An annotated checklist of Microweiseinae and Sticholotidini of Iran (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae).

An updated checklist of the Coccinellidae species of the former subfamily Sticholotidinae recorded from Iran is provided. Eleven species are reported: two species classified presently in the subfamily Microweiseinae (in the genera Paracoelopterus Normand, 1936 and Serangium Blackburn, 1889), and nine species classified in the tribe Sticholotidini of the subfamily Coccinellinae (in the genera Coelopterus Mulsant & Rey, 1852 and Pharoscymnus Bedel, 1906). Pharoscymnus smirnovi Dobzhansky, 1927 is removed from the list of the Coccinellidae of Iran. Distribution of species in Iranian provinces is presented. Data concerning their host plants along with their prey species are also included when known. Morphological features of two rarely collected and poorly known species of Iranian fauna, Pharoscymnus brunneosignatus Mader, 1949 and Pharoscymnus pharoides (Marseul, 1868) are diagnosed and illustrated.

Introduction

The family with approximately 6000 species and 360 genera was classified until recently in the superfamily (, ) and placed in the Cerylonid Series, a derived clade formed by and eight other families of (e.g. Crowson 1955; Lord et al. 2010). The most recent molecular research by Robertson et al. (2015) revealed, however, the Cerylonid Series as monophyletic group sister to the remaining , not allied with any superfamily of the including the remaining . For these families, Robertson et al. (2015) established a new superfamily .

Most of the standard classifications of (Sasaji1968, 1971, Gordon 1985, Kovář 1996, Vandenberg 2002) recognized six or seven subfamilies (, , , , , and, sometimes, ) with numerous tribes within each subfamily. Ślipiński (2007) found these classifications as phylogenetically unacceptable and argued the basal split of into two subfamilies and comprising all the remaining coccinellid groups.

This split of the family was confirmed by subsequent molecular and combined molecular and morphological research (Robertson et al. 2008; Giorgi et al. 2009, Seago et al. 2011, Robertson et al. 2015). But Nedvěd and Kovář (2012) incorporated some results of recently published molecular and morphological research, and proposed nine subfamilies and 42 tribes.

Small and the least apparent members of were historically placed in the subfamily described by Weise (1901) and redefined by Sasaji (1968, 1971). (sensu Sasaji 1968) contained four tribes: Weise, Sasaji, Blackwelder and Kamiya (Vandenberg and Perez–Gelabert 2007) and was defined primarily by the presence of a narrow and apically pointed terminal maxillary palpomere and a narrow junction between mentum and submentum. However, subsequently included tribes Miyatake, Gordon and Almeida, Miyatake, Miyatake and Gordon, Pakaluk and Ślipiński, with the terminal maxillary palpomere paralel sided, distally expanded or even securiform, made this group taxonomically heterogenous.

Kovář (1996) in a comprehensive classification of divided into ten tribes without providing any basis for the monophyly of this subfamily. It was later recognized as polyphyletic group (Duverger 2003, Ślipiński and Tomaszewska 2005, Vandenberg and Perez-Gelabert 2007). Ślipiński (2007) proposed the formal classification of with containing , , and , while placed remaining tribes of the former (, , , , , ) in a redefined subfamily . Nedvěd and Kovář (2012) in their classification placed these tribes in the narrowly defined subfamily .

After the split of former , research conducted so far revealed well defined . This subfamily contains now three tribes ( inPageBreakcluding , and ) and is well defined by a set of morphological characters: antenna inserted in front of eyes, often separated from eyes anteriorly, antennal insertions exposed and close together, clypeus well developed and emarginate around antennal insertions, subgena with glandular openings, mandible simplified with single apical tooth and no mola; ventral mouthparts retracted causing unusual projection of genae into a frame enclosing strongly elongate maxillae and labium; male genitalia with asymmetrical tegmen (Escalona and Ślipiński 2012). The remaining tribes of former either together or most tribes separately do not form clearly defined taxonomic entities and need more study. The geniculate maxillary palps with terminal maxillary palpomere pointed, bearing long oblique sensory area and compact antenna with spindle-shaped club bearing group of short sensory setae on the terminal antennomere were listed as characters for subfamily by Nedvěd and Kovář (2012). To date, these tribes are treated as a widely conceived tribe in the widely conceived subfamily (Ślipiński 2007).

The recent checklist of of Iran provided by Moddarres-Awal (2012) included 125 species of which only seven species belong to the subfamily sensu Sasaji (1968) and Kovář (1996): Yazdani & Ahmadi, 1992, Fürsch, 1979, (Mulsant, 1853), Sicard, 1929, Marseul, 1868, (Chevrolat, 1861), Fürsch, 1995.

The current study was inspired by a collection of the new material of species belonging to the former and was aimed to update the information on the current classification, occurrence, host plants and the prey of species of this group in Iran. Similar studies on other, more speciose, tribes of the family will follow.

Material and methods

The study area in Iran is located in southwest of Asia in the Middle East region. More than half of the country’s land is arid or semi-arid; almost one third of the country is mountainous and a small part contains fertile plains. In winter, the temperature difference between the coldest and warmest place may exceed 50 °C. Precipitation in Iran is highly variable, from more than 2000 mm of rain a year in north to less than 15 mm in desert areas.

The arrangements of tribes, genera and species are listed alphabetically for convenience, according to classification of Seago et al. (2011). The geographical distribution, host plants and prey species are given for all the species based on literature and labels of the museum specimens examined by the first author and on personal observations of authors. The geographical distribution therein also is arranged according to the year of record publication and in alphabetical order.

Identification of (Marseul, 1868) was based on the original description of Smirnoff (1956a). Specific terminology used in morphology of follows Ślipiński (2007) and Ślipiński and Tomaszewska (2010).

New specimens examined were collected in 2013 and 2014 in different parts of Iran, and are deposited in Plant Protection Department, Lorestan University, Agricultural faculty, Khorramabad, Iran and Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Iran.

Results

This checklist includes eleven species of the sensu lato. According to the current classification of , two species belong to the subfamily (to the tribes and ) and nine species to the tribe of the subfamily . Dobzhansky, 1927, which was first recorded by Zare Khormizi (2014) from Iran, was removed from the list of Iranian coccinellids after re-examination of the specimens, as they appeared to be misidentified. For (Marseul, 1868) new locality in Iran (Lorestan province) and new host plants (pine, walnut and hawthorn trees) are recorded.

The updated list of the species is as follows:

Subfamilly Leng, 1920

Tribe Leng, 1920

Normand, 1936

(Weise, 1884)

(=

General distribution.

Greece, Israel, Iran, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia (Kovář 2007).

Distribution in Iran.

Fars, Sistan and Baluchestan (Ahmadi and Yazdani 1993; Moddarres-Awal 2012).

Host plants and prey species in Iran.

This species has been collected from almond, ash, date palm, willow and wild pistachio as the predator of , : (Linnaeus), Borchsenius, (Leonardi), Targioni Tozzetti, Borchsenius, Borchsenius, Bazarov (Moddarres-Awal 2012).

Tribe Blackwelder, 1945

Blackburn, 1889

Fürsch, 1995

France, Georgia, Israel, India, Iran, Pakistan, Syria (Kovář 2007).

Gilan, Golestan, Mazandaran, Zanjan (Fürsch 1995; Hajizadeh et al. 2003; Moddarres-Awal 2012).

This species has been collected from citrus, olive, pomegranate and as the predator of (Costa) (, ) (Hajizadeh et al. 2003; Moddarres-Awal 2012).

Subfamilly Latreille, 1807

Tribe Weise, 1901

Mulsant & Rey, 1852

Mulsantand Rey, 1852

Somalia, Syria (Plaza 1986), Algeria, France, Italy (Sardinia), Iran, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia (Kovář 2007), The United Arab Emirates (Raimundo et al. 2008).

Iran (Kovář 2007) – no specific distribution known.

Remarks.

This species is known to be present in habitats periodically inundated by sea water (Canepari 2010).

Bedel, 1906

Duverger, 1983

Iran (Kovář 2007).

Hormozgan (Duverger 1983).

Fürsch, 1979

Iran, Saudi Arabia, The United Arab Emirates (Kovář 2007).

Fars, Gilan (Moddarres-Awal 2012).

This species has been collected from date palm as the predator of (: Diaspididiae; Yazdani 1990; Moddarres-Awal 2012).

Mader, 1949

Figure 1

Figure 1.

. a, b dorsal view at various angles c aedeagus d tegmen e maxillary palp f abdominal ventrites 1–2 g antenna h mandible, i terminal tarsomere and claws.

Material examined.

Iran, North Khorasan Prov., Baba Aman (), Tamarisk, iv.2013, lgt. et coll. Hamidi, det. Nedvěd and Canepari.

Diagnosis.

Body length 2.1 mm. Dorsal surface black and setose with orange, transverse bands of irregular shape on elytra (Fig. 1 a, b); head, antennae and mouthparts dark brown (Fig. 1a, e, g, h). Male genitalia with penis strongly curved near base and before apex – in form of question mark (Fig. 1 c); tegminal strut about as long as basal piece, parameres slender, nearly as long as penis guide (Fig. 1c, d).

China, Mongolia (Kovář 2007), Iran (Ebrahimi et al. 2014).

North Khorasan, Khorasan Razavi (Ebrahimi et al. 2014; Nedvěd et al. unpublished).

(Weise, 1883)

Greece, Iran, Turkey (Kovář 2007).

Iran (Kovář 2007) – no specific distribution known.

(Mulsant, 1853)

Afghanistan, India, Iran, Pakistan (Kovář 2007), Oman, Yemen, The United Arab Emirates (Raimundo et al. 2008).

Fars (Moddarres-Awal 2012).

Sicard, 1929

Israel (Halperin et al. 1995), Iran, Jordan, Syria (Kovář 2007), Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, The United Arab Emirates (Raimundo et al. 2008).

Fars, Gilan, Kerman, Lorestan, Tehran (Hajizadeh et al. 2003; Jafari and Kamali 2007; Abdi et al. 2012; Moddarres-Awal 2012).

This species has been collected from almond, apple, ash, citrus, conifer trees, oleander, olive, date palm, pomegranate, sloe and willow as the predator of , : (Newstead) and (Hajizadeh et al. 2003, Jafari and Kamali 2007; Abdi et al. 2012; Moddarres-Awal 2012).

This ladybird is one of the most important predators of scale insects, including , on palm trees (Smirnoff 1956b). This species was imported from Iran to France; after rearing, it was used against in mixed fruit groves of Moritani in 1967 (Iperti 1970).

(Marseul, 1868)

Figure 2 a–h

Figure 2.

. a, b dorsal view at various angles c ventral view d penis e–g tegmen at various angles h tip of penis.

3 females, 4 males, Iran, Lorestan Prov., Azna Mmyl (), on hawthorn, pine, walnut, iii.2013, lgt. et coll. Biranvand, det. Canepari.

Body length 1.9 mm. Dorsal surface black and setose with three pairs of orange spots on elytra; head, antennae and mouthparts dark brown; eyes completely visible from dorsal view; coxa, trochanter and basal part of femur black, distal part of femur, tibia and tarsus dark brown (Fig. 2 a–c). Male genitalia with penis weakly curved near base (Fig. 2 d, h); tegminal strut about as long as basal piece, parameres slender and distinctly longer than penis guide (Fig. 2 e–g).

Egypt, Iran, Israel, Libya, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Turkey (Kovář 2007).

Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Fars (Bagheri and Mosadegh 1997, Moddarres-Awal 2012), Lorestan (current study).

This species has been collected from almond and oak (Bagheri and Mosadegh 1997), and recently from hawthorn, pine, and walnut (current study).

This species was reported by Erler and Tunc (2001) on as a predator of (Targioni Tozzetti).

(Chevrolat, 1861)

Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Tunisia, The United Arab Emirates (Kovář 2007).

Fars (Moddarres-Awal 2012).

This species has been collected from date palm as the predator of (, ; Yazdani 1990; Moddarres-Awal 2012).

Conclusion

Species of and from Iran belong to four genera. Eight of a total of eleven species belong to the genus . For two species, no details are known about their distribution in Iran. Fars is the best investigated province of Iran with six known species belonging to the investigated groups of ladybirds; Gilan and Lorestan have three and two known species respectively, and the other provinces have only a single species each. Most of these species have western Palaearctic or Mediterranean distribution in general, but a few species extend to India or China.

Host plants in Iran were recorded for six species. Three species were found on both almond and date palm, two species on ash, citrus, olive and pomegranate. Prey species, always scale insects, were recorded for five of the eleven listed ladybird species. For four species, was the single prey or one of the prey species.