The genus Latrodectus Walckenaer, 1805 (Araneae: Theridiidae) is a worldwide distribute genus (Graudins et al., 2001), it includes a group of species commonly referred to as widow spiders. It's considered a taxonomically complex genus as the status of several forms had not been properly evaluated and specific boundaries are not well defined or understood (Levi, 1959; 1967; Garb et al., 2001), therefore, in multiple cases, populations has been uncritically referred to as different taxa. Discriminating between Latrodectus species using morphology has always been problematic (Levi, 1983), it is difficult taxonomically and readily separated from members of other Theridiid genera (Mirshamsi, 2005). The Genus Asagena Sundevall, 1833 was revalidated by Wunderlich (2008), this genus was earlier considered as a junior synonym of Steatoda Sundevall, 1833. The information and knowledge about the widow spiders in Iraq are very limited; in general spider in Iraq was neglected and rarely studied until the last few years, recently the interest in studying of this group was increased because of the emergence of several cases of bites, which was supposed to be caused by black widow spiders, researchers have revealed the existence of three Latrodectus species in Iraq, L. scelio (Abdul-Rassoul et al., 2012), L. hasselti (Al-Hadlag and Najim, 2015), while Zamani and El-Hennawy (2016) rejected these two species from the list of Iraqi spiders fauna and attributed them to L. renivulvatus. The difficulties of diagnosis underlines the importance of molecular characters in creating a valid phylogeny for this genus, this study characterizes the first phylogenetic …
ABSTRACT Two females of the red-back spider, Latrodectus scelio Thorell, 1870 were first recorded in Iraq, short description with figure was provided
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.
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This study provides a Key to the species of Cerceris Latreille, 1802 (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae, Philanthinae) that were collected from different areas in Iraq. This is followed by a distribution list, including total species which had been registered for Iraq. Also this study includes some observations about the species that were recorded in previous checklists.
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New data on jumping spiders (Salticidae) and tangle-web spiders (Theridiidae) of Armenia are provided on the basis of recently collected specimens in various regions of Armenia. One species, Ballus rufipes (Simon, 1868) is recorded as new to the Caucasus Region, in addition to the following species: Neon reticulatus (Blackwall, 1853), Pellenes brevis (Simon, 1868), Salticus scenicus (Clerck, 1757) and Synageles dalmaticus (Keyserling, 1863) that belong to a family Salticidae, are recorded in Armenia for the first time.
A further 7 species of Theridiidae are recorded in Armenia for the first time Kochiura aulica (C. L. Koch, 1838), Steatoda albomaculata (De Geer, 1778), Steatoda bipunctata (Linnaeus, 1758), Steatoda castanea Clerk, 175
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Zanthoxylum L. 1753 belongs to the family Rutaceae. The plant, with its forest green color and with its distinctive fragrance attracted the attention of the study, specially it was an exotic to the environment of Iraq. Zanthoxylum is an exotic plant produced to Iraq and planted in gardens as an ever-green aromatic plant named (BUKHUR HINDI), as it is known among sellers and farmers in Iraq, because of the aromatic smell that emanated from the leaves and resembles Indian incense. The plant adapted to environmental conditions and succeeded in growing and blooming. It was examined and diagnosed for the first time in Iraq as Zanthoxylum beechyanum K. Koch. (Chinese pepper tree). Morphological characteristics and anatomical characteristi
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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
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The Lamiaceae L. family grows and widely distributed in Iraq. The study aimed to enumerate the species that has been preserved in several botanical herbariums: National Herbarium of Iraq- Ministry of Agriculture (BAG), University of Baghdad Herbarium (BUH), Iraq Natural History Research Center& Museum- University of Baghdad Herbarium (BUNH), College of Agricultural Engineering- University of Baghdad Herbarium (BUG), College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences- Duhok Province University Herbarium (DPUH) and College of Science - Salahddin University Herbarium (SUH). This family has not yet been registered in the Flora of Iraq. After examining more than 1000 herbarium specimens, the study found 139 species belonging to 33 genera h
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Nutlets of 22 taxa of Stachys (13 species and seven subspecies and two varieties), representing seven of the currently recognized sections distributed in northern Iraq were examined by light microscope. The basic shape of nutlets in most taxa studied is Obovoid, but Oblong also found in S.megalodanta Hausskn.& Bornm. ex P.H.Davis, S.setirefa C.A.Mey. subsp daenensis (Gandog.) Rech.f.and S. kurdica Boiss.& Hohen. var.kurdica, while the Subgloboid shape found in S. iberica M.Bieb. and S. inflata Benth., more over the Broad triangular shape was found in S. nephrophylla Rech.f. and S.lanigera (Bornm.) Rech.f.., the biggest size of nutlets was found in S.inflata L. and the smallest was in S.melampyroides Hand.-Mzt. Regarding sculpturing pa
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The genus of Androctonus is widely distributed in Asia and Africa .It is found in Egypt, Palestine, Iran, Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. The present study is the first taxonomic study to describe Androctonus crassicauda (Oliver,1807) in Iraq .The genus Androctonus recognized by three main characters which are: color it is ranges from light brown to raddish to blackish brown to black, pedipalp (Chelae) is narrower than patella in adults, and pedipalp fingers with many denticles. Among other characters by which the genus can be distinguished by body hairs and, the rows of denticles on pedipalp fingers. The main morphological characters of the species are figured of And
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