Biology of Anagrus atomus (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae), an egg parasitoid of the grape leafhopper Arboridia kermanshah (Homoptera: Cicadellidae)

Biology, morphology and oviposition behavior of Anagrus atomus (Linnaeus), an egg parasitoid of the grape leafhopper Arboridia kermanshah Dlabola in Isfahan, Iran, were investigated. Adults were smaller than those so far reported from other regions. Females continuously drummed on plant surfaces with their antennae to search for host eggs. Parasitoid eggs hatched 2–3 days after oviposition, and A. atomus had two larval instars. First instar larvae were sacciform and immobile. Second instar larvae appeared 4 days after oviposition and were very active, and doubled their body length. The prepupal and pupal stages lasted for 1 and 5–6 days, respectively. Adult emergence began 16 days after oviposition, and peaked on day 17.     

Revision of the lower Viséan (MFZ11) calcareous algae and archaediscoid foraminifers of the Sari area (central Alborz,Iran)

The microfloral and microfaunal assemblages of the MFZ11 foraminiferal biozone (late early SomervilleViséan; formerly V2a) are well developed in the Kiyasar section of the Sari area (central Alborz; northern Iran). Regionally, this biozone MFZ11 may be subdivided into three subzones. The lower subzone, MFZ11A, is characterized by the appearances of the algae Koninckopora tenuiramosa, coeloporellacean indet. Fourstonella fusiformis, and Nanopora anglica and, among the foraminifers, by the occurrence of Ammarchaediscus bozorgniai and the disappearance of Eoparastaffella simplex; the absence of Uralodiscus rotundus, U. spp., and primitive Glomodiscus spp. in this subzone is noticeable. The next subzone, MFZ11B1, is well characterized by the appearance of Glomodiscus spp. (G. oblongus and G. cf. miloni) and the local range zone of Pararchaediscus, a genus emended herein and interpreted as a junior synonym of Archaediscus at the involutus stage and Propermodiscus; only a few characteristic issinellacean and palaeoberesellacean algae are present in this subzone. Then, the last subzone, MFZ11B2, is characterized by Hemiarchaediscus (emended herein) and Glomodiscus miloni; the upper part of this latter subzone is only marked by the apparent absence of the archaediscids and the presence of two incertae sedis algae: Crassikamaena scabrosa and Epistacheoides bozorgniai nov. sp. These assemblages indicate that at that time, Alborz remained located on the Perigondwanan southern border of the Palaeotethys, and was probably connected with the Urals as well as the northwestern branch the Palaeotethys, from Belgium to the Donets Basin.     

Genotype and Phenotype of Echinococcus granulosus Derived from Wild Sheep (Ovis orientalis) in Iran

The aim of the present study is to determine the characteristics of genotype and phenotype of Echinococcus granulosus derived from wild sheep and to compare them with the strains of E. granulosus sensu stricto (sheep-dog) and E. granulosus camel strain (camel-dog) in Iran. In Khojir National Park, near Tehran, Iran, a fertile hydatid cyst was recently found in the liver of a dead wild sheep (Ovis orientalis). The number of protoscolices (n=6,000) proved enough for an experimental infection in a dog. The characteristics of large and small hooks of metacestode were statistically determined as the sensu stricto strain but not the camel strain (P=0.5). To determine E. granulosus genotype, 20 adult worms of this type were collected from the infected dog. The second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and cytochrome c oxidase 1 subunit (COX1) of the mitochondrial DNA were amplified from individual adult worm by PCR. Subsequently, the PCR product was sequenced by Sanger method. The lengths of ITS2 and COX1 sequences were 378 and 857 bp, respectively, for all the sequenced samples. The amplified DNA sequences from both ribosomal and mitochondrial genes were highly similar (99% and 98%, respectively) to that of the ovine strain in the GenBank database. The results of the present study indicate that the morpho-molecular features and characteristics of E. granulosus in the Iranian wild sheep are the same as those of the sheep-dog E. granulosus sensu stricto strain.     

Widespread distribution of Beet necrotic yellow vein virus in Iranian sugar beet industry

Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) is the most devastating pathogen of sugar beet worldwide. This virus has been reported in the majority of sugar beet growing regions of Iran as well. For the present study, we collected samples from different sugar beet varieties with suspected symptoms of BNYVV from the main important sugar beet growing regions in eight provinces of Iran. Infection of collected samples to BNYVV was tested by ELISA and RT-PCR. Upon testing of 167 collected samples of BNYVV suspected through ELISA and RT-PCR, 115 (68.9%) were infected. Different incidences of BNYVV through surveyed provinces may represent the presence of diverse infective viral sources or resistance genes in tested sugar beet varieties which need further attempts to develop control strategies. Results also showed that BNYVV has been recently distributed throughout some surveyed regions. Otherwise, trace infection or resistance to BNYVV infection in some varieties of distinct regions may represent proper sources of resistance to BNYVV.     

Do recent leopard Panthera pardus records from northern Iraq and south-eastern Turkey reveal an unknown population nucleus in the region?

The status of leopard in Iraq and south-eastern Turkey has been unclear for decades. Because of recent and on-going armed conflicts in important parts of the potential leopard distribution range, no studies were done that could have proved the presence of the species. We report here 10 confirmed and 2 unconfirmed leopard records between 2001 and 2014 from northern Iraq and south-eastern Turkey. All records for which the gender of the animal was identified were of males, which could be hypothesized as long-range dispersers from Iran. However, the long distances between our records and the nearest known breeding populations in Iran suggests that a so far unnoticed reproducing population nuclei may occur along the north-western part of the Zagros Mountains in western Iran, northern Iraq and south-eastern Turkey.     

The first confirmed records of Omani Owl,Strix butleri (A. O. Hume, 1878) (Aves: Strigidae), from Iran

Although the Omani Owl Strix butleri (A. O. Hume, 1878) was previously reported from southern Iran, this note details the first confirmed records of this species from Mashhad (Khorasan) and Jam (Bushehr) in 2015, after recent revision of the taxonomy of this species in the Middle East.     

Gypsochroa renitidata (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Desmobathrinae), a genus and species new for the fauna of Iran

Both the genus and the species Gypsochroa renitidata (Hübner, 1817) are reported for the first time from Iran. Diagnostic characters of the species including figures of the wing and genitalia are presented. The record is confirmed by means of DNA barcoding.     

A checklist of the genus Tomosvaryella Aczél (Diptera: Pipunculidae) from the Middle East with the description of a new species

A checklist of 39 species of the genus Tomosvaryella Aczél (Diptera, Pipunculidae) known from the Middle East is provided. A new species, T. hamata Majnon Jahromi &; Kehlmaier sp. n. is described from southern Iran and diagnostic characters of male and female terminalia are illustrated. Tomosvaryella dentiterebra (Collin, 1949 Collin, J. E. (1949): Results of the Armstrong College Expedition to Siwa Oasis (Libyan Desert), 1935, under the leadership of Prof. J. Orner-Cooper. Diptera Empididae, Dolichopodidae, Aschiza and Acalypterae. Bulletin de la Societe Fouad I^erd'Entomologie, 33, 75–225. [Google Scholar]) is redescribed and male and female terminalia are illustrated for the first time. A phylogenetic maximum-likelihood analysis and uncorrected pairwise genetic distances of 18 out of 22 Iranian species of Tomosvaryella based on DNA barcodes of the mitochondrial COI gene are presented and also discussed.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:FF8C116D-0C92-431A-B52C-11F3711B6A62     

Identification of phytoplasmas associated with sesame phyllody disease in southeastern Iran

Phyllody disease is a threat to sesame production in Kerman province, southeastern Iran. RFLP analysis of PCR products of phytoplasma-specific 16S rRNA gene (1.8 kb) and phylogenetic analyses of 16S-23S rDNA spacer region (SR) sequence indicated that the predominant agent associated with sesame phyllody in Kerman province is a phytoplasma with 100% similarity with eggplant big bud, and peanut witches’-broom phytoplasmas, members of “Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia” from Iran and China, respectively. Among the samples tested, only one strain (SPhSr1), had a unique RFLP profile and its SR was 100% similar in nucleotide sequence with the phytoplasma carried by Orosius albicinctus and Helianthus annus witches’-broom phytoplasma from Iran, members of “Ca. Phytoplasma trifolii”. Virtual RFLP patterns of SPhJ2 (representative of the predominant PCR-RFLP profiles) SR sequence were identical to those of peanut witches’-broom phytoplasma (16SrII-A, JX871467). However, SPhSr1 SR sequence patterns resemble (99.7%) those of vinca virescence phytoplasma (16SrVI-A, AY500817).