| Occurrence of Chaetocnema aridula (Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini) in Iran: A Potential Pest of Cereals |
| Paper ID : 1249-3IICE (R1) |
| Authors: |
|
Mostafa Mirzaei *1, Jamasb Nozari2, Anahita Yazdanpak3 1Agricultural Zoology Research Department, Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, AREEO, Tehran, Iran 2Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran; 3Department of Plant Protection, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran |
| Abstract: |
| Chaetocnema Stephens, 1831 is one of the biggest genera in the tribe Alticini. This genus involved some species regarded as agricultural and forest pests. The beetles were studied in Tehran, Alborz and Qazvin provinces during 2012 to 2015. Specimens were sweep netted, dried by ethyl acetate and fixed. Identification was made with the aid of the original descriptions and the other main references (Doguet 1994; Warchałowski 2010; Konstantinov et al. 2011). All specimens were deposited in Jalal Afshar Zoological Museum (JAZM), University of Tehran, Iran. During 2013 and 2014, Chaetocnema aridula (Gyllenhal, 1827) (wheat flea-beetles) was collected from Pakdasht and Varamin, Tehran province, on Hordeum spp. and Triticum spp. and added to the Iranian fauna of the family Chrysomelidae. Identification of this species verified by Carlo Leonardi (Museo di Storia Naturale di Milano, Milan, Italy). The insect is one of the important pests of spring wheat, oats, rye and barley. This species is characterized by first antennomere with a darkened spot on dorsal view; antennomere 5 at most brown; frontal ridge between antennal sockets wide and flat; base of pronotum without longitudinal impressions and primary punctures of elytra confused at least near scutellum. Apical part of aedeagus in ventral view narrowing gradually; apical denticle of aedeagus in ventral view well-differentiated, tall, wide, flat on top; straight in lateral view. In addition to this species, Iranian Chaetocnema Stephens, 1831 reached up to 22 species. We did not mention out the doubtful report that were published by Aslan and Ghahari (2017). Their species specimens have not been deposited in any museum or collections for further evaluation, because in personal communication of the first author with Aslan specimens were not retrieved to study. Thus, the species was recorded based on all available data. |
| Keywords: |
| Chrysomelidae; Alticini; Chaetocnema aridula; Wheat flea-beetles; Iran |
| Status : Paper Accepted (Poster Presentation) |
