Abstract The present work included morphological, anatomical, and palynological characters for the new species Acaalypha australis L. specimens, which belong to the family Euphorbiaceae. The species recorded in the study for the first time in Iraq. The plants of this species are annual herbs with green, striated or sub – polygonal stem, and branched near bases, Leaves are simple spirally alternate and lanceolate in shape. Flowers are unisexual, arranged in the axial of distinct leafy and cordate bracts, female flower arranged at the bracts bases and each flower with trileafed perianth and superior ovary with trilobed stylar stigma which has dense and coiled stigmatic hairs. Male flowers are arranged as a mixed verticellate inflorescence a

First record of Myxobolus insignis Eiras, Malta, Varella, Pavanelli, 2005 (Myxozoa: Myxobolidae) in Iraq from gills of the common carp Cyprinus carpio

 Five fish species were collected from Tigris river at Al-Adhamiyah region, Baghdad during the period from September to December 2011. These fishes were examined for ectoparasites. They were infected with 13 species of parasites which included one species of ciliated protozoans and 12 species of monogeneans. Among such parasites, Ligophorus imitans Euzet et Suriano, 1977 is reported for the first time in Iraq. In addition, eight new host records in Iraq were reported in the present study.
 

The  insect is diagnosed and named by the National Center of Biotechnology Information (NCBI), USA as the Mint leaf Beetle Chrysolina herbacea alnadawi (Duftschmid, 1825), (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). The diagnosis was performed depending on the DNA analysis by 73% similarity with Chrysolina herbacea (Duftschmid, 1825) sequence, In the present study. It is recorded as a new insect pest on mint plant Mentha  puleguim (L,1753) (Lamiaceae). DNA analysis confirmend that it is recorded for the first time in Iraq and the Arab world as well as the Middle East. Those insects were observed initially during August 2017 in residential gardens of Al-Bonooq district in Baghdad / Iraq.

    Three monogenean species of the genus Gyrodactylus viz. G. cotti Roman, 1956 on gills of Planiliza abu, G. mikailovi Ergens & Ibragimov, 1976 on gills of Chondrostoma regium and G. prostae Ergens, 1963 on gills of Alburnus caeruleus were recorded from Tigris river at Al-Shawwaka region, Baghdad. The description and measurements of these parasites as well as their illustrations where given. All these parasites are recorded here for the first time in Iraq.  
 

    A total of 680 fish specimens belonging to 31 species from the Yemeni coastal waters of the Red Sea were inspected for the isopod infestations. Four isopod species belonging to three families of the suborder Cymothoida were detected. These are: Aega psora (Linnaeus, 1758) from Lethrinus lentjan, Natatolana insignis Hobbins and Jones, 1993 from Abalistes stellatus, Excorallana tricornis (Hansen, 1890) from Epinephelus fuscoguttatus, E. guttatus and E. tauvina and Alcirona krebsi Hansen, 1890 from Epinephelus microdon. All these isopod species are reported here for the first time from the Yemeni coastal waters of the Red Se

Parasitological examination of gills of three species of sparid fishes in the territorial waters of Iraq was performed, two diplectanid monogenoids were isolated and described; Lamellodiscus indicus Tripathi, 1959 from both Haffara seabream Rhabdosargus haffara (Forsskål, 1775) and Goldline seabream R. sarba (Forsskål, 1775) and Protolamellodiscus senilobatus Kritsky, Jiménez-Ruiz and Sey, 2000 from King soldierbream Argyrops spinifer (Forsskål, 1775). The record of the parasites is considered new to the parasite fauna of Iraq. The redescription of L. indicus for the first time which is collected from a new distribution area (Arabian Gulf). R. haffara is considered a new host record .

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.

This study presented the first recorded of the banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata and    described for the first time in Baghdad city, Iraq. The specimens were collected from Al-Rashidiya sub-district north of Baghdad city on 26/ November/ 2021 (7:00 am- 6:00 pm) from fruit gardens (orange and apricot trees) and agriculture lands (palm trees, crops of wheat and vegetables). The spider "Argiope trifasciata" species is a member of the orb-weaving spider genus. It belongs to the Araniedae family, widespread worldwide, and has four pairs of long legs covered with spines and eight eyes arranged in two rows. The females of Argiope trifasciata spiders are yellow and covered with silvery and shiny hairs on the