Preliminary taxonomic study of the genus Praon (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) and its host associations in Iran

Abstract

In the current study, the information on occurrence, distribution and host aphid-plant associations for the species of Praon Haliday in Iran are presented. Eight species of Praon were found in the areas under study, which include four previously reported species, viz. Praon absinthi Bignell, Praon barbatum Mackauer, Praon exsoletum (Nees) and Praon volucre (Haliday), and four new records, Praon orpheusi Kavallieratos, Athanassiou & Tomanović, Praon rosaecola Starý, Praon abjectum (Haliday) and Praon yomenae Takada, of which P. volucre was the most common species. The presence of P. yomenae as a parasitoid of Uroleucon aphids, instead of Praon dorsale (Haliday), which does not occur in Iran, is documented. A key for identification of the Praon species occurring in Iran is presented.

Keywords

• braconidae
• aphidiinae
• praon
• host association
• iran