Mesopotamian Journal of Marine Science

Two species of digenetic trematodes (Chauhanotrema spiniacetabulum, Treptodemus latus) were described from the gut of Hemiramphus marginatus. Fishes were captured from Khor Abdullah, since June to October 2001. The detected parasites were found newly recorded in Iraqi marine waters, So a brief redescription were given in the present article.

The data set of highest monthly rainfall for Basrah station, south of Iraq, for 75-given years for period (1900-2000) with missing data for (1959-1979) provided the required data to identify the proper theoretical statistical distribution. A demonstration version of HYFRAN for windows software is used to fit the available data set. Six distributions are selected to carry this study including: Normal, Lognormal, 3-parameters lognormal, Pearson type III, Log Pearson type III, and Gumbal. Maximum likelihood method is selected to estimate theoretical distribution parameters. Adequacy test is conducted using Chi-square test. Results indicate that Pearson type III and Gumbal distributions are the proper for describe maximum monthly rainfall in the area being examined.

Life history of Sympecma paedisca Brull has been investigated in a combined field and laboratory study. The field study is conducted a shallow pond in Garmat-Ali, Basrah in the period from October 1997 to September 1998. Some environmental factors such as temp., D.O., PH. and salinity were measured. The field results indicate that the life cycle is univoltine, however this species is unique in that it does not enter nymphal diapause. Emergence is rather an unsynchronized and dispersed temporally. Sexual maturation requires four weeks. Oviposition site is potamogeton. The laboratory study revealed that incubation period was 14 days at 27 ºC. The nymphal stage includes twelve instars and requires 252.5 days for completion the development. The whole life cycle requires 266.5 days.

Three species of trematodes were detected from Liza subviridis captured from Khor Abdulah since June to October 2001. These parasites Haliotrema mugliuns, Metamicrocotyla mugilis, (monogenea), and Haplosplanchus mugilis (digenea). The later two parasites were found a newly recorded in Iraqi Marine Water’s. So a brief description were given in the present article.

The present study is considering some ecological and biological aspects and stock assessment of Saurida tumbil in Iraqi marine waters, NW Arabian Gulf. Samples were monthly collected from August 1999 to July 2000 by trawl nets. Air and water temperatures were ranged from 13.5 oC (in January) to 44.8 oC (in July) for the former and the letter was ranged from 12 oC (in January) to 38.7Co in July. Water was less transparent (100cm) in March and more limpid (340 cm) in June. Salinity concentrations ranged between 22.5 ‰ in March to 41.2 ‰ in August. Mean annual catch per unit of efforts of total catch was calculated providing 22.75 kg/ h, S. tumbil composed 1.13 kg/h. Monthly variations in catches were detected. The highest CPUE of S. tumbil was 2.8 kg/h obtained in October and the lowest was 0.6 kg/h encountered in both January and February. 5535 individuals of S. tumbil were collected. Total length is ranging between 40- 484mm. Length-weight relationships was calculated for juveniles and each sex of and yield the following equations:
W = 2.6393× 10-6 L3.182 r2 = 0.976 n = 87 Juveniles
W = 4.7825× 10-5 L3.069 r2 = 0. 974 n = 176 males
W = 2.7580× 10-6 L3. 196 r2 = 0. 990 n = 195 females
Monthly variations in mean values of relative condition factor were not detected. Seven age groups (0- VI+) were determined. The von Bertalanffy growth equation was: Lt= 510 [1-e-0.32 (t + 0.39)]. The total, natural and fishing mortalities were 2.48, 0.67 and 1.81 respectively. The exploitation rate of S. tumbil calculated to be is 0.73 slightly higher than optimum exploitation level (0.50).

The study was conducted on 36 individuals infected with Entamoeba histolytica and 28 individuals infected with Giardia lamblia who attending Health Center at Al-Fuhood area during the period from May till October 2004. The praziquantel was used as a single dose 40 mg/kg. The stool of the treated individuals reexamined 5 days later. The Flagyl was used at a dose of 250 mg/kg 3 times/day. The stool of the treated individual reexamined again. The praziquantel was found better than flagyl. The cure rate of praziquantel was 87.5% while for flagyl was 81.25 %.

Nitrogen metabolism of Chlorella sp., isolated from Shatt Al-Arab River, was studied for four days, in a nutrient media. In this experiment, different sources of nitrogen were used, with or without different ketoacids (pyruvic acid,œ-ketoglutaric acid and oxaloacetic acid). It was found that the Chlorella cells could absorb nitrate with pyruvic acid more than that of ammonia and urea with other ketoacids (œ-ketoglutaric acid and oxaloacetic acid). No effect on N-absorbent or dry weight was observed during urea feeding with or without ketoacids. The alga gives more yields when fed with ammonia, with or without pyruvic acid, than that of nitrate in the same conditions. The nitrate media slightly turn to the acidity, the ammonia media turn to alkalinity, while no effect in case of urea.

The problem of research summarizes that there is negative change in some climatic factors which might happen in Basrah during the last three decades because of the deterioration of the natural and humanity environment, one of them may be draying south Iraq operation. The research aims to analysis of climatic characteristic for (maximum and minimum temperature relative humidity and rain for three minimum climatic turns which they witness change in natural environment in Basrah:
1. The first turn (1968-1978)
2. The second turn (1979-1989)
3. The third turn (1990-2000)
The study depends on designing program to analysis the data which is available as time series for a time (1968-2000) then moving average method used in accounting the amount of change and definition of direction for each factor and climatic phenomena in all turns. And for proving effect for the change of environment in the change of climatic in Basrah, Baghdad station was took as a good one because its integral and similar circumstances with Basrah station to define whether the change is general throught Iraq or specific for circumstances of Basrah only. The execution of program had demonstrated that there is a clear change in all factors and climatic phenomena which is under searching for each of Basrah and Baghdad station.

Nutrients, alagl biomas and some physico-chemical properties of sawa lake water studied during January and February 2002. The lake water appeared is very hard, alkaline and brackish (19‰). The conceutrations of nitrate, phosphate and silicate ranged from, (14-35) Mg at N-NO3/L, (0.9-3.4) Mg at P-PO4 and (183-225) Mg at Si-Sio3/L respectively. Algal flora was dominated by Cynophyta which represented by Nodularia sp. The average conceutration of chlorophyll-A- was found to be 4.46 mg/m³.

The reassured aimed to preparing a dried of blanched and unbalanced shrimp meat and study its sensory properties (color, flavor, texture and overall acceptability) under normal storage condition at laboratory temperature (25-30 ◦C) for different storage period (0,15,30,45,60,75and 90) days, which immersed for 2and 4 hours in sodium chloride salt solution with various concentration (0,5,10 and 15). The characteristics of the product for each storage period were identified to assess the effect of blanching salt concentration, immersion and storage period on its organolepic properties. The result showed that the sensory properties of dried shrimp meat sample were affected by blanching process different salt concentration, immersion period and storage period. Sensory evaluation show that the sample which were blanched and immersed in high salt concentration had get higher degree of color, flavor, texture and over all acceptability, but all these proportion were decreased as the storage period was progressed.