Bulletin of the Iraq Natural History Museum

The monogenean Gyrodactylus taimeni Ergens, 1971 was recorded in this study for the first
time in Iraq from gills of the common carp Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758. The description
and measurements of this parasite as well as illustration were given. In addition, a list of
species of Gyrodactylus so far recorded from C. carpio in Iraq is also included together with a
list of all other hosts recorded for each gyrodactylid species.

Morphological and phonological studies of fungal pathogen infecting alfalfa weevil Hypera
postica (Gyllenhal) indicating that infection has been shown to develop along two distinct
physiological lines, each culminating in the production of either conidial or resting spores, in
host cadavers which are morphologically distinct. The percent of infection and epizootic
development appeared to be dependent on host density. Farther evidence to entail proper
correlation between conidia and resting spores suggest that these two forms of spores are
stages in the development of one pathogen.

The tentative list of the biodiversity (plants and vertebrates) of Bahr Al-Najaf depression is
found to comprise 104 vertebrate species including 2 fishes, 14 reptiles, 73 resident and
migratory birds and 15 mammals. The flora consists of 31 species, mainly of plants well
adapted to desert conditions that dominate the area, besides few examples of water plants. The
salinity was found, through chemical analysis of the lake water, to be of high value which
reduces the diversity of aquatic animal and plant diversity.

The widespread house sparrow Passer domesticus biblicus has a close association with humans and inhabits almost all ecosystems near human settlements in Iraq. It is exposed to different kinds of parasites in its habitats. Examining of house sparrow for the cestode parasites revealed that 25 specimens of 56 were infected with Raillietina echinobothrida. Intensity among infected male and female hosts with this cestode and its description is provided and discussed. The present finding constitutes the first record for this parasite inhouse sparrow in Iraq