The Fauna of Ground Beetles (Col.: Carabidae) in Azadshahr Region, Northern Iran

Ground beetles (Carabidae) with more than 40,000 described species worldwide are one of the main generalist predator groups and have an important role in reducing pest population and enhancing biodiversity of agricultural and wild ecosystems. Specimens from different agricultural and forest ecosystems in Azadshahr region, Golestan province, northern Iran, using pitfall traps and light traps, Berlese funnel and hand were picked during 2009 and 2010. Overall, 50 species belonging to 13 subfamily, 20 tribes, and 34 genera from ground beetles were collected and identified. Among them two species, Paratachys turkestanicus (Csiki)and Notiophilus danieli Reitter are newly recorded from Iran. Because of high activity of this family in crop fields and orchards of the region, implementing conservation programs was recommended to conserve or enhance the population of these generalist predators in studied ecosystems.