The Love Creek Nature Center, one of the three nature centers located within the boundaries of Berrien County, is owned and operated by the county for public enjoyment and instruction of nature. The 44.5 ha study area, located seven km east of Berrien Springs, and two km southwest of Berrien Center, on Huckleberry Road, in T6S, R17W, sections 16, 17 (Lat. 41° 56' N; Long. 86° 18' W) is made up of deciduous woods and abandoned fields at various stages of succession. It is bounded on the east by the Berrien County Dog Pound and Huckleberry Road, to the north by cultivated Berrien County land and the Berrien General Hospital, to the west by the recently closed Berrien - Oronoko Township Landfill Dump; and to the south b

Bekhme formation, Dernir Dagh well -1 has been divided into two facies units using core
sample slides and depending on sedimentary structures and diagenetic processes .The facies
reflect the environment of the foreslope.This work proves the absence of Bekhme formation
in Dernir Dagh
Well- 1 as a tongue as reported by the Oil Exploration Company. Some species and genera of
bentonic foraminifera were identified. The age of Bekhme formation was estimated
depending on the recognized index fossils to be lower Maastrichtian.

Three scolopacids out of 150 are found infected with Haemoproteus scolopaci Galli-
Valerio 1929 and H. tringae n. sp. A detailed description of the new taxon is presented along
with a comparison of the diagnostic measurements between the two species.

   The Eurasian marsh frog Pelophylax ridibundus is a widespread species in Iraq. Examination of intestine of 25 marsh frogs collected in Al-Diwaniya city, middle of Iraq during the period from September to November 2014 revealed the presence of Nematotaenia dispar (Cestoda), Cosmocerca commutata and Cosmocercoides variabilis (Nematoda). Infection rates and intensity have been presented in this paper.

Shiranish formation has been divided into two microfacies units: 1 - Many biowackestone facies and 2 - maly packstone using planktonic foraminifera and other carbonate components in the rock cutting and core slides. Microfacies reflect marin deep shelf margin in the lower part of the formation, the upper part was deeper. The thickness of the formation is determined, depending on addition to the presence of echinoderm framents debris and spines. This is in disagreement with the 195 ft thickness reported by the Oil Exploration Company The age of the formation is estimated depending on the recognized biostratigraphic zone using the index fossils to be Upper - Middle Mastrichtion.

The orogenic gold deposit of Tamilouw – Haya is hosted by slate and metapelitic rocks within Tehoru metamorphic complex. Gold and polymetallic sulfides mineralization at study area is predominantly formed in the form of veins, stockwork and breccia although minor dissemination is slightly appeared in the rock float samples. They are trapped and controlled by NE-SW and NNE-SSW trending geologic structure occurred during orogeny process from Late Miocene to Pliocene. The common ore minerals assemblage at Tamilouw – Haya deposit are dominated by native gold, chalcopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite, galena, pyrrhotite, tetrahedrite-tennantite (sulphosalt), marcasite,realgar, kalininite and arsenopyrite as hypogene minerals and accompanied by co

    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

Colapalpus eriophyoides (Baker) attacking leaves of palm trees is redcscnbed and illustrated from Baghdad Kuwait.

    This study included isolation and identification of the fungi associated with Aloe vera (L.) in nurseries and plant gardens. The results showed that the fungi Alternaria alternata, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium solani, Nigrospora oryzae, Cladosporium herbarum, Stemphylium botryosum, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium sp. were isolated from the diseased leaves of Aloe vera showing spots and blight symptoms. The percentages of disease incidence in March, Jun and August were found to be 5, 50 and 60 %, respectively. Pathogenicity test of Alternaria alternata, Fusarium oxysporum, Nigrospora oryzae and Cladosporium herbarum showed that disease index were 50, 25,25and 12.5 %,

    The monogeneans Gyrodactylus dzhalilovi Ergens & Ashurova, 1984, G. magnus Konovalov, 1967 and G. matovi Ergens & Kakachava-Avramova, 1966 were recorded in this study for the first time in Iraq from gills of the common carp Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758 collected from Tigris River in Baghdad city. The description, measurements and illustrations of these parasites were given.

The present work deals with five species of parasitic Hymenoptera belonging to Pteromalidae, Eupelmidae and Eurytornidae which have been reared from brachid beetles. A new species, Eurytoma irakensis is described and the species, Bruchocida orientalis Crawford is recorded for the first time from Iraq.

This investigation is the first of its kind in this reservoir for more than three decades, it aimed at evaluating the diversity, abundance, and spatiotemporal variations of rotifers in the Samarra dam during 2023. Three distinct sampling stations were selected to ensure a comprehensive coverage of the dam. The first station was located just below the river's entrance to the dam. The second station was situated near the Samarra Barrage, while the third was positioned close to the Tharthar Regulator. Fifty-seven taxa from fourteen families of rotifers were identified, classified into three orders: Ploima, Flosculariaceae, and Bdelloida, under the Eurotatoria class. Most abundant taxa were Synchaeta oblonga Ehrenberg,1832, Rotaria neptunia

Invasive bird species pose a significant threat to biodiversity and ecosystems worldwide. In Iraq, non-native avifaunal species are increasing, leading to various environmental challenges. This study aims to evaluate the risk of invasiveness and potential impacts of four non-native, extant bird species on Iraq's biodiversity under both current and predicted climate change conditions. Surveys were conducted in November 2023 and 2024 on four non-native bird species present in local animal markets throughout Iraq. The study sites included the provinces of Baghdad, Basra, and Erbil, which harbour commercial centres and the largest local animal markets in the country for trading non-native species. In this study, the target species for screen

    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.

The new pelecypod Sinanodonta lauta (Martens, 1877) (Bivalvia, Unionida, Unionidae), represented by specimens collected from seven sites on both banks of the Euphrates River (NW of Basrah Province), was recorded for the first time in southern Iraq. The following was the analysis to recognize the sediments at these sites and also of the different species shells in the area. It was found that the mud sediment was the most common compared to silt and sandy mud sediments. Two pelecypod species were recognized in the study region, Sinanodonta woodiana (Lea, 1834) and S. lauta (Martens, 1877), and one species of barnacles Amphibalanus subalbidus (Henry, 1973) (Maxillopoda, Sessilia, Balanidae). The presence of such species indicates that the a

A simplified parallel key was presented in this work for the Taxa of Stackys L. wildly grown in Iraq. Three records within this genus were newly recorded to our country in the present work and they are S. kermanshahansis Rech S. setifera C.A. Mey. subsp setifera, S. setifera ssp iranica (Reck.) The characteristics of these new records were also given with some representative specimens.

    In this study, the dung beetles Aphodius (Bodilus) ictericus (Laicharting, 1781) and Aphodius (Planolinellus) vittatus Say, 1825 which belongs to the family of Aphodiidae (Order: Coleoptera) are redscribed here as to being found for the first time in Iraq.

    The specimens were collected from different regions in the middle of Iraq; the main diagnostic characters and some morphological features of males were drawn and pictured.

To explore the durability of some local species of wood to fungal deterioration among the
storage period, this research has conducted on three species Eufcalyptus cammaldulensis,
Juglans regia, presence of some genus of fungi; Aspergillus, Penicillium,Botryoderma,
Chaetomium, Phoma, Cladosporium and Pacilomyces in different intensities.
The two fungi Aspergillus and Penicillium appeared more dominants than others, therefore
they were chosen for the pathogenicity test. The results showed that the two species of fungi
preferred Juglans wood firstly were the size of infection was more than 10 times of any of the
other two woods. Eucalyptus showed similar response to that of Morus, but with Aspergillus
it was few bett

    This paper reviews the distribution range of wild goat Capra aegagrus (Erxleben, 1777) in Iraq with new sighting of very small herd of wild goat occur in Alqosh mountain, north of Nineveh province, where wild goat have a little informations on the distribution areas in Iraq according to the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

    Conventional identification of three coccoid green algae isolates was attempted to characterize the studied algae morphologically under compound microscope, which demonstrated confusional phenomenal convergence; all were classified microscopically as the green alga Chlorella vulgaris Beijerinck, 1890.

    Phylogenetic studies were conducted to settle the argument about the phenotype by studying the genotype. Genotype the promising field in advance classification by using 18S rRNA and compared to GenBank database using to search the related sequences. The determined sequences showed high a similarity to the strains registered in GenBank.

  &

This work deals with the description of histopathological effects of the nematode Hartertia
gallinarurn Theiler. 1919 on the digestive system of the seesee partridge collected from Qa’ra
area in the western desert district of Iraq. along with some notes on intensity fluctuation of the
parasite according to the seasons. It is found that the major effects of the nematode are
necrosis and fibrosis of gizzard: granulomatous reaction. necrosis and mononuclear
infiltration of proventriculus: damage of mucosal lining of intestine and lymphocytic
infiltration of liver.

Monitoring migrating raptors is among the most cost-effective and simple methods for forecasting shift in the ecosystem and environment. The Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Accipitriformes, Accipitridae) represents a widely wintering, on-passage raptor over Iraq's southern Mesopotamian marshlands. However, recent information related to this species’ population trend, as well as its spatial and temporal migration patterns, is not fully known. From October 2021–June 2022, nine ornithological field surveys were undertaken in the Central Marshes (UNESCO Site, RAMSAR Site, and Iraq's National Park). Three transect lines were chosen, and the surveying plot covered 40,000 hectares (400 Km2). Our recent surveys rec

Keys for 22 species representing 10 genera of Thripidae were provided collection of
samples carried out during 1999-2001 in different localities in the middle of Iraq. Of them
four species are described as new to science, Frankliniella megacephala sp. nov; Retithrips
bagdadensis sp. nov; Chirothrips imperatus sp. nov; Taeniothrips tigridis sp. nov; Another
fourteen species are recorded for the first time in Iraq; Thrips meridionalis (Pri.);
Microcephalothrips abdominils (Crawford Scolothrips sexmaculatus (Pergande),);Scolothrips
pallidus (Beach); Scritothrips mangiferae Pri.; Frankliniella tritici Bagnall; Frankliniella
schultzie Trybom; Frankliniella unicolor Morgan; Retithrips aegypticus Marchal; Retithrips
java

A study of some mite species of alfalfa. wheat, and barley was conducted in central Iraq.
The mites were extracted using a tullgren funnel method. Twelve species were recorded. 10 of
them belong to suborder Trombidiformes and 2 belong to suborder Sarcoptiforms. Three
mites, Irnpar(pes hystricinus, Scutacarus longitarsus, and Rhizoglyphus echin opus are new
records for Iraqi mite fauna, and 11 are new host records in alfalfa soil.

On December 6, 2022, a single individual of African Crake Crecopsis egregia (Gruiformes, Rallidae) was recovered in the Algerian Sahara at Illizi City. This observation is considered the second in Algeria after the first at Kerzaz in Béni Abbès dated November 27, 2020.

This work deals with the nematode parasitesfrom the midgut of (16) specimens of Green
toad (Bufo viridis) Laurenti, 1768 collected from Baghdad area,central Iraq.
The parasites are:Cosmocercoides variabilis (Cosmocercidae) that considered as the first
report in Iraq on it and Oswaldocruzia filiformis (Molineidae).

    Two local fish Himri Carasobarbus luteus (Heckel, 1843)  and Hishni Liza abu (Heckel, 1843) were stained with Alizarin Red and featured some anatomical qualities which cleared the difference of the muscular and skeletal fabric for each fish. Since clear Histologic differences appeared in these two species, it was intended from this study the possibility of adopting a diagnosis between local fish species by staining bones and tissues.

The Tel Hajar formation in the studied area has been divided into five microfacics units:

1) Fine hiogenic dolomite facies.

2) Sandy rich dolomite facies.

3) Dolomite diagenetic facies.

4) Recrystal1ized wackestone in microfacies.

5) Mudsione facies.

Microfacics reflect shallow marine water with open Circulation in the lower part of the formation and the environment of the upper is enclosed between upper tide and tide. The most important diagenesis was recrystallization and spary calcite deposit inside fossils chambers and pores.

     The open hole well log data (Resistivity, Sonic, and Gamma Ray) of well X in Euphrates subzone within the Mesopotamian basin are applied to detect the total organic carbon (TOC) of Zubair Formation in the south part of Iraq. The mathematical interpretation of the logs parameters helped in detecting the TOC and source rock productivity. As well, the quantitative interpretation of the logs data leads to assigning to the organic content and source rock intervals identification. The reactions of logs in relation to the increasing of TOC can be detected through logs parameters. By this way, the TOC can be predicted with an increase in gamma-ray, sonic, neutron, and resistivity, as well as a decrease in the density log

Notes are given regarding new record species of the braconid parasite short note in Iraq. That is Apanteles angalcti it is found to parasitize early larval instaxs of Ectomyslois ceratontae, one of the most serious pests of pomegra- nate fruit.