Bulletin of the Iraq Natural History Museum

The present study was undertaken to determine the species of tumbling flower beetles
(Coleoptera, Mordellidae) found in Iraq. Specimens have been collected from different
localities of Iraq since 1970. Results show that the tumbling flower beetles (Mordellidae) are
represented with a total of 13 species belonging to four genera of three tribes, two of these
species were described by Dr. Horak (1985,1990) as new species for Iraq Mediimorda maceki
HoraK and Mordellistena bolognaHorak; two were previously reported Stenalia escherichi
Schilsk and Mordellistena pumila (Gyllenhal) and ten are new records for Iraq.Stenalia
araxicola Khnzorian, Stenalia brunneipennis Mulsant, Variimorda fasciata (Fabricious),
Variimorda holzschuhi Horak, Mordellistena horaki Pino., Mordellistena kraatzi Emery,
Mordellistena sp. prob. Micans Gemar, Mordellistena sp. near microspmelicte Ermish,
Mordellistena paraepisterna Ermisch and Mordellistena pseudorugipennis Ermisch.

In this study an illustrated key for the identification of the Iraqi species of the genus
Chalcophorella Kerr. is given with information about general distribution for each species.
Information is also given about period of collection, plants on which the specimens were
collected. The real host plant if they are available and known are also given referring to the
previous works.

Tanqua anomala (von Linstow,1904) specimens were recovered, from the lining
wall of the gastro-intestinal tract of the dice snake Natrix tessellate tessellate
(Laurenti, 1768) collected in Baghdad city, central Iraq. Measurements of the males,
females and a comparison of the nematode with other studies tabulated. Reporting of
Tanqua anomala from this snake represents the first record for Iraq as well as a new
host record.

Parasitological investigation of piscivorous birds in Al-Hammar marsh south of Iraq during
December-February 2004 and December 2005 were revealed that water birds infected with
five nematode species, which belong to three different superfamilies, Desmidocercella
numidica(Seurat, 1920) (Superfamily: Aproctoidea) from three piscivorous birds including
Grey heron Ardea cinerea, Bittern Botaurusstellaris, and small white heronArdeola ralloides;
Avioserpens sp. 1 and Avioserpens sp. 2 (Superfamily: Dracunculoidea) from small bittern
Ixobrychus minutus and black glossy ibis Plegadisfalcinellus respectively; Baruscapillaria sp.
and Baruscapillarinae gen. sp. (Superfamily: Trichinellida) from Grey heron and Little egret
Egrettagrazetta respectively. All these parasites were described and recorded for the first time
in Iraq, furthermore Aproctoidea and Dracunculoidea were recorded for the first time in Iraq.

Twelve species of Tubuliferous thrips, of the family Phlaeothripidae had been reported
from Iraq. Two of these were reported previously, Haplothrips cerealis Priesner, by El-
Haidari and Daoud 1971.and Haplothrips tritici kurdjumov by Al -Ali 1977, and the rest were
recorded for the first time : these are Haplothrips hukkineni Priesner; Haplothrips
subtilissimus (Haliday) ؛ Haplothrips reuteri Karny; Haplothrips jasonis Priesner;
Haplothrips sallloumensis Priesner ; Haplothrips pharao Priesner ; Phlaeothrips sycomri
Priesner; Karnyothrips flavipus (Jones); Karnyothrips melaleucus (Bagnall) ; Dolicholepta
micrurus (Bagnall).
Number of insect's specimens, localities, date of collection and host plants were given.

To identify the fungi associated with water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes [Mart.] Solms), an
aquatic weed, which presents in Tigris river from Baghdad south ward. Five regions from
middle and south of Iraq (Al-Noumanya, Saeid Bin-Jubier, Al-Azizia, Al-Reyfay and Al-Hay)
were selected for this study. Twelve fungal species were isolated. Alternaria alternata,
Acremonium sp and Cladsporium herbarum, were the most frequently species (91.66 % ,50%
and 25 %) respectively. The fungi Alternaria alternata, Acremonium sp and Phoma eupyrena
were more aggressive to water hyacinth as (91.66%,83,33%, and 75%) in pathogenicity test.