Abstract
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.
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