Distributional Notes on Three Wolf Spider Species (Araneae: Lycosidae) Recorded for the First Time in Diyala Province, Iraq

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  Distributional Notes on Three Wolf Spider Species (Araneae: Lycosidae) Recorded for the First Time in Diyala Province, Iraq Abstract This study presents new distributional data for three wolf spider species (Araneae: Lycosidae) from Diyala Province in eastern Iraq. Specimens were gathered from different districts and habitats between July 2025 and June 2026. The species Arctosa tbilisiensis Mcheidze, 1946, Lycosa piochardi Simon, 1876, and Wadicosa fidelis (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) are recorded for the first time in Diyala, extending their known ranges within Iraq. The paper describes key diagnostic morphological features and includes information about the examined specimens and their local distributions. These findings improve knowledge of the distribution of Iraqi Lycosidae and reveal that Diyala Province, despite its habitat variety, remains insufficiently studied. The records serve as a valuable baseline for future taxonomic, faunistic, and ecological research on spiders i...

Morphological and molecular identification of the scorpion Androctonus crassicauda (Olivier, 1807), using COI and 12S rRNA genes from the Provinces of Dhi Qar and Wasit, Iraq

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Morphological and molecular identification of the scorpion Androctonus crassicauda (Olivier, 1807), using COI and 12S rRNA genes from the Provinces of Dhi Qar and Wasit, Iraq

Abstract

The scorpion fauna of Iraq remains comparatively less studied than that of several neighboring Middle Eastern countries. This study aimed to identify and characterize one scorpion species found in northern Dhi Qar Province and southern Wasit Province, both morphologically and molecularly. Samples were collected in the field. Morphological identification relied on external features and morphometric measurements, while COI gene expression, 12S rRNA, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were used for molecular identification. The results identified a scorpion species belonging to the Buthidae family, A. crassicauda, which the abundant and widespread. Morphological and molecular findings confirmed the identification. BLAST analysis showed a 99% similarity with reference sequences, and phylogenetic trees indicated high genetic convergence with limited variation within the species.

Katea, G. H., & Abd Al-Hussein, Q. M. (2026). Morphological and molecular identification of the scorpion Androctonus crassicauda (Olivier, 1807), using COI and 12S rRNA genes from the provinces of Dhi Qar and Wasit, Iraq. Sumer Journal for Pure Science, 5(2, Special Issue), 59–69. https://journals.sujps.com/index.php/sj/article/view/575