Four new records for flat wasps from Iran (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae)

In a study conducted in the Fars province of Iran, four species of flat wasps (Family Bethylidae) were recorded from Iran for the first time. Specimens Identified by Jeroen de Rond, expert in flat wasp identification and scientific illustration from The Netherlands. Two species of this study, Bethylus boops (Thomson, 1862) and Bethylus mandibularis (Kieffer, 1904) where collected on mulberry (Morus sp.) branches at the Badjgah College of Agriculture, University of Shiraz. Holepyris glabratus (Fabricius, 1798) was collected from flour moth larvae (Ephestia kuehniella), reared in an insectarium container. Specimens of Laelius pedatus (Say, 1836) were collected indoors, in a house carpet in Shiraz. The species is a parasitoid of Anthrenus carpet beetles (Coleoptera, Dermestidae). Bethylus boops is associated with ant colonies, in which it attacks coleopteran larvae. The Iranian Bethylus mandibularis specimen slightly differs from European specimens in the sculpture of the propodeum and position of the ocellar triangle, but other characters match with the type species. Holepyris glabratus was originally described as Tiphia glabrata, although the description is cryptic and the type specimen, apparently stored in Copenhagen, has not been studied yet. Epyris hawaiiensis was synonymised with this species. Laelius pedatus is an American species, mostly found indoors and especially in museums. Outdoor species of this genus in Europe appear to be related to Dermestidae hosts in old birds’ nests.

Keywords:

Bethylus , Holepyris , Laelius , New records , Parasitoid , Fars , Chrysidoidea