The pseudoscorpion fauna (Arachnida: Pseuodoscorpiones) of Central and Southern Iran (in English)]

This work is basically focused on the description of diversity of pseudoscorpions (Pseudoscorpiones) in central and southern parts of Iran. The variety range of the order Pseudoscorpiones has been poorly explored in Iran, one of the largest countries in the Middle East. In due attention to the long-term tradition in the research of pseudoscorpions around the world, only 51 valid species belonging to 11 families (of which 9 species were a part of this work) were reported from Iran before the present work. Thirty-three named species representing in 10 families are recorded from the examined parts of Iran. Five new species are found in the area: Shravana unica n. sp., Garypinus hoerwegi n. sp., Cardiolpium becolor n. sp., Olpium n. sp. (!?), and Allochernes fimusensis n. sp. and also six species are new country records: Amblyolpium bellum, Paramenthus nanus, Minniza gallagheri, Minniza nigrimanus, Megachernes afghanicus Nov. Syn. and Lamprochernes muscivorus. Also, the species Minniza persica is regarded as junior subjective synonym of Minniza babylonica, Megachernes afghanicus is also introduced as junior subjective synonym of Megachernes pavlovskyi and Dactylochelifer gracilis is considered as junior subjective synonym of Dactylochelifer brachialis too. The provincial distributions and habitat preferences of the species, a first key to the all pseudoscorpion species in Iran, the keys to the genera Allochernes, Megachernes, Hysterochelifer, and Amblyolpium, altitude effects on pseudoscorpions distribution, number of specimens, and description of a number of the nymphs are also given and discussed here. The families Cheliferidae, Chernetidae, Atemnidae, Cheiridiidae, Geogarypidae, Garypinidae, Olpiidae and Ideoroncidae occur almost in the examined areas in an opposite position the families Neobisiidae and Chthoniidae are rarely found in the central and southern parts of Iran and probably are mainly presented in the north parts of the country.