Further addition to the braconid fauna of Iran (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Abstract

Abstract Background The cosmopolitan family Braconidae is one of the largest in the order Hymenoptera. Many of its members are important as biological control agents against more than 120 pest species belonging it four insect orders (Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera) that cause economic damage to various agricultural, horticultural, and forestry plants and trees. Due to the lack of regional studies, as well as taxonomic complexities compared with well-studied other western Palaearctic countries, the faunistic knowledge of this family is still largely incomplete. Results Based on specimens collected from different localities in Iran, as well as material deposited in different Iranian collections, twenty-five braconid species are recorded for the first time from Iran. Collectively, these belong to ten subfamilies (Alysiinae, Brachistinae, Braconinae, Cheloninae, Euphorinae, Exothecinae, Hormiinae, Ichneutinae, Microgastrinae, and Rogadinae). Two genera, Pentatermus Hedqvist (Rogadinae) and Stenobracon Szépligeti (Braconinae), are reported in the present study for the first time. Specimens are identified with the help of specialists, as well as using the available keys for each subfamily. A faunistic list comprising the valid species names and the extralimital distribution are given. Conclusions In the present study, a list of 25 species and two genera, Pentatermus Hedqvist (Rogadinae) and Stenobracon Szépligeti (Braconinae), are newly recorded from Iran, thus raising the total number of this important group as biocontrol agents to reach 1038 species.