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Five new gall wasp species, Aulacidea koeiana Melika, Tavakoli & Stone, sp. nov., A. lorestanica Melika, Tavakoli & Stone, sp. nov., A. piroziae Melika, Stone & Pujade-Villar, sp. nov., Phanacis strigosa Melika, Stone & Tavakoli, sp. nov., P. tavakolii Melika, Stone & Pujade-Villar, sp. nov. are described from Lorestan, Iran. Descriptions, diagnoses, plus information on biology and host associations are given for all new species, and we provide the first description of the male of Isocolus beheni Melika & Karimpour, 2008.

Phanacis tavakolii Melika, Stone & Pujade-Villar, sp. nov. Figs 101–116 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: FE35EB75-16D5-494B-9A17-FF3861DB54FB Type material: HOLOTYPE female “ IRAN, Lorestan, Khorramabad-Tafe Nozhian. GPS coordinates: 48°27’56”E, 33°16’53”N, 2056 m a.s.l., Code 42, galls in stems of Cichorium intybus L., coll. M. Tavakoli, 2017; galls collected in Winter 2017; adults emerge by the end of Winter 2017.” PARATYPES: 10 females with the same labels as the holotype. The holotype female and the paratypes are deposited at the PHDNRL. Additional material examined. Thirty females with the same collection data as the holotype. No males are known. Etymology. In recognition of the continuing contribution of Majid Tavakoli (Lorestan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center, Khorramabad, Lorestan, Iran) to studies on gall wasps of Iran. Diagnosis. The only species currently known to induce stem galls on Cichorium intybus L. (Asteraceae) without any external deformation on the infested stem is Phanacis cichorii (Kieffer, 1909), distributed in Europe, Turkmenistan, Transcaucasus, Asia. Only females are known (Melika 2006) and have been introduced to Australia and Chile (Nieves-Aldrey & Grez 2007). Morphologically the new species most closely resembles P. cichorii. In P. cichorii the lower face is uniformly striate, with the striae radiating from the clypeus and nearly reaching the eye and toruli, the antenna is shorter than the head+mesosoma, all flagellomeres with long dark setae; submedian pronotal pits without a median carina separating them; the mesoscutum is reticulate with more dull sculpture in between notauli, in the posterior half and with more transverse sculpture in between notauli in the anterior half; the mesoscutellum is dull rugose laterally and posteriorly, with more delicate coriaceous sculpture towards the center of the mesoscutellar disk; the metapleural sulcus reaching mesopleuron in the upper 1/3 of its height, delimiting a narrow smooth area along mesopleuron, the upper part of sulcus indistinct; the central propodeal area rugose; 3rd metasomal tergum and subsequent terga with micropunctures. In P. tavakolii sp. nov. the lower face only has striae radiating laterally from the clypeus and reaching the torulus, centrally the lower face is alutaceous, without striae; the antenna is longer than the head+mesosoma, flagellomeres with white setae; submedian pronotal pits separated by an area more than 2.0× as broad as width of a pit; the mesoscutum uniformly alutaceous-reticulate, the mesoscutellum uniformly delicately rugose, the metapleural sulcus reaching the mesopleuron only slightly above the mid height, delimiting a broad coriaceous area along the mesopleuron, the upper part of sulcus distinct; the central propodeal area coriaceous, without rugae; all metasomal terga without micropunctures. Description. Female (Figs 101–113). Head and mesosoma black, mandibles and palpi light brown to yellow; antenna dark brown, except much lighter F1–F3, pedicel and scape; legs uniformly light brown to yellow; metasoma dark brown, with much lighter 2nd metasomal tergum and hypopygium. Head alutaceous, with sparse white setae, denser on lower face, rounded, 1.2× as broad as high and slightly broader than mesosoma in frontal view, 1.7× as broad as long from dorsal view. Gena alutaceous, only slightly or not broadened behind eye, slightly narrower than cross diameter of eye in lateral view. Eye 1.5× as high as length of malar space, malar sulcus absent, malar space with numerous strong striae, radiating from clypeus and nearly reaching eye. Inner margins of eyes parallel. POL 2.1× as long as OOL; OOL as long as LOL and 2.4× as long as diameter of lateral ocellus; all ocelli of the same shape and size. Transfacial distance 1.3× as long as height of eye; diameter of antennal torulus 1.8× as long as distance between them and nearly as long as distance between torulus and eye margin. Lower face laterally with striae radiating from clypeus and reaching torulus, centrally without striae, alutaceous; median elevated area alutaceous. Clypeus smooth, rectangular, slightly higher than broad, ventrally rounded, slightly projecting over mandibles; anterior tentorial pits, epistomal sulcus and clypeo-pleurostomal line distinct. Frons, vertex, occiput, postocciput alutaceous; posterior tentorial pit small, ovate, deep, area below not impressed; occipital foramen as high as height of postgenal bridge; hypostomal carina distinct, broad, emarginate, continuing into united postgenal sulci. Antenna with 12 flagellomeres, longer than head+mesosoma; pedicel 1.3× as long as broad; F1 1.5× as long as pedicel, slightly longer than F2, F2 slightly longer than F3, F3 till F11 nearly equal in length, F12 2.0× as long as F11, all flagellomeres with white setae; placodeal sensilla on F3–F12, absent on F1–F2. Mesosoma convex, longer than high in lateral view, with sparse white setae, denser on propodeum and along anterolateral edge of pronotum. Pronotum uniformly alutaceous-reticulate, dorsomedially 2.0× as short as greatest length on outer lateral margin. Submedian pronotal pits small, narrow, area separating them more than 2.0× as broad as width of a pit. Mesoscutum slightly broader than long, uniformly alutaceous-reticulate. Notaulus deep, complete, anterior parallel line indistinct, hardly traceable; parapsidal lines narrow, distinctly impressed, reaching tegula level; median mesoscutal line extending to half length of mesoscutum. Mesoscutellum uniformly delicately rugose, rounded, circumscutellar carina hardly traceable laterally and posteriorly; slightly overhanging metascutellum. Mesoscutellar foveae in a form of transverse semilunar impression anteriorly, indistinctly or not separated by a slightly elevated median area. Mesopleuron uniformly rugose, reticulate in some parts, with some transversally orientated wrinkles and white setae ventrally; mesopleural triangle coriaceous, with some delicate longitudinal wrinkles. Metapleural sulcus reaching mesopleuron slightly above mid height, delimiting a broad coriaceous area along mesopleuron, upper part of sulcus distinct. Dorsal axillar and lateral axillar areas coriaceous, mat, with sparse white setae; subaxillular bar smooth, shining, most posterior end narrower than height of smooth metanotal trough; metascutellum delicately coriaceous, narrow medially; smooth ventral impressed area shorter than height of mesoscutellum medially. Propodeum coriaceous, lateral propodeal carinae uniformly thick, subparallel, weakly bent inwards; central propodeal area coriaceous, without striae, with setae; lateral propodeal area alutaceous, with dense white setae; nucha short, laterally smooth, without longitudinal striae, dorsocentrally smooth, without longitudinal striae, only dorsolaterally some delicate striae visible. Forewing longer than body, margin with long cilia, veins yellowish brown, R1 reaching wing margin and extending along margin on a short distance, Rs nearly reaching wing margin, radial cell partially closed, 3.4× as long as broad, areolet absent, Rs+M indistinct, weakly pigmented, reaching to 2/3 of distance between areolet and basalis, its projection reaching basalis in lower half. Tarsal claws very narrow, without basal lobe. Metasoma 1.6× as long as high in lateral view; 2nd metasomal tergum without setae anterolaterally and without punctures, extending to 1/3 of metasoma length in lateral view; all subsequent terga without setae and micropunctures; prominent part of ventral spine of hypopygium with very short white setae ventrally, short, as broad as long in ventral view. Body length 1.7–2.2 mm (n = 10). Male. Unknown. Gall (Figs 114–116). Galls are cryptic chambers hidden in stems, without external swelling and most easily detected by the holes made by the emerging adults. Biology. Galls mature by summer; adults emerge in February of the following year. The host plant is Cichorium intybus L. (Asteraceae). Distribution. Khorramabad-Tafe Nozhian, Lorestan Province, Iran., Published as part of Tavakoli, Majid, Stone, Graham N., Pujade-Villar, Juli & Melika, George, 2022, New herb gall wasps from Iran (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), pp. 301-333 in Zootaxa 5155 (3) on pages 325-330, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5155.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6683274, {"references":["Kieffer, J. J. (1909) Description de nouveaux cynipides gallicoles. Bullettin de la Societe d'Histoire Naturelle de la Metz, 26, 57 - 96. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. part. 13504","Nieves-Aldrey, J. L. & Grez, A. (2007) Two cynipid species inducing galls to herbaceous weeds (Hym., Cynipidae) introduced in Chile. Agrociencia, noviembre-diciembre, 921 - 927."]}

Aulacidea piroziae Melika, Stone & Pujade-Villar, sp. nov. Figs 42–63 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 745B476D-EDF2-4312-80B4-DD8D46B8FC3 Type material: HOLOTYPE female “ IRAN, Lorestan, Zaghe (Natural Resources Research Station), GPS coordinates: 48°40’28”E, 33°29’16”N, 1988 m a.s.l., Code 31 (2016), galls in stems and flowerheads of Centaurea pterocaula, coll. M. Tavakoli, 2015; galls coll. in summer; adults emerge by end of winter 2015”. PARATYPES: seven females and 10 males with the same labels as the holotype. The holotype female and the paratypes are deposited at the PHDNRL. Additional material examined. Eight males with the same labels as the holotype. Etymology. In recognition of Fatemeh Pirozi, wife of M. Tavakoli, who was one of the first specialists (with M. Chodjai) to work on Cynipidae in Iran. Diagnosis. Morphologically most closely resembles A. koeiana sp. nov. based on the short dark female metasoma, which has all terga without micropunctures. In A. koeiana sp. nov. the head of the female is slightly elongated in frontal view, POL nearly 1.9× as long as OOL; the female antenna slightly longer than the mesosoma, the anterolateral edge of the pronotum invaginated with white setae, the most ventral part of the mesopleuron striate, the mesopleural sulcus delimiting a small area along the mesopleuron, lateral propodeal carinae subparallel, the central propodeal area anteriorly as broad as posteriorly; the male antenna is dark brown. In A. pirozi sp. nov. the head is more rounded in frontal view, POL 1.5× as long as OOL, the female antenna shorter than the head+mesosoma, the anterolateral edge of the pronotum invaginated and covered with very dense white setae, the invaginated part of the pronotum is hidden, the most ventral part of the mesopleuron is not striate, smooth, shining; the mesopleural sulcus delimiting an area along the mesopleuron which is at least 2.0× broader than in A. koeiana sp. nov.; lateral propodeal carinae bent inwards anteriorly, the central propodeal area anteriorly narrower than posteriorly; the male antenna is brown. Description. Female (Figs 42–48, 55–61). Head, mesosoma, black, metasoma dark brown to black. Mandibles, maxillary and labial palpi light brown; scape and pedicel dark brown to black, flagellomeres light brown; tegula yellow; legs reddish-brown, coxae dark brown to black; ventral spine of hypopygium brown. Head alutaceous-reticulate, with scattered white setae, 1.2× as broad as high, slightly broader than mesosoma in frontal view, 1.7× as broad as long in dorsal view. Gena alutaceous-reticulate, not broadened behind eye in frontal view; upper part of gena narrower than cross diameter of eye, lower part on the level of ventral edge of eye broader than transverse diameter of eye; malar space with distinct striae radiating from clypeus and extending to 2/3 of malar space length, do not reaching eye, malar sulcus absent; eye 1.3× as high as height of malar space. Eyes slightly converging ventrally. POL 1.6× as long as OOL; OOL 2.8× as long as length of lateral ocellus, 1.3× as long as LOL, lateral ocelli ovate, all of the same size. Transfacial distance 1.5x as long as height of eye, diameter of antennal torulus 2.1× as long as distance between them, distance between torulus and eye 1.6× as long as diameter of torulus, toruli located at mid height of eye; lower face with short setae, with distinct striae radiating from clypeus and reaching to half height of lower face, alutaceous between striae; slightly elevated median area delicately coriaceous. Clypeus rectangular, delicately coriaceous, impressed, ventrally not emarginate and without median incision; anterior tentorial pit, epistomal sulcus and clypeo-pleurostomal line indistinct. Frons uniformly alutaceous, small rounded area under median ocellus slightly impressed, smooth, shining. Vertex, occiput, postocciput and postgena alutaceousreticulate, with sparse white setae; posterior tentorial pit large, ovate, deep, area below impressed; occipital foramen shorter than height of postgenal bridge; hypostomal carina emarginate, continuing into united postgenal sulci. Antenna shorter than head+mesosoma, with 12 flagellomeres (suture between F12 and F11 indistinct but present), pedicel slightly longer than broad, F1 slightly longer than F2, narrower than F2 and longer than pedicel, F2=F3, F4=F5 and slightly longer than penultimate flagellomeres, F6 till F12 nearly equal in length; placodeal sensilla on F3–F12. Mesosoma 1.3× as long as high. Pronotum uniformly alutaceous, without striae and with dense white setae laterally along anterior margin, dorso-medially 1.8× as short as greatest length on outer lateral margin; pronotal plate with very few short white setae, well-delimited in anterior half, as broad as long, pronotal submedial pits distinct, separated by an area broader than the submedian pit; propleuron alutaceous, glabrous. Mesoscutum alutaceous, with scattered short white setae; slightly longer than broad (largest width measured across mesoscutum at level of base of tegulae). Notaulus complete, distinctly impressed, converging at posterior end; anterior parallel line indistinct, parapsidal line distinct, extending to level of tegula; median mesoscutal line short to 1/5 length of mesoscutum. Mesoscutellum uniformly sculptured, weak rugose, longer than broad, overhanging metanotum; mesoscutellar foveae distinct, with a smooth, glabrous bottom and separated by a narrow elevated, smooth median carina. Mesopleuron, including speculum with strong parallel transverse striae going across entire width, with dense white setae ventrally; mesopleural triangle coriaceous, with few setae; dorsal axillar area and lateral axillar area alutaceous, with a few white setae; subaxillular bar smooth, glabrous, triangular, most posterior part as high as height of metanotal trough; metapleural sulcus reaching mesopleuron slightly about its half height; upper part of sulcus indistinct. Metascutellum coriaceous, metanotal trough smooth, glabrous, without setae; ventral impressed area as high as height of metascutellum, smooth, glabrous; central propodeal area smooth, glabrous, without rugae; lateral propodeal carinae strong, high, bent inwards anteriorly; lateral propodeal area delicately coriaceous, with dense long, white setae. Nucha with distinct broad longitudinal sulci dorsally and laterally. Tarsal claws narrow, without basal lobe. Forewing longer than body, hyaline, with distinct long, dense cilia on margin, veins brown, radial cell closed, 2.6× as long as broad; areolet triangular, closed, distinct. Rs+M distinct on 4/5 of distance between areolet and basalis, its projection reaching basalis slightly below its mid height. Metasoma slightly longer than head+mesosoma, slightly longer than high in lateral view; 2nd metasomal tergum extending to above half length of metasoma in dorsal view, with patch of white dense setae anterolaterally, all metasomal terga without setae, smooth, glabrous, without micropunctures. Hypopygium with micropunctures, ventral spine of hypopygium short and broad, prominent part 2.5× as long as broad, without setae. Body length 1.6–1.8 mm (n = 7). Male (Figs 49–54). Similar to female but POL 1.7× as long as OOL; OOL 2.1× as long as length of lateral ocellus, 1.2× as long as LOL. Transfacial distance 1.4x as long as height of eye. Antenna as long as body, with 12 flagellomeres, F1 nearly straight, apically not swollen, shorter and narrower than F2, placodeal sensilla on F1–F13. Body length 1.5–1.7 mm (n = 10). Gall (Figs 62–63). Galls are cryptic chambers hidden in flowerheads and stems, without detectable external swelling. Usually more than one larval chamber is present in a single flowerhead. Biology. Galls mature in summer; adults overwinter in the gall and emerge by the end of winter, before spring of the following year. The host plant is Centaurea pterocaula Trautv. (Asteraceae). Distribution. Zaghe (Natural Resources Research Station), Lorestan Province, Iran., Published as part of Tavakoli, Majid, Stone, Graham N., Pujade-Villar, Juli & Melika, George, 2022, New herb gall wasps from Iran (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), pp. 301-333 in Zootaxa 5155 (3) on pages 312-317, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5155.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6683274

Aulacidea koeiana Melika, Tavakoli & Stone, sp. nov. Figs. 1–19 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: EBAAB8C1-8B21-4E2E-94C8-BF2E57E28D45 Type material: HOLOTYPE female “ IRAN, Lorestan, Zaghe (Natural Resources Research Station), GPS coordinates: 48°40’28”E, 33°29’16”N, 1988 m a.s.l., hidden stem galls in Centaurea koeieana, Code 1 (2016), coll. M. Tavakoli, summer 2015; adults emerge by the end of winter 2015”. PARATYPES: 7 females and 8 males with the same labels as the holotype. The holotype female and the paratypes are deposited at the PHDNRL. Etymology. The new species is named after the host plant, Centaurea koeieana Bornm. (Asteraceae), from which it was reared. Diagnosis. In all six Aulacidea species previously recorded from Iran (A. acroptilonica, A. hieracii, A. irani, A. scorzonerae, A. tavakolii and A. tragopogonis) the metasomal tergum 3 and subsequent terga have distinct micropunctures, while the new species lacks micropunctures on the tergites. According to the key to species given by Melika (2006) no other Aulacidea species has the metasoma completely smooth. This new species morphologically most closely resembles A. abdominalis (Thomson, 1877). In A. abdominalis the galls are formed in the flowerheads of Scorzonera spp., while in the new species the galls are formed in the flowerheads of Centaurea koeieana. The new species also resembles Aulacidea martae Nieves-Aldrey described by Nieves-Aldrey (2004) from South-Eastern Spain with which it shares a smooth metasoma without punctures, but A. martae induces inconspicuous galls on stems of Launaea arborescens Batt. (Murb.) (Asteraceae), and has the 2nd metasomal tergum with dense setae anterolaterally. A. martae, however, has POL nearly equal to OOL, female antenna with 11 flagellomeres, F1 shorter than F2; the pronotum coriaceous, notaulus very weakly impressed anteriorly, hardly traceable; metasomal tergum 3 to 7 without micropunctures except of a posterior narrow band of weak micropunctures. The new species also resembles Aulacidea parvula Diakontschuk 1984, originally described based on females from Georgia; males were described later from Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, also from stem galls in Eryngium sp. (Apiaceae) (Diakontschuk 1988). However, in A. parvula which also has the body black, the antennae are black with 10 flagellomeres, with F3–F6 lighter, mesoscutellar foveae are very narrow, the radial cell of the fore wing triangular, short, Rs+M absent, the metasoma with punctures. Description. Female (Figs 1–4, 10–16). Head and mesosoma black; metasoma dark brown to black. Mandibles light brown; maxillary and labial palpi dark brown to black; scape and pedicel black, flagellomeres brown to light brown, darker distally; tegula yellowish white; legs reddish-brown, with darker coxae; ventral spine of hypopygium brown. Head alutaceous, with scattered white setae, 1.2× as broad as high, slightly broader than mesosoma in frontal view, 1.7× as broad as long in dorsal view. Gena alutaceous, not broadened behind eye in frontal view; upper part of gena narrower than cross diameter of eye, lower part on the level of ventral edge of eye only slightly narrower than transverse diameter of eye; malar space with distinct striae radiating from clypeus and reaching eye, malar sulcus absent; eye 1.3× as high as height of malar space. Eyes slightly converging ventrally. POL nearly 1.9× as long as OOL; OOL 2.5× as long as length of lateral ocellus, as long as LOL, lateral ocelli rounded, slightly bigger than median ocellus. Transfacial distance 1.5x as long as height of eye, diameter of antennal torulus 2.6× as long as distance between them, distance between torulus and eye 1.5× as long as diameter of torulus; lower face with few setae, with distinct striae radiating from clypeus and reaching antennal toruli, alutaceous between striae; slightly elevated median area coriaceous. Clypeus rectangular, slightly broader than high, smooth, shining, impressed, ventrally not emarginate and without median incision; anterior tentorial pit, epistomal sulcus and clypeo-pleurostomal line indistinct. Frons uniformly alutaceous, medially slightly impressed from toruli to median ocellus, small rounded area under median ocellus slightly impressed. Vertex, occiput, postocciput and postgena alutaceous, with sparse white setae; posterior tentorial pit large, ovate, deep, area below impressed; occipital foramen shorter than height of postgenal bridge; hypostomal carina emarginate, continuing into united postgenal sulci. Antenna slightly longer than mesosoma, with 12 flagellomeres (suture between F12 and F11 indistinct, hardly traceable but present); pedicel slightly longer than broad, F1 narrower and slightly shorter than F2, slightly longer than pedicel, F2=F3, all subsequent flagellomeres slightly longer than F1–F3 and nearly equal in length, F12 shorter than F11; placodeal sensilla on F2–F12. Mesosoma 1.3× as long as high. Pronotum coriaceous, without striae and dense white setae laterally along anterior margin, dorso-medially 1.9× as short as greatest length on outer lateral margin; pronotal plate with very few short white setae, well-delimited in anterior half, as broad as long, pronotal submedial pits distinct, separated by a narrow area which as broad as the submedian pit; propleuron alutaceous, glabrous, with delicately coriaceous area centrally. Mesoscutum delicately alutaceous, with scattered short white setae; slightly longer than broad (largest width measured across mesoscutum at level of base of tegulae). Notaulus complete, distinctly impressed, converging at posterior end; anterior parallel line invisible, parapsidal line indistinct; median mesoscutal line extends to 1/3 length of mesoscutum. Mesoscutellum uniformly coriaceous with irregular rugae, longer than broad, overhanging metanotum; mesoscutellar foveae distinct, with a smooth, glabrous bottom and separated by a narrow elevated, smooth median carina. Mesopleuron, including speculum with strong parallel transverse striae going across entire width, with dense white setae ventrally; mesopleural triangle rugose, with few setae; dorsal axillar area and lateral axillar area alutaceous, with a few white setae; subaxillular bar smooth, glabrous, triangular, most posterior part higher than height of metanotal trough; metapleural sulcus reaching mesopleuron slightly about half of its height; upper part of sulcus indistinct. Metascutellum coriaceous with some rugae basally, metanotal trough smooth, glabrous, with dense short white setae; ventral impressed area as high as height of metascutellum, smooth, glabrous; central propodeal area smooth, glabrous, without rugae; lateral propodeal carinae strong, high, subparallel; lateral propodeal area coriaceous, with dense long, white setae. Nucha with inconspicuous sulci dorsally and laterally. Tarsal claws narrow, without basal lobe. Forewing longer than body, hyaline, with distinct long, dense cilia on margin, veins brown, radial cell closed, 2.6× as long as broad; R1and Rs reaching wing margin; areolet small, triangular, closed, distinct. Rs+M distinct on 2/3 of distance between areolet and basalis, its projection reaching basalis at mid height. Metasoma slightly longer than head+mesosoma, slightly longer than high in lateral view; 2nd metasomal tergum extending to above half length of metasoma in dorsal view, with patch of white dense setae anterolaterally, all metasomal terga without setae, smooth, glabrous, without micropunctures. Hypopygium with micropunctures, ventral spine of hypopygium short and broad, prominent part 2.0× as long as broad, without setae. Body length 1.6–1.9 mm (n = 10). Male (Figs 5–9). Body black, antenna dark brown to black. Similar to female but head slightly broader than high in frontal view, POL 1.3× as long as OOL; OOL 2.9× as long as length of lateral ocellus, 2.9× as long as LOL. Transfacial distance 1.9× as long as height of eye. Antenna as long as body, with 13 flagellomeres (suture between F13 and F12 indistinct, hardly traceable but present), F1 excavated, curved, apically slightly swollen, equal to F2, placodeal sensilla on F1–F13. Body length 1.9–2.1 mm (n = 10). Gall (Figs 17–19). Galls are cryptic chambers hidden in flowerheads and stems, without detectable swelling of the stem. The only external indication of these cryptic galls are the holes made by the emerging adults. Biology. The galls mature in the summer. The adults overwinter in galls and emerge by the end of winter, in the following calendar year. The only known host plant is Centaurea koeieana Bornm. (Asteraceae). Distribution. Zaghe (Natural Resources Research Station), Lorestan Province, Iran., Published as part of Tavakoli, Majid, Stone, Graham N., Pujade-Villar, Juli & Melika, George, 2022, New herb gall wasps from Iran (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), pp. 301-333 in Zootaxa 5155 (3) on pages 302-307, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5155.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6683274, {"references":["Thomson, C. G. (1877) Ofversigt af Sveriges Cynips-Arter. Opuscula Entomologica, 8, 732 - 841.","Nieves-Aldrey, J. L. (2004) A new Aulacidea species (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae) from Cabo de Gata nature park (Spain) inducing galls on Launaea arborescens, including description of its terminal instar larva. Graellsia, 60 (2), 175 - 184. https: // doi. org / 10.3989 / graellsia. 2004. v 60. i 2.213","Diakontschuk, L. A. (1984) New species of Cynipidae (Hymenoptera) from Georgian SSR. Vestnik Zoologii, 3, 74 - 77. [in Russian]","Diakontschuk, L. A. (1988) New and little known gall wasps of the subfamily Cynipinae (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae) from Central Asia. Entomologicheskoye Obozreniye, 67 (1), 166 - 181. [in Russian]","Tavakoli, M., Hosseini-Chegeni, A., Stone, G. N., Sadeghi, S. E., Atkinson, R. & Melika, G. (2021) The gall wasp fauna of Iran (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipinae): species checklist and biogeographical assessment. Zootaxa, 4948 (3), 301 - 335. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4948.3.1","Ashmead, W. H. (1903) Classification of the gall-wasps and the parasitic cynipoids, or the superfamily Cynipoidea. IV. Psyche, 10, 210 - 216. https: // doi. org / 10.1155 / 1903 / 21809","Linnaeus, C. (1758) Systema Naturae per Regna Tria Naturae, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differnetiis, Synonymis, Locis. 10 th Edition. Laurentius Salvius, Holmiae, 542 pp. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 542","Melika, G. & Gharaei, B. (2006) New species of herb galling cynipids (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae: Aylacini) from Iran. Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae, 52 (4), 385 - 399.","Giraud, J. (1859) Signalements de quelques especes nouvelles de Cynipides et de leurs galles. Verhandlungen der zoologischen botanischen Gesellschaft Wien, 9, 337 - 374.","Melika, G. & Karimpour, Y. (2008) The first report of Aulacidea acroptilonica and Isocolus cirsii (Hym.: Cynipidae) from Iran. Journal of Entomological Society of Iran, 27 (2), 19 - 20.","Karimpour, Y., Tavakoli, M. & Melika, G. (2008) New species of herb gallwasps from the Middle East (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae, Aylacini). Zootaxa, 1854 (1) -, 16 - 32. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 1854.1.2","Diakontschuk, L. A. (1982) New cynipid species of the genus Isocolus Forster (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae). Entomologicheskoye Obozreniye, 61 (2), 382 - 391. [in Russian]","Diakontschuk, L. A. (1987) A new species of the genus Isocolus Foerster (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae) from Ukraine. In: Fauna and Biocoenotic Relationships of Insects of Ukraine. Naukova Dumka, Kiev, pp. 56 - 58. [in Russian]","Hedicke, H. (1928) Beitrage zur Kenntnis der Cynipiden (Hym.). XIV. Der Erzeuger der levantinischen Salviagalle. Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift, Neue Folge, 14 (1928), 81 - 85. https: // doi. org / 10.1002 / mmnd. 48119280111","Hartig, T. (1840) Erster Nachtrag zur Naturgeschichte der Gallwespen. Zeitschrift fur Entomologie, Germar, 2, 322 - 358.","Trotter, A. (1913) Contributo alla conoscenza delle galle della Tripoliania. Marcellia, 11, 210 - 219.","Perris, J. P. O. A. E. (1839) Observations sur les Insectes qui habitent les galles de l'Ulex nanus et du Papaver dubium. Annales de la Societe Entomologique de France, 9, 89 - 99.","Barbotin, F. (1964) Sur une nouvelle galle et deux nouveaux cynipides en provance d'Algerie. Marcellia, 31, 151 - 157.","Tavakoli, M. & Melika, G. (2006) Two new species of Timaspis Mayr, 1881 - aylacine gall wasps from Iran (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Aylacini). Folia Entomologica Hungarica, 67, 75 - 87.","Diakontschuk, L. A. (1980) New gall wasp species of the genus Phanacis (Hymenoptera, Cynipoidea) from Centaurea stems. Vestnik Zoologii, 6, 20 - 25. [in Russian]"]}

Aulacidea lorestanica Melika, Tavakoli & Stone, sp. nov. Figs 20–41 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: D8E74FFF-A77C-434E-A2C7-C2924F8F3864 Type material: HOLOTYPE female “ IRAN, Lorestan, Zaghe (Natural Resources Research Station),, GPS coordinates: 48°40’28”E, 33°29’16”N, 1988 m a.s.l., Code 31 (2016), galls in stems and flowerheads of Centaurea pterocaula, coll. M. Tavakoli, 2015; galls coll. in summer; adults emerge by end of winter 2015”. PARATYPES: 10 females and 6 males with the same labels as the holotype. The holotype female and the paratypes are deposited at the PHDNRL. Additional material examined. Ten females and 3 males with the same labels as the holotype. Etymology. Named after the Iranian province, Lorestan, where the species was collected. Diagnosis. The new species is morphologically similar to Aulacidea koelpiniae Diakontschuk, 1988, based on the shape of the male head, which is higher than broad, presence of cilia on the forewing margin, and the mesoscutellar foveae, which are as high as broad, with a smooth, glabrous bottom, separated by a narrow elevated, coriaceous median carina. However, Aulacidea koelpiniae Diakontschuk, 1988, induces galls in fruits on Koelpinia linearis Pall. (Asteraceae) and is known only from Turkmenistan (Diakontschuk 1988, Melika 2006). In A. koelpiniae the antenna is yellowish, F1 1.5× as short as F2, the mesosoma reddish brown, the notaulus with sculpture like the mesoscutum, anterior parallel and parapsidal lines indistinct, invisible, the median mesoscutal line extending to the half length of the mesoscutum, the metasoma is rounded, shorter than the head+mesosoma, F 1 in the male antenna excavated, while in Aulacidea lorestanica sp. nov. the antenna uniformly dark brown, F1 only slightly shorter than F2, the mesosoma black, the notaulus smooth, shining, the anterior parallel line distinct extending to 1/5–1/6 of the mesoscutum length, the parapsidal line distinct, slightly impressed, extending to the level of tegula; the median mesoscutal line extends to 1/5 length of the mesoscutum, the metasoma distinctly longer than the head+mesosoma; F 1 in the male antenna straight, not excavated, galls in stems and flowerheads of Centaurea sp. (Asteraceae). Also resembles A. ascanica Diakontschuk, 1984 in which POL nearly equal OOL, the malar space with few delicate striae radiating from the clypeus and not reaching the eye margin, the antenna with 10 flagellomeres, mesoscutellar foveae as broad as high, rugose, the metasomal tergum 3 without micropunctures, smooth; the galls of A. ascanica are lignified, relatively soft stem deformations on Serratula xeranthemoides M.B. (Asteraceae) and known only from the steppe zone of Southern Ukraine (Diakontschuk 1984). Description. Female (Figs 20–26, 33–39). Head and mesosoma black, mandibles and mouthparts yellow, tegula yellowish white; legs yellowish brown, except dark brown to black coxae; metasoma dark brown. Head alutaceous, with scattered white setae, only slightly broader than high, slightly broader than mesosoma in frontal view, 1.7× as broad as high in dorsal view. Gena alutaceous, not broadened behind eye in frontal view; upper part of gena narrower than cross diameter of eye, lower part on the level of ventral edge of eye as broad as transverse diameter of eye; malar space with distinct striae radiating from clypeus and reaching eye, malar sulcus absent; eye 1.2× as high as height of malar space. Inner margins of eyes parallel. POL 1.5× as long as OOL; OOL 2.7× as long as length of lateral ocellus, 1.6× as long as LOL, lateral ocelli ovate, slightly bigger than median ocellus. Transfacial distance 1.2x as long as height of eye, toruli located at the mid height of eyes, diameter of antennal torulus 1.9× as long as distance between them, distance between torulus and eye 1.4× as long as diameter of torulus; lower face smooth, shining, with sparse short setae, with delicate very short striae radiating from clypeus; slightly elevated median area with delicate waved short striae. Clypeus rectangular, smooth, glabrous, impressed, ventrally not emarginate and without median incision; anterior tentorial pit, epistomal sulcus and clypeo-pleurostomal line indistinct. Frons and area between toruli uniformly alutaceous, medially not impressed, small rounded area under median ocellus slightly impressed. Vertex, occiput, postocciput and postgena alutaceous-reticulate, with sparse white setae; posterior tentorial pit large, ovate, deep, area below impressed; occipital foramen as high as height of postgenal bridge; hypostomal carina emarginate, continuing into united postgenal sulci. Antenna longer than mesosoma, with 12 flagellomeres (suture between F12 and F11 indistinct, hardly traceable but present); pedicel slightly longer than broad, F1 only slightly shorter and narrower than F2, longer than pedicel, F2=F3=F4, all subsequent flagellomeres slightly longer than F1–F3 and nearly equal in length, F12 shorter than F11; placodeal sensilla on F1–F12. Mesosoma 1.3× as long as high. Pronotum uniformly alutaceous-reticulate, without striae, with few white setae laterally along anterior margin, dorsomedially 1.8× as short as greatest length on outer lateral margin; pronotal plate with very few short white setae, well-delimited in anterior half, as broad as long, pronotal submedial pits distinct, ovate separated by an area narrower than width of submedian pit; propleuron alutaceous, glabrous, with few short setae. Mesoscutum alutaceous-reticulate, with scattered short white setae; slightly longer than broad (largest width measured across mesoscutum at level of base of tegulae). Notaulus complete, distinctly impressed, smooth, shining bottom, converging at posterior end; anterior parallel line distinct, impressed, extending to 1/5–1/6 of the mesoscutum length, parapsidal line distinct, slightly impressed, extending to the level of tegula; median mesoscutal line extends to 1/5 length of mesoscutum. Mesoscutellum uniformly alutaceous-reticulate with some carinae laterally and distally, longer than broad, posteriorly rounded, overhanging metanotum; mesoscutellar foveae distinct, as high as broad, with a smooth, glabrous bottom, separated by a narrow elevated, coriaceous median carina. Mesopleuron, including speculum with strong parallel transverse striae going across entire width, with some white setae ventrally; mesopleural triangle smooth, shining, without setae; dorsal axillar area and lateral axillar area alutaceous-reticulate, with a few white setae; subaxillular bar smooth, shining, triangular, most posterior part as high as height of metanotal trough; metapleural sulcus reaching mesopleuron slightly above half its height; upper part of sulcus indistinct. Metascutellum coriaceous, metanotal trough smooth, shining, without setae; ventral impressed area as high as height of metascutellum, smooth, shining; central propodeal area smooth, glabrous, without rugae; lateral propodeal carinae strong, high, parallel; lateral propodeal area coriaceous, with dense long, white setae. Nucha with inconspicuous sulci dorsally and laterally. Tarsal claws narrow, without basal lobe. Forewing longer than body, hyaline, with distinct long, dense cilia on margin, veins brown, radial cell closed, 2.8× as long as broad; areolet triangular, closed, indistinct. Rs+M distinct on 2/3 of distance between areolet and basalis, its projection reaching basalis at mid height. Metasoma longer than head+mesosoma, 1.5× as long as high in lateral view; 2nd metasomal tergum extending to 1/5 of metasoma length in dorsal view, with few white setae anterolaterally, without micropunctures; third and fourth terga without setae, smooth, shining, with inconspicuous micropunctures; 5th to 7th terga and hypopygium with distinct dense micropunctures, ventral spine of hypopygium short and broad, prominent part as long as broad, without setae. Body length 1.9–2.3 mm (n = 10). Male (Figs 27–32). Head and mesosoma black, antenna dark brown to black, legs coloured as in females, metasoma dark brown, dorsally darker, to black. Similar to female but head is higher than broad in frontal view, POL 1.8× as long as OOL, OOL 1.5× as long as length of lateral ocellus, slightly shorter than LOL. Antenna as long as body, with 13 flagellomeres, F1 straight, not swollen apically, slightly shorter than F2, placodeal sensilla on F1–F13. Body length 1.8–2.0 mm (n = 10). Gall (Figs 40–41). Galls are cryptic chambers hidden in flowerheads and stems, without detectable external swelling. Usually more than one larval chamber is present in a single flowerhead or stem. Biology. Galls mature in summer; adults overwinter in the gall and emerge by the end of winter, before spring of the following year. The host plant is Centaurea pterocaula Trautv. (Asteraceae). Distribution. Zaghe (Natural Resources Research Station), Lorestan Province, Iran., Published as part of Tavakoli, Majid, Stone, Graham N., Pujade-Villar, Juli & Melika, George, 2022, New herb gall wasps from Iran (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), pp. 301-333 in Zootaxa 5155 (3) on pages 307-312, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5155.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6683274, {"references":["Diakontschuk, L. A. (1988) New and little known gall wasps of the subfamily Cynipinae (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae) from Central Asia. Entomologicheskoye Obozreniye, 67 (1), 166 - 181. [in Russian]","Diakontschuk, L. A. (1984) New species of Cynipidae (Hymenoptera) from Georgian SSR. Vestnik Zoologii, 3, 74 - 77. [in Russian]"]}

Isocolus beheni Melika & Karimpour, 2008 Figs 64–85 Material examined. Total 70 females and 24 males: four females and 8 males “ IRAN, Lorestan, Aligudarz-Ab Sefid Waterfall. GPS coordinates: 49°34’45”E, 32°59’58”N, 2363 m a.s.l., Code 8 (2016) in flowerheads of Centaurea behen, coll. M. Tavakoli, summer 2016; adults emerge in July-August, 2016”. 20 females and 9 males “ IRAN, Lorestan, Aligudarz- Khakbetieh, GPS coordinates: 49°39’30”E, 33°07’35”N, 2035 m a.s.l., Code 40, galls in flowerheads of Centaurea behen, coll. M. Tavakoli, 2016; galls collected by the end of spring 2016; adults emerge from June 2016 till February 2017. ” 15 females and 7 males “ IRAN, Lorestan, Aligudarz-Khakbetieh. GPS coordinates: 49°39’30”E, 33°07’35”N, 2035 m a.s.l., Code 41, galls in flowerheads of Centaurea ammoyanus, coll. M. Tavakoli, 2016; galls collected by the end of spring 2016; adults emerge from June 2016 till February 2017. ” 31 female “ IRAN, Lorestan, Khorramabad-Tafe Nozhian, GPS coordinates: 48°27’56”E, 33°16’53”N, 2056 m a.s.l., Code 39, galls hidden in flowerheads of Centaurea bruguierana, coll. M. Tavakoli, 2015; galls collected in July 2016; adults emerge from December till March 2017.” Diagnosis and Description of females were given in Karimpour, Tavakoli & Melika (2008). Here we provide colour plates for females (Figs 64–69, 76–82) for easier identification. Males (Figs 70–75) were found for the first time which are similar to females but the antenna as long as body, dark brown to black, with 12 flagellomeres, the pedicel only slightly longer than broad, F1 straight, apically not swollen, shorter than F2, F2=F3 and longer than F1, F2 till F 11 nearly equal in length, F12 1.6× as long as F11, placodeal sensilla indistinct, on F1–F12. Body length 3.2–3.9 mm (n = 7). Gall (Figs 83–85). Galls are cryptic chambers inside flowerheads that cause no visible external deformation. Usually more than one larval chamber is present in a single flowerhead. Biology. Galls mature by the end of spring and early summer; adults emerge from June-August through to February of the following year. Host plants are Centaurea ammoyanus (L.), C. behen L., C. bruguierana (DC.) Hand. -Mazz. (Asteraceae). Distribution. Aligudarz-Khakbetieh, Aligudarz-Ab Sefid Waterfall, Khak-be Tiahe, Khorramabad-Tafe Nozhian, Lorestan Province, Iran. Previously recorded in Iran also from Urmia, West Azarbaijan Province (Karimpour, Tavakoli & Melika 2008). Comments. The galls of I. beheni resemble those of I. melikai Pujade-Villar, 2014, but the wasps are morphologically different. The lower face of I. beheni is reticulate, the clypeus ventrally is rounded, without a median incision, the mesoscutum with some transverse rugae, the median mesoscutal line present, the 2nd metasomal tergum completely micropunctured while in I. melikai the lower face is delicately coriaceous, the clypeus is incised ventrally, the mesoscutum strongly rugose, without median mesoscutal line, the 2nd metasomal tergum with micropuncture only in the posterior half (Pujade- Villar et al. 2014)., Published as part of Tavakoli, Majid, Stone, Graham N., Pujade-Villar, Juli & Melika, George, 2022, New herb gall wasps from Iran (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), pp. 301-333 in Zootaxa 5155 (3) on page 317, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5155.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6683274, {"references":["Karimpour, Y., Tavakoli, M. & Melika, G. (2008) New species of herb gallwasps from the Middle East (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae, Aylacini). Zootaxa, 1854 (1) -, 16 - 32. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 1854.1.2","Pujade-Villar, J., Tormos, J., Gonzalez-Nunez, M., Pascual, S. & Cobo, A. (2014) First report of bivoltinism in Isocolus (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae): Isocolus melikai Pujade-Villar n. sp. from the Iberian Peninsula. Zoosystema, 36 (1), 41 - 52. https: // doi. org / 10.5252 / z 2014 n 1 a 3"]}

Phanacis strigosa Melika, Stone & Tavakoli, sp. nov. Figs 86–100 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 126E184C-29DD-4DEF-BF97-80E317B8BE19 Type material: HOLOTYPE female “ IRAN, Lorestan, Zaghe (Natural Resources Research Station). GPS coordinates: 48°40’28”E, 33°29’16”N, 1988 m a.sl., Code 9 (2016) hidden stem galls in Picris strigosa, coll. M. Tavakoli, summer 2015; adults emerge by the end of winter 2015”. PARATYPES: one female with the same labels as the holotype. The holotype female and the paratypes are deposited at the PHDNRL. Etymology. Named after the species name of the host plant, P. strigosa M. Bieb. (Asteraceae). Diagnosis. Three Phanacis species which induce stem galls on Picris sp. are known in Europe: P. caulicola (Hedicke, 1939) on Picris echioides L. and P. hieracioides L. (Asteraceae) and P. ciceki Azmaz & Katilmiş, 2021 from Picris sp. (Nieves-Aldrey 2001, Azmaz & Katilmiş 2021). However, in both species the head, mesosoma and metasoma are black. Two other Phanacis species with black body are known from Picris: P. helminthiae (De Stefani, 1902), galls in flowers of Picris aculeata Vahl Rocco La Duca and P. comosae Nieves-Aldrey, 2008, galls in the head (flowers) of Picris comosa (Nieves-Aldrey et al. 2008). In the new species the entire body is light brown, with a slightly darker metasoma. According to the previously published key (Melika 2006) the herein described species runs to P. cousiniae Diakontschuk, 1988 which induces stem galls on Cousinia sp. and Centaurea iberica Trev. (Asteraceae) in Turkmenistan and Tadzhikistan (Diakontschuk 1988). However, in P. cousiniae like in the other above mentioned Phanacis species, the head, mesosoma and metasoma are black, the 3rd and subsequent metasomal terga have micropunctures, and males are known (Diakontschuk 1988), while in Phanacis strigosa, sp. nov. the entire body is brown and the metasoma is without micropunctures. Description. Female (Figs 86–98). Head, mandibles and palpi maxilaris and labialis light brown to yellow; antenna dark brown, except lighter F1–F3, pedicel and scape; mesosoma light brown to yellow, except much darker metanotal trough and metascutellum; all legs same coloured as the mesosoma; metasoma orange brown, with much darker posterior tergites and hypopygium. Head delicately coriaceous to alutaceous-reticulate, with sparse white setae, denser on lower face, rounded, only slightly broader than high and slightly broader than mesosoma in frontal view, 1.7× as broad as long from dorsal view. Gena alutaceous-reticulate, not broadened behind eye; not visible behind eye in front view; as broad as cross diameter of eye, measuring behind eye. Eye 1.3× as high as length of malar space, malar sulcus absent, malar space with numerous strong striae, radiating from clypeus and reaching eye. Eyes slightly converging ventrally. POL 1.8× as long as OOL; OOL as long as LOL and 3.0× as long as diameter of lateral ocellus. Transfacial distance 1.4× as long as height of eye; diameter of antennal torulus 2.1× as long as distance between them and nearly as long as distance between torulus and eye margin. Lower face with numerous striae, radiating from clypeus and reaching toruli and eye; median elevated area alutaceous-reticulate. Clypeus smooth, rectangular, slightly higher than broad, ventrally rounded, slightly projecting over mandibles; anterior tentorial pits, epistomal sulcus and clypeo-pleurostomal line distinct. Frons, vertex, occiput, postocciput alutaceous-reticulate. Postocciput and postgenal bridge slightly darker than rest of head posteriorly; posterior tentorial pit small, ovate, deep, area below not impressed; occipital foramen as high as height of postgenal bridge; hypostomal carina distinct, broad, emarginate, continuing into united postgenal sulci. Antenna with 11 flagellomeres, longer than head+mesosoma; pedicel 1.3× as long as broad; F1 1.8× as long as pedicel, nearly equal F2, F2=F3=F4=F5; F6 till F10 slightly shorter and equal in length, F11 1.7× as long as F10, all flagellomeres with white setae; placodeal sensilla on F3–F11, absent on F1–F2. Mesosoma convex, longer than high in lateral view, with sparse white setae, denser on propodeum and along anterolateral edge of pronotum. Pronotum uniformly alutaceous-reticulate, dorsomedially 1.5× as short as greatest length on outer lateral margin. Submedian pronotal pits small, narrow, area separating them 2.0× as broad as width of a pit. Mesoscutum slightly broader than long, uniformly alutaceous-reticulate. Notaulus weakly impressed, complete, on entire length slightly impressed; anterior parallel line indistinct, hardly traceable; parapsidal lines slightly impressed, narrow, indistinct, reaching tegula level; median mesoscutal line indistinct, but mesoscutum very weakly impressed along the median line. Mesoscutellum uniformly alutaceous-reticulate, distinctly longer than broad, trapezoid, posteriorly broader than anteriorly; circumscutellar carina distinct and complete; slightly overhanging metascutellum. Mesoscutellar foveae in a form of transverse impression anteriorly, indistinctly separated by a slightly elevated median area. Mesopleuron uniformly alutaceous-reticulate, with some white setae ventrally; mesopleural triangle reticulate, with some delicate longitudinal wrinkles. Metapleural sulcus reaching mesopleuron in the upper 1/3 of its height, delimiting a broad reticulate area along mesopleuron; dorsal axillar and lateral axillar areas smooth, shining, with white setae; subaxillular bar smooth, shining, the most posterior end slightly narrower than height of reticulate metanotal trough; metascutellum reticulate, narrow medially; smooth ventral impressed area higher than height of mesoscutellum medially. Propodeum alutaceous-reticulate, lateral propodeal carinae uniformly thick, parallel; central propodeal area uniformly alutaceous-reticulate, without striae, with setae; lateral propodeal area alutaceous, with dense white setae; nucha short, laterally smooth, without longitudinal striae, dorsocentrally smooth, without longitudinal striae, only dorsolaterally some delicate striae visible. Forewing longer than body, margin with long cilia; R1 reaching wing margin and extending along margin on a short distance; radial cell partially closed, 2.3× as long as broad, areolet small, triangular, distinct, Rs+M indistinct, weakly pigmented, reaching to half length of distance between areolet and basalis, its projection reaching basalis in lower half. Tarsal claws very narrow, without basal lobe. Metasoma 1.7× as long as high in lateral view; 2nd metasomal tergum without setae anterolaterally and without punctures, extending to 1/4 of metasoma length in lateral view; all subsequent terga without setae and micropunctures; prominent part of ventral spine of hypopygium without setae, short, as broad as long in ventral view. Body length 1.7–1.8 mm (n = 2). Male. Unknown. Gall (Figs 99–100). Galls are cryptic, hidden within the stems of the host plant, without any noticeable external swelling of the stem, thus the position of the galls can be located based only on the presence of the adult wasp emergence holes. Biology. Galls mature in summer. Adult wasps overwinter in the galls and emerge at the end of winter in the following year. The only known host plant is Picris strigosa M. Bieb. (Asteraceae). Distribution. Zaghe (Natural Resources Research Station), Lorestan Province, Iran., Published as part of Tavakoli, Majid, Stone, Graham N., Pujade-Villar, Juli & Melika, George, 2022, New herb gall wasps from Iran (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), pp. 301-333 in Zootaxa 5155 (3) on pages 318-325, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5155.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6683274, {"references":["Hedicke, H. (1939) Aylax caulicola. In: Niblett, M. Discovery of a new Gall-wasp in Britain (Hymen., Cynipidae). Proceedings of the Royal entomological Society, London, Series B, 8 (3), 45 - 47. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / j. 1365 - 3113.1939. tb 01282. x","Azmaz, M. & Katilmis, Y. (2021) Three new species of herb gall wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) from Turkey. European Journal of Taxonomy, 757, 152 - 168. https: // doi. org / 10.5852 / ejt. 2021.757.1421","Nieves-Aldrey, J. L. (2001) Hymenoptera: Cynipidae. In: Ramos, M. A., Alba-Tercedor, J., Belles, X., Gosalvez, J., Guerra, A., Macpherson-Mayol, E., Martin-Piera, F., Serrano-Merino, J. & Templado-Gonzalez, J. (Eds.), Fauna Iberica. CSIC Press, Madrid, pp. 1 - 636.","Nieves-Aldrey, J. L., Sanchez, I., Massa, B. & Gomez, J. F. (2008) Cynipid wasps inducing galls on plants of the genus Picris (Asteraceae) in Europe, with a description of a new species of Phanacis Foerster (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) from the Iberian Peninsula. Annales de la Societe Entomologique de France, New Series, 44 (3), 257 - 269. https: // doi. org / 10.1080 / 00379271.2008.10697561","Diakontschuk, L. A. (1988) New and little known gall wasps of the subfamily Cynipinae (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae) from Central Asia. Entomologicheskoye Obozreniye, 67 (1), 166 - 181. [in Russian]","Karimpour, Y., Tavakoli, M. & Melika, G. (2008) New species of herb gallwasps from the Middle East (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae, Aylacini). Zootaxa, 1854 (1) -, 16 - 32. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 1854.1.2"]}

A new species of oak gall wasp, Andricus pseudocecconii Melika, Tavakoli & Stone, sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae, Cynipini) is described. Descriptions, diagnoses, biology, and host associations for the new species are given. The new taxon is supported by morphological and molecular data.

Hosseini-Chegeni, Asadollah, Tavakoli, Majid (2020): Argas hermanni Audouin (Acari: Argasidae), a new member of Iranian tick fauna. Persian Journal of Acarology 9 (2): 173-180, DOI: 10.22073/pja.v9i2.58653, URL: https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/905f1b78-6ec5-32fc-945e-f02ff56bc991/

Hosseini-Chegeni, Asadollah, Tavakoli, Majid (2018): Aegyptianella pullorum (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae) in tick Argas persicus (Acari: Argasidae) from Iran: a preliminary assessment. Persian Journal of Acarology 7 (3): 307-311, DOI: 10.22073/pja.v7i3.37407, URL: https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/38cca531-e2b7-3c0e-a983-72dcbb5df917/

Approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) is a powerful and widely used approach in inference of population history. However, the computational effort required to discriminate among alternative historical scenarios often limits the set that is compared to those considered more likely a priori. While often justifiable, this approach will fail to consider unexpected but well-supported population histories. We used a hierarchical tournament approach, in which subsets of scenarios are compared in a first round of ABC analyses and the winners are compared in a second analysis, to reconstruct the population history of an oak gallwasp, Synergus umbraculus (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae) across the Western Palaearctic. We used 4233 bp of sequence data across 7 loci to explore the relationships between four putative Pleistocene refuge populations in Iberia, Italy, the Balkans, and Western Asia. We compared support for 148 alternative scenarios in eight pools, each pool comprising all possible rearrangements of four populations over a given topology of relationships, with or without founding of one population by admixture and with or without an unsampled 'ghost' population. We found very little support for the directional 'out of the east' scenario previously inferred for other gallwasp community members. Instead, the best-supported models identified Iberia as the first regional population to diverge from the others in the late Pleistocene, followed by divergence between the Balkans and Western Asia, and founding of the Italian population through late Pleistocene admixture from Iberia and the Balkans. We compare these results with what is known for other members of the oak gall community, and consider the strengths and weaknesses of using a tournament approach to explore phylogeographic model space. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Hosseini-Chegeni, Asadollah, Telmadarraiy, Zakkyeh, Tavakoli, Majid, Faghihi, Faezeh (2017): Molecular detection of Borrelia anserina in Argas persicus (Acari: Argasidae) ticks collected from Lorestan province, west of Iran. Persian Journal of Acarology 6 (4): 287-297, DOI: 10.22073/pja.v6i4.28372, URL: https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/8e267daa-da49-36b6-b342-749ca9743a0e/

A new species of oak gallwasp, Andricus synophri (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini) is described from Iran. This species is known only from asexual females and induces galls on the twigs of Quercus brantii and Q. libani. Galls are multilocular, develop on lateral buds of young branches. According to its morphology, Andricus synophri belongs to a large group of 12 Andricus species, the ���Adleria non-kollari��� group. Data on the diagnosis, distribution and biology of the new species are given., {"references":["Azizkhani, E., Rasoulian, G.R., Kharazi-Pardel, A., Tavakoli, M., Sadeghi, S.E., Melika, G., Stone, G.N. and Atkinson, R. 2006. New species of oak gall wasps from Zagross Mountains of Iran (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini). Folia Entomologica Hungarica, 67: 161–197.","Chodjai, M. 1980. L'étude des Hymenoptères cynipides et les Éspeces Cécidogenes dans la Faune des Forêts du Chênes en Iran. Journal of the Entomological Society of Iran, Supplement, 3: 1–67.","Harris, R. 1979. A glossary of surface sculpturing. State of California, Department of Food and Agriculture, Occasional Papers in Entomology, 28: 1–31.","Liljeblad, J. and Ronquist, F. 1998. A phylogenetic analysis of higher level gall wasp relationships (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae). Systematic Entomology, 23: 229–252.","Melika, G. 2006. Gall Wasps of Ukraine. Cynipidae. Vestnik Zoologii, Supplement, 21 (1–2): 1–300, 301–644.","Melika, G. and Stone, G.N. 2001. A new species of cynipid gall wasp from Turkey (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae). Folia Entomologica Hungarica, 62: 127–131.","Melika, G., Stone, G.N., Sadeghi, S.E. and Pujade-Villar, J. 2004. New species of cynipid gall wasps from Iran and Turkey (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini). Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae, 50(2): 139–151.","Melika, G., Tavakoli, M. and Stone, G.N. 2011. A new species of Andricus Hartig oak gallwasp from Iran (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae, Cynipini). North-Western Journal of Zoology, 7(2): 286–290.","Pénzes, Z., Melika, G., Bozsóki, Z., Bihari, P., Mikó, I., Tavakoli, M., Pujade-Villar, J., Fehér, B., Fülöp, D., Szabó, K., Bozsó, M., Sipos, B., Somogy, K. and Stone, G.N. 2009. Systematic reappraisal of the gall-usurping wasp genus Synophrus Hartig, 1843 (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini). Systematic Entomology, 34: 688–711. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3113.2009.00482.x","Pujade-Villar, J., Melika, G., Ros-Farre´, P., Àcs, Z. and Csóka, G. 2003. Cynipid inquiline wasps of Hungary, with taxonomic notes on the Western Palaearctic fauna (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae, Cynipinae, Synergini). Folia Entomologica Hungarica, 64: 121–170.","Pujade-Villar, J., Rodriguez, C., Stone, G.N., Melika, G., Pénzes, Zs., Jamâa, B., Ouakid, M., Adjami, Y., Bouhraoua, R., Boukreris, F. and Arnedo, M. A. 2010. Evolutionary history and phylogeography of western Mediterranean Synophrus inquiline gallwasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini). 7th International Congress of Hymenopterists, 20–26 June, 2010, Köszeg, Hungary, p. 49.","Rokas, A., Atkinson, R.J., Webster, L. and Stone, G.N. 2003. Out of Anatolia: longitudinal gradients in genetic diversity support a Turkish origin for a circum-Mediterranean gallwasp Andricus quercustozae. Molecular Ecology, 12: 2153–2174. DOI: 10.1046/j.1365- 294X.2003.01894.x","Ronquist, F. and Nordlander, G. 1989. Skeletal morphology of an archaic cynipoid, Ibalia rufipes (Hymenoptera: Ibaliidae). Entomologica Scandinavica, Supplement, 33: 1–60.","Sadeghi, S.E., Assareh, M.H. and Tavakoli, M. 2010. Oak Gall Wasps of Iran. Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Tehran, no. 417, 486 pp. (in Persian).","Stone, G.N., Atkinson, R., Rokas, A., Csóka, G. and Nieves-Aldrey, J.L. 2001. Differential success in northwards range expansion between ecotypes of the marble gallwasp Andricus kollari: a tale of two lifecycles. Molecular Ecology, 10: 761–778. DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-294x.2001.01211.x.","Tavakoli, M., Melika, G., Sadeghi, S.E., Pénzes, Z., Assareh, M. A., Atkinson, R., Bechtold, M., Mikó, I., Zargaran, M. R., Aligolizade, D., Barimani, H., Bihari, P., Pirozi, F., Fülöp, D., Somogyi, K., Challis, R., Preuss, S., Nicholls, J. and Stone, G.N. 2008. New species of oak gallwasps from Iran (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini). Zootaxa, 1699: 1–64."]}