The widespread house sparrow Passer domesticus biblicus has a close association with humans and  inhabits almost all ecosystems near human settlements in Iraq. It is exposed to different kinds of parasites in its habitats. Examining of house sparrow for the cestode parasites revealed that 25 specimens of 56 were infected with Raillietina echinobothrida. Intensity among infected male and female hosts with this cestode and its description  is provided and discussed. The present finding constitutes the first record for this parasite in house sparrow in Iraq.

Mauddud Formation (Albian stage-the Early Cretaceous) is an important oil reservoir in Ratawi field of southern Iraq. Four wells, R T-2, R T-3, R T-6, and R T-7, located 70 km northwest of Basra, were selected to study microfacies properties and petrophysical associations with the probability of oil production. Seventy-seven core samples are collected, and thin sections for petrographic analysis. The self-potential, Gamma-ray, resistivity, and porosity logs are used to determine the top and bottom of the Mauddud Formation. Water saturation of the invaded and uninvaded zones, shale volume, and porosity were calculated. The study area results showed that the quantity of shale is less than 15% for most of the wells, and the dominant po

The first molecular research on Iraqi centipede fauna is presented in this article. Between October 2022 and May 2023, during various climatic circumstances, centipedes were collected from several locations in four provinces of Iraq. Three families, represented by four genera, underwent molecular identification, and five species were found. From the order Scolopendromorpha family Scolopendridae, two species were recorded, Scolopendra morsitans Linnaeus, 1758, and S. cingulata Latreille, 1829, Cormocephalus sp.; while from the order Lithobiomorpha, family Lithobiidae, one species was recorded for first time in Iraq; Lithobius crassipes L. Koch, 1862 from the order Geophilomorpha family Himantariidae, one species Bothriogaster Signata

An integrated lithofacies and mineralogical assemblage was used to describe a depositional model and sequence stratigraphic framework of the Maastrichtian–Danian succession in the Western Desert of Iraq and eastern Jordan. Fifteen lithofacies types were grouped into three associations recognized in a distally steepened ramp characterized by an apparent, distinct increase in a gradient paleobathymetric deepening westward. The clay and nonclay minerals are dominated by smectite and palygorskite, with trace amounts of kaolinite, sepiolite, illite and chlorite. Meanwhile, quartz, calcite, dolomite, opal CT (Cristobalite - Tridymite), and apatite are the main nonclay minerals. The widely dominated smectite in the Western Phosphatic Basin of Ir

When the guard honey bees, Apis mellifera L., form a clump at the hive entrance or on the flight board, the oriental hornet, Vespa orientails L., either creeps toward the clump or hovers over it in order to take a bee. Once the hornet creeps, only few bees facing the hornet become alert, rock their heads and antennae, open their wings, and take a posture of defense. The rest of the clump stays listless without any signal of concern. However, the clump stays dense and the defending bees do not detach themselves neither from the rest of the clump nor from each other. For this reason, it is very difficult for the hornet to grab a bee unless the latter makes a “mistake” by detaching herself from other adjacent bees. If the hornet grabs s

    In this work, the spirurid nematode Hartertia gallinarum was reported in the intestine of the spotted sandgrouse, Pterocles senegallus, collected in three different locations: Ga'ara Depression, Iraqi Western Desert, Zurbatiyah and Al-Attariyah, Middle of Iraq. Description and measurements of the nematode were given. The role of termites in the infection of P. senegallus with H. gallinarum was discussed. Occurrence of H. gallinarum in P. senegallus represents a new host record.

This research includes a study of Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene’s allele 677C?T and its correlation with oxidative stress and their impact on female infertility. Fifty infertile women with the range age (23-42) years and twenty five fertile women with the range age (22-39) years as control group living in Erbil city were selected. The serum level of Malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), prolactin hormone (PRL), Luteinizing hormone (LH), Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), Triiodothyronine hormone (T3), and Thyroxine hormone (T4) were measured, also a body mass index (BMI) was calculated. A restriction enzyme (Hinf1) was used to improve the mutation in DNA bands of infertile women. The results showed significant inc