Species delimitation in Charipinae hyperparasitoids (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) is notoriously difficult due to their minute size and limited morphological variability. Traditional diagnostic characters sometimes show intraspecific variation, raising concerns about their reliability. Here, we applied an integrative taxonomic framework to evaluate species boundaries among six species of Alloxysta Förster and four species of Phaenoglyphis Förster. We combined a morphological dataset of 53 characters with data from three molecular markers (COI, ITS2, and 16S rRNA) and reconstructed phylogenies under maximum-likelihood criteria. Phylogenies consistently recovered morphologically defined taxa as well-supported clades, confirming the overall reliability of traditional characters (pronotal and propodeal carinae, radial cell shape, and flagellomere proportions). On the other hand, molecular evidence refined certain species limits and highlighted cases of potential cryptic variation. Our results demonstrate that morphology still provides a strong baseline for Charipinae taxonomy, but integration with molecular data yields more robust and stable classifications. This study underscores the value of multi-locus approaches for resolving taxonomic ambiguities and provides a framework for future ecological and evolutionary research on these hyperparasitoid wasps.

The genus Duta Nixon, 1922 (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea, Scelionidae), represented by a single species, D. bicolor Rajmohana, 2014, is first recorded in Western Asia, Iran. The specimens were collected from a desert area in the middle of the easternmost border of Iran, surrounded by native vegetation, including palm groves and tamarisk trees, as well as sub-mountainous terrain. Duta bicolor was originally described from the Oriental region, South India; its known distribution expanded into the Palaearctic as a trans-biogeographical element. This is also the fourth species of Duta from the Palaearctic region. The diagnostic characters are briefly described and illustrated. A preliminary world checklist is also generated to facilitate future revisionary studies on the genus.

Casinaria is a genus within Campopleginae (Hym., Ichneumonidae) with 125 species worldwide. In this study, as part of the surveys on the ichneumonid diversity, specimens were collected during three surveys in north-central, southern, and north-eastern Iran. Examination of the collected specimens revealed new findings for the genus Casinaria Holmgren, 1859. Four species are newly recorded from Iran: Casinaria horstmanni Riedel, 2018, C. moesta (Gravenhorst, 1829), C. nigripes (Gravenhorst, 1829), and C. pyreneator Aubert, 1960. This study provides identifications based on reliable diagnostic characters, illustrations, zoogeographical distribution data, and an updated list of Iranian species.

George Poinar Jr. is widely recognized as a pioneering biologist, whose interdisciplinary career profoundly advanced insect nematology and amber paleobiology. His fundamental studies during the 1960s and 1970s on the entomopathogenic nematodes Steinernema and Heterorhabditis clarified their life cycles, infection pathways, bacterial symbioses, and transformed them into recognized biological control agents, establishing entomopathogenic nematology as a cornerstone of applied insect pathology. Similarly, his groundbreaking research on amber inclusions revealed evolutionary histories of insects preserved for millions of years, inspiring sci-fi stories, and standardizing paleobiological methodologies. Through bridging the modern ecological interactions with ancient evolutionary narratives, Poinar exemplified how innovation and careful observation can reshape scientific fields, leaving a lasting legacy in taxonomy, ecology, and biological control.

ABSTRACT. The spotted alfalfa aphid parasitoid Praon exsoletum (Nees) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Aphidiinae) exhibits considerable intraspecific morphological variability, and its taxonomic status, whether it comprises distinct subspecies or geographic biotypes, has long been debated. A previous morphometric study failed to separate geographic populations, prompting the present molecular and ecological investigation. Here, we analyzed the mitochondrial COI barcode region from four biotypes: two from Iran (east and west) and two external (Spain and USA, the latter historically referred to as Praon palitans (Muesebeck), with Praon volucre (Haliday). Phylogenetic analyses using Maximum Parsimony, Minimum Evolution, Maximum Likelihood, and Bayesian Inference consistently placed the Iranian biotypes in a separate subclade from the European and American ones, though node support was generally weak across all methods (bootstrap values 33–78%; posterior probabilities 52–58%). Within Iran, sequences were identical, and overall genetic distances were very low (K2P: 0.0% within Iran, 0.3–0.5% between Iran and external biotypes). Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) of 15 Iranian field sites, incorporating three parasitoid species, P. exsoletum, Trioxys complanatus Quilis, and Aphidius smithi Sharma & Subba Rao, and environmental variables (altitude, climate type, geographical direction), revealed no significant species–environment relationships. Despite the lack of statistical significance, T. complanatus tended to associate with hot, dry, south eastern sites, while P. exsoletum was broadly distributed. The discordance between genetic structure and morphological uniformity suggests that Iranian populations of P. exsoletum may represent an evolutionarily distinct lineage in the early stages of divergence, but the evidence is insufficient to support formal subspecific recognition. This study highlights the need for nuclear markers and finer scale ecological data to fully resolve the status of this important biological control agent.

Environmental temperature profoundly influences honey bee (Apis mellifera) physiology, behavior, and survival. In recent years, nutritional interventions have gained attention as potential strategies to mitigate stress-induced physiological disruptions in honey bees. This study evaluated the efficacy of dietary supplementations enriched with combined prebiotics and probiotics in alleviating temperature-related stress. Newly-emerged worker bees were first maintained under optimal conditions (35 °C) and received dietary supplements for 21 days, after which they were exposed to four temperature regimes (4, 15, 35, and 40 °C) to evaluate their stress resilience. Bee survival and the activity of key antioxidant enzymes (i.e., superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, and peroxidase) were assessed. Bees received a commercial probiotic (Progen®) and the prebiotic Inulin in equal proportions at concentrations of 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 g L-1. The results demonstrated that bees exposed to thermal stress and supplemented with the highest combined dose of probiotic and prebiotic (10 g L-1 of each supplement) exhibited significantly higher survival compared with bees receiving lower doses (2.5 g L-1), or an unsupplemented diet. In unsupplemented control groups, temperature stress induced marked increases in antioxidant enzyme activities, indicating significant oxidative stress. In contrast, supplementation resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in enzyme activities across all temperatures, strongly suggesting a protective, and stress-buffering effect. These physiological benefits were accompanied by an increase in gut microbial abundance and enhanced indicators of energy metabolism in the supplemented bees. Overall, our findings demonstrated that combined probiotic and prebiotic supplementation can effectively buffer honey bees against temperature-induced physiological stress, highlighting a practical nutritional strategy to enhance colony resilience under the fluctuating environmental conditions associated with seasonal variation and ongoing global climate change.

Hexathrombium osheydaensis Haddadi and Noei sp. nov. (Trombidiformes: Microtrombidiidae) is described from larvae ectoparasitic on an unidentified Tenebrionidae (Coleoptera: Polyphaga), Pheropsophus catoirei Dejean (Coleoptera: Adephaga: Carabidae), Chrotogonus trachypterus (Blanchard) and Schistocerca gregaria (Forssk & aring;l,1775) (Orthoptera: Pyrgomorphidae and Acrididae, respectively) in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran. The tribe Hexathrombiini Fain and Drugmand is reported for the first time from Iran. An updated key to the world species of the genus Hexathrombium Cooreman,1944 is presented.

The genus Mythenteles Hall & Evenhuis is recorded for thefirst time from Iran. Collected specimens from southern Iran were identified as M . wadimurri Evenhuis & Theodor. A key to the species of the genus known from the Middle East is provided.

The lettuce aphid, Nasonovia ribisnigri (Mosley), is a key pest of lettuce that causes significant annual crop damage worldwide. Applying sublethal concentrations may serve as a strategy to minimize environmental contamination and conserve natural enemies. However, this approach may induce an enhanced reproductive rate in lettuce aphid, Nasonovia ribisnigri, a phenomenon known as hormesis. This study evaluated the effects of three insecticides at two sublethal concentrations (LC10, LC30), applied during two nymphal stages, on the reproductive stimulation of adult N. ribisnigri (F0) and its subsequent intergenerational effects on the offspring (F1). The results of the bioassay indicate that imidacloprid was the most toxic pesticide against the lettuce aphid. Aphids (F0) exposed to flonicamid exhibited significantly shorter oviposition periods, along with reduced key demographic parameters, including net reproductive rate (R0), and intrinsic rate of increase (rm), compared to other pesticide treatments and the control group. Although hormetic effects occurred in the F1 for all three insecticides, a significant positive correlation between the rm of F0 and F1 was only observed in aphids exposed to the LC10 concentration of flonicamid. The rm value of F1 aphids exposed to pymetrozine and imidacloprid was significantly lower than that of control aphids, when considering the actual survival rates (lx) of the newly emerged offspring. In contrast, flonicamid-treated aphids in the F1 generation maintained a significant increase in rm value despite mortality adjustments. Therefore, caution is required when using sublethal concentrations of flonicamid for controlling the lettuce aphid.

Two species of Androctonus have been reported to date from Iran: Androctonus crassicauda (Olivier, 1807) and A. sistanus Barahoei and Mirshamsi, 2022, which is distributed only in the southeast of Iran. Investigating and identifying the distribution range of dangerous species is critically important for scorpion management. A total of 105 specimens of Androctonus were collected from representative locations in Esfahan, Yazd, Kerman, Hormozgan, Hamadan, and Khuzestan provinces. These samples were studied morphologically, morphometrically, molecularly (COI gene sequencing), and through species distribution modeling (SDM) using the MaxEnt model. Four Androctonus species were identified through the morphological and molecular studies: A. crassicauda, A. sistanus, A. sumericus, and A. rostami sp. nov. (from eastern Iran). The four described species of Androctonus in Iran form well-defined phenotypic groups based on morphometric analyses. SDM results indicated that all predicted models have high accuracy and some overlap with each other. Temperature seasonality for A. crassicauda and annual precipitation for A. sistanus, A. rostami, and A. sumericus were the highest contributing variables. With this first Iranian report of A. sumericus, the description of a new species, and the presence of A. kunti in the northwest of Iran, the number of species of this genus in the country is increased to five. The distribution range of the studied species in Iran is outlined and mapped. The potential distribution modeling for the current period delineated the distribution range of each of the four sampled species. Considering the lethality of the venom of Androctonus scorpions, determination of species distribution ranges provides theoretical backing for studies of significant importance for the prevention of scorpion stings, as well as a foundation for further biochemical and serological studies to develop specific antivenoms for each species.

The Iranian species of Norbanus Walker (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), are reviewed. Four new species, Norbanus brachymarginalis Rahmani & Rakhshani sp. nov., Norbanus brevispiculus Rahmani & Rakhshani sp. nov., Norbanus densipilosus Rahmani & Rakhshani sp. nov., and Norbanus flavitibialis Rahmani & Rakhshani sp. nov. are described from various regions in eastern (Sistan-o Baluchestan and North Khorasan), southeastern (Kerman), and western (Kermanshah) provinces of Iran. A key to the 14 Iranian and Iraqi species of Norbanus based on females is given.

A new species of the subgenus Leptus (Amaroptus), L. (A.) saboorii Haddadi & Noei sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on an ectoparasitic larva collected from an unidentified grasshopper (Orthoptera: Acrididae) in Chah Nimeh reservoir, Zahak County, Sistan and Baluchestan Province (Southeastern Iran). It represents the first record for the occurrence of the subgenus Leptus (Amaroptus) Haitlinger, 2000 in Iran. An updated key to the world species of subgenus Leptus (Amaroptus) is also presented.

Agriculture plays an essential role in meeting global food demand, and so effective pest control is crucial. Aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) are a significant problem for many crops worldwide, and cause crop losses. They are considered one of the most important groups of pests in the world. Aphid parasitoids are very important as biological agents, both for their effectiveness and their host range selectivity. This study provides a review of these groups of parasitoids and their possible role and use in aphid biological control. Two groups of primary parasitoids, Aphelinidae and Braconidae: Aphidiinae, are the main groups that can be used in the biological control of aphids. There is also a diversity of hyperparasitoids whose hosts are these primary parasitoids and therefore are likely to be detrimental to the biological control programs: Megaspilidae in the superfamily Ceraphronoidea, the following Chalcidoidea families: Encyrtidae, Eulophidae, Moranilidae, Pteromalidae, and Signiphoridae, and Cynipoidea: Figitidae: Charipinae. Records of Mymaridae emerging from aphids, while assumed to be obligate egg-parasitoids, are discussed. Dichotomous keys are provided to identify the superfamilies, families and most important genera associated with aphids.

Perumaropta sibsuranensis Haddadi and Noei sp. n. (Trombidiformes: Chyzeriidae) is described and illustrated from larvae ectoparasitic on Gryllidae (Orthoptera) and Tenebrionidae (Coleoptera), which are new hosts for the genus from Bakhshan and Rahmatabad villages, Saravan and Sib va Suran counties, Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iran. So far, this genus has only been reported from the Nearctic biogeographic region, South American continent, Peru, with the introduction of one species. In this study, it is reported for the first time from the Palaearctic region (Iran). This is the second larval species of Perumaropta which is described in the world. The generic diagnosis of the genus Perumaropta is revised and a key to the larvae in the subfamilies of Chyzeriidae is provided.

The hymenopteran subfamily Charipinae (Cynipoidea: Figitidae) consist of a group of parasitic wasps that are exclusive hyperparasitoids of Hemipteran. The species boundaries in Charipinae have historically been unclear. While diagnostic morphological features have been established for the stepwise separation of species, it is recommended to confirm those limits using molecular data. Here, we focus on the genera Alloxysta Förster, 1869 and Phaenoglyphis Förster, 1869, both of which contain species that are hyperparasitoids of aphids. We sequenced three genes (mitochondrial COI and 16S rDNA, and nuclear ITS2 rDNA) from specimens that were identified as belonging to five species: Alloxysta brevis (Thomson, 1862), A. castanea (Hartig, 1841), A. ramulifera (Thomson, 1862), A. victrix (Westwood, 1833), and Phaenoglyphis villosa (Hartig, 1841). The phylogeny resulting from concatenating these genes supported the species status of the five morphologically identified taxa, with P. villosa nested within Alloxysta. Our study thus indicates that these molecular markers can successfully distinguish charipine species, and also indicates that the genera Alloxysta and Phaenoglyphis may be more closely related than previously hypothesized. We also present the first estimates of genetic distances for these species. Future studies that include more species, loci, and/or genomic data will complement our research and help determine species relationships within the Charipinae subfamily.

An undescribed larva belonging to the family Neothrombiidae was found ectoparasitic on a Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Acari: Ixodida: Ixodidae) by Kohansal et al. (2021). The larva was collected by a sweep net from herbaceous plants in Doroh village, Sarbisheh county, South Khorasan province, Iran. Neosilphitrombium rhipicephalum Noei and Kohansal sp. nov. (Acari: Trombidiformes: Neothrombiidae) is described and illustrated. The generic diagnosis of the genus Neosilphitrombium and key to world genera of Neothrombiidae are amended. Also, an updated key to species of Neosilphitrombium of the world (larva) is presented.

In recent years, the research on the Iranian Chrysididae has been extremely prolific, thanks to the efforts of different teams. After the first checklist published by Rosa et al. (2013), more than one hundred taxa of cuckoo wasps have been recorded as new for Iran, including nine taxa described as new for science. Moreover, major modifications impacted the taxonomy of the family with two genera revaluated (Chrysellampus Semenov-Tian-Shanskij, 1932 and Colpopyga Semenov-Tian-Shanskij, 1954), Pseudochrysis Semenow, 1891 reintroduced for Pseudospinolia Linsenmaier, 1951; the description of the genus Morphochrysis Rosa & Pavesi, 2023 and several taxonomical changes to species level which were published and that deeply changed the first checklist, namely. As a consequence of all these fragmented changes, we propose a new, updated checklist of the Iranian species, to summarize all the new findings published in the last years. We describe eleven new species for science, Chrysis amerii Rosa & Farhad, sp. nov., C. chamrosh Rosa, sp. nov., C. crenulata Rosa, sp. nov., C. edentata Rosa & Baiocchi, sp. nov., C. peri Rosa & Baiocchi, sp. nov. and C. titanica Rosa, sp. nov. (succincta group), C. mediasignata Rosa, sp. nov. (leachii group), C. heimi Rosa, sp. nov. (maculicornis group), C. simurgh Rosa, sp. nov. (subsinuata group), Chrysura filidichroa Rosa, sp. nov. (dichroa group) and Hedychridium personatum Rosa, sp. nov. with its own new species-group. We report twenty-six new records of Chrysidinae for Iran: Chrysidea disclusa (Linsenmaier, 1959); Chrysis afghanica Linsenmaier, 1968; C. cylindrica Eversmann, 1858; C. echidna Semenov-Tian-Shanskij, 1967; C. grohmanni bolivari Mercet, 1902; C. klio Balthasar, 1953; C. laetula Semenov-Tian-Shanskij & Nikol'skaya, 1954; C. leuconoe Semenov-Tian-Shanskij, 1967; C. maracandensis Radoszkowski, 1877; C. mirabilis Radoszkovsky, 1877; C. mossulensis Abeille de Perrin-du Buysson, 1887; C. pseudobrevitarsis Linsenmaier, 1951; C. robertsi Rosa, 2020; C. rutilans Olivier, 1791; C. turcomana Semenov-Tian-Shanskij & Nikol'skaya, 1954; Chrysura laodamia laodamia (du Buysson, 1900); Euchroeus pellucidus (Radoszkowski, 1877); Hedychridium bytinskii Linsenmaier, 1959; H. mochii Strumia, 1994; H. plagiatum (Mocsary, 1883); Hedychrum concinnum (Mocsary, 1909); H. semicyaneum Mocsary, 1889; Spinolia stchurovskyi (Radoszkowski, 1877); Spintharina extrema (Semenov-Tian-Shanskij & Nikol'skaya, 1954), and S. houskai (Balthasar, 1953). The current number of known taxa has therefore increased from 185 (179 species and 6 subspecies) to 315 (306 species + 9 subspecies). Hedychrum persicum Mocsary, 1914 stat. nov. is upgraded to species rank. Chrysis chrysophora Semenow, 1892 and Hedychrum cyaneum Brulle, 1846 are considered nomina dubia and the latter as incertae sedis. Chrysis dawahi Strumia, 2012 is considered nomen nudum. The majority of chrysidid species in Iran (77.64%) are found exclusively in the Western Palaearctic region. Among these, 21% are restricted to the Western Palaearctic. A thorough discussion is also provided on unreliable and doubtful species records.

Iran is a country characterized by high biodiversity and complex biogeographic patterns. Its diverse landscape and steep climatic gradients have resulted in significant faunal diversity and high level of endemism. To better understand these patterns, we investigated the historical environmental drivers that have shaped Iran’s current geological and climatological conditions, and, consequently, have shaped the current zoological distribution patterns. Furthermore, we provide an overview of the country’s zoological diversity and zoogeography by reviewing published studies on its fauna. We analyzed nearly all available catalogs, updated checklists, and relevant publications, and synthesized them to present a comprehensive overview of Iran’s biodiversity. Our review reports approximately 37,500 animal species for Iran. We also demonstrated that the country serves as a biogeographic transition zone among three zoogeographical realms: the Palearctic, Oriental, and Saharo-Arabian, where distinct faunal elements intersect. This biogeographic complexity has made it challenging to delineate clear zoogeographical zones, leading to varying classifications depending on the taxon. The uplift of mountain ranges, in particular, has played a crucial role in shaping faunal diversity by serving as barriers, corridors, and glacial refugia. These mountains are largely the result of orogeny and plate collisions during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras, coupled with the development of the Tethyan Sea and the uplift of several ranges during the Miocene. Despite these insights, our understanding of biodiversity distribution in Iran remains incomplete, even for some well-studied taxa, such as certain vertebrate families and arthropods. We highlight the existing gaps in knowledge regarding zoogeographical patterns and propose approaches to address these gaps, particularly concerning less-studied species and the highly diverse group of insects.

Caeculisoma pouyani Noei & Kohansal sp. nov. (Trombidiformes: Erythraeidae) ectoparasitic on Sphodromerus luteipes Uvarov (Orthoptera: Acrididae), an unidentified Cicadellidae nymph (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha) and an unidentified species of Miridae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) in Chahkandan and Zahan villages, Birjand, South Khorasan province, Iran, is described and illustrated. The newly described species is the first representative of the genus Caeculisoma Berlese in Iran. A key to the larval species of Caeculisoma of the world is updated.