Discovery of the First Webspinners (Embioptera, Insecta) in Iran and Associated Bristle Fly Parasitoid

Abstract

This is the first report of web or foot spinners (order Embioptera), particularly the Haploembia tarsalis (Ross, 1940), in Iran. This possible non-indigenous species was found in an urban area from the yard of a private property in Urmia, West Azarbaijan and in a suburban area near the Agark-Nordoz border crossing, East Azarbaijan Province, Iran. The genus Haploembia Verhoeff, 1904, seems apparently native to the Mediterranean. It is a unique and unusual insect order in cold and mountainous regions, perhaps related to the changing climate which facilitated a possible introduction. From the reared live culture of the webspinner, dipteran parasitoids pupae belonging to the family Tachinidae were obtained. Newly recorded species for Iran’s fauna, Rossimyiops longicornis (Kugler, 1972). This study documents presence of the webspinners in Iran, complemented by detailed photographic evidence of the species’ habitus. Additionally, it provides a comprehensive description of its associated parasitoid and offers insights into the biological characteristics and ecological behavior of the parasitoid fly.