The first record of the genus Trichopsomyia (Diptera: Syrphidae) from Iran 

The first record of the genus Trichopsomyia (Diptera: Syrphidae) from Iran

The first record of the genus Trichopsomyia (Diptera: Syrphidae) from Iran

Recently some material were collected in north of Iran. They belong to Genus Trichopsomyia but for species identification we have many problems. At first we couldn't check type of T. ochrozona however apparently this species should be synonymized with T. lucida. One the other hand our species is an active predator of a plant lice on poplar tree but as much as known this genus are collected on herbaceous plants not tree. Morphologically these specimens are very similar to T. lucida especially shape of male genitalia but have a yellow band on the second abdominal tergite (opposite to T lucida with two yellow dot) and some other differences . Collectively in my idea this should be a new species or at least a new subspecies. I put some photos taken from Pupa or larva in this page. I would be grateful if you help me in this regard and send to me your comments.
At follow you can see some notes about the plant lice on which this material has been collected.
Sincerely

Material examined:
21-23, viii, 2005, Flood spreading station, between Sahrain and Garah-Charyian rivers, 36º 56´ 32 ״ N, 48 º 20´ 59״ E, 1800 h. reared on C. hoberlandti Vondracek leg. Javad Tarasi

Populus nigra, with 150000 ha coverage is an economically important tree which is grown wildly or planted in different parts of Iran especially in northern parts. Zanjan- Rood River (Zanjan province) is one of the valuable macroclimates for planting (1). This tree affected by some pests including plant jumping lice so sometimes spray of tree with pesticide is inventible. Juice feeding insects are its important pest. So far two species of jumping plant lice, Comarotoscena fulgidipennis Loginova & C. hoberlandti Vondracek (Psyllidae) has been collected on Populus in Iran.
both are important pests and recorded from different locations but apparently distribution and host ranges of Comarotoscena fulgidipennis Loginova are wider because this species has been recorded on Populus and Salix trees from Karadj, Khonsar, Ardakan, Tehran cities but the later has been recorded on Populus from Tehran and karadj and recently it has been collected from Zanjan province (2). This pest reduced plant vigor by feeding directly from sap and also by injecting toxin that causes abnormalities in leave so leave fold along longitudinal veins and form galls. Gall formation occurs in the late June. These galls are suitable microclimates for feeding and escaping form natural enemy's attacks. Nevertheless this pest is attacked by numerous natural enemies from different taxa e.g. Anthocoris nemorum (L.)(Anthocoridae), Chaemomyiidae (Diptera) and more obviously by Trichosomyia sp. Activity of T. sp. starts about early June and larvae feed on pest nymphs actively to late August when pupa is formed. The pupa is oval shape with creamy color and has spines as regular rows on dorsal part.

1- Bagheri, R. Namiranian, M. Zobeiry, M. and A. R. Modir-rahmati. 2003. Determination of volume tables for Zanjan-rood river native poplars. Iranian forest and Poplar Research, 9: 1-36.
2- Burchardt, D. & P. Lauterer.1993. The jumping plant lice of Iran (Homoptera: Psyllidae). Revue Suisse de Zoologie 100(4):829-898.