Soran H. Ahmed

University of Sulaimani | UNIVSUL · Department of Biology

The Urartian rat snake, Elaphe urartica Jablonski, Kukushkin, Avcı, Bunyatova, Ilgaz, Tuniyev & Jandzik, 2019, is a recently described species within the genus Elaphe, found in eastern Anatolia, Caucasian region and the northern Middle East. It stands as one of the rarely observed snake species, with its distribution and other aspects of natural hi...

Due to the wide distribution through the Iranian Plateau, especially in its western parts adjacent to Iraq's northeastern borders, the occurrence of Brandt's Hedgehog Paraechinus hypomelas (Brandt, 1836) was suspected, but no confirmed records were made. In 2021-2023, several sight-ings were obtained during in situ surveys in the Bamo-Khoshk Mounta...

Infectious diseases are ranked as the second cause of death globally. This is mainly caused by the emergence of multi-drug resistant pathogens due to the improper use of antibiotics. This problem has influenced the search for antibiotics, particularly in natural sources from flora and fauna. Insects are about 75% of the fauna and have existed in ha...

In Iraq, the endangered Persian Leopard (Panthera pardus tulliana) is distributed in the northern part (Kurdistan Region) along the Zagros mountain steppe ecoregion, which includes the Bamo and Khoshk Mountains, where we carried out a field survey between October 2020 and November 2022 including camera trapping and interviews with local communities...

We report on numerous additional records and observations of Varanus nesterovi Böhme et al., 2015, and its chorological relationships (parapatry vs. sympatry) to its close relatives, viz. V. griseus griseus and V. g. caspius. The new distributional data and locality records do not only hint on various threats for V. nesterovi, but document also its...

We had observed Parapolybia escalerae in the Kurdistan region, Iraq, for the first time and we aimed that our finding will add some valuable information about the distribution and social behavior of this rare species, but still more study on nesting behavior, combs, and food products is necessary and recommended.

The Marbled Polecat Vormela peregusna is one of Iraq’s rarest mustelids; it is confined to the steppes, arid plains and sparsely vegetated foothills of the northern parts of the country. A few specimens were collected around the vicinity of Mosul in the 1950s; its current status and distribution is mostly unknown. This note describes two new record...

Graphosoma melanoxanthum is reported for the first time in Iraq. In natura photo, it is shown on a newly reported host plant Eryngium billardierei (Apiaceae). The distinguishing characters of G. melanoxanthum are discussed, and the global distribution map of this species in the Middle East with some new records is provided

The Blanford’s Fox Vulpes cana (Blanford, 1877) is an enigmatic carnivore of Asia and East Africa with sporadic and disjunct distribution in the Middle East. It was suspected to occur in western Iraq, but no confirmed records have been made. In October 2020, the first confirmed occurrence of Blanford’s Fox was made during a camera-trap survey in Xo...

Mammals are under threat worldwide due to deforestation, hunting, and other human activities. In Iraq, a total of 93 species of wild mammals have been recorded including species with global conservation concern. Bamo Mountain is situated within the Zagros Mountains in northern Iraq which is a suitable habitat for wild mammals. Due to scarcity of t...

Genus Saga Charpentier, 1825 along with four other genera (Clonia Stål, 1855; Cloniella Kaltenbach, 1971; Emptera Saussure, 1888 and Peringueyella Saussure, 1888) comprises the tettigoniid subfamily Saginae. These genera are distributed throughout three separated biogeographical zones; in the South-Southeast of Africa, genus Emptera in India and ge...

On 25th of February 2019, a leucistic young female wild goat was sighted in Khoshk Mountain, in Sulaymaniyah Province of northern Iraq. It was distinguished from a normal coat-colour herd (7–8 individuals) by its distinctive pale-grey outer coat, paler horns and hoofs than conspecifics, and light face and body markings.