The book “The Ants of Iran”, authored by Dr. Shahrokh Pashaei Rad, Associate Professor of the Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology of Shahid Beheshti University, and Mohammad Reza Mohseni, has been published recently by SBU Press in 208 pages.
Biological reserves, including plants and animals, are treasures in every country; reserves that are made up of different species according to the ecological conditions of each land and play an important role in its biological cycle. It goes without saying that the lack of each of these species causes irreparable damage to the biological communities and economy of that country.
Among these biological reserves are ants, of which about 14,111 species have been identified in the world. The role of ants and their direct effect on the soil and plants as well as their coexistence and relationship with plants and animals are other special features of these arthropods. The collective life, management system, division of tasks, solidarity in work, defense and care of the colony increase the importance of ants more and more. Ants have an undeniable role in the transmission of many diseases to human, animal and plant communities, but it should be known that in some countries, ants are also used to treat diseases.
So far, 243 species of ants have been identified in Iran, which is the result of many researches over the years. The authors of the present book have discussed the characteristics of each of these species, according to their living conditions and distribution, and they hope that this work, as the first and most comprehensive Persian scientific source about ants, will play an effective role in preserving the environment of our country and helping the young researchers.