The current study aimed to survey the flea species, that parasitize domestic mammals in Basrah Province, southern Iraq from June 2024 to May 2025. It was recorded that 31 animals were infested with fleas, and the total prevalence was 12.45%. Higher prevalence of fleas was recorded in dogs (33.33%), followed by goats (16.67%), camels (19.05%), cats at (16.67%), and sheep (12.73%). Three flea species were collected from infested mammals, the cat flea Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché, 1835), the dog flea Ctenocephalides canis (Curtis, 1826), and the oriental rat flea Xenopsylla cheopis (Rothschild, 1903). These species belong to the family Pulicidae, within the order Siphonaptera. Additiona

This study aimed to conduct a comparative investigation of the anatomical features of stems of nine wild plant species belonging to nine genera within the Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) family, the species included Anastatica hierochuntica L. 1753, Cakile arabica Velen., 1911, Camelina hispida Boiss., 1842, Chorispora purpurascens (Banks & Sol.) Eig (1937), Erucaria crassifolia (Forssk.) Delile (1813), Glastaria glastifolia (DC.) Kuntze (1891), Horwoodia dicksoniae Turrill, 1939, Matthiola longipetala (Vent.) DC (1821), and Notoceras bicorne (Aiton) Amo (1873). These plants were collected

    The present study is the first to provide a comprehensive analysis of the vertebral column, fin structure, and tail skeleton of Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758 and Leuciscus vorax (Heckel, 1843) (Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae), which were collected from Al-Tharthar on the Euphrates and from the Tigris River at Az Zubaydiyah City, Wasit Province-middle of Iraq, respectively. Radiographic imaging was used to investigate various traits of the vertebral column and caudal skeleton. These characteristics were verified for the two species studied. The outcomes disclose that osteological data vary among the two species examined, emphasising that the construction of the vertebral column and caudal skeleton can be deliberated a

    This study provides taxonomic and faunistic contributions to the knowledge of the spider fauna of Iraq (Araneae). It documents new occurrence data for several species and expands their known distribution within the country. Enoplognatha macrochelis Levy & Amitai, 1981 (Theridiidae) is recorded from southern Iraq for the first time. Additionally, Hersiliola babylonica Zamani & Marusik, 2022 (Hersiliidae), Lycosa piochardi Simon, 1876 (Lycosidae), Uroctea thaleri Rheims, Santos & van Harten, 2007 (Oecobiidae), and Latrodectus dahli Levi, 1959 (Theridiidae) are documented from Nineveh Province, providing updated distributional data for these species in Iraq. The study includes

    In the current study, eight species of Astragalus L.,1753 (Fabales, Fabaceae): A.annularis Forssk,1775, A. asterias Steven,1832, A. bruguieri Boiss.,1849, A. dactylocarpus Boiss., 1843, A. fasciculifolius Boiss.,1843, A. hamosus L.,1753, A. spinosus (Forssk.) Muschi., 1907 and A. tribuloides Delile,1813 in southeastern Iraq were investigated for molecular phylogenetic analysis. For this purpose, the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) was sequenced to examine the evolutionary relationships among the species. The species in two clades were separated based on proximity in the phylogenetic tree. The first

    New species, Eucera diplotaxa sp. nov. belonging to the subfamily Apinae (Hymenoptera: Apidae), from Iraq has been described and illustrated. The diagnostic characters and differences from the closely related species previously documented in the Palearctic Region are provided.

   The species of Microthoracius cameli L., 1758 which belongs to the family Microthoraciidae (Order, Phthiraptera) was recorded for the first time in the insect fauna of Iraq. These specimens were collected from camels in Basrah Province. The work included a detailed description of this species as well as the addition of photographs and illustrations obtained using a scanning electron microscope. The diagnostic characters of this species were provided.

    The spatial and temporal distribution of the lesser date moth (LDM) Batrachedra amydraula Meyrick, 1916 (Lepidoptera, Batrachedridae), a key pest of date palms Phoenix dactylifera L. across Basrah Province during the fruiting season of 2024, was evaluated in this study. Results revealed that the lesser date moth was distributed in all the surveyed districts of Basrah. Al-Nashwa and Abu-Al Khaseeb Districts recorded the highest infestation surveyed, whereas Al-Dair, Safwan, Al-Sibah, and Al-Faw Districts recorded the lowest infestation rates. The cultivars Halawi, Zahdi, and Brim were the most susceptible, while the cultivars Barhi and Dieri were the least infested. The fruit developmental stage had a strong effec

This study investigates the ecological roles and geographical distribution of sixteen wild Brassicaceae species across most districts of Iraq, including arid and mountainous regions. A total of 263 herbarium specimens were analyzed, including specimens preserved from the 1950s to 2025, Erysimum cuspidatum (M.Bieb) DC. (1821), which was recently reported by the same authors, and 8 newly collected specimens from recent field surveys.

    The main objectives were to evaluate habitat preferences, soil types, and adaptive strategies of these species in arid and semi-arid regions. Results indicate that the studied species can grow in a wide range of soils, including limestone, rocky areas, sandy, and loamy substrates, demons

    Myosotis L., 1753 is one of the biggest genera in the family Boraginaceae, subfamily Cynoglossoideae, and tribe Myosotideae, numerous pollen grain features, including shape, color, size, sculpture and number have been examined for the species M. arvensis, along with a thorough sampling analysis of macro- and micro-morphology. Molecular investigation has been conducted to confirm M. arvensis subsp. arvensis taxonomic rank within Boraginaceae. In contrast to the within the same genus that are already grow in Iraq, the collected specimens of M. arvensis subsp. arvensis are differentiated by a saucer-shaped corolla limb reaching 3 mm in diameter, reaching 3 mm in diameter, and the

    A new freshwater malacophagous leech belonging to the Glossiphoniidae Vaillant, 1890 family was found in a spring in the Ferghana Valley. In this study, we describe the morphological characteristics and DNA barcoding gene of a new leech, Glossiphonia ferghanensis sp. nov. (Annelida, Hirudinida, Glossiphoniidae) are reported. This species differs from all other leeches of Glossiphonia Johnson, 1816 in coloration, the absence of papillae and paramedial rows on the dorsal surface. According to COI sequences, it was found to be a sister species with a specimen of Glossiphonia concolor (Apathy, 1888) recorded from the Taimyr Peninsula Region of Northern Russia. The analysis revealed

    Home gardens (HG), public gardens (PG), road islands (RI), and vacant lots (VL) were the most common urban habitats in Kharga and Dakhla Oases that were analyzed in terms of species distribution patterns. In total, 39 geo-referenced sampling stands were surveyed and were distributed as follows among these habitats: 16 in home gardens (HG), 11 in public gardens (PG), 8 in road islands (RI), and 4 in vacant lots (VL). The total number of recorded species showed variation among habitats: 132 species in HG, followed by PG (112 species), RI (71 species), and VL (58 species). The vegetation structure of the home gardens was characterized by orchard trees, cultivated herbs and xerophytes, while that of public gardens was dominated by orn

    The present study is the first to provide a comprehensive analysis of the vertebral column, fin structure, and tail skeleton of Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758 and Leuciscus vorax (Heckel, 1843) (Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae), which were collected from Al-Tharthar on the Euphrates and from the Tigris River at Az Zubaydiyah City, Wasit Province-middle of Iraq, respectively. Radiographic imaging was used to investigate various traits of the vertebral column and caudal skeleton. These characteristics were verified for the two species studied. The outcomes disclose that osteological data vary among the two species examined, emphasising that the construction of the vertebral column and caudal skeleton can be deliberated a

    The eurytomid wasp Eurytoma samsonowi Vassiliev, 1915 (Hymenoptera, Eurytomidae), has been recorded as a new species infesting apricot seeds in Baghdad. The study was conducted in an apricot orchard in Al-Tarmia District, Baghdad Province, in February 2025. This study could help identify, monitor, investigate further, and control apricot eurytomid wasps.

    In the current study, the panurgine bee Camptopoeum Spinola, 1843 is represented as a single species Camptopoeum frontale (Fabricius, 1804) (Family Andrenidae), which is reported as a new record for the Iraqi hymenoptera checklist. Additionally, the species is clearly described and illustrated, and the taxonomic status of the taxa is provided.

In this study, the species Pentodon algerinus (Füessly, 1778) (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) was genetically recorded in the NCBI GenBank database using the mitochondrial partial gene (COI) through a molecular technique. Then the third instar grub of this species was morphologically described using light microscopy. Throughout the study, 24 grubs were collected from different localities in Erbil Province. Most characteristics of the last instar grub were illustrated; the description was based on the reared grub to adults under field conditions to confirm identification. Although many research attempts have focused on the adult stage, no work has been convoyed on the immature stage that feeds in the root area of lawns in this provin

   A total of three specimens of Tigris mystus Mystus pelusius (Solander, 1794) were collected from the Tigris River at the Gherai'at region in Baghdad Province in May 2024. Several species in the family Bagridae are rather morphologi­cally similar, especially during the juvenile stage, which may pose difficulties in their identification. The present study aims to identify the fish and determine its ancestry at the molecular level. The mitochondrial gene (cob) functions as a barcoding gene. It included a designated primer set with PCR amplification to align a cob gene fragment with sequences in NCBI using BLAST. The molecular testing of current specimens of M. pelusius and the phylogenetic tree demonstrate that the cob gene is effecti

Surveying 59 references concerning the occurrence of the monogeneans of the family Diplozoidae parasitizing fishes of Iraq showed the occurrence of 15 valid species of this family which included one species of Diplozoon, one species of Eudiplozoon and 13 species of Paradiplozoon. In addition to these species, some unidentified adult and larval (diporpa larvae) specimens of the genus Diplozoon were reported from 12 fish hosts among which four fish species showed no infection with any of the nominated diplozoid species while the others showed mixed diplozoid infections. These diplozoids were reported from 27 fish host species in Iraq. All the diplozoids were recorded from freshwater habitats except one <

Three species of nematodes within Acrobeloides (Cobb, 1924); Thorne, 1937 (Rhabditida, Cephalobidae) were collected and recorded for the first time in Iraq, based on morphometric and molecular data, these species, A. saeedi Siddiqi, Ley & Khan, 1992, A. apiculatus (Thorne, 1925), and A. bodenheimeri (Steiner, 1936), were molecularly characterized using the partial 28S rRNA gene sequences. The phylogenetic tree has been constructed to separate Acrobeloides species from closely related species.

Four species of insects, Carpophillus obsoletus Er., Carpophilus sp., Bitoma lycnformis Wall and Scatopse sp., were found in association with infected spathes of date palm with Mauginella scaettae Cav. The later fungus was the dominant species isolated in pure cultures both from diseased spathes and from contaminated insects. Bitoma lycriformis is the first record for Iraq.

A total of 47 species belonging to 46 genera, 34 subfamilies, 23 families and 7 orders of predator and parasitoid insects were collected and identified. The survey was conducted throughout the program held by the General Directorate of Agriculture-Duhok, in cooperating with the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences in Duhok Province, Kurdistan Region, Iraq from May 2013 to April 2014.
The species hosts, collecting date, locality and distributions are given. The current checklist also included some species previously collected by other researchers in Duhok Province.

Twelve species of philodromid crab or running crab spiders (Philodromidae) have been recorded in Armenia. Nine species are new to the spider fauna of this country: Philodromus cespitum (Walckenaer, 1802); Philodromus emarginatus (Schrank, 1803), Philodromus rufus Walckenaer, 1826; Rhysodromus histrio (Latreille, 1819), Thanatus atratus Simon, 1875; Thanatus formicinus (Clerck, 1757); Thanatus imbecillus L. Koch, 1878; Thanatus vulgaris Simon, 1870 and Thanatus pictus L. Koch, 1881.

New data on jumping spiders (Salticidae) and tangle-web spiders (Theridiidae) of Armenia are provided on the basis of recently collected specimens in various regions of Armenia. One species, Ballus rufipes (Simon, 1868) is recorded as new to the Caucasus Region, in addition to the following species: Neon reticulatus (Blackwall, 1853), Pellenes brevis (Simon, 1868), Salticus scenicus (Clerck, 1757) and Synageles dalmaticus (Keyserling, 1863) that belong to a family Salticidae, are recorded in Armenia for the first time.
A further 7 species of Theridiidae are recorded in Armenia for the first time Kochiura aulica (C. L. Koch, 1838), Steatoda albomaculata (De Geer, 1778), Steatoda bipunctata (Linnaeus, 1758), Steatoda castanea Clerk, 175

    A faunistic review of the genus Chaitophorus Koch, 1854, including four species in Iraq is given; the distribution data of each species and their hosts have been recorded. In this investigation the poplar leaf aphid Ch. populialbae (Boyer de Fonscolombe, 1841) is recorded here for the first time in Iraq on popular trees Populus euphratica Oliv. during the period from November 2016 to April 2017 in Baghdad province.

    A brief description for apterous viviparous female of this species is given; and a  key to the species of the genus Chaitophorus is constricted.

The dry weight of the liver of Rana ridibunda was expressed as percentage of the dry
weight of the body. The female liver weight always exceeds that of the male, except in July
and September. The difference between males and females for the whole year, regardless of
months, was not significant. Livers of both sexes were relatively large prior to hibernation
(December), decreased during hibernation (January and February) until a minimum weight in
March (post-hibernation).
The increase of liver weight during December is apparently simply to meet the metabolic
requirements for survival during hibernation. The percent reduction in liver weight during
hibernation was 1.081% in males and 1.356% in females. The decrease

The morphometric parameters of Acinopus (Acinopus) laevigatus Ménétriés, 1832 (Coleoptera, Carabidae) were studied and their altitudinal variability was assessed. The length of head is the most variable, and the smallest value of the coefficient of variation is observed for the width of elytra. The length of body parts (head, pronotum, elytra) were more variable compared to their width. The correlation relationship between the morphometric parameters of different parts of the body was analyzed. A high correlation was found between the elytra length (EL) and the total body length (BL) (r=0.93), and the lowest correlation was found between the elytra width (EW) and the pronotum length (PL) (r=0.57). According to all measurement indicato

    This study was based on the determination of aphid species that infested Chrysanthemum sp. (Asterales, Asteraceae) in the middle of Iraq; five aphid species belong to subfamily Aphidinae were recorded: Aphis fabae Scopoli, 1763, Aphis gossypii Glover, 1877,  Coloradoa rufomaculata (Wilson, 1908), Macrosiphoniella sanborni (Gillette, 1908) and Myzus persicae (Sulzer, 1776). A. gossypii was the most dominant species throughout the study period while M. persicae  is the lesser species.

    A summary of  the main taxonomic characters is presented here and a pictorial key which was designed to separate aphi

    Literature reviews of reports concerning the parasitic fauna of fishes of Al-Diwaniyah province, Iraq till the end of December 2018 showed that a total of 43 parasite species are so far known from 13 valid fish species investigated for parasitic infections. The parasitic fauna included one euglenozoan, two myzozoans, six ciliophorans, three myxozoans, three trematodes, nine monogeneans, four cestodes, six nematodes, three acanthocephalans and six crustaceans. The infection with the trematodes, one monogenean, two cestodes and one nematode occurred with larval stages, while the remaining infections were either with trophozoites or adult parasites. Among the inspected fishes, Carasobarbus luteus was infected wit

This study was conducted on species composition, morphology, ecological characteristics, biotope distribution, ecological groups, biodiversity indicators and zoogeography of leeches and gastropods distributed in the lower Ak-Buura River. According to the results, it was found that 7 species of leeches belonging to 4 families and 6 genera and 10 species of fresh-water gastropods belonging to 3 families and 6 genera live in the lower Ak-Buura River. In the river, it was observed that leeches are mainly distributed in muddy biotopes, and gastropods are widespread in muddy, stony and sandy biotopes with a lot of plants. Biodiversity indices of leeches and gastropods in the Ak-Buura River were analyzed using the Shannon index. As a result, it