1877 (Gonypetidae), Empusa Illiger, 1798 (Empusidae), Hierodula Burmeister, 1838 (Mantidae), Holaptilon Beier, 1964 (Gonypetidae), Iris Saussure, 1869 (Eremiaphilidae) were collected. About 69% of collected oothecae of mantids were paras...

Species of the genus Necremnus Thomson, 1878 (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) in Iran are reviewed based on published data and the newly collected specimens in West Azarbaijan province. The genus in Iran is represented by only two species N. leucarthros (Nees, 1834) and N. tidius (Walker, 1839). Hereby, two additional species N. artynes (Walker, 1839) and...

Kriechbaumerella Dalla Torre, 1897 is a relatively small genus of the family Chalcididae and it is rarely collected in Iran. The current paper presents new data on the occurrence and distribution of the Kriechbaumerella species in Iran, representing three species, including Kriechbaumerella hofferi Bouček, 1952, K. gracilis Nikolskaya, 1952 and K....

A study was conducted to determine the Braconinae (Hym., Braconidae) parasitoid wasps, associated with Asteraceae in the northwest of Iran during 2013–2015. Ten species were reared from flower-heads of Asteraceae: Bracon bipartitus Wesmael, 1838; B. leptus Marshall, 1897; B. luteator Spinola, 1808; B. mariae Dalla Torre, 1898; B. pectoralis Wesmael...

A faunistic survey on the parasitic wasps of the subfamily Pteromalinae Dalman, 1820 (Hym., Chalcidoidea, Pteromalidae) of South-Eastern Iran (Kerman province) was done. In total 46 specimens representing 10 genera and 16 species are identified, among them, Dinarmus altifrons (Walker, 1862) and Syntomopus incurvus Walker, 1833 are recorded for the...

The specimens of the pteromalid wasps (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea, Pteromalidae) were caught using Malaise traps and sweeping net in Kerman province of Iran during March 2016 to August 2017. The genus Coelopisthia Förster, 1856 and the species: C. areolata Askew, 1980, Homoporus apharetus (Walker, 1839), Norbanus brevicornis Szelenyi, 1974, Pachyneu...

The Syrian bean-caper hawk moth, Hyles zygophylli L., is distributed in the eastern Palearctic region and feeds on the leaves of the Syrian bean caper, Zygophyllum fabago. In order to study the life history traits and its parasitoids, continuous rearing of the Syrian bean-caper hawk moth was conducted in field and laboratory conditions. The results...

Chalcidoidea and Ichneumonoidea (Hymenoptera) are the two most diverse and important groups of parasitic wasps which have been used frequently in biological control programs on a wide range of agricultural and forest pests. This chapter provides an overview of Iranian Chalcidoidea and Icheneumonoidea host associations and discusses those species wh...

During a parasitoids sampling in Arasbaran forest in East Azarbaijan province, a male specimen of an interesting Trichogrammatid wasp (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) was collected. This specimen was collected on Matricaria camomilla L. (Asteraceae) in July 2020. It was identified as Pterandrophysalis levantina Nowicki, 1935. This is the first record of...

We report the discovery of a wasp species, Anomalon cruentatum (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae, Anomaloninae) for Syria. It is the first record of A. cruentatm in Syria. It was collected in a greenhouse in Lattakia province. Its description, distribution and photographs are provided.

The following four species new to science are described: Platygaster azarbaijanicus Buhl & Asadi sp. nov., Platygaster lotfalizadehi Buhl & Asadi sp. nov., Platygaster karimpouri Asadi & Buhl sp. nov. and Synopeas calecai Buhl & Asadi sp. nov. Diagnostic characters are discussed and figures are provided to distinguish the new species. In addition,...

The seed-eater wasp, Bruchophagus verbasci (Erdös, 1969) comb. nov. (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea, Eurytomidae) is newly quoted from Iran. This species was originally described in the genus Eurytoma Illiger, 1807. Considering its morphological characters and the new finding of its biological association with some fabaceous plants, it was transferred t...

Medusahead, Taeniatherum caput-medusae, (Poales: Poaceae), is an annual grass native to central Asia and the Mediterranean region. It is a noxious, invasive weed in much of western North America. During field explorations carried out in Greece in 2017, the new phytophagous eurytomid Tetramesa amica Lotfalizadeh sp. nov. and its parasitoid Eurytoma...

A faunestic study of the family Platygasteridae (Hymenoptera: Platygastoidea) were conducted in East-Azarbaijan province. Some specimens were collected and examined in the entomology laboratory of East-Azarbaijan Research Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources. Based on this study a species of the genus Scelio Latreille was identified. Specif...

The transparent wings of most of the tiny insects display surprising structural colouration, known as wing interference patterns (WIPs). Wing interference colours (WICs) was recently introduced to the quantification of WIPs. Oomyzus sokolowskii is a potential biological control agent for the diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lep.: P...

During the faunistic study of the family Platygastridae in East-Azarbaijan province in 2013-2014, some specimens of the genus Baeus Haliday were collected for the first time in Iran. Collections were made by Malaise trap. It was identified as Baeus seminulum Haliday that is a new record for Iran. Based on literature it is a parasitoid of spiders'eg...

Fourteen species of Chalcidoidea were reared from the common reed, Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steudel (Poaceae) in Urmia region, in the northwest of Iran. Among them, two new species of Pteromalidae are described hereafter: Norbanus persicus Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus, sp. nov.; and Stenomalina delvarei Lotfalizadeh & Rasplus, sp. nov.. Anagy...

This study has been carried out to collect and identify Ichneumonidae species from northwestern Iran using Malaise traps during 2014. In total, fifteen species into 6 subfamilies are identified. Four species are recorded for the first time from Iran, i.e. Hoplocryptus melanocephalus (Gravenhorst, 1829), Zoophthorus palpator (Müller, 1776), Exochus...

The genera Psilocera Walker and Stinoplus Thomson (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae, Pteromalinae) are recorded for the first time from Iran. They are represented by two species, Psilocera obscura Walker, 1833 and Stinoplus etearchus (Walker, 1848), respectively. First species was collected from central part (Isfahan Province) of Iran, by the Malaise-trap...

The monotypic genus Thaumatorymus Ferrière and Novicky, 1954 (Hymenoptera: Torymidae) is endemic of the West Palaearctic subregion. Thaumatorymus notanisoides, a species rarely sampled, is recorded for the first time from Iran, expanding its known distribution range in the subregion. A brief diagnosis, illustrations and geographical distribution ar...

The family Leucospidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) are the largest chalcidoid wasps with some distinct morphological characters. During insect collection of the Faculty of Agriculture in Karbala, Leucospis bifasciata Klug, 1814 was collected in 2019. It was collected using sweep nets. This is the first record of L. bifasciata from Iraq. Including p...

Three species of the genus Inostemma Haliday (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae), i.e. Inostemma discessus Szelenyi, I. koponeni Buhl and I. contariniae Szelenyi are reported as new records for the Iranian fauna. Inostemma discessus was reared for the first time from Ephedra gall midge, Ephedromyia debilopalpis Marikovskij (Dip.: Cecidomyiidae) on Ephedr...

Epitranus hamoni (Risbec) and Epitranus torymoides (Risbec), initially described from the Afrotropical region, are recorded for the first time from Iran in the Western Palaearctic. These species were collected using Malaise traps in the south of Iran. A key to three species of Epitranus known from Iran is provided. The female of E. hamoni is descri...

ABSTR ACT. The pteromalids fauna (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae) was studied in southern areas of Kerman province. The specimens were collected using Malaise traps and sweeping net during March 2016 to August 2017. Seven species of Pteromalidae collected and identified. Among them, four species viz. Halticoptera andriescui Mitroiu, 2005,...

The hymenopteran family Platygastridae is a large group of parasitic wasps. A survey was carried out on the subfamily Sceliotrachelinae (Hym.: Platygastridae) in East Azerbaijan and Fars provinces of Iran. The genus Fidobia Ashmead and three species, Allotropa conventus Maneval, Fidiobia hofferi Kozlov and Isolia mongolica (Kozlov) are newly record...

Seventeen species of three genera, Bruchophagus Ashmead, 1888; Eurytoma Illiger, 1807 and Systole Walker, 1832(Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) were reared from 25 plant species collected in rangelands of Qom province in Iran during 2011–2017. Their host plants belong to 4 families: Asteracae, Apiaceae, Fabaceae and Lamiaceae. Six species, Bruchophagus de...

The hymenopteran family Platygastridae consisting of two subfamilies, Platygastrinae and Sceliotrachelinae, is a large group of exclusively parasitoid wasp. Platygastrinae is a taxonomically poorly known subfamily of uniform morphology. A faunistic survey was conducted in the northwest of Iran by Malaise traps and sweeping net to study the Platygas...