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 lobes that are connivent in fruit with many patent hooked hairs. Pollens were small, yellow, monad, tricolporate, ellipsoid in equatorial view, and spheroid in polar view. The molecular study has firmly established the classification and evolutionary ancestry of this recently discovered subspecies by confirming its genetic link and location within the larger family framework. This study aims to prove and describe this subspecies for the first time for the flora of Iraq.
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, demonstrating ecological plasticity and wide distribution across Iraq. This study provides a baseline for understanding the plant diversity of Iraq and contributes to future conservation efforts for Brassicaceae species and their habitats. The species examined are: Descurainia sophia (L.) Webb ex Prantl (1892), Rorippa amphibia (L.) Besser (1821), Barbarea vulgaris W.T. Aiton (1812), Barbarea plantaginea DC. (1821), Farsetia aegyptia Turra (1765), Farsetia burtoniae Oliv. (1880), Euclidium syriacum (L.) W.T. Aiton (1812), Erucaria hispanica (L.) Druce (1914), Erucaria cakiloidea (DC.) O.E.Schulz. (1916), Fibigia macrocarpa (Boiss.) Boiss. (1867), Strigosella grandiflora (Bunge) Botsch. (1972), Plagioloba crenulata (DC.) German D.A. (2021), Arabis auriculata Lam. (1783), Arabis hirsuta (L.) Scop. (1771), Erysimum cuspidatum (M.Bieb) DC. (1821) and Erysimum aucheranum J.Gay, (1842).
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 as important gears in the taxonomic classification of C. carpio and L. vorax. This new set of anatomical characteristics contributes to an improved comprehension of the taxonomy and systematics of the two species in question. The functional or evolutionary significance of the osteological traits examined in these species is discussed.
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 that this species is a new glossiphoniid leech recorded from Uzbekistan.
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.
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 during the spring seasons of 2024 and 2025 from various locations within the Western Desert District in Iraq. Transverse sections of stems were examined to document both qualitative and quantitative traits, which proved helpful in distinguishing the species studied. The diameter of stem transverse sections varied notably among the nine species studied ranging from 1350 μm. in species G. glastifolia to 2700 μm. in species E. crassifolia. Transverse sectional shapes differed from circular in some species to semi-polygonal in others. The chlorenchyma tissue consisted of one to six layers of cells, while collenchyma was either well-developed (5-7 layers), or absent. The number of vascular bundles remained relatively stable and enabled the classification of the species into three groups. The pith thickness varied considerably from 376 to1905 μm and showed a general positive correlation with the stem diameter.
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 detailed photographic documentation of the examined specimens, including illustrations photographs of the copulatory organs of all recorded species, supporting accurate identification and facilitating future comparative studies.
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 clade consisted of three subclades: subclade I comprises three species, including A. asterias, A. tribuloides, and A. dactylocarpus; the relationship between them was 94% and 85%, respectively. Subclade II comprised only A. bruguieri, the resemblance of these subclades to subclade one was 78%. Two species were positioned within subclade III (A. faciculifolius and A. spinosus) with 98% similarity. The second clade included only two species, A.annularis and A. hamosus; with a similarity of 90%. The data obtained were reliable for their usability in solving taxonomic problems of the studied species.
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 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. Additionally, the results illustrated that C. felis was collected from cats, goats and sheep, whereas C. canis was collected from dogs and goats, while X. cheopis was recorded only from camels. Camel infestation with the oriental rat flea is recorded for the first time in Iraq, and no global study has recorded this result. The highest infestation was recorded in May with five infestations, followed by October. No infestations were recorded in August, November, December, January, February and March. The study included a brief description of the most important taxonomic characteristics of the recorded of the flea species
The present work is intended to report a newly recorded species of foraminifera Pseudoeponides anderseni Warren, 1957 (Rotaliida, Epistomariidae) in this region. A total of seventeen specimens were collected from eight stations located south of Al Hammar Marsh. Each sample was analysed for both sediment texture and foraminiferal content, including species identification and relative abundance. Grain-size analysis revealed four main sediment textures in the study area: silt, sandy silt, mud, and sandy mud, with mud being the most predominant. The foraminiferal species recognized was P. anderseni, a benthic taxon that typically inhabits marine environments. This species is considered an important environmental bioindicator, providing evidence of marine influence in southern Iraq during the Holocene. Based on the presence of minor species Buccella frigida Cushman, 1922 (Rotaliida, Notorotaliidae) and Ammonia beccarii Linnaeus, 1758 (Rotaliida, Ammoniidae) along with the dominant species P. anderseni, it is hypothesized that Al Hammar Marsh was a coastal marine marsh during the Late Holocene epoch
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 effect on the intensity of infestation, which reached its peak at the Chameri stage. Over time, monitoring revealed three peaks of infestation of the lesser date moth. These peaks occurred in late May, in early June, and in late June, which coincided with the early stages of fruit development (Chameri and Hababok). Adult activity of LDM began in early March and peaked in early May; however, adult activity disappeared by mid-July. Additionally, negative and weak positive correlations were noted between infestation and temperature and between infestation and humidity, respectively. The study concluded that B. amydraula is widely distributed and exhibits temporal fluctuations across Basrah, with population dynamics dependent on the environmental conditions, the susceptibility of the host plants, and the developmental stages of the plants.
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 province.
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 morphologi¬cally 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 effective for the genetic identification of M. pelusius, with samples from India and Indonesia showing the closest lineage 86% to the original ancestor of M. pelusius. The results demonstrate that the chosen cob gene functions as a reliable marker for clarifying the origin of M. pelusius in the Iraqi aquatic ecosystem. This project constitutes an ongoing examination of fish in Iraqi aquatic environments. The mitochondrial gene cob was recorded for the first time to identify this fish, and the results were registered as references in the database (ID: PV535328, PV535329, PV535330) in the NCBI GenBank.
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 ornamentals and wetland plants. On the contrast, the road islands and vacant lots were largely composed of weeds and xerophytes. Eleven variables, including coarse sand (CS), fine sand (FS), clay, moisture content, electrical conductivity, soil reaction, organic matter, carbonates, sodium, sulphates, and phosphates, were used in the CCA analysis after soil variables with high inflation factors were eliminated. After applying cluster analysis to presence /absence dataset of 112 species × 39 sampling stands, 14 vegetation cluster groups were recognized, each was dominated by one or a number of species. Soil characteristics showed significant correlations with the separated cluster groups. The Shannon–Wiener index ranged from 1.93 to 3.27, and species richness ranged from 8 to 27.33 species per stand, with clear separation among vegetation groups along the DCA axes, indicating ecologically meaningful differences even without formal significance testing. Clearly, weeds and ruderal species were most abundant in disturbed habitats impacted by the effects of disturbances and the species invasion in urban habitats. Our results confirmed that managed habitats can act as biodiversity refuges in arid urban ecosystems, while disturbed sites require restoration to limit invasive spread and enhance native plant diversity.
A total of 400 hard tick specimens (250 ♂♂, 150 ♀♀) were collected from 160 sheep Ovis aries Linnaeus, 1758 out of 200 samples examined in the different localities of Iraq, representing an infestation rate of 80% of the sheep. The results of the current research identified eight species of hard ticks belonging to two genera, Hyalomma C. L. Koch, 1844 and Rhipicephalus Koch,1844 and belonging to the Ixodidae family, as follows: Hyalomma anatolicum Koch, 1844, H. excavatum Koch, 1844, H. impeltatum Schulze & Schlottke, 1930, H. scupense Schulze, 1919, Rhipicephalus bursa Canastrini & Fanzago, 1878,R. camicasi Morel, Mouchet & Rodhain, 1976, R. sanguineus Latreille, 1806, andR. turanicus Pomerantsev, 1936. Molecular analysis and gene sequencing were conducted to confirm the species Rhipicephalus camicasi, using two genes, 12S ribosomal RNAs (PV155242.1, PV155243.1) and cox1 (PV139200.1, PV139201.1). The current study concluded that sheep are a new host for R. camicasi in Iraq.
The current review aims to provide the available updated data for Houbara Bustards Chlamydotis undulata(Jacquin, 1784) (Aves, Otidiformes, Otididae) after its being listed on the IUCN Red List as VU Vulnerable, and its population has decreased globally. Also, it's being transmitted from the Gruiformes to the Otidiformes order. The current bibliographical study reviewed the most recent references that deal with houbara bustards: nomenclature, morphology, biological features, habitat, reproduction and breeding, migration patterns, global conservation status, hunting, and species status in Iraq, by searching in the previous literature. The current study reviewed the references about the global conservation status of the Houbara Bustard from the last 30 years (1995-2024). The status of the species in Iraq is that they are still living in the wild without any protection or breeding stations. It is also exposed to poaching by falconers and smugglers. A total of 105670 nucleotides of Chlamydotiswere recorded on the NCBI website in various regions of the world, and the most recent recordings were reviewed in the current article.
The presentstudy reports the first record of Ammatomus rufonodis (Radoszkowski, 1877) for insect fauna ofIraq. Although thisspecies shows morphological similarity to A. mesostenus (Handlirsch, 1888), it can be distinguished by the clear large diameter of the gastral punctures, which are similar in size to those on the mesopleuron. Thorough synonyms, diagnostic features, morphological descriptions, and distribution notes are given.
