Photoautotrophic, photomixotrophic and heterotrophic Nicotiana tabacum cell suspension cultures were compared for the constitutive accumulation of secondary metabolites and the elicitor-induced formation of the phytoalexin capsidiol. Nicotine and chlorogenic acid were found in high amounts in the heterotrophic cultures and in moderate concentrations in photomixotrophic but not in photoautotrophic cells. Nicotinic acid-N-glucoside occured in all culture types; in photoautotrophic and photomixotrophic cells the formation of N-methylnicotinic acid (trigonelline) was also observed. Treatment with a fungal elicitor led to substantial accumulation of capsidiol in heterotrophic and photomixotrophic cells and in only low levels in photoautotrophic cultures. Elicitor-treated photomixotrophic cells showed a pronounced increase in cell wall-bound phenolics. The levels of nicotine, nicotinic acid-N-glucoside and trigonelline were not affected by elicitation.

Iran has a complex dragonfly fauna influenced by contacts and overlaps of different geographical zones. Its fauna is dominated by Eurosiberian taxa. However, the SE Province Sistãn-va-Baluchestãn is rich in oriental species, many of which having their western distribution limit in Iran. In NE-Iran, Irano-Turanian elements live and in the S- and SW-Iran African species are found. The Iranian Odonata fauna seems well studied, however, a closer look reveals many uncertainties and confusion, some records coming clearly from misidentification whereas other, which were missing proofs of correct identification remains to be confirmed. Even today, every new collecting trip reveals species new for Iran whereas species new for science are still detected, although rarely. In this checklist we include seven taxa new for Iran: Stylurus ubadschii (although a male of uncertain origin is recorded in Schmidt (1954), Ischnura senegalensis (although two uncertain records were published by Martin (1912) and Schmidt (1954), Coenagrion ponticum, C. lunulatum, C. pulchellum, Lestes macrostigma, and Calopteryx splendens tschaldirica. We critically checked all available data, including all published records. Fourteen taxa have been rejected, or placed in the category for need of confirmation. Till the end of 2017, 100 autochthonous taxa of dragonflies and two migratory species could be confirmed to be or have been present in Iran. We provide distribution maps, created after evaluation of published data and containing our own data from 12 trips to Iran, travelling over 35000 km in the country. Over 200 new localities are integrated. Taxonomic confusion is reduced by rejecting the following taxa for Iran: Calopteryx splendens mingrelica, C. hyalina, Erythromma najas, Aeshna cyanea, Gomphus davidi, and Sympetrum sinaiticum. We regard the taxa Gomphus amseli and G. schneiderii transcaspicus as synonyms of G. schneiderii, and Onychogomphus forcipatus lucidostriatus as a synonym of O. f. albotibialis.

Taxonomy of the genus Cordulegaster Leach in Brewster, 1815 in the Eastern part of the Western Palaearctic is poorly resolved. A two-step approach was applied: sequences of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA fragments were used to sort specimens; poorly known or new taxa with their phenotypic variation were described. The existence of two traditional groups (boltonii- and bidentata-group) was confirmed. Cordulegaster coronata Morton, 1916, however, belongs to a different group. Molecular-analysis supported three known and one new species (C. heros Theischinger, 1979, C. picta Selys, 1854, C. vanbrinkae Lohmann, 1993, and C. kalkmani sp. nov.) in the boltonii-group. In the bidentata-group, all specimens from West-Turkey belonged to C. insignis Schneider, 1845, all specimens further east to a complex of four closely related species, which we name charpentieri-complex (C. amasina Morton, 1916, stat. rev., C. mzymtae Bartenev, 1929 C. charpentieri (Kolenati, 1846), stat. rev. and C. cilicia sp. nov.). The following taxa: C. insignis nobilis Morton, 1916, syn. nov., C. nachitschevanica Skvortsov and Snegovaya, 2015, syn. nov. C. plagionyx Skvortsov and Snegovaya, 2015, syn. nov. and the Caucasian subspecies C. insignis lagodechica Bartenev, 1930, syn. nov., were synonymized with C. charpentieri. Finally, we provide a key for all Western Palaearctic Cordulegaster.

Taxonomy of the genus Cordulegaster Leach in Brewster, 1815 in Greece is not completely understood. The taxonomic status of the subspecies C. helladica buchholzi (Lohmann, 1993), C. helladica kastalia (Lohmann, 1993), and C. heros pelionensis Theischinger, 1979 was still unclear. We applied a molecular genetic approach using sequences of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA fragments—cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) and Internal Transcribed Spacer 1 (ITS1). This approach revealed that specimens presently assigned to C. heros pelionensis should be considered as conspecific to the nominate subspecific taxon making C. heros a monotypic species. Two major monophyletic lines were found within the Greek representatives of the species grouped around C. bidentata Selys, 1843: the clade of the European endemic C. bidentata and the clade composed of three species: C. helladica (Lohmann, 1993), C. buchholzi (stat. nov., raised to species level), and C. insignis Schneider, 1845. Cordulegaster helladica is restricted to the Peloponnese. Cordulegaster buchholzi is not restricted to the Cyclades as previously thought, but widespread from the Cyclades over the island Euboea to south-east mainland Greece reaching in the west near Mount Parnassos, where it hybridize with C. bidentata. Hybridization between C. bidentata and C. buchholzi was detected at the Castalian Spring, where in ancient times the Oracle of Delphi was located, and some kilometres east of the Castalian Spring. These hybrids had been formerly named C. helladica kastalia. In the case of C. insignis montandoni St. Quentin, 1971 we have investigated specimens some kilometres away from the type locality in Romania, which all revealed hybrids between C. bidentata and C. insignis. However, we do not know if specimens phenotypically looking like C. insignis from further west in the SE Balkans represent isolated population of C. insignis within the range of C. bidentata or belong to a broader hybrid zone between C. bidentata and C. insignis.

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