identification of parasitoids and seasonal parasitism of the agromyzid leafminers genus liriomyza (dip.: agromyzidae) in varamin, iran

the agromyzid leafminers, liriomyza sativae blanchard and l. trifolii (burgess) (dip-tera: agromyzidae) are major pests that attack vegetables in varamin, tehran province. the parasitoids (hymenoptera: eulophidae) of these pests were investigated during 2003. the leafminer infested leaves were collected from different host plants, in particular cu-cumber (cucumis sativus l.,) and preserved under laboratory conditions until the parasi-toids emerged. the vegetable leafminer were parasitized by an expected range of parasi-toids. the parasitoid species included cirrospilus vittatus walker, hemiptarsenus zilahise-bessi erdös, closterocerus formosus westwood, diglyphus isaea (walker), diglyphus crassinervis erdös. and pnigalio sp. nr. pectinicornis. the most common species was d. isaea, followed by c. formosus and d. crassinervis. although insecticides were applied con-tinuously for control of leafminers, the mean seasonal percentage of parasitism was 51.12%. the morphological characteristics of each species are given in brief.