A checklist of Chalcidoidea (Insecta: Hymenoptera) of Khuzestan in southwestern Iran

The chalcid wasps (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) is one of the largest groups of wasps with tremendous morphological, ecological, biological, and taxonomic diversity whose economic importance is being pest natural enemies or plant pests. The unknown chalcid fauna of Khuzestan province in southwestern Iran generated the execution of a faunistic study to elucidate its chalcidoid biodiversity. The material was collected by sweeping and trapping during ۲۰۱۴-۲۰۱۵ from fields, ranges and grasslands. This contribution lists ۵۶ species belonging to ۳۵ genera and ۱۱ families (Agaonidae, Aphelinidae, Chalcididae, Encyrtidae, Eulophidae, Eupelmidae, Eurytomidae, Mymaridae, Pteromalidae, Signiphoridae and Trichogrammatidae). Eupristina saundersi Grandi, ۱۹۱۶ (Agaonidae) and Dirhinus bakeri (Crawford, ۱۹۱۴) (Chalcididae) are new records for the fauna of Iran, while Euplectrus liparidis Ferrière, ۱۹۴۱ and Hemiptarsenus zilahisebessi Erdös, ۱۹۵۱ (Eulophidae), Eupelmus sp. (Eupelmidae) and Mymar taprobanicum (Ward, ۱۸۷۵) and Polynema sp. (Mymaridae) are new for the Khuzestan province fauna.

Keywords:

Chalcidoidea , fauna , Iran , Khuzestan , new records