This paper describes the first occurrence of the monogenetic trematode Silurodiscoides
mediacanthus (Achmerow, 1952) in Iraq from gills of the cyprinid fish Barbus luteus from
Diyala river, Diyala province, Iraq. The description and measurements of this parasite were
given. In addition, key for the identification of the three species of Silurodiscoides, so far
recorded from freshwater fishes of Iraq, is included.

During the syrvey on natural enemies of whiteflies in Iraq, the following. predators were recorded.

Contracaecum rudolphii Hartwich, 1964 is a nematode which causes major concerns to human and wildlife animal’s health. However, the population genetics of C. rudolphii has been poorly studied in Iraq. In order to gain a deeper understanding in the outline of the genetic diversity of the nematode C. rudolphii that were isolated from its host cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo (Linnaeus, 1758), in the middle areas of Iraq, twenty specimens of C. rudolphii adults were isolated from nine individuals of P. carbo. The first (ITS-1) internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of C. rudolphii were amplified using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR); then, the amplicons were subjected to sequencing. Concatenation of ITS-1 (rD

    A mounted specimen of a mustelid animal deposited in the Kurdistan Museum of Natural History, Salahaddin University, Erbil proved to be Mustela erminea (Linnaeus, 1758) and represents a new record for the mammalian fauna of Iraq. Its measurements and some biological noted are provided. Also, two passerine birds; the Red-headed bunting, Emberiza bruniceps Brandt, 1841(Family, Emberizidae) and the Variable wheatear, Oenanthe picata (Blyth, 1847) (Family, Muscicapidae) were recorded for the first time in Iraq. Furthermore, the tree frog Hyla savignyi Audouin, 1829 was found in two locations north east of Iraq with spotted dorsum and having interesting behavior in having the capabil

    Twenty-two of the Starling Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 were collected in Baghdad city during the period from January to September, 2014, and examined for endoparasites. Ten (45.45%) were found infected with either the cestode Passerilepis crenata (Goeze, 1782) (31.81%) or the nematode Dispharynx nasuta (Rudolphi, 1819) (13.63 %). Morphometric and meristic features for these worms were expressed. D. nasuta is recorded here for the first time from S. vulgaris for Iraq.

   Molecular barcoding was widely recognized as a powerful tool for the identification of organisms during the past decade; the aim of this study is to use the molecular approach to identify the diatoms by using the environmental DNA. The diatom specimens were taken from Tigris River. The environmental DNA(e DNA) extraction and analysis of sequences using the Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) method showed the highest percentage of epipelic diatom genera including Achnanthidium minutissimum (Kützing) Czarnecki, 1994 (21.1%), Cocconeis placentula Ehrenberg, 1838 (21.3%) and Nitzschia palea (Kützing) W. Smith, 1856 (16.3%).

   Five species of diatoms: Achnanthidiu

    The present paper confirmed the presence of Phrynocephalus maculatus longicaudatus Haas, 1957 in Iraq and recorded the first observations of this taxon in Al-Muthanna province southwestern of Iraq. The existence of the species is yet uncertain in Iraq. The habitat and morphological characteristics of this species were reviewed.

    The present paper confirmed the presence of Phrynocephalus maculatus longicaudatus Haas, 1957 in Iraq and recorded the first observations of this taxon in Al-Muthanna province southwestern of Iraq. The existence of the species is yet uncertain in Iraq. The habitat and morphological characteristics of this species were reviewed.

    The study included isolation and diagnosis of fungi that infect Foeniculum vulgare Mill planted in the Department of Drugs and Medicinal Plants, Pharmacy College - University of Baghdad, different symptoms such as wilting and yellowing, stunting on the plants were observed fungi: Alternaria alternata, Rhizoctonia solani, Phoma herbarum and Fusarium oxysporum, The disease incidence ranging between 5-10%. Studied the effect of Foeniculum vulgare plant seeds extract against Alternaria alternata, Rhizoctonia solani, Phoma herbarum and Fusarium oxysporum,where tested  the concentrations  0,2.5 and 5%  of alcoholic extract of fennel seeds showed ef

Shiranish formation has been divided into two microfacies units: 1-Marly biowacke stone facies 2-Biogenic pack stone facies These microfacies reflected marine deep shelf margin in the upper part of the formation, the lower part was deeper. 238 slides were investigated depending on Mineralogical, compositional and Biological processes, which reflect deep shelf margin at upper part of the formation, but at the lower part open sea environment. The age of the formation is estimated depending on the recognized biostratigraphic zone using the index fossils to be Upper- Middle Maestrichtian.

The Tel Hajar formation in the studied area has been divided into five microfacics units:

1) Fine hiogenic dolomite facies.

2) Sandy rich dolomite facies.

3) Dolomite diagenetic facies.

4) Recrystal1ized wackestone in microfacies.

5) Mudsione facies.

Microfacics reflect shallow marine water with open Circulation in the lower part of the formation and the environment of the upper is enclosed between upper tide and tide. The most important diagenesis was recrystallization and spary calcite deposit inside fossils chambers and pores.

The family Chalcididae (Order: Hymenoptera) is known as one of the large chalcidoid wasps with some distinct morphological characters. The first occurrence of two parasitoid species belonging to this family was reported in the Al-Husayniya district Karbala Province, Iraq; which are: Brachymeria podagrica (Fabricius, 1787) and Chalcis myrifex (Sulzer, 1776). Both species were collected by using the sweeping net from orchards during July 2020.

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.

This paper is a review of the genus Sitta in Iraq, Five species of this genus are recognized
Sitta kurdistanica, S. neumayr, S. europaea, S.dresseri and S. tephronota. Geographical
distribution and systematic nots were given for separation and identification, also some notes
on nest building and nest sites of S. tephronota supporting by figures are presented.

   The species Bostrichus capucinus  (L.) (Coleoptera:Bostrichidae) was reported as a new record for Iraq. Diagnostic characters and some information are given .

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.

Littoral and benthic invertebrates from Roundwood Reservoir System were sampled. Oligochaetes and molluscs were the dominant organisms in the littoral and benthic areas Trichopterans and chironomids were the most abundant insect groups. Scuba diving samples reinforced that view. Other groups of macroinvertebrates were poorly represented. Vertical and horizontal hauls of zooplankton revealed that there were twelve species of zooplankton present. Daphnia hyalina Leydig and Bosmina coregoni Baird were the two dominant species.

Some aspects of population dynamics of both corbicula species inhabiting intertidal zone of
shatt al-Arab are described. These informations are explained in accordance with the possible
occurrence of competition between the two related species.

    The aim of the current study is to demonstrate the effect of honey on the sperms characteristics (sperm concentration, sperm motility, grade of activity and sperm normal morphology) as well as pregnancy rate in mice. Sperms were obtained from caudal epididymis of male mice and prepared by adding10% of honey to the IVF medium using direct sperms activation technique for 30 minute incubation period before artificial insemination.

    The study revealed a significant (P > 0.05) increase in active sperm motility (grade A and grade B) 49% and pregnancy rate 53.3% in female mice artificially inseminated with sperms. On the other hand, there were no significant differences in sperm con

Birds of prey (Raptors) are top predator avian species that many migrate annually through Mesopotamian marshes in southern Iraq toward their wintering grounds in Arabia and Africa, while others are breeding residents; however, information on their current status is scarce. From January 2016 to April 2019, a total of 20 field expeditions were conducted in the geographical zone of the Mesopotamian marshes, wetlands of international importance. The survey covered the Central Marshes, Al-Hammar and Hawizeh Marsh. One of the objectives of the field surveys is to list the raptors species that wintering and/or migrating through the Mesopotamian marshes and to understand their current spatial and temporal distribution. In the present study, a to

Jatropha L. is an exotic genus to Iraq and it has been cultivated in gardens for ornamental purposes because of the shiny red color of the flowers. The plant adapted to environmental conditions and succeeded in growing and blooming, which is why the species was interested to study. The species Jatropha integerrima Jacq. was examined and diagnosed for the first time in Iraq. Morphological and anatomical characteristics for leaves (considering that the variations are the most reliable and taxonomically important) were provided. The Phytochemical screening showed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenes, tannins and saponins. The qualitative analysis by TLC indicated the presence of alkaloids and flavonoid that was detected by specia

    This paper reviews the distribution range of wild goat Capra aegagrus (Erxleben, 1777) in Iraq with new sighting of very small herd of wild goat occur in Alqosh mountain, north of Nineveh province, where wild goat have a little informations on the distribution areas in Iraq according to the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

    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 aim of this study is to calculate the ene expenditure from fatty substance contents of the
frog. Rana ridibunda during its hibernation. It was found that, almost, all frogs enter
hibernation during the last week of December and emerge from hibernation during the first
week of March. Hence, January and February are considered the hibernation period.
December is the pre-hibernation period and March is the post-hibernation period. The
reduction in percent of body lipid during the hibernation period was 4.8% in males and 7.7%
in females. The reduction in percent of lipid of fat bodies during the hibernation period was
2.758% in males and 0.733% in females.
The calorific value of R. ridibunda lipid amounted to 1233

    This study was carried out from February to October 2012 in six semi salty ponds in Gwer sub-district which is the first work in the area. A total of 32 species and 2 genera of algae where reported as the new records. Mostly the non diatoms are belonging to Cyanophyta, Chlorophyta, Euglenophyta, Cryptophyta, Chrysophyceae, while diatoms or Bacilariophyceae are belong to pennals- order.

An updated checklist of the Megachilid bees of Iraq is presented in this paper. The current list includes 31 species belonging to 10 genera, under the tribes Lithurgini, Osmiini, Anthidiini, and Megachilini within the Megachilinae subfamily. The basionyms, synonyms, and distribution of species in the world are also given. Based on the specimens, which obtained during this study, a diagnostic key was designed to identify the tribes and genera; the genus Heriades Spinola, 1808 (Tribe, Osmiini) is recorded for the first time in the Iraqi entomofauna.

The current investigation was to redescribe the morphology of the species of hard tick, Rhipicephalus pravus Dönitz, 1910 (Ixodida, Ixodidae) that was recently recorded from Baghdad Province, central of Iraq. A total of 130 sheep were obtained from the local animal markets in Baghdad Province, throughout the period from May 2022 to November 2023; these sheep were examined for the presence of hard ticks. The current study revealed five sheep infested with R. pravus in Baghdad Province. The specimens were deposited in the Iraq Natural History Research Center and Museum-Baghdad University under the number: INHM, 2023: Hard Ticks, No. 1.1. Hard tick-borne pathogens were reviewed, so this species of tick was associated with several pathogens

Ghar Formation outcrop at the Iraqi western desert was studied by microfacies analysis
of (13) thin sections collected from wadi Al-Ratgha ( west of Qaim ) . According to
petrographic com position and organisms content ,rocks were subdivided into (4)
microfacies units :bioclastic wackestone , mudstone , miliolids wackestone , and grainstone
with aggregate grains microfacies .Microfacies units reflect shallow marine environment of
low circulation of very warm water at the middle part . The lower and middle part
interbedded with quite open marine environment below the wave base . The upper part was
deposited at shallow marine environment of low circulation . The main diagenetic processes
were the transformation ( ty

    In this work, the spirurid nematode Hartertia gallinarum was reported in the intestine of the spotted sandgrouse, Pterocles senegallus, collected in three different locations: Ga'ara Depression, Iraqi Western Desert, Zurbatiyah and Al-Attariyah, Middle of Iraq. Description and measurements of the nematode were given. The role of termites in the infection of P. senegallus with H. gallinarum was discussed. Occurrence of H. gallinarum in P. senegallus represents a new host record.

    A survey conducted at Dalmaj marsh, Al-Diwaniya Province during 2013 revealed that the marsh encounters a considerable part of the Iraqi vertebrate fauna including 147 species belonging to five classes; Pisces, Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves and Mammalia. Some species are of globally conservation importance. The present results are discussed with the pertinent literature.