Dichetophora obliterata (Fabricius, 1805)

Material examined: Iran: East Azerbaijan Province, Qaradagh (forest habitat) [38°51´N, 46°52´E, 1770 m], 14.06.2010, 1 ♂, 4 ♀; Horand (grassland habitat) [38°59´N, 47°22´E, 1370 m], 14.07.2010, 1 ♂ (Khaghaninia leg.).

D i s t r i b u t i o n. Widespread in Europe Scotland, England, Belgium, Holland, France, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Czech Republic, Romania, Greece. North Africa: Morocco. Middle East: Turkey, Iraq. Iran: Rozkošný (1987).

B i o l o g y. I m m a t u r e s t a g e s: Vala et al. (1987) described and figured in details all the immature stages, provided information on the biology, and the life cycle. Eggs were often laid (after a long pre-oviposition period up to 2 months) on the shells of living terrestrial snails (Vala et al., 1987). In the laboratory, the first-instar larvae fed as internal parasitoids on Lauria cylindracea and later instars fed on more large size Helicella and Theba spp (Vala et al., 1987). Overwintering occurs as the mature larva, then the puparium (Vala et al., 1987). Pupariation occurs either in the shell of the host snail or away from it (Vala et al., 1987). This species is univoltine (Vala et al., 1987).