FAUNISTIC STUDY ON HEMIPTERA IN ARASBARAN AREA (EAST AZARBAIJAN PROVINCE, IRAN)

ABSTRACT: In the course of studing insect fauna in Arasbaran area (in East Azarbaijan Province), a survay was counducted on Hemiptera in townships of Kaleibar, Khod Afarin, Varzeghan and Horand during 1998-2001. The specimens were collected on trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants and were identified as 50 species belonged to 43 genera, 13 families. Among the determined specimens the following five genera (are specified with an asterisk) and 10 species are newly recorded from Iran as * Aquarius lacustris, *Blepharidopterus angulatus, Cyllecoris histrionius, Dicranocephalus agilis, Dicranocephalus medius, Heterogaster affinis, *Peirates hybridus, Picromerus bidens, Sehirus luctuosus, *Trichocorixa sp., * Hesperocorixa scabricula. KEY WORDS: Arasbaran area, Hemiptera, fauna, new record, Iran. The Heteroptera, or ³true bugs´, are among the most diverse groups within the Hemiptera, and are usually identified by the strong odor produced by the metathoracic scent glands. The Hemiptera is the fifth largest group of insects with at least 80.000 described species with the Heteroptera being the largest group with more than 35.000 species (Forero, 2006; Gullan & Cranston, 1994). The Heteroptera insects feed on plant juices or live as predators and parasites. Many of such insects that feed on the plant are known as serious plant pests (Safavi, 1993). The damage caused by the insect as a result of sucking sap from food plants, is often increased by the salivary enzymes, which may considerably alter the quality of plant products. On the other hand, many predators, catch other insects and Acarina, and very beneficial from agricultural point of view (Hassazadeh et al., 2009). Terrestrial species may be very important agricultural pests, pest controlling predators, or vectors of disease. Aquatic species help control nuisance insects, some are used for human or pet food, some are bitting nuisances, some may feed on hatchery fish, only corixids are normally fed upon by fish (Slater, 1981). The study of the true bugs fauna of Iran was started by M. Safavi in the 1940s and later by other researchers has continued. They were studied mainly on visiable and big size hemipterans