Contributions to the Biodiversity of Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera) of Palandöken Mountain (Erzurum, Türkiye) with a New Record

Palandöken Mountain is a tectonic mountain located in Erzurum, which can reach an altitude of 3,185 meters, and has become the highest point of the environment with its summit. While the surroundings of the mountain attract attention with their natural landscape and rich biodiversity, it has created a situation that will contain many plant species despite the harsh climatic conditions. The mountain has always been important in terms of both meteorological and ecological research with its height and different climate structure. While the high-altitude regions of the mountain reveal climatic changes, they have contributed to the formation of fauna and folars in many respects, and the microclimate area prevailing on the southern slope has enabled the formation of a region rich in biodiversity. In many studies carried out on Palandöken Mountain between 1996 and 2011, many Ichneumonidae specimens were collected and new records were given. No studies were carried out in this area after 2012 and this area was registered as a "Natural Site-Qualified Natural Conservation Area" in 2018. This study aimed to reveal the biodiversity of the family of Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera) in this area, which has a rich faunal and floral feature. In the summer of 2025, specimens belonging to the Ichneumonidae family were collected from this area with a special permission, and a total of 278 adult individuals and nine species belonging to the subfamilies A nomaloninae Förster, Cryptinae Kirby, Orthocentrinae Förster, Pimplinae Wesmael and Ophioninae Shuckard were recorded Aperileptus vanus Förster, 1871) has also been identified as a new record for Türkiye.