reported in Kerman province (Hashemi-Rad et al. 2000a, b, 2002). Although Nezara
viridula L.-Trissolcus basalis (Wollaston) system is also a successful biological
control system in some parts of the world (Jones 1988), and records of both species
are present in Iran (see Modarres-Awal 1997), but no attempt was done by Iranian
researchers for studying this system, maybe due to lower importance in comparison
to bollworm Helicoverpa spp.
8.3 Egg Parasitoids of Sunn Pests
Several species of true bugs belonging to Eurygaster (Hem. Scutelleridae), Aelia,
Dolycoris, and Carpocoris (Hem. Pentatomidae) attack cereals in Iran (Salavatian
1991; Radjabi 2000). Undoubtedly, Eurygaster species are the most important
among them. Three species of Eurygaster exist in Iran including E. integriceps
Puton, E. maura L. and E. testudinaria Geoffroy. The latter species so far reported
from Tabriz (north-west of the country; Brown & Eralp, 1962) and Mazandaran
(Northern Iran; Mohaghegh-Neyshabouri, 1993) which is a rare species without
economic importance. Just a single species of egg parasitoids namely Telenomus
chloropus (Thomson) was reported upon it (Mohaghegh-Neyshabouri 1993). The
European sunn pest E. maura L. is distributed in Northern provinces (predominantly
Golestan, followed by Mazandaran, Guilan, East and West Azarbaijan; Radjabi
2000), although it seems that it has displaced by E. integriceps at recent years in
north-western provinces (East and West Azarbaijan). The economic importance of
this species is lower than the more virulent species of E. integriceps that known as
common sunn pest or sunn pest and is prevalent in the central plateau of Iran. At least
four species of Aelia (A. furcula Fieb., A. melanota Fieb, A. virgata Klug, and
A. accuminata L.), two species of Dolycoris (D. baccarum (L.) and D. penisilatus
(Horvath)), and Carpocoris fuscispinus (Boh.) also attack cereal fields in Iran.
Two groups of natural enemies are important in the sunn-pest complex. The first
one egg parasitoids belonging mainly to Platygastroidea and a few species distributed in some families of Chalcidoidea mainly Encyrtidae. The second one nymphadult parasitoids belonging to Phasiinae flies (Dip. Tachinidae) (Radjabi 2000).
However, our focus is on the most important of them platygastroid egg parasitoids
in this chapter. A rich fauna of Platygastroidea, as well as, encyrtids are active on
sunn pest eggs. Regional diversity of sunn pests’ egg parasitoids has been studied by
many researchers (Table 8.1). These studies show that in different parts of the
country, miscellaneous species established and there is spatial and temporal heterogeneity among regions, and even among adjacent localities (Radjabi and AmirNazari 1989; Shafaei et al. 2011). For example in 20 places out of 37 places of
five provinces (Tehran, Alborz, Hamedan, Markazi and Lorestan) studied by Radjabi
and Amir-Nazari (1989), Trissolcus grandis was dominant in number followed by
T. semistriatus (13 places), T. vassilievi (3 places) and T. basalis just at one place.
These four species, as well as T. rufiventris and Ooencyrtus telenomicida (Hym.
Encyrtidae) are common species that are encountered in major parts of Iran.
8 Superfamily Platygastroidea: Natural Enemies of True Bugs, Moths, Other. . .
307
viridula L.-Trissolcus basalis (Wollaston) system is also a successful biological
control system in some parts of the world (Jones 1988), and records of both species
are present in Iran (see Modarres-Awal 1997), but no attempt was done by Iranian
researchers for studying this system, maybe due to lower importance in comparison
to bollworm Helicoverpa spp.
8.3 Egg Parasitoids of Sunn Pests
Several species of true bugs belonging to Eurygaster (Hem. Scutelleridae), Aelia,
Dolycoris, and Carpocoris (Hem. Pentatomidae) attack cereals in Iran (Salavatian
1991; Radjabi 2000). Undoubtedly, Eurygaster species are the most important
among them. Three species of Eurygaster exist in Iran including E. integriceps
Puton, E. maura L. and E. testudinaria Geoffroy. The latter species so far reported
from Tabriz (north-west of the country; Brown & Eralp, 1962) and Mazandaran
(Northern Iran; Mohaghegh-Neyshabouri, 1993) which is a rare species without
economic importance. Just a single species of egg parasitoids namely Telenomus
chloropus (Thomson) was reported upon it (Mohaghegh-Neyshabouri 1993). The
European sunn pest E. maura L. is distributed in Northern provinces (predominantly
Golestan, followed by Mazandaran, Guilan, East and West Azarbaijan; Radjabi
2000), although it seems that it has displaced by E. integriceps at recent years in
north-western provinces (East and West Azarbaijan). The economic importance of
this species is lower than the more virulent species of E. integriceps that known as
common sunn pest or sunn pest and is prevalent in the central plateau of Iran. At least
four species of Aelia (A. furcula Fieb., A. melanota Fieb, A. virgata Klug, and
A. accuminata L.), two species of Dolycoris (D. baccarum (L.) and D. penisilatus
(Horvath)), and Carpocoris fuscispinus (Boh.) also attack cereal fields in Iran.
Two groups of natural enemies are important in the sunn-pest complex. The first
one egg parasitoids belonging mainly to Platygastroidea and a few species distributed in some families of Chalcidoidea mainly Encyrtidae. The second one nymphadult parasitoids belonging to Phasiinae flies (Dip. Tachinidae) (Radjabi 2000).
However, our focus is on the most important of them platygastroid egg parasitoids
in this chapter. A rich fauna of Platygastroidea, as well as, encyrtids are active on
sunn pest eggs. Regional diversity of sunn pests’ egg parasitoids has been studied by
many researchers (Table 8.1). These studies show that in different parts of the
country, miscellaneous species established and there is spatial and temporal heterogeneity among regions, and even among adjacent localities (Radjabi and AmirNazari 1989; Shafaei et al. 2011). For example in 20 places out of 37 places of
five provinces (Tehran, Alborz, Hamedan, Markazi and Lorestan) studied by Radjabi
and Amir-Nazari (1989), Trissolcus grandis was dominant in number followed by
T. semistriatus (13 places), T. vassilievi (3 places) and T. basalis just at one place.
These four species, as well as T. rufiventris and Ooencyrtus telenomicida (Hym.
Encyrtidae) are common species that are encountered in major parts of Iran.
8 Superfamily Platygastroidea: Natural Enemies of True Bugs, Moths, Other. . .
307