The morphological and histological aspects of fore brain (Cerebrum) in quail (Coturnix coturnix) have been investigated, results of the present study revealed that the cerebrum in quail is large size triangular shape, its surface contains folds of shallow grooves.      Microscopical examination declears that cerebrum consists of two regions, the first represents pallium which includes the external corticoid area which consist of hyperpallium and the dorsolateral corticoid area, it consists of piriform cortex and hippocampal complex. The second region is the internal corticoid areas dorsal ventricular ridge which contains the mesopallium, nidopallium and archopallium. he large size pyramidal neurons appeared in the nidopall

    The ciliate species isolated from midgut and hindgut of Rough-tailed gecko Cyrtopodion scabrum (Heyden, 1827), identified as Nyctotherus hardwickii was collected from many regions of Baghdad, Iraq. The current study deals with a description and comparison of the morphology and morphometric characters of this species for the first time in Iraq.

Morphological and histological study was conducted to examine the structure of prosencephalon (Cerebrum) in Columba oenas (Linnaeus, 1758). Thirteen animals of C. oenas were used in the present study. The brains were excised, fixed and recessed for the preparation of microscope slides and used hematoxylin-eosin stain, methylene blue and Bielschowsky’s stain. The result of morphological study showed that the cerebrum is apportion of the prosencephalon and the largest part of the brain and the dorsal surface was smooth and convex and composed of two cerebral hemispheres. The cerebral hemisphere contains the cavity which called lateral ventricle. The hemispheres were connected by the anterior commissure. Histologyically the cerebral hemisphe

    Ziziphora persica Bunge is recorded as a new Study in Iraq. This species has been collected from Jabal Sinjar in Nineveh province in the north western part of Iraq. The morphological characters, habitat and geographical distribution of the species with a key to Ziziphora L. species in Iraq have been provided.

In this study, the genus Xylocopa Latreille, 1802 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) was revised. There were 4 species registered in our investigations: X. hottentotta Smith, 1854; X. olivieri Lepeletier, 1841; X. pubescens Spinola, 1838 and X. valga Gerstäcker, 1872, the first species was described as being found for the first time for the insect fauna of Iraq, which were obtained from Solanum melogena L. flowers. Key to the species was constructed and supported by figures of the main diagnostic characters and some morphological features, illustrated and compared with other species, which are recorded in the current survey.

    This study identified the genus Coelastrella Chodat, 1922 which was isolated from a sediment sample taken from the Tigris river in Baghdad Governorate, Iraq. The alga was isolated and cultured in modified Chu 10 media and the morphological features of the isolated algae were observed in light microscopy (LM); it showed some characteristic features of this genus, such as its ellipsoidal or lemon- shaped cells, a visible pyrenoid and the chloroplast parietal. To ensure correct identification of the isolated alga, a molecular analysis using 18S rRNA gene and DNA sequencing revealed a match with C. terrestris (Reisigl) Hedewald & N. Hanagata 2002. This species is a new record in Iraq

This paper provides an identification key to the species of Orthetrum Newman, 1833 (Odonata, Libellulidae), including six species that were collected from different localities in Iraq.

    The species of O. anceps (Schneider, 1845) is registered as a new record in Iraq; the most important characters which are used in diagnostic key are included

This paper deals with a preliminary survey helminth parasites of the black partridge. Francolinus francolinus arabistanicus in Baghdad area, middle of Iraq. It was found that the bird was infected with the cestodes Cotugnia digonopora and Raillietina tetragona with infection rates of 61.9% and 4.8% respectively, and the nematodes Heterakis gallinarum and Paroneoccrca rouss-lotti with infection rates of 4.8% and 19% respectively. Some important measurements, distribution and occurrence according host-sex of each parasite were provided along with some remarks on parasites biology.