Ladybirds associated with pistachio trees in part of Kerman province, Iran (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Document Type : Research articles

Authors

• T Salehi
• SH Pashaei Rad
• MR Mehrnejad
• MR Shokri

10.22067/ijab.v7i2.25516

Abstract

The majority members of the family Coccinellidae are predators, so they have received
considerable research attention because of their potential to act as biocontrol agents. The
coccinellids complex of pistachio trees was monitored at both cultivated and wild
pistachio plantations in Shahr-e Babak (Kerman, Iran) during 2009 - 2010. Sampling was
carried out randomly in the cultivated pistachio plantations at elevations between 1590 -
1864 m and the wild pistachio growing areas at elevations between 2103-2364 m, using a
white beating tray. Totally, 25 species belonging to 14 genera from six tribes and four
subfamilies were collected. 21 and 15 species were identified on cultivated and wild
pistachio plantations respectively, among which eight new species for Kerman province
were recorded. Chilocorus bipustulatus, Exochomus quadripustulatus, Parexochomus nigripennis ,
Hyperaspis polita, Hyperaspis sp, Menochilus sexmaculatus, Nephus (Nephus) quadrimaculatus,
Nephus (Sidis) elbursi, Scymnus (Scymnus) flavicollis, Pharoscymnus setulosus, were found in few
experimental sites on planted pistachio trees only. In addition Exochomus octosignatus,
Clitostethus arcuatus, Parexochomus melanocephalus and Scymnus (Pullus) auritus were only
collected from wild pistachio trees.

Keywords

• Coccinellinae
• ladybird fauna
• pistachio trees
• Shahr-e Babak
• Iran

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