Heteroptera fauna in alfalfa fields of Ghaen and vicinity, South Khorasan province, with a new record for Iran

Heteroptera as one of the most important insect orders with a significant ecological role is still scarcely known faunistically in several areas of Iran. In order to contribute to the knowledge of the Iranian Heteroptera fauna, a survey was carried out to provide detailed information on the distribution of true bugs in South Khorasan province (Ghaen and vicinity). Samples were collected using aspirator and sweeping net by irregular patterns. In total, 136 specimens were collected and identified. They consisted of 20 species and subspecies belonging to 15 genera of 7 families. Among the collected specimens, 19 taxa were new for South Khorasan fauna including Orius albidipennis (Reuter) (Anthocoridae); Henestaris halophilus (Burmeister), Geocoris pallidipennis (Costa) (Lygaeidae); Lygus gemellatus (Herrich-Schaffer), Deraeocoris punctulatus (Fallen), Adelphocoris lineolatus (Goeze), Creontiades pallidus (Rambur), Stenodema calcarata (Fallen), Orthops campestris (Linnaeus), O. pilosulus (Jakovlev) (Miridae); Nabis palifera (Seidenstűcker), N. pseudoferus orientarius (Remane), N. punctatus (A. Costa), N. capsiformis (Germar) (Nabidae); Camptopus lateralis (Germar) (Alydidae); Coranus angulatus (Stal) (Reduviidae); Brachycarenus tigrinus (Schilling), Liorhyssus hyalinus (Fabricius) and Stictopleurus abutilon (Rossi) (Rhopalidae). S. trispinosa (Reuter) was a new record for the fauna of Iran. Among the collected specimens, 7 species were predators and 13 species were plant feeders. Regarding the rare faunistic studies of Heteroptera in South Khorasan province and concerning the variety of geographical elements in this area, it is expected that there are still a large number of true bugs species remain to be discovered in various parts of this province.