The genus Larra Fabricius, 1793 (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae) is recorded for the first time from Vietnam. Three species and two subspecies belonging to this genus as follows: L. amplipennis (F. Smith, 1873); L. carbonaria (F. Smith, 1858); L. fenchihuensis Tsuneki, 1967; L. polita polita (F. Smith, 1858) and L. polita luzonensis Rohwer, 1919 are presented. Keys to both sexes of the three species and two subspecies reported here are provided.

The effects of nutrients and physical conditions on phytase production were investigated with a recently isolated strain of Aspergillus tubingensis SKA under solid state fermentation on wheat bran. The nutrient factors investigated included carbon source, nitrogen source, phosphate source and concentration, metal ions (salts) and the physical parameters investigated included inoculum size, pH, temperature and fermentation duration. Our investigations revealed that optimal productivity of phytase was achieved using wheat bran supplemented with: 1.5% glucose. 0.5% (NH4)2SO4, 0.1% sodium phytate. Additionally, optimal physical conditions were 1 × 105 spore/g substrate, initial pH of 5.0, temperature of fermentation 30˚C and fermentation dura

Spergularia iraqensis sp. nov. is described as a new species from Iraq. This species has been collected from Diyala Province in the central east of Iraq; it is closely related to Spergularia rubra (L.) J. Presl & C. Presl, 1819 and Spergularia bocconei (Scheele) Graebn., 1919.
The distinguishing of the morphological characteristics of the new species alongside the two similar species are discussed with photographs, and an identification key is given for Spergularia iraqensis and other closely related species.