Aphids Associated With Caryophyllaceae in Iran With Description of a New Species (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

This study examines the aphid fauna associated with Caryophyllaceae in Iran, combining new field collections with previously published records. In total, 25 aphid species, along with two unidentified species across eight genera, were documented on 24 Caryophyllaceae host species. We describe Aphidura madari sp. nov., based on both apterous and alate viviparous females collected from Silene gaubae, Silene stapfii, and Silene sp. Additionally, we redescribe the apterous and alate forms of Aphidura gallica Nieto Nafría, Mier Durante & Remaudière, 2013, a new record for the aphid fauna of Iran, using new material from Iran. Examination of historical specimens also revealed that record of A. gypsophilae in Iran was misidentification of A. picta, and A. togaica should now be regarded as an uncertain record for the country. A total of 61 aphid-host plant associations were identified, including 18 new global records and four new records for Iran. The genera Aphidura (10 species) and Myzus (5 species) exhibited the highest diversity on Caryophyllaceae hosts. Several unusual aphid-host associations were also recorded, such as Acyrthosiphon pisum on Acanthophyllum bracteatum, Aphis solanella on Silene conoidea, and Sitobion avenae on Dianthus caryophyllus; these may represent fortuitous collections or possible host shifts influenced by environmental factors. This work also offers modifications to existing keys in Aphids on the World's Plants and provides an identification key for aphids associated with Caryophyllaceae in Iran.