Pteromalids (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae) of the Sajram-Ugam State National Nature Park in Western Tien Shan

A pioneering survey of the Sajram-Ugam State National Nature Park in Western Tien Shan has uncovered 60 species of pteromalid wasps (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae), all previously unrecorded from this region. Notably, Mesopolobus arcanus Askew is documented for the first time in Kazakhstan and represents the first instance of this species being reared from the fruits of Ephedra equisetina Bunge (Ephedraceae). The study employed comprehensive field sampling techniques to catalog the park's pteromalid diversity, contributing critical baseline data for biodiversity monitoring in this UNESCO-recognized site. This discovery underscores the region's ecological significance and provides new insights into the biogeography of Chalcidoidea in Central Asia.

Dzhanokmen, K. A. (2015). Pteromalids (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae) of the Sajram-Ugam State National Nature Park in Western Tien Shan. Entomological Review, 95(4), 456–471. https://doi.org/10.1134/s0013873815040089