This study combines palynological, ecological, and molecular techniques to elucidate the taxonomic relationships within the complex genus Centaurea. By analysing quantitative parameters such as P, E, P/E ratio, colpus length, exine thickness, and ornamentation from SEM studies, we investigated pollen morphology across five species—C. behen, C. regia, C. iberica, C. virgata, and C. solstitialis—collected along a climatic gradient in Iraq, Iran, and Turkey. The findings indicate significant ecotypic variation strongly associated with local environmental conditions. Iranian populations, adapted to dry conditions, exhibit thicker exines and longer colpi, suggesting enhanced desiccation resistance. Turkish populations tend to have thinner exines and longer grains, likely optimised for temperate pollination environments. Iraqi populations show intermediate pollen traits, reflecting their role as transitional ecotypes in semi-arid regions. These results highlight how environmental adaptation shapes reproductive morphology and offer a basis for integrative taxonomy, leveraging adaptive traits to refine species delimitation and clarify phylogenetic relationships within Centaurea.
Among a collection of leafhoppers from Erbil Province in Kurdistan/Iraq, a new species of the genus Arboridia Zakhvatkin, 1946 was designated and described here as a new species to the science. The erection of this species was mainly built on the external characters included the male genitalia. Sites and dates of collections so as the host-plants were verified.
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The dangerous and potentially blinding condition known as Acanthamoeba keratitis is caused by free-living amoebae of the genus Acanthamoeba. The prevalence of AIDS patients and contact lens wearers has increased in recent years, making cannaeba infections more significant. It's interesting to note that, depending on the parasite, host, and environmental conditions, the pathways linked to Acanthamoeba pathogenesis are frequently extremely complex. Notwithstanding our progress in antibiotic therapy and supportive care, the prevalence of Acanthamoeba keratitis has not decreased
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
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Pollen morphology of 4 species (A. aucheri , A. auriculata, A. caucasica, A. nova) belonging to the genus Arabis L. in Iraq was examined by light microscope and scanning electron microscope to determine the significance of pollen features as a taxonomic characters. The results showed pollen grains of the species were monades, homopolar, tricolpate, and with medium size, but the species varied in shapes (polar and equatorial view), colpus length and width, exine thickness and exine ornamentation. Pollen colors were brown convert to brownish yellow.
The present study introduces description of a new species of genus Arboridia Zakhvaticin 1946, based on a large collection of Cicadellids. External morphological characters particularly male genitalia were discussed and illustrated. The genus Arboridia Zalchvatkiia (Typhlocybinae: Erythroneurini) contains small slender, fragil and attractively coloured and patterned leafhoppers. It was erected by Zakhvatkin in 1946 (Zalchvatkin, 1946). The overall length of adults ranges from 2.5 to 3.4 mm. Members of this genus can be recognized by inner apical cell of forewing which is long with oblique base; Cu confluent with this base at a point near the middle of the length of inner apical cell; two prominent circular deep brown spots on vertex (Zal
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Nineteen thrips species recorded in center of Iraq during 1999-2001, four of them was recorded by El-Haidari & Daoud, 1967; Thrips tabaci Lindeman, Retithrips syriacus (Mayet), Parascolothrips prieseri Mound, Anaphthrips sudanensis Trybom. Fifteen species are recorded for the first time in Iraq, Thrips meridionalis (Priesner), Microcephalothrips abdominals (Crawford), Scolothrips pallidus (Beach), Scolothrips sexmaculatus (Pergande), Scritothrips mangiferae Priesner, Frankliniella schultzie Trybom, Frankliniella unicolor Morgan, Frankliniella Tritici Bagnall, Retithrips aegypticus Marchal, Retithrips javanicus
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