Bulletin of the Iraq Natural History Museum

Brachycerous Dipteran species on alfalfa plant Medicago sativa surveyed in several
regions of Iraq from March to November 2012. The study was registered 14 species
belonging to nine genera and four families. The results showed that Limnophra quaterna,
Atherigona laevigata and Atherigona theodori as new records to Iraq and new pests of alfalfa.

In this study we try to make a first step for making a new list for fauna and flora of
Kurdistan in particular and Iraq in general. This is very important study of biodiversity of Iraq.
We recognize 52 migratory and resident birds including Alectoris chukar asoica which is
recently described. Also, 20 amphibians and reptiles including two snakes recently recorded
Zamenis hohenackeri and Platyceps ladacesis, a new form of Asaccus sp. and sub- species of
Varanuns griseus caspeius for the first time in Iraq, with many rare specimens. Thirteen
different species of mammals were recognized, with comments on 5 species of freshwater
fishes, 12 species of ticks and 7 species of butterflies. For the flora, 8 wild large trees and 70
flowering plants identified including some rare and important species for the first time in this
area. Figures are also given for the rare species.

Specimens of the sesarmid crab Nanonsesarma sarii (Naderloo and Türkay 2009) were
collected from the intertidal zone of Khor Al-Zubair, Basrah, Iraq 2012 far from the Arabian
Gulf coasts. Morphological features of this species are highlighted and a figure is provided.
Keywords: Sesarmid crab; Nanonsesarma sarii; Brachyura; Khor Al-Zubair; Iraq

In this study the faunistic of lady beetles (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) was studied in Mehriz
region (Yazd province) during 2009-2010. The total number of specimens of coccinellid
beetles were collected from 6 different localities having altitudes from 1420-2420 m.
Altogether 11 species from 8 genera, 3 tribes and 3 subfamilies were collected and identified.
External characters plus characteristics male and female genitalia were used in order to
diagnose species. Seven species were recorded for the first time from Yazd province (marked*).
Many species were predacious, preying on various species of aphids, mites and coccids. Some
species were also sent to Dr. Helmut Fursch in Germany for identification or confirmation.
The collected species are:
1- Coccinella septempunctata (Linnaeus) *
2- Coccinella undecimpunctata (Linnaeus)
3- Hippodamia variegata (Goeze) *
4- Coccinula elegantula (Weise) *
5- Adalia bipunctata (Linnaeus)
6- Oenopia oncina (Olivier) *
7- Oenopia conglobata ( Linnaeus)
8- Chilocorus bipustulatus (Linnaeus)
9- Exochomus quadripustulatus (Linnaeus) *
10- Exochomus nigripennis (Erichson) *
11- Scymnus syriacus Marseul *