Assessing heavy metal pollution by biomonitoring honeybee nectar in Córdoba (Spain).

Nectar of honeybee colonies has been used in order to identify heavy metals and establish the benefit of this type of studies as a tool for environmental management. For these goals, samples of nectar were obtained from Apis mellifera hives placed in the city of Córdoba (Spain) and its surroundings. Five stations (each with two hives) were selected and samples were collected from May to July of 2007, 2009 and 2010. Concentrations of Pb, Cr, Ni and Cd in nectar were determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Substantial spatial and temporal differences were detected and compared with the values found in bee bodies in a previously published study based on samples obtained simultaneously with those presented in this work. Upper reference thresholds established for this investigation were surpassed frequently by the measures obtained, being Cr (21.43% of samples), stations S3 (22.22%) and S4 (11.12%) year 2009 (22.22%) and the month of July (23.68%) the metal, the locations and the periods that exceeded more times these references. Regarding the Cd, which was studied only in 2010, 33.33% of the nectar samples exceeded the upper reference thresholds. Comparing the biomonitoring of bee bodies and nectar, some coincidences were found, although they showed different results for highest worrisome values of metal, station and year. This suggests that both methods can give complementary information in the surveillance systems of atmospheric pollution.

A survey of basal insects (Microcoryphia and Zygentoma) from subterranean environments of Iran, with description of three new species.

A survey of wingless insects belonging to the orders Microcoryphia (=Archaeognatha) and Zygentoma (=Thysanura s. str.) has been performed in subterranean habitats of central Iran. As a result, several new species have been discovered. In this work, three new species are described: a new species of bristletail of the family Machilidae, Haslundiellairanica sp. n., a new silverfish of the family Lepismatidae, Ctenolepismasubterraneum sp. n., and a new Nicoletiidae, Lepidospora (Brinckina) momtazianasp. n. These new taxa are compared with related species in their respective genera and keys for their identification are provided: one for all known species of Haslundiella and one for all basal insects of subterranean environments of Iran which includes those previously reported. Moreover, the previously published keys of Iranian Ctenolepisma and the subgenus Brinckina are modified to include the new species. Three additional species of Lepismatidae are reported in this work: Neoasterolepìsma palmonii and Ctenolepismatargionii are newly recorded from Iran and both species, together with Acrotelsacollaris, are cited for the first time in the subterranean habitats. This survey progresses the knowledge on the biodiversity of these insects in Iran.

Discovery of representatives of the family Nicoletiidae (Insecta: Zygentoma) from caves of Iran, with descriptions of two new supraspecific taxa.

The first records of the family Nicoletiidae in Iran are given, based on material from subterranean habitats in Fars Province. Two new species are described, one belonging to a new genus of Atelurinae, Persiatelurina farsiana gen. n. sp. n., the other to the genus Lepidospora but representing a new subgenus, Brinckiletinia subgen. n., this new subgenus is close to the subgenus Brinckina, but lacks scales on the thorax. Both new taxa are compared with related species. Nipponatelurina caucasica Kaplin, 2016 is transferred to Persiatelurina caucasica n. comb. The new atelurine was collected in Momtaz and Khan Caves and Lepidospora (Brinckiletinia) malousjanica sp. n. was found in Malousjan Cave. An additional specimen of Lepidospora was collected in Momtaz Cave, and although its specific identity is not clear, it represents a third taxon belonging to the subgenus Brinckina. Data about the habitats of these subterranean Nicoletiidae are presented.

The genus Ctenolepisma (Zygentoma: Lepismatidae) in Western Iran, with description of three new species.

Several samples belonging to the genus Ctenolepisma Escherich, 1905 collected in western Iran allow us to describe three new species: Ctenolepisma iranicum n. sp., C. sagartianum n. sp. and C. kermanshanum n. sp. Ctenolepisma iranicum n. sp. belongs to the nominate subgenus Ctenolepisma sensu stricto and is closely related to C. ciliatum and C. armeniacum. The other two new species belong to the subgenus Sceletolepisma. They are compared mainly with Asian species belonging to this subgenus, which is reported for the first time in Iran. Moreover, Ctenolepisma sagartianum n. sp. and C. kermanshanum n. sp. show a chaetotaxy that includes them in the species group "villosa", being characterized by bearing a median comb on urosternites II‒VI. Additionally, Ctenolepisma armeniacum is reported for the first time in Iran and the male of this species is described. The total number of species of Ctenolepisma known for Iran is seven, although the occurrence of C. mauritanicum has not been confirmed. An identification key for these species is presented.

Assessment of heavy metal pollution in Córdoba (Spain) by biomonitoring foraging honeybee.

Due to features that make them outstanding environmental bioindicator, colonies of Apis mellifera are being used to study environmental pollution. The primary objective of this research was to use honeybee colonies to identify heavy metals and determine their utility for environmental management. Five stations each with two A. mellifera hives were strategically located in urban, industrial, agricultural and forested areas within the municipality of Córdoba (Spain), and foraging bees were collected from April to December in 2007, 2009 and 2010 to analyse spatial and temporal variation in Pb, Cr, Ni and Cd pollution. Metal concentrations, in milligram per kilogram of honeybee, were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Significant differences in concentrations were found among the various locations and periods. The highest number of values exceeding the upper reference thresholds proposed for this study (Pb, 0.7 mg/kg; Cr, 0.12 mg/kg; Ni, 0.3 mg/kg; and Cd, 0.1 mg/kg) was observed for Pb and Cr (6.25% respectively), station S4 (13.22%), year 2007 (20.83%) and in months of May and July (11.90% each). Regarding the Cd, which was analysed only in 2010, the highest number of values exceeding the upper reference thresholds was 40%. Biomonitoring with colonies of A. mellifera could contribute to improved surveillance and control systems for atmospheric pollution by integrating qualitative and quantitative assessments, thus facilitating prevention and readiness in the event of environmental crises.