Paknia, Omid

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Institute of Experimental Ecology, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, D-89069 Ulm, Germany; e-mail: omid.paknia@uni-ulm.de

Scientific projects My PhD project is the first extensive study on the ecology and taxonomy of ants in Iran. In this project, we want to obtain a detailed perspective of the ants from the country. The identification of the ant fauna of Iran and the determination of species richness, community structure and composition of ants in three main biomes of Iran (temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests and desert and xeric shrublands) are the most important aims of this project that will be conducted along an ecological gradient, over a long transect (ca 1600 km) from the north to the south of Iran. 10 sites in 5 different ecoregions (two samples sites for every ecoregion) will be studied. Ants will be sampled with pitfall traps, bait traps, Winkler collectors and direct hand collecting. The collected specimens will entail in a comprehensive collection of the Iranian ant fauna, with voucher specimens that will be deposited at the Zoological Museum of Gorgan University in Gorgan, Iran.

TAXONOMIC PUBLICATIONS

 * Paknia O., Radchenko, A.G., & M. Pfeiffer. 2010. New records of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Iran. ASIAN MYRMECOLOGYVolume 3, 29–38


 * Radchenko, A.G., Paknia, O. 2010. TWO NEW SPECIES OF THE GENUS CATAGLYPHIS FOERSTER, 1850 (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE)FROM IRAN. ANNA L E S ZOOLOGI C I (Warszawa), 2010, 60(1): 69-76