Parasitological investigation of piscivorous birds in Al-Hammar marsh south of Iraq during December-February 2004 and December 2005 were revealed that water birds infected with five nematode species, which belong to three different superfamilies, Desmidocercella numidica (Seurat, 1920) (Superfamily: Aproctoidea) from three piscivorous birds including Grey heron Ardea cinerea, Bittern Botaurusstellaris, and small white heron Ardeola ralloides; Avioserpens sp. 1 and Avioserpens sp. 2 (Superfamily: Dracunculoidea) from small bittern Ixobrychus minutus and black glossy ibis Plegadisfalcinellus respectively; Baruscapillaria sp. and Baruscapillarinae gen. sp. (Sup

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

The current study aimed to determine the morphometric and meristic characteristics of the North African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822). Six specimens of C. gariepinus were collected from the Tigris River, in central Iraq. This study is considered the confirmation first record of this species in Iraq, and the second documentation of this exotic fish. The present species is characterized by a very long dorsal fin, a rounded caudal fin and four pairs of barbels.

Comparative cytogenetic studies were carried out on males of two species of flour beetles, Rust flour beetle Tribolium castaneum and Confused flour beetle Tribolium confusum to investigate the karyotype. In these species, somatic chromosomes were arranged according to its  length except the sex chromosomes.  Results of this study showed that complete chromosomes karyotyping  (2n)  of      T.castaneum equaled to twenty chromosomes ( 2n=20, XY ) whereas (2n) T.confusum equaled eighteen chromosomes ( 2n= 18,XY). In the two species the sex   chromosome Y was the shortest chromosome and had length of average ± standard error in T.castaneum equaled to 1.500 ± 0.0  µm whereas

During a survey on the helminthic parasites of three species of turtles in the north part of Iraq, five species of nematodes were recorded for the first time in Iraq. They were all found in the intestine. These are, Camallanus microcephalus (Dujardin, 1845) recorvered from the turtle Clemmys caspica; Spironoura japonensis (Yamaguti, 1935) from Triopyx eup¬hraticus and Angusticaecum holopterum (Rudolphi, 1819), and Tachygonetria nicollei (Seurat, 1918) from the turtle Testudo graeca. All of the localities and hosts are newly recorded in Iraq.

  Two species of monogenetic trematodes of the genus Dactylogyrus were recorded in the present paper for the first time in Iraq from two freshwater fishes from Diyala river, Diyala province. The first species,  D. bocageii Alvarez Pellitero, Vicente et Gonzalez Lanza, 1981 was recorded from gills of Aspius vorax, the second species, D. lenkorani Mikailov, 1967 was recorded from gills of Barbus sharpeyi. The descriptions and measurements of these parasites as well as their illustrations were given.

Tanqua anomala (von Linstow,1904) specimens were recovered, from the lining wall of the gastro-intestinal tract of the dice snake Natrix tessellate tessellate (Laurenti, 1768) collected in Baghdad city, central Iraq. Measurements of the males, females and a comparison of the nematode with other studies tabulated. Reporting of Tanqua anomala from this snake represents the first record for Iraq as well as a new host record.

    The current study presents the cellar spiders genus Nita Huber & El-Hennawy, 2007 (Araneae, Pholcidae) as the first record for Iraq spider fauna, this genus represented by the species Nita elsaff Huber & El-Hennawy, 2007 were identified based on morphological characteristics and DNA sequence data. A short morphological description is also presented for cellar spiders listed in Iraq; including this species in addition to Artema Atlanta Walckenaer, 1837.

     The nigra scale, Parasaissetia nigra (Nietner, 1861) (Hemiptera, Coccidae) recorded as a new insect pest attacking fig trees, Ficus carica (Moraceae) in Iraq. It was observed during April 2014 in residential garden at Al-Hurriyah district in Baghdad.

The monogenean Gyrodactylus lavareti Malmberg, 1957 is recorded here in the present study for the first time in Iraq from gills of the common carp Cyprinus carpio. This is the twentieth gyrodactylid species to be recorded from fishes of Iraq. The description and measurements of this parasite as well as its illustration were given.