Najmeh SAMIN, Hamid SAKENIN, Reza MONAEM(. , , , , ; . , , , , )

1 Introduction

Robber flies(Diptera: Asilidae)comprise a large and widespread family of insects. The adults are often active flies of considerable size and readily attract attention(Geller-Grimm,2005). Asilid adults attack insects of almost all orders, from wasps, bees, and flies to dragonflies and grasshoppers; even some spiders are eaten(Lavigneetal.,1978;Lavigne,2003). Robber flies can be regarded as a beneficial group of insects. However, it was also noted that they are enemies of honey bees and are commonly found around bee hives destroying large numbers. Some species, especially the smaller ones, do not catch their victims in flight, but await small insects which, by chance, fly within their reach. At any rate we are unaware of any robber fly which is not a predator(Hull,1962;Theodor,1980;Bosák and Hradsk,2001).

Golestan province is located in the north of Iran and south of the Caspian Sea. Geographically, Golestan is divided into two sections, the plains and the mountains of the Alborz range. In the eastern Alborz section, the direction of the mountains faces northeast and gradually decreases in height. The highest point of the province is Shavar, at 3,945 m above sea level. Golestan climate is temperate for most of the year.

The fauna of Iranian Asilidae has been studied rather well by several authors(e.g. Abbassian-Lintzen,1964a,b;Lehretal.,2007;Hayatetal.,2008;Ghaharietal.,2007a,b,2008a,b,2009,2010;Saghaeietal.,2008,2009,2010;Sakeninetal.,2008a,b,2009,2010,2011;Tomasovic and Saghaei,2009;Saminetal.,2010,2011;Ostovari and Rastegar,2013). The aim of this paper is faunistic survey on Asilidae in Golestan province.

2 Materials and Methods

For studying the asilids' fauna of Golestan province, many samplings were conducted at different localities of this province. Identifications made by Engel(1930), Oldroyd(1958), Abbasian-Lintzen(1964a,b), Tsacas(1968), Theodor(1980)and Lehr(1988). The taxonomic arrangement and distributional data for regions outside Iran are those of Lehr(1988,1996), Bosák and Hradsk(2001)and Geller-Grimm(2005). The information concerning specific name, describer and description date, locality and date of collection, place where the species were collected, determinant and number of species was given.

3 Results

Totally 21 asilid species from 17 genera(PromachusLoew,EraxScopoli,EutolmusLoew,MachimusLoew,NeomochtherusOsten Sacken,TolmerusLoew,TrichomachimusEngel,SaropogonLoew,LeptarthrusStephens,AndrenosomaRondani,LaphriaMeigen,HoplotriclisHermann,LeptogasterMeigen,HolopogonLoew,AnaroliusLoew,StenopogonLoew, andLasiopogonLoew)were collected from different regions of Golestan province. The list of species is given below with distribution data.

SubfamilyApocleinaePapavero,1973GenusPromachusLoew,1848

EraxbarbatusScopoli,1763

Material examined: 1♂, Gomishan(-6 m), April 2010; 1♂, Golestan National Park, Ghareh-Ghashli(1 817 m), June 2012.

Distribution: Iran; Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Russia, South European territory, Transcaucasus, Turkey, former Yugoslavia.

GenusEutolmusLoew,1848

EutolmusimplacidusLoew,1871

Material examined: 1♀, 1♂, Golestan National Park, Soolegerd(1 586 m), April 2011.

Distribution: Iran; Germany, Kazakhstan, Russia, Soviet Middle Asia, Turkey.

GenusMachimusLoew,1849

Machimuscaliginosus(Meigen,1820)

Material examined: 2♀, Golestan National Park, Yakhtikalan(1 887 m), July 2009.

Distribution: Iran; Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Turkey, former Yugoslavia.

GenusNeomochtherusOstenSacken,1878

Neomochtherusacanthodes(Loew,1849)

Material examined: 2♂, Ramiyan(230 m), September 2010.

Distribution: Iran; Transcaucasus, Turkey.

Neomochtherusalbicans(Loew,1849)

Material examined: 2♀, Golestan National Park, Ghareh-Ghashli(1 817 m), September 2009; 1♀, Ramiyan(230 m), September 2010.

Distribution: Iran; Turkey.

GenusTolmerusLoew,1849

Tolmerusatricapillus(Fallén,1814)

Material examined: 1♀, 1♂, Golestan National Park, Dasht-e-Mirza-Bayloo(1 589 m), August 2008.

Distribution: Iran; Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Finland, Central European territory, East Siberia, Far East, Kazakhstan, North European territory, Russia, South European territory, West Siberia, Switzerland, The Netherlands, United Kingdom.

TolmerusrichteraeLehr,1981

Material examined: 1♀, Golestan National Park, Yakhtikalan(1 887 m), April 2010.

Distribution: Iran; Armenia, Transcaucaus.

Tolmerustivonensis(Theodor,1980)

Material examined: 2♀, Golestan National Park, Ghoosh-Cheshmeh(1 593 m), July 2011.

Distribution: Iran; Israel, Turkey.

GenusTrichomachimusEngel,1934

Trichomachimuspubescens(Ricardo,1922)

Material examined: 1♀, Kalaleh(147 m), September 2008; 1♀, Agh-ghala(11 m), October 2008.

Distribution: Iran; Afghanistan, China, India.

SubfamilyDasypogoninaeMacquart,1838GenusSaropogonLoew,1847

SaropogonalbicansJanssens,1961

Material examined: 1♀, Golestan National Park, Cheshmeh-Khan(1 547 m), April 2012; 1♂, Almeh(1 791 m), April 2012.

Distribution: Iran; Iraq.

Saropogonleucocephalus(Meigen,1820)

Material examined: 1♂, Minoodasht(158 m), 15 April 2012.

Distribution: Iran; Egypt, France, Israel, Italy, Morocco, North Africa, Palestine, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey.

SubfamilyBrachyrhopalinaeHardy,1926GenusLeptarthrusStephens,1829

Leptarthrusbrevirostris(Meigen,1804)

Material examined: 1♀, Aghband(157 m), May 2010; 1♂, Golestan National Park, Ghoosh-Cheshmeh(1 593 m), August 2010.

Distribution: Iran; Austria, Albania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Italy, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, former Yugoslavia, Russia, Turkey.

SubfamilyLaphriinaeMacquart,1838GenusAndrenosomaRondani,1856

Andrenosomaalbibarbe(Meigen,1820)

Material examined: 2♀, Gonbad(11 m), July 2010.

Distribution: Iran; Algeria, Austria, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Italy, Poland, Romania, Russia, Central European territory, Far East, South European territory, Spain, Turkey.

GenusLaphriaMeigen,1803

Laphriagibbosa(Linnaeus,1758)

Material examined: 2♀, 1♂, Gorgan(148 m), July 2009.

Distribution: Iran; Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Spain, France, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, Finland, former Yugoslavia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey.

SubfamilyLaphystiinaeHendel,1936GenusHoplotriclisHermann,1920

Hoplotriclispallasii(Wiedemann,1828)

Material examined: 1♂, Gonbad(8 m), July 2010; 1♂, 5 Km S of Azad Shahr(300 m), June 2011.

Distribution: Iran; Greece, Kazakhstan, Romania, Russia, Turkey.

SubfamilyLeptogastrinaeSchiner,1862GenusLeptogasterMeigen,1803

LeptogasterguttiventrisZetterstedt,1842

Material examined: 1♀, Maraveh-Tappeh(218 m), July 2010; 1♀, 1♂, Galikesh(126 m), October 2010.

Distribution: Iran; Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands.

SubfamilyBrachyrhopalinaeHardy,1926GenusHolopogonLoew,1847

HolopogonalbosetosusSchiner,1867

Material examined: 2♀, Gorgan(115 m), June 2011; 2♂, Kalaleh(164 m), April 2008.

Distribution: Iran; Kazakhstan, Russia, South European territory, Soviet Middle Asia, Transcaucas us, Turkey.

SubfamilyStenopogoninaeHull,1962GenusAnaroliusLoew,1844

AnaroliusfrontoLoew,1873

Material examined: 1♀, 2♂, Gorgan(64 m), June 2011; 2♂, Bandar-Gaz(6 m), April 2010.

Distribution: Iran; Kazakhstan, Russia, Soviet Middle Asia, Turkey.

GenusStenopogonLoew,1847

StenopogonrufipilusruficaudaEngel,1929

Material examined: 1♀, Minoo-Dasht(171 m), September 2009.

Distribution: Iran; Armenia, Russia, Transcaucasus.

SubfamilyStichopogoninaeHardy,1930GenusLasiopogonLoew,1847

LasiopogonpilosellusLoew,1847

Material examined: 1♂, Kalaleh(147 m), August 2008.

Distribution: Iran; Austria, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Turkey.

4 Discussion

This research shows that there is a diverse fauna of Asilidae in Golestan province, Iran. Among the 21 collected species, 9 species belong to subfamily Asilinae. Of course we did not sample all the regions of the mentioned area and continue to sampling in other regions especially in Golestan National Park surely will result to new data. Asilids are powerful predators of insects and other arthropods but the prey - predator relationships was not studied very well about them. One of the most interesting topics for the researchers can be this valuable subject.

Acknowledgement

We are grateful to R.Hayat(Suleyman Demirel University, Turkey), M.Hradsky(Mlekovice 40, Zasmuky, Czech Republic)and H.Ghahari(Shahre Rey Islamic Azad University, Iran)for identification of materials and providing the necessary papers. We thank Dr.J.Huang(Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, China)for editorial assistance and review of this paper. The research was supported by Islamic Azad University(Shahre Rey and Qaemshahr Branches).

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