Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order of Hymenoptera. The number of species still remaining to be discovered and described is extraordinarily high. Ant members function at many levels: predators and prey, as re, mutualists, and herbivores (Hölldobler and Wilson, 1990). On the other hand, the known living ants involve 17 subfamilies, 334 genera, 13.226 species and 1.966 subspecies of which are described; in Iraq, there were about 108 species was recorded (Bolton, 2017). The desert ant or Cataglyphis Förster is diagnosed from other genera by many features that include: ocelli present and distinct, anterio-ventral surface of head with long and curved hairs, antennal insertion closed to clypeal suture (Collingwood and Agosti, 1996; Mohamed et al. 2001). This genus distributes in the Sahara desert (Bernard, 1968), southern Russia, southern Spain (Mangan and Webb, 2012); Turkey, the Aral-Caspian area near Tijanchan, Yogoslavia and Hungary (Petrov, 1986). In previous studies, many species were registered in Iraq; and from these: Pisarski (1965) described two new species:
Basrah province is situated at the extreme south of Iraq, it has an interesting reptile fauna (Squamata and Serpentes) and represents a land bridge between three different zoogeographical regions ( Oriental, Palaearctic and Ethiopian).
This situation gave Basrah province a topographic specific opportunity for raising its own faunal diversity including reptiles; in this study Basrah province was divided into four main zones: the cities and orchards, marshes and wetlands (sabkha), the true dessert, the seashore and Shat Al-Arab.
Forty nine reptile species were recorded including snakes, sea and fresh water turtles, and Lizards; brief notes and descriptions for the rare
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During a period of two years, from January 1995 till December 1996, the first survey on fish parasites in Bahr Al-Najaf depression, mid Iraq, was achieved. A total of 6992 fishes, belonging to 11 species, were collected and inspected for external and internal parasites. These fishes were infected with three protozoans (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, Trichodina domerguei and Myxobolus pfeifferi), two monogeneans (Dactylogyrus cornu and Gyrodactylus elegans), two digenetic trematodes (Clinostomum complanatum and Ascocotyle coleostoma), one nematode (Contracaecum sp.) and one acanthocephalan (Neoechinorhynchus iraqensis). Five fish species were recorded as new h
... Show MoreIn the current study, there are 13 species diagnosed that belonging to 11 genera and 8 families for unknown specimens stored in Iraq Natural History Museum; these species are: Deraeocoris punctulatus (Fallén), Orthotylus caprai, Wagner, Beosus maritimus (Scopoli), Nysius ericae (Schilling), Nysius graminicola Kolenati, Horvathiolus superbus (Pollich), Engistus exsanguis Stål, Eysarcoris inconspicuous (Herrich-Schaeffer), Fromundus pygmaeus Dallas, Arenocoris intermedius (Jakovlev), Liorhyssus hyalinus (Fabricius) and Oxycarenus pallens (Herrich-Schaeffer). Deraeocoris ruber (Linnaeus) and Orthotylus caprai Wagner. The last three species are a new record of the faunal insect of Iraq; the geographical distribution of the species was given;
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Two dwarf snakes were discovered, Eirenis thospitis Schmidtler & Lanza from Sereen mountain, north east of Arbil and E. rothii Jan from Saffin mountain North of Arbil city North of Iraqi Kurdistan. Supported by description and important notes on variation. In addition summarized list for 9 species of the genus Eirenis Jan in Iraq is also presented.
Stable isotopes 18O/16O and 13C/12C in the carbonate rocks of the Mishrif Formation are examined here to define the depositional characters in the basin includes paleo temperatures and paleo depth. The Mishrif formation (Cenomanian – Early Turonian) has extensive distribution in Iraq and Middle East. Mishrif Formation composed of organic detrital limestone. Four boreholes in four oilfields, Noor – well (11), Amarah – well (14), Buzurgan – well (24), Halfaya – well (8), in south east of Iraq have been studied. The studied samples have negative δ18O isotope values studied well, with Average (-4.11‰), (-4.47‰), (-4.48‰), (-4.18‰) in the studied wells res
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For two years, from January 1995 till December 1996, a survey on helminth parasites of aquatic birds of Bahr Al-Najaf depression, mid Iraq, was achieved. A total of 663 birds, belonging to 11 species, were captured and examined for helminth parasites. These birds were infected with seven trematodes (Notocotylus gibbus, Cyclocoelum mutabile, Echinostoma chloropodis, Patagifer parvispinosus, Psilochasmus oxyurus, Diplostomum spathaceum and Apharyngostrigea cornu), seven cestodes (Paricterotaenia porosa, Dicranotaenia tsengi, Diorchis brevis, D. inflatus, Tatria acanthorhyncha, T. decacantha and Diplophallus polymorphus) and four nematodes (Capillaria sp., Eustrongylides tubifex, Con
... Show MoreSpergularia iraqensis sp. nov. is described as a new species from Iraq. This species has been collected from Diyala Province in the central east of Iraq; it is closely related to Spergularia rubra (L.) J. Presl & C. Presl, 1819 and Spergularia bocconei (Scheele) Graebn., 1919.
The distinguishing of the morphological characteristics of the new species alongside the two similar species are discussed with photographs, and an identification key is given for Spergularia iraqensis and other closely related species.
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A new Species of the Cerambycinae belonging to the genus Hesperophanes was found new to the fauna of Iraq and Science. H. testaceus was studied in details and the male genitalia were illustrated. Type's paratypes and the locality of this newly described Species were mentioned.
A total of 215 sheep and 87 goats were carefully searched for ixodid ticks from January to December 2015 at different regions of the middle and south of Iraq. The detached ticks count 1533 ticks from sheep with intensity of 8.4 and count 332 ticks from goats with intensity of 6.8. Tick species recovered from sheep and their incidence rates were: Rhipicephalus turanicus (39%), Hyalomma anatolicum (28%), R. (Boophilus) annulatus (11%), Hyalomma sp. (9%), H. turanicum (6%), H. excavatum (6%) and R. leporis (1%) while the tick species recovered from goats and their incidence rates were: R. turanicus (64%), H. anatolicum (24%)
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