Ladybirds associated with pistachio trees in part of Kerman province, Iran (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

The majority members of the family Coccinellidae are predators, so they have received considerable research attention because of their potential to act as biocontrol agents. The coccinellids complex of pistachio trees was monitored at both cultivated and wild pistachio plantations in Shahr-e Babak (Kerman, Iran) during 2009 - 2010. Sampling was carried out randomly in the cultivated pistachio plantations at elevations between 1590 - 1864 m and the wild pistachio growing areas at elevations between 2103-2364 m, using a white beating tray. Totally, 25 species belonging to 14 genera from six tribes and four subfamilies were collected. 21 and 15 species were identified on cultivated and wild pistachio plantations respectively, among which eight new species for Kerman province were recorded. Chilocorus bipustulatus, Exochomus quadripustulatus, Parexochomus nigripennis, Hyperaspis polita, Hyperaspis sp, Menochilus sexmaculatus, Nephus (Nephus) quadrimaculatus, Nephus (Sidis) elbursi, Scymnus (Scymnus) flavicollis, Pharoscymnus setulosus, were found in few experimental sites on planted pistachio trees only. In addition Exochomus octosignatus, Clitostethus arcuatus, Parexochomus melanocephalus and Scymnus (Pullus) auritus were only collected from wild pistachio trees.