BIHAREAN BIOLOGIST 13 (1): 1-3 ©Biharean Biologist, Oradea, Romania, 2019

Article No.: e181201 http://biozoojournals.ro/bihbiol/index.html

New data on the subfamily Sarginae (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) from Iran

Farzaneh KAZERANI1,*, Mohammad Ebrahim FARASHIANI1,

Asadollah KARIMIDOOST2 and Mohammad Karim MAGHSUDLOO2

1. Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, I.R. Iran.
2. Agriculture and Natural Resources Research Centre, Natural Resources Research Department, Golestan Province, I.R. Iran.
* Corresponding author: F. Kazerani, E-mail: farzane.kazerani@gmail.com

Received: 22. September 2017 / Accepted: 26. February 2018 / Available online: 28. Feruary 2018 / Printed: June 2019

Abstract. Based on our studies on the saproxylic diptera in Hyrcanian forests (Golestan province, northern Iran) during 2016-2017
four species of the subfamily Sarginae (Dip., Stratiomyidae) were collected and identified, among them Chloromyia speciosa
(Macquart, 1834) and Sargus bipunctatus (Scopoli, 1763) are new records for the country. Diagnostic characters along with photos of
these species are provided.
Key words: Iran, New records, Sarginae, Stratiomyidae.

Introduction

The soldier flies, (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), include about

2800 described species worldwide, in 12 subfamilies (Wood-
ley 2011). The subfamily Sarginae represents 562 species in
22 genera worldwide of which 7 genera are known from
Palearctic region (Woodley 2011).
This subfamily is distinguished from other Stratiomyi-
dae subfamilies with reduced number of antennal flagel-
lomeres (five or six), an arista last antennal flagellomere and
wing without a cross vein bm-cu (Rozkošný 1982, Woodley
2011). Adult Sarginae flies are usually found near larval food
sources. All Sarginae flies are scavengers, coprophages or
saprophages in larval stage, and can be found inhabiting
manure and leaf litter (McFadden 1967, James 1981, Wood-
ley 2001).
The stratiomyids' fauna has been poorly studied in Iran,
only in the recent years some studies have been conducted
in Iran (Kazerani & Khaghaninia 2013, Kazerani et al. 2013,
Khaghaninia & Kazerani 2014, Khaghaninia et al. 2015,
Khaghaninia & Kazerani 2016). Subfamily Sarginae was re-
ported from Iran for the first time by Kazerani et al. (2013),
who documented Sargus cuprinus (L., 1758) and Sargus irida-
tus (Scopoli, 1763) from Iran. Afterwards Mohammadi &
Khaghaninia (2015) reported Chloromyia formosa (Scopoli,
1763) from Iran.
Systematics and taxonomy of this family have been in-
vestigated in several studies: Pleske (1926) revised the
Palearctic species of the subfamily Sarginae. Lindner (1938)
studied Sarginae and described some species. Lobanov
(1969) studied morphology and ecology of larvae of this
family and provide a key to identification of larvae. Naga-
tomi (1974) study this subfamily and provide keys for genera
and species in Japan. Rozkošný (1982) surveyed the subfam-
ily Sarginae in Europe and provide keys for identification of
genera and species. The objective of this study is to investi-
gate the saprocxylic soldier flies fauna in Golestan province
(northern Iran).
Material and Methods
The specimens have been collected by standard insect nets and pan
traps since 2016-2017 (Fig. 1a.-b.). Materials were collected from Kola; 36° 44' 1'' N, 54° 23' 53'' E, 849m, 10.vii.2017; (2♀): 36°
Shast-Kola Beech forests in Southern west of Golestan province. 43' 00.1" N 54° 22' 12.9" E, 1983m, 22.vii.2017; (4♀): 36° 44' 09''
Figure 1. Pan traps were putted close to decaying trees in Shast-Kola
forests.
Shast-kola is located 8 kilometers from Gorgan city. This forest has
an area of 3716 hectares and is located between 36° 41' 30" to 36° 45'
30" N and 54° 23' 30" to 54° 3' 6" E. The elevations range between 250
to 2000 meters from the sea level. The precipitation are in the form of
rainfall with a yearly 537.5 millimeters. The area has Mediterranean
climate and the temperature range from -3.6 to 21.9 degrees with
mean of 12 degrees Celsius (Amiri et al. 2013). Pinned specimens
were photographed using a Nikon COOLPIX S7000 digital camera.
The specimens are deposited in the Conservation and Protection In-
sect Collection at Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Te-
hran, Iran. The identifications were done using Bruggen (1955), Bei-
Bienko (1988), Schmid (1988) and Rozkošný (1982).
Results
Totally four species of the subfamily Sarginae are collected
and identified of which Sargus bipunctatus (Scopoli, 1763)
and Chloromyia speciosa (Macquart, 1834) are new records for
Iran.
Chloromyia formosa (Scopoli, 1763)
Material examined: (2♂, 1♀): Golestan province, Shast-
Kola; 36° 43' 00.1" N 54° 22' 12.9" E, 1983m, 22.vii.2016; (2♀):
36° 43' 00.7" N 54° 23' 13.7" E, 1271m, 22.vii.2016; leg. M. E.
Farashiani.
Distribution: Widespread, Europe, Russia, Turkey, North
Africa, North America (Nartshuk 2009, Woodley 2011). Iran
(Mohammadi & Khaghaninia 2015).
Chloromyia speciosa (Macquart, 1834) (Fig. 2 a-c)
Material examined: (3♂, 1♀): Golestan province, Shast-
2 F. Kazerani et al.

Figure 2. Chloromyia speciosa (Macquart, 1834) (female): a) general habitus, lateral view, b) general habitus, dorsal view, c)
head, dorsal view.

Figure 3. Sargus bipunctatus (Scopoli, 1763) (female): a) general habitus, lateral view, abdomen, dorsal view, c) wing, d)
head, dorsal view.

N, 54° 24' 18'' E, 793m, 10.vii.2017; leg. F. Kazerani.
Distribution: Widespread in Europe (Woodley 2011).
Turkey (Koçak & Kemal 2010). New to Iranian insect fauna.
Diagnostic characters: eyes with dense short black hairs
(Fig. 2c); scape and pedicel black, flagellum with four seg-
ments light brown, last segment darker, arista black (Fig. 2c);
thorax metallic green (Fig. 2b); femora and tibia black except
keens, tarsi yellow (Fig. 2a); wing light brownish, obviously
darkened around discal cell, petrostigma dark brown, veins
dark brown except M veins (Fig. 2a); abdomen metallic blue-
green (Fig. 2b).
Sargus bipunctatus (Scopoli, 1763) (Fig. 3 a-d)
Material examined: (1♀): Golestan province, Shast- Kola;
36° 44' 10'' N, 54° 24' 19'' E, 838m, 10. viii. 2017; (2♀): 36° 42'
9'' N, 54° 21' 18''E, 793m, 10.viii.2017; leg. F. Kazerani.
Distribution: Eurasia, most parts of Europe, United
States (Woodley 2011). New to Iranian insect fauna.
Diagnostic characters: Scape and pedicel with long black
hairs, Scape black, pedicel brown, flagellum, 4 segments
brown, arista brown at the base of last segment of flagellum
(Fig. 3d); face with 2 large white spots (Fig. 3d); thorax dark-
metallic green; wing hyaline, pterostigma large brown, veins
brown (Fig. 3c); legs totally yellow except last segment of
fore and mid tarsus dark brown, hind tarsus brown except
basitarsus (Fig. 3a); abdomen dark- metallic blue, 1st and 2nd
segments of abdomen orange (Fig. 3b).
New data on the subfamily Sarginae
Sargus cuprarius (L., 1758)
Material examined: (1♂, 4♀): Golestan province, Shast-
kola forests: 36° 44' 12'' N, 54° 24' 15''E, 814m, 10.vii.2017;
(2♀): 36° 43' 10'' N, 54° 24' 17'' E, 817m, 10.vii.2017; 36° 43'
00.7" N 54° 23' 13.7" E, 1271m, 22.vii.2016; leg. F. Kazerani.
Distribution: Widespread Nearctic and Central and
Western Palearctic, North Africa, Turkey (Woodley 2011).
Iran (Kazerani et al. 2013).
Discussion
Chloromyia species are mostly found in deciduous forest
in July (Rozkošný 1998). Chick (2012) found S. bipunctatus on
the carrion in Nottingham, UK and mentioned that it can be
used in forensic entomology. Schmid (1988) and Chick (2012)
stated that S. bipunctatus is a late flying species (Sep-Nov)
and found mostly in wooded area in Germany and UK.
Males are usually found on foliage of trees/shrubs while
females fly low over the ground looking for breeding sites,
probably usually rotting vegetation, although larvae also
develop in carrion, cow dung and fungi (Roberts 1969). In
this study we collected S. bipunctatus and C. speciosa with
yellow pan-traps on the rooting tree in the late August and
July, respectively.
Mason et al. (2006) stated that S. bipunctatus and C. speci-
osa are saproxylic dipterans associated with mature forests.
Bučánková (2007) studied biology, development and zo-
ogeography of some saproxylic Oriental species of the family
Stratiomyidae and stated that the genera Sargus and Chloro-
myia are belonging to saproxylic dipteran.
Acknowledgment. We would like to thank Research Institute of
Forests and Rangelands, Tehran, Iran for financial support and also
Dr. Samira Farahani (Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands,
Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization
(AREEO), Tehran, Iran) for her kind helps in sampling materials.
Our cordial thanks to Dr. Martin Hauser (Plant Pest Diagnostics
Branch, California Department of Food & Agriculture, USA) and Dr.
Ali Asghar Talebi (Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran) for
reviewing this paper and their valuable comments.
References
Amiri, M., Rahmani, R., Saghebtalebi, K.H., Habashi, H. (2013): Dynamics of
structural characteristics of a natural unlogged oriental beech (Fagus
orientalis Lipsky) stand in ShastKalate Forest, North of Iran. The
International Journal of Environmental Resources Research 1(2): 107-113.
Bei-Bienko, G. (1988): Keys to the Insect of the European Part of the USSR.
Volume V. Diptera and Siphonoptera. Part II. Smithsonian Institution
Libraries and the National Science Foundation Washington, D.C. pp. 101-
148.
Bruggen, Van. A.C. (1955): Geosargus (Chrysochroma) bipunctatus (Scopoli 1763)
in Nederland (Diptera, Stratiomyidae). Entomologische Bericheberichten
15(1): 468- 472.
3
Bučánková, A. (2007): Biology, development and zoogeography of some
saproxylic Oriental species of Stratiomyidae (Diptera). Ph.D thesis, Masaryk
University, Faculty of Science, Brno, Czech Republic. 79p.
Chick, A.I.R. (2012): Sargus bipunctatus (Scopoli) (Diptera, Stratiomyidae) on
carrion in Nottinghamshire, and some considerations for forensic
entomology. Dipterist Digest 19(2): 162.
James, M.T. (1981): 36. Stratiomyidae. pp. 497–511. In: McAlpine, J.F. (ed.),
Manual of Nearctic Diptera. Research Branch Agriculture Canada, Ottawa.
Kazerani, F., Khaghaninia, S. (2013): The first record of the genus Oplodontha
Rondani, 1863 (Diptera, Stratiomyidae) from Iran. Far Eastern Entomologist
262: 1-8.
Kazerani F., Khaghaninia S., Havaskary M. (2013): First records of the
subfamily Sarginae (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) from Iran. Calodema 239: 1-6.
Khaghaninia, S., Kazerani, F. (2014): The first records of the subfamily
Beridinae (Diptera; Stratiomyidae) from Iran, Journal of Entomology and
Acarology Research 46(2239): 70-76.
Khaghaninia, S., Kazerani, F., Hauser, M. (2015): The genera Nemotelus and
Oxycera (Diptera, Stratiomyidae) in the Arasbaran Forests. Vestnik Zoologii
49 (5): 401–406.
Khaghaninia, S., Kazerani, F. (2016): New records of Stratiomyinae (Diptera:
Stratiomyidae) from Arasbaran forests in Iran. Zoology and Ecology 26(2):
110-117.
Koçak, A.O., Kemal, M. (2010): List of the species of some pterygot orders
recorded in the Province Van (East Turkey) and a description of a new
species in the family Cicadidae (Insecta). Priamus 12(5): 130-149.
Lindner, E. (1938): Stratiomyiidae. pp. 1–21. In: Lindner, E. (ed.): Die Fliegen
der palaearktischen Region. Band 4.1. Schweizerbart'sche
Verlagsbuchhandlung, Stuttgart.
Lobanov, A.M. (1969): Morphology and ecology of larvae of chameleon flies of
the subfamily Sarginae (Dip., Stratiomyidae). Entomologiceskoe Obozrenie
48 (1): 104-107.
Mason, F., Cerretti, P., Nardi, G., Whitmore, D., Birtele, D., Hardersen, S., Gatti,
E. (2006): Aspects of biological diversity in the Conecofor plots. IV. The
Invertebrate Biodiv pilot project. Annal Istituto sperimentale per la
Selvicoltura 30(Suppl.2): 51-70.
McFadden, M.W. (1967): Soldier flies larvae in America North of Mexico.
Proceedings of the United States National Museum 121: 1-72.
Mohammadi, D., Khaghaninia, S. (2015): Additional notes about the soldier
flies (Diptera, Stratiomyidae) of Varzqan region-Iran. Entomofauna 36(15):
209-216.
Nagatomi, A. (1974): The Sarginae and Pachygasterinae of Japan (Diptera:
Stratiomyidae). Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London
126(3): 305-421.
Nartshuk, E.P. (2009): The character of soldier flies distribution (Diptera,
Stratiomyidae) in Eastern Europe. Entomological Review 89(1): 46–55.
Pleske, T.H. (1926): Review of Palaearctic Species of Subfamilies Sarginae and
Berinae. Revista Espanola De Entomologia 11: 377-420.
Roberts, M.J. (1969): Structure of the mouthparts of the larvae of the flies Rhagio
and Sargus in relation to feeding habits. Journal of Zoology 159(3): 381-398.
Rozkošný, R. (1982): A Biosystematic Study of the European Stratiomyidae
(Diptera). Introduction, Beredinae, Sarginae and Stratiomyinae. The Hague:
Dr. W. Junk publisher, London.
Rozkošný, R. (1998): Family Stratiomyidae. Manual of Palaearctic Diptera.
Chapter 24. Science Herald, Budapest.
Schmid, U. (1988): Zum Vorkommen der Waffenfliege Sargus bipunctatus
(Scopoli 1763) (Diptera, Stratiomyidae) in Sudwest-Deutschland. Jahreshefte
der Gesellschaft fuer Naturkunde in Wuerttemberg 143: 225-231.
Woodley, N.E. (2001): A world catalog of Stratiomyidae (Insecta: Diptera). Myia
11(8): 1-475.
Woodley, N.E. (2011): A World Catalog of the Stratiomyidae (Insecta: Diptera):
A Supplement with Revisionary Notes and Erata. pp.485–521. In: Thompson,
F.C., Brake, I., Lonsdale, O. (Eds.), Contributions to the Biosystematic
Database of World Diptera. MYIA, Sofia-Moscow.