An annotated checklist of Microweiseinae and Sticholotidini of Iran (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae)

Abstract An updated checklist of the Coccinellidae species of the former subfamily Sticholotidinae recorded from Iran is provided. Eleven species are reported: two species classified presently in the subfamily Microweiseinae (in the genera Paracoelopterus Normand, 1936 and Serangium Blackburn, 1889), and nine species classified in the tribe Sticholotidini of the subfamily Coccinellinae (in the genera Coelopterus Mulsant & Rey, 1852 and Pharoscymnus Bedel, 1906). Pharoscymnus smirnovi Dobzhansky, 1927 is removed from the list of the Coccinellidae of Iran. Distribution of species in Iranian provinces is presented. Data concerning their host plants along with their prey species are also included when known. Morphological features of two rarely collected and poorly known species of Iranian fauna, Pharoscymnus brunneosignatus Mader, 1949 and Pharoscymnus pharoides (Marseul, 1868) are diagnosed and illustrated.


Introduction
The family Coccinellidae with approximately 6000 species and 360 genera was classified until recently in the superfamily Cucujoidea (Coleoptera, Polyphaga) and placed in the Cerylonid Series, a derived clade formed by Cerylonidae and eight other families of Cucujoidea (e.g. Crowson 1955;Lord et al. 2010). The most recent molecular research by Robertson et al. (2015) revealed, however, the Cerylonid Series as monophyletic group sister to the remaining Cucujiformia, not allied with any superfamily of the Cucujiformia including the remaining Cucujoidea. For these families, Robertson et al. (2015) established a new superfamily Coccinelloidea.
This split of the family was confirmed by subsequent molecular and combined molecular and morphological research (Robertson et al. 2008;Giorgi et al. 2009, Seago et al. 2011, Robertson et al. 2015. But Nedvěd and Kovář (2012) incorporated some results of recently published molecular and morphological research, and proposed nine subfamilies and 42 tribes.
After the split of former Sticholotidinae, research conducted so far revealed well defined Microweiseinae. This subfamily contains now three tribes (Microweiseini in-cluding Sukunahikonini, Serangiini and Carinodulini) and is well defined by a set of morphological characters: antenna inserted in front of eyes, often separated from eyes anteriorly, antennal insertions exposed and close together, clypeus well developed and emarginate around antennal insertions, subgena with glandular openings, mandible simplified with single apical tooth and no mola; ventral mouthparts retracted causing unusual projection of genae into a frame enclosing strongly elongate maxillae and labium; male genitalia with asymmetrical tegmen (Escalona and Ślipiński 2012). The remaining tribes of former Sticholotidinae either together or most tribes separately do not form clearly defined taxonomic entities and need more study. The geniculate maxillary palps with terminal maxillary palpomere pointed, bearing long oblique sensory area and compact antenna with spindle-shaped club bearing group of short sensory setae on the terminal antennomere were listed as characters for subfamily Sticholotidinae by Nedvěd and Kovář (2012). To date, these tribes are treated as a widely conceived tribe Sticholotidini in the widely conceived subfamily Coccinellinae (Ślipiński 2007).
The recent checklist of Coccinellidae of Iran provided by Moddarres-Awal (2012) included 125 species of which only seven species belong to the subfamily Sticholotidinae sensu Sasaji (1968) and Kovář (1996): Diloponis fuerschi Yazdani & Ahmadi, 1992, Pharoscymnus arabicus Fürsch, 1979, Pharoscymnus flexibilis (Mulsant, 1853), Pharoscymnus ovoideus Sicard, 1929, Pharoscymnus pharoides Marseul, 1868, Pharoscymnus setulosus (Chevrolat, 1861), Serangium montazerii Fürsch, 1995. The current study was inspired by a collection of the new material of species belonging to the former Sticholotidinae and was aimed to update the information on the current classification, occurrence, host plants and the prey of species of this group in Iran. Similar studies on other, more speciose, tribes of the family will follow.

Material and methods
The study area in Iran is located in southwest of Asia in the Middle East region. More than half of the country's land is arid or semi-arid; almost one third of the country is mountainous and a small part contains fertile plains. In winter, the temperature difference between the coldest and warmest place may exceed 50 °C. Precipitation in Iran is highly variable, from more than 2000 mm of rain a year in north to less than 15 mm in desert areas.
The arrangements of tribes, genera and species are listed alphabetically for convenience, according to classification of Seago et al. (2011). The geographical distribution, host plants and prey species are given for all the species based on literature and labels of the museum specimens examined by the first author and on personal observations of authors. The geographical distribution therein also is arranged according to the year of record publication and in alphabetical order.
New specimens examined were collected in 2013 and 2014 in different parts of Iran, and are deposited in Plant Protection Department, Lorestan University, Agricultural faculty, Khorramabad, Iran and Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Iran.

Results
This checklist includes eleven species of the Sticholotidinae sensu lato. According to the current classification of Coccinellidae, two species belong to the subfamily Microweiseinae (to the tribes Microweiseini and Serangiini) and nine species to the tribe Sticholotidini of the subfamily Coccinellinae. Pharoscymnus smirnovi Dobzhansky, 1927, which was first recorded by Zare Khormizi (2014) from Iran, was removed from the list of Iranian coccinellids after re-examination of the specimens, as they appeared to be misidentified. For Pharoscymnus pharoides (Marseul, 1868) new locality in Iran (Lorestan province) and new host plants (pine, walnut and hawthorn trees) are recorded.
The updated list of the species is as follows:  (Kovář 2007).

Distribution in Iran. Iran (Kovář 2007) -no specific distribution known.
Remarks. This species is known to be present in Salicornia habitats periodically inundated by sea water (Canepari 2010).
Remarks. This ladybird is one of the most important predators of scale insects, including Parlatoria blanchardi, on palm trees (Smirnoff 1956b). This species was imported from Iran to France; after rearing, it was used against P. blanchardi in mixed fruit groves of Moritani in 1967 (Iperti 1970). Diagnosis. Body length 1.9 mm. Dorsal surface black and setose with three pairs of orange spots on elytra; head, antennae and mouthparts dark brown; eyes completely visible from dorsal view; coxa, trochanter and basal part of femur black, distal part of femur, tibia and tarsus dark brown (Fig. 2 a-c). Male genitalia with penis weakly curved near base (Fig. 2 d, h); tegminal strut about as long as basal piece, parameres slender and distinctly longer than penis guide (Fig. 2 e-g).
Host plants and prey species in Iran. This species has been collected from almond and oak (Bagheri and Mosadegh 1997), and recently from hawthorn, pine, and walnut (current study).
Remarks. This species was reported by Erler and Tunc (2001) on Olea europaea as a predator of Lineaspis riccae (Targioni Tozzetti).

Conclusion
Species of Microweiseinae and Sticholotidini from Iran belong to four genera. Eight of a total of eleven species belong to the Sticholotidini genus Pharoscymnus. For two species, no details are known about their distribution in Iran. Fars is the best investigated province of Iran with six known species belonging to the investigated groups of ladybirds; Gilan and Lorestan have three and two known species respectively, and the other provinces have only a single species each. Most of these species have western Palaearctic or Mediterranean distribution in general, but a few species extend to India or China.
Host plants in Iran were recorded for six species. Three species were found on both almond and date palm, two species on ash, citrus, olive and pomegranate. Prey species, always scale insects, were recorded for five of the eleven listed ladybird species. For four species, Parlatoria blanchardi was the single prey or one of the prey species.