Iraqi Journal of Aquaculture

The current research aimed to study the effect of monthly changes on the density and distribution of the two most common snails, Melanopsis nodosa and Melanopsis costata, in five stations in the middle part of the Shatt al-Arab River. It provides us with knowledge of the intertidal area on banks of the Shatt Al-Arab coast that the environment is suitable for the life of these species of snails in the lowest tidal region; these species were found in high densities during months of Spring and Autumn seasons compared with Summer and Winter at all stations, which indicates the effect of the moderation of temperature on the density and distribution of these species. The statistical analysis showed an inverse correlation between the density of snails, salinity, and current waters of the Shatt al-Arab River and a positive correlation between the density with water temperature and pH. However, the excessive rise in water temperatures of the Shatt al-Arab, which was associated with the rise in the concentration of salinity during most of the Summer months as a result of the decrease in water releases, which was originally caused by climate changes and problems with the upstream countries neighboring Iraq, which caused sharp decreases in the densities of individuals of these species.

The authors present new captures of three exotic teleost species in the Syrian marine waters. The first capture concerned a specimen of Dory snapper Lutjanus fulviflamma (Forsskål, 1775) which measured 222 mm total length (TL) and weighed 161 g. The second capture was a yellow bar angelfish Pomacanthus maculosus (Forsskål, 1775) which measured 245 mm total length and weighed 489 g. The third capture was a specimen of Emperor angelfish Pomacanthus imperator (Bloch, 1787) which measured 175 mm total length and weighed 456 g. These new captures suggest that viable populations of these three species are successfully established in the Syrian marine waters.

The aim of the present quantitative assessment of the phytoplankton community along the Garmat-Ali River and to establish its relationship with the physical and chemical factors based on the changes occurring in the aquatic environment in Basra Governorate, including the decreasing of fresh water, this is due to the low discharge of fresh water coming from the upstream countries, rise in temperatures due to global warming, increased salt concentrations and other factors. Four locations were chosen in the region: Al-Najibiya, Al-Mashhab, Al-Salal and Al-Nagara station. The samples were collected quarterly in 2022. The results of the environmental variables showed that the water temperature was ranging from 11.8 - 33.4 °C, salinity from 2.6 - 9.5 PSU, hydrogen ion concentration -pH- from 7.3-8.6, dissolved oxygen from 1.6-11.7mg/l. total dissolved solids from 2350-9871 ppm, turbidity from 1.39-76.8 NTU, reactive phosphate from 0.01-0.21 mg/l. reactive nitrate from 0.51-19.9mg/l. and chlorophyll-a-from8.62-41.06mg/m3. Statistical analysis of the physical and chemical parameters was performed using SPSS statistics v.19 for one-way analysis of variance. Quantitative data showed that the total numbers of phytoplankton at all the study sites and in all seasons was 120120 cell/l. Al-Salal site showed the highest numerical density of 15,000 cell/l. in spring, while Al-Najibiya site represent the lowest numerical density of 2,500 cell/l. in winter.

For preparing this article, 47 references dealing with the occurrence of species of the fish lice genus Argulus Müller O.F., 1785 infecting fish species in Iraq, until the end of 2024, were consulted. A total of 18 fish species were found to be infected with three species of this genus: A. coregoni. A. foliaceus and A. japonicus, in addition to some unidentified species of this genus. These Argulus species were recorded from one, 18 and three fish host species, respectively, in addition to unidentified Argulus species from four fish species. Such parasites were reported from the infected fishes in different water bodies (rivers, canals, lakes, marshes and drainage networks) and from some fishponds and hatchery in addition to some fishes from fish markets in different parts of Iraq. Ten of these fish species were infected with only one Argulus species, while eight fish species were infected with two Argulus species.

Dragonfly naiads of the Anisoptera species were collected from shallow ponds in Basrah Province, South of Iraq, between December 2017 and November 2018. The specimens were identified based on their morphological features, with special attention to the structure of the mandibles. A total of eight species were recorded, which included Anax parthenope from the Aeshnidae family, and seven species from the Libellulidae family: Crocothemis erythraea, C. servilia, Diplacodes trivialis, Orthetrum sabina, and Selysiothemis nigra. Naiads of two species, Diplacodes lefebveri and Sympetrum striolatium, were also observed in the study region for the first time.

A survey of 145 literature concerning the occurrence of the acanthocephalan genus Neoechinorhynchus parasitizing fishes of Iraq, indicated that there are 12 identified species of Neoechinorhynchus as well as some unidentified species of this genus infecting 34 fish species. The infections were distributed in fishes from Tigris, Euphrates and Shatt Al-Arab rivers and some of their tributaries, as well as in some lakes, marshes, depressions, drainage networks, many fishponds and floating cages in different parts of Iraq, in addition to marine territorial waters of the Arab Gulf. Among the infected fishes, the mugilid fish Planiliza abu was infected with the highest number of Neoechinorhynchus species (ten parasite species), followed by Silurus triostegus (five parasite species), while 17 fish species were infected with only one Neoechinorhynchus species each. Among such acanthocephalans, N. iraqensis was infecting a total of 25 different fish species, followed by N. rutili (16 fish species), while N. australis, N. macronucleatus and N. miniovalis were detected from one fish host species each.