A SURVEY OF THE MANTIDEA FAMILY IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF IRAQ

Abstract

The current study included a taxonomic and phenotypic study of the Mantidae family in different regions of Iraq (Baghdad, Salah al-Din, Kirkuk) for the period from April 1, 2023 to March 6, 2024, and during this study 3 species belonging to 3 genera were described. Through this study, the head, thoracic and abdominal regions and some body appendages of each species were studied, and the phenotypic differences between males and females in the same species and between the different species studied were observed as follows: 1- Genus: Mantis religiosa Linnaeus, 1758 This species was recorded in Baghdad, Salah al-Din, Kirkuk, during the month of April 1, 2023 to March 6, 2024, and some preserved samples were obtained at the Natural History Research Center and Museum / University Baghdad, which were collected from Nineveh Governorate in 1963, and some preserved samples were obtained in the University of Baghdad Museum / College of Science / Department of Life Sciences. 2- Genus: Empusa hedenorgii Stal, 1877 This species was recorded in Salah al-Din, Kirkuk, Baghdad, during the month of April 1, 2023 to March 6, 2024, in addition to studying the samples present in the Natural History Research Center and Museum / University of Baghdad, which were collected from Nineveh Governorate in 1963, as well as the unidentified samples in the University of Baghdad / College of Science / Department of Life Sciences. 3- Genus: Blepharpsis mendica (Fabricius 1775) This species was recorded during the study period in Kirkuk, Baghdad, Erbil from May, June and July 2022, and some existing and identified samples were studied in the Natural History Research Center and Museum / University of Baghdad, which were collected from Nineveh Governorate in 1963.