Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Compiled Checklist of Aquatic Invertebrates of the Southern Marshes of Iraq

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Southern Iraq's Marshes

Part of the book series: Coastal Research Library ((COASTALRL,volume 36))

Abstract

Freshwater habitats are recognized for their significance in regard to biodiversity. In the present chapter, information available in the international database related to the invertebrate fauna of the southern marshes of Iraq were reviewed. Such revision will assist the evaluation of the present status of this group animal in order to locate which invertebrate taxa need to be investigated further. The results of the revision performed in this study showed that only five invertebrate taxa were examined from the southern marshes of Iraq; these are Rotifera, Annelida, Crustacea, aquatic insects and Mollusca. The most specious group was aquatic insects with 105 species belonging to 18 families and the group with the least number of species was Annelida with 44 species belonging to 4 families. The results also showed that there are still other invertebrate taxa that were not yet investigated in comparison to what is happening in the neighbouring countries. As recommendations, continuous comprehensive investigations should be continued in order to cover all the southern marsh areas and investigate all the invertebrate groups inhabiting these areas in the future.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Abbas MF, Salman SD, Al Mayahy SH (2015) Diversity and seasonal changes of zooplankton communities in the Shatt Al-Arab River, Basrah, Iraq, with a special reference to Cladocera. Int J Marine Sci 5(24):1–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Abd IF, Al-Asady HS (2017) External morphological study of Diplacodes Triviales Rambure (Odonata: Libellulidae) new record to Iraq. Ibn AL-Haitham J Pure and Appl Sci 25(2)

    Google Scholar 

  • Abdul-Hussein MM, Al-Saboonchi AA, Ghani AA (1989) Brachionid rotifers from Shatt Al-Arab River, Iraq. Marina Mesopotamica 4(1):1–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Abdul-Sahib EM, Abdul-Sahib IM (2009) A new record of the freshwater clam, Anodonta vescoiana Bourguignat, 1857 (Mollusca: Bivalvia) from Al-Ezz River, Iraqi marshes. Mesopotamian J Marine Sci 24(1):7–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Ahmed HK, Ghazi AH (2009) A taxonomical and environmental study of the genus Brachionus (Rotifera: Monogononta) (Pallas, 1776) in Al-Hammer marsh, south of Iraq. Iraqi J Aquacul 6(2):105–112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ahmed HK, Ghazi AHH (2014) Rotifers diversity at Shatt Al-Arab River and Shatt Al-Basrah canal, South of Iraq, during the abnormal rising of water salinity. Mesopotamian J Marine Sci 29(2):145–154

    Google Scholar 

  • Ahmed HK, Mohammed HH (2006) The Rotifera community in the south Marshes of Iraq. Marsh Bulletin 1(1):54–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Ajeel SG, Abaas MF (2013) Abundance and diversity of Cladocera in South Al-Hammar Marshes-Southern Iraq. Tishreen Univ J Res Sci Stud-Biol Sci Series 35:253–266

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Abbad MY (2010) New records of Pristina proboscidea and P. aequiseta. Marsh Bulletin 5(2):131–140

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Abbad MY (2012) New records of twelve species of Oligochaeta (Naididae and Aeolosomatidae) from the Southern Iraqi Marshes, Iraq. Jordan J Biol Sci 147(618):1–7

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Abbad MYM (2014) Addition of four new records of Naidid (Oligochaeta) to the Iraqi fauna. Mesopotamian J Marine Sci 29(2):137–144

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Adhub AHY (1987) On a new subspecies of a freshwater shrimp (Decapoda, Atyidae) from the Shatt Al-Arab River, Iraq. Crustaceana 53:1–4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Adhub AHY, Hamzah HA (1987) Caridina babaulti basrensis Subsp. nov., from the Shatt al-Arab region, Iraq (Decapoda, Caridea, Atyidae). Crustaceana 52(3):225–228

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Ameen FAM, Kadhim ZK, Thamir AJ, (2019, September) Review of Rotifers in Iraqi waters. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1294, No. 7, p. 072005). IOP Publishing

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Hashmi AH, Al-Safar HH, Augul RS (2018) Key to the species of the Orthetrum Newman, 1833 (Odonata, Libellulidae) with a New Record Species in Iraq. Bulletin of the Iraq Natural History Museum (P-ISSN: 1017-8678, E-ISSN: 2311-9799), 15(1), pp. 15–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Ali HA (1978a) A list of some aquatic beetles of Iraq (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae). Bull Nat Hist Res Centre Univ Baghdad 7(2):11–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Ali HA (1978b) Some taxonomic studies on the aquatic beetles of Iraq (Coleoptera: Gyrinidae). Univ Baghdad Bull Nat Hist Res Centre 7:15–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Ali MH, Al-Maliky TH (2017) Fecundity of the crab, Potamon mesopotamicum Brandis, Storch & Turkay, 1998 from the Mesopotamian Marshlands, Iraq. J Fisher & Environ 41(3):6–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Ali MH, Salman SD (1986) The reproductive biology of Parhyale basrensis Salman (Crustacea, Amphipoda) in the Shatt al-Arab river. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 23(3):339–351

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ali M, Salman SD (1998) Production of the crab Elamenopsis kempi (Hymenosomatidae) in the Garmat- Ali region, Basrah, Iraq. Mar Ecol 19:67–75

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ali MH, Anon MR, Mohammed HH (2002) The seasonal variations of abundance and biomass of the two odonate naiads Ischnura evansi Morton (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) and Brachytemis fuscocapillata Selys (Odonata: Libellulideae) in the Qarmat Ali region, Basrah. Marina Mesopotamica 17(2):405–415

    Google Scholar 

  • Ali AH, Aziz NM, Hamza HA (2007) Abundance, occurrence, seasonal changes and species composition of Macroinvertebrates in the restored Iraqi southern marshes. Marsh Bulletin 2(1):80–95

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Khafaji KK, Al Qarooni IH, Al Abbad MY, Al-Lateef NMA (2016) Study of the growth, reproductive biology and abundance for invasive shrimps Palaemon elegans Rathke from Garmat Ali River Basrah, Southern Iraq. J Coast Life Med 4(7):536–540

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Khafaji KK, Mutlak FM, Yaseen AT, Al-Sharaa AS (2017) First finding of Matutid crabs: Matuta planipes Fabricius, 1798 (Crustacea: Decapoda) from Iraqi coast and Garmat Ali River, Basrah area, Iraq. Int J Aquacul 7

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Mayah SH, Al-Abbad MYM (2010) New records of two species of oligochaetes (Naididae): Pristina longiseta and P. macrochaeta from Iraq, with notes on their morphology and reproduction. Mesopotamian J Marine Sci 25(2):166–175

    Google Scholar 

  • Almukhtar EA, Sabtie HA, Jaweir HJ (2012) Aquatic oligochaetes of Iraq’s Southern Marshes. Baghdad Sci J 9(3):472–480

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Qarooni IHM (2005) Abundance and occurrence studies on some of zooplankton and aquatic snails in Al-Chabaish, Al-Hammar and Al-Fuhud marshes southern Iraq (Doctoral dissertation, M. Sc. Thesis-college of Education–Uni. of Basrah. 2005.97 pp. (in Arabic))

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Saboonchi AA, Barak NA, Mohamed AR (1986) Zooplankton of Garma Marshes, Iraq. J Biol Sci Res 17(1):33–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Waaly ABM, Mohammad MK, Al-Miali HM (2014) Freshwater snail’s diversity in the middle and south regions of Iraq. Adv Bio Res 5(3):166–171

    Google Scholar 

  • Annandale TN (1918) Freshwater shells from Mesopotamia.– Records of the Indian Museum, Calcutta, t. 15, pp. 159–170, 1 fig., 1 pl.

    Google Scholar 

  • Annandale TN (1920) Report on the freshwater Gastropod Molluscs of lower Mesopotamia. Part II – the family Planorbidae.- Records of the Indian Museum, Calcutta, t. 18, pp. 147–149, 1 fig

    Google Scholar 

  • Annandale TN, Prashad B (1919) Report on the freshwater Gastropod molluscs of lower Mesopotamia. Part 1: the genus Limnaea.– Records of the Indian Museum, Calcutta, t. 18, pp. 103–115

    Google Scholar 

  • Asahina S (1973) Odonata of Iraq. Japan J Zool 17(1):17–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Asahina S (1974) An additional note to the Odonata of Iraq. Kontyû, Tokyo 42:107–109

    Google Scholar 

  • Askari O, Farshbaf Pourabad R, Khaganinia S (2009) Faunistic study of Heteroptera of Zanjanroud region in Zanjan province of Iran. Munis Entomol & Zool 4(2):560–563

    Google Scholar 

  • Augul RS, Al-Hashmi AH, Al-Saffar HH (2016) New record of the Epaulet Skimmer: Orthetrum chrysostigma (Burmeister) (Odonata: Libellulidae) from Iraq. J Biodivers Environ Sci 8(5):233–238

    Google Scholar 

  • Boudot JP, Kalkman VJ, Azpilicuetaamorin M, Bogdanovic T, Cordero RA, Degabriele G, Dommanget JL, Ferreira S, Garrigos B, Jovic M, Kotarac M, Lopau W, Marinov M, Mihokovic N, Riservato E, Samraoui B, Schneider W (2009) Atlas of the Odonata of the Mediterranean and North Africa. Libellula Suppl 9:1–256

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown ES (1953) LII.—notes on aquatic Hemiptera from Syria and Iraq. Ann Mag Nat Hist 6(68):579–600

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Evans MI (2002) The ecosystem. In: The Iraqi Marshlands: a human and environmental study. Politico’s, London, pp 201–219

    Google Scholar 

  • Garstecki T, Amr Z (2011) Biodiversity and ecosystem management in the Iraqi Marshlands–screening study on potential World Heritage Nomination. IUCN, Amman, 189p

    Google Scholar 

  • Germain L (1924) Catalogue of the Planorbidae in the Indian museum (natural history), Calcutta.– Records of the Indian Museum, Calcutta, t. 21, 210 p., 4 pl.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ghazi AH, Ahmed HK (2008) Abundance and diversity of rotifera in the Garmat Ali region ponds, Basrah-Iraq. Iraqi J Aquacul 5(1):33–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghazi AH, Ali MH (2012) Rotifers community structure and abundance along Shatt Al-Arab River from Garmmat Ali to Al-Fao, Southern Iraq. Marsh Bulletin 7(2):150–161

    Google Scholar 

  • Ghazi AH, Hassan HF, Khathem SA (2011) Effect of water level declinein Saffia restoration site on the density and diversity of Rotifer, Al-Hawaizah Marshes, Iraq. Marsh Bulletin 6(2):159–166

    Google Scholar 

  • Glöer P, Naser MD (2007) Gyraulus huwaizahensis n. sp.–a new species from Mesopotamia, Iraq (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Planorbidae). Mollusca 25(2):147–152

    Google Scholar 

  • Glöer P, Naser MD (2008) Bithynia hareerensis n. sp., a new Bithynia from Mesopotamia (Iraq)(Gastropoda: Bithyniidae). Mollusca 26(2):159–162

    Google Scholar 

  • Gmais SA, Aziz NM, Al-Khafaji KK, Ama’al GY, Naser MD (2008) The genus Lymnaea (Lamarck, 1799) from Southern Mesopotamia: are the morphological and anatomical studies enough to solve its complexity? Mesopotamian J Marine Sci 23(2):349–362

    Google Scholar 

  • Grosser C, PeÅ¡ić V (2006) On the diversity of Iranian leeches (Annelida: Hirudinea). Archiv Biol Sci 58(1):21–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haas F (1969) Superfamilia Unionacea.– Das Tierreich, 88, Walter de Gruyter & Co, Berlin, pp. 1–663

    Google Scholar 

  • Hammadi NS (2016) An ecological survey of Littoral Rotifera from some selected areas of Iraq: II. South of Iraq. Res J Sci & Technol 8(3):125–128

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hammadi NS, Salman SD, Abbas MF (2015) Rotifera of the Southern Iraqi Marshes, with a reference to the major zooplankton groups in the region. Marsh Bulletin 10(1):46–55

    Google Scholar 

  • Hassan KS, Habeeb MA, Al-Mousawi NJ (2000) Occurrence of aquatic insects with algae in Basrah province. Marina Mesopotamica 15(1):137–143

    Google Scholar 

  • Huryn AD, Wallace JB (2000) Life history and production of stream insects. Annu Rev Entomol 45:83–110

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jaweir HJ (2014) Checklist of aquatic oligochaetes species in Tigris–Euphrates river basin. Baghdad Sci J 11(3):1397–1404

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kareem DK, Al-Edani A (2015) Diagnosis and ecological distribution of aquatic (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) in Sullein marsh in Basrah, South of Iraq. Mesopotamian J Marine Sci 30(1):33–46

    Google Scholar 

  • Lucy FE, Graczyk TK (2008) First record of the New Zealand mud snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum JE Gray, 1843 (Mollusca: Hydrobiidae) in Greece–notes on its population structure and associated microalgae. Aquat Invasion 3(3):341–344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malmqvist B (2002) Aquatic invertebrates in riverine landscapes. Freshw Biol 47(4):679–694

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marrone F, Naser MD, Amaal GY, Sacco F, Arculeo M (2014) First record of the North American cryptic invader Ferrissia fragilis (Tryon, 1863) (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Planorbidae) in the Middle East. Zoology in the Middle East 60(1):39–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohamed ARM, Hussain NA, Al-Noor SS, Mutlak FM, Al-Sudani IM, Mojer AM, Toman AJ, Abdad MA (2008) Fish assemblage of restored Al-Hawizeh marsh, Southern Iraq. Ecohydrol & Hydrobiol 8(2–4):375–384

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohamed HH, Salman SD, Abdullah AAM (2009) Some aspects of the biology of two copepods: Apocyclops dengizicus and Mesocyclops isabellae from a Pool in Garmat-Ali, Basrah, Iraq. Turk J Fish Aquat Sci 8(2):239–247

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohammed DS, ALI MH (2010) A morphological and molecular study on Artemia franciscana (Branchiopoda, Anostraca) from Basrah, Iraq. Crustaceana 83:941–956

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohammed HH, Ferrari FD, Abbas MF (2014) Introduction of the copepod Limnoithona tetraspina Zhang & Li, 1976 (Cyclopoida, Cyclopettidae) into the Shatt Al-Arab, Iraq. Crustaceana 87(3):376–382

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morton KJ (1919) Odonata from Mesopotamia. Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine 55:143–151

    Google Scholar 

  • Morton KJ (1920) Odonata collected in North-Western Persia and Mesopotamia by Captain P. X. Buxton - R. A. M. C. Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine 56:82–87

    Google Scholar 

  • Morton KJ (1921) Neuroptera, Mecoptera and Odonata from Mesopotamia and Persia. Entomologist Monthly Magaz 7:213–225

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mousson A (1874) Coquilles terrestres et fluviatiles recueillies par M. le Dr Alex. Schlæfli en Orient. Journal de Conchyliologie 22:5–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakano S, Murakami M (2001) Reciprocal subsidies: dynamic interdependence between terrestrial and aquatic food webs. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 98:166–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naser MD (2009) First record of the freshwater crab, Potamon mesopotamicum Brandis, Storch & Turkay, 1998 (Decapoda, Brachyura, Potamidae) from the Al-Huwaizah Marshes, Iraq. Crustaceana 82(12):1599–1602

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naser MD, Son MO, Yasser AG (2011) Assessing the risks of invasions of aquatic invertebrates in the Shatt Al-Arab River. Russian J Biol Invasion 2(2-3):120

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naser MD, Page TJ, Ng NK, Apel M, Yasser AG, Bishop JM, Ng PK, Clark PF (2012a) Invasive records of Eriocheir hepuensis Dai, 1991 (Crustacea: Brachyura: Grapsoidea: Varunidae): implications and taxonomic considerations. BioInvasions Record 1(1)

    Google Scholar 

  • Naser MD, Khalaf TA, Yasser AG, Darweesh HS (2012b) New records of Indomysis nybini Biju & Pananpunnayil, 2010 from the South of Iraq. Crustaceana 85(3):379–383

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Plaziat JC, Younis RW (2005) The modern environments of Molluscs in southern Mesopotamia, Iraq: A guide to palaeogeographical reconstructions of Quaternary fluvial, palustrine and marine deposits. Carnets de géologie

    Google Scholar 

  • Porter RF (2016) Odonata from Iraq, with three new records. Notulae Odonatologicae 8(8):247–318

    Google Scholar 

  • Pourang N (1996) Heavy metal concentrations in surficial sediments and benthic macroinvertebrates from Anzali wetland, Iran. Hydrobiologia 331(1–3):53–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qazar IA, Azeez NM, Marina BA (2015) Freshwater snails of east Hammar Marsh and Shatt Al-Arab during 2008–2009. Marsh Bulletin 10(2):149–159

    Google Scholar 

  • Sage BL (1960a) Field notes on some birds of Eastern Iraq. Ardea 48:160–178

    Google Scholar 

  • Sage BL (1960b) Notes on the Odonata of Iraq. Iraq nat Hist Mus Publ 18:1–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Sage BL (1960c) Notes on the Odonata of Iraq. The Entomologist 93:118–125

    Google Scholar 

  • Salman SD, Ali MH, Al-Adhub AH (1990) Abundance and seasonal migrations of the penaeid shrimp Metapenaeus affinis (H. Milne-Edwards) within Iraqi waters. Hydrobiologia 196(1):79–90

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salman SD, Page TJ, Naser MD, Yasser AAG (2006) The invasion of Macrobrachium nipponense (De Haan, 1849)(Caridea: Palaemonidae) into the southern Iraqi marshes. Aquat Invasion 1(3):109–115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saoud KD (2005) Distribution and abundance of some crustacean in Shatt al- Arab River. Marina Mesopotamica 21:131–147

    Google Scholar 

  • Schneider W (1982) Man-induced changes in the dragonfly fauna of the Jordan Valley. Adv Odonatol 1:243–249

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharifinia M (2015) Macroinvertebrates of the Iranian running waters: a review. Acta Limnol Bras 27(4):356–369

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shayeghi M, Nejati J, Shirani-Bidabadi L, Koosha M, Badakhshan M, Bavani MM, Arzamani K, Choubdar N, Bagheri F, Saghafipour A, Veysi A (2015) Assessing the fauna of aquatic insects for possible use for malaria vector control in large river, Central Iran. Acta Med Iran 53(9):523–532

    Google Scholar 

  • St. Quentin D (1964) Odonaten aus Anatolien und dem Irak. Entomologische Mitteilungen des Zoologischen Museums Hamburg 3(50):49–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Straalen NM (1997) In: Pankhurst CE, Doube BM, Gupta VVSR (eds) Community structure of soil arthropods as a bioindicator of soil health. Biological indicators of soil health. Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International, Wallingford

    Google Scholar 

  • Wallace BJ, Webster JR (1996) The role of macroinvertebrates in stream ecosystem function. Annu Rev Entomol 41:115–139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zamanpoore M, Grabowski M, Poeckl M, Schiemer F (2011) Taxonomic review of freshwater Gammarus (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from Iran. Zootaxa 3140(1):1–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environmental and Animal Sciences, Unitec Institute of Technology, Mt Albert, Auckland, New Zealand

    Laith A. Jawad

Authors
  1. Laith A. Jawad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environmental and Animal Sciences, Unitec Institute of Technology, Mt Albert, Auckland, New Zealand

    Laith A. Jawad

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Jawad, L.A. (2021). Compiled Checklist of Aquatic Invertebrates of the Southern Marshes of Iraq. In: Jawad, L.A. (eds) Southern Iraq's Marshes. Coastal Research Library, vol 36. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66238-7_14

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation