Bull

Mohammad K. Mohammad
Bull. Iraq Nat. Hist. Mus.

(2014) 13 (1): 5-14

THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE VERTEBRATE DIVERSITY IN

Al-DALMAJ MARSH, Al-DIWANIYA PROVINCE

Mohammad K. Mohammad

Iraq Natural History Research Center and Museum, University of Baghdad,

Bab Al-Muadham, P.O. Box 59028, Baghdad, Iraq

Email: amarmkm82@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT
A survey conducted at Dalmaj marsh, Al-Diwaniya Province during 2013 revealed that the

marsh encounters a considerable part of the Iraqi vertebrate fauna including 147 species

belonging to five classes; Pisces, Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves and Mammalia. Some species are

of globally conservation importance. The present results are discussed with the pertinent

literature.

INTRODUCTION
The global temperature increase may led to changes in the hydroclimatic parameters and

have profound impacts on the physical and biological components of the ecosystems in the

Euphrates-Tigris Basinas well as on the socio-economic developments of the basin countries

(Bozkurt and Sen, 2013). So, studying the biological components of Dalmaj marsh area

ecosystems seems necessary to provide a reliable data to compare with during next years

which may have more obvious impacts of the global temperature increase. Al-Dalmaj marsh

is a large isolated marsh situated at the heart of the Mesopotamian alluvial plain with

estimated area of 100000 ha and altitude of less than 20 m (Nature Iraq, 2013), lies to the west

of the Tigris River approximately 35 km southwest of Kut City, Wasit Province (Evans, 1994)

and about 65 km north east to Al-Diwaniya City, Al-Diwaniya Province. It constitutes an

open water lake and marsh with dense reed beds of Phragmites and Typha in addition to the

submerged plants and the plants along the edge of the marsh. It receives water from the Main

Outfall Drain (MOD) and discharges again to the MOD with no stable water-level (Salim et

al.,2009). The depth of water ranges from less than 0.5 m in the banks of marshy areas to

about 1.5-2 m in the center of the lake.

Al-Dalmaj marsh is an important area for the Iraqi biodiversity since it lies within a semi-

desert area and comprises terrestrial and aquatic habitats allowing a wide range of

biodiversity components. The vertebrates are the most prominent group in the marsh

especially birds and fishes and for a lesser extent reptiles and mammals. However, it is still

poorly studied and further scientific work is required to understand the biodiversity and the

relationships among the biotic and abiotic factors in the area (Nature Iraq, 2013).

The aim of this work is to throw a light on the current situation of vertebrates living in the

area, and to provide assessment notes on certain species from the conservation point of view.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Site description: The following brief description depends mainly on Nature Iraq (2013).

Dalmaj wetland is located 40 km east of Diwaniya city and 40 km southwest of Kut city. It

Vertebrate Diversity Dalmaj Marsh

includes both terrestrial habitats ranging from arid areas to true desert with sand dunes, and a

large body of water that can be divided into an open-water lake reaching depths exceeding 2

m and true marshes with dense reed beds and shallower water (less than 1 m). Embankments

surround the marsh to contain the body of water. The southern section of Dalmaj is mainly

mudflats, featuring Phragmites and Typha reed beds in addition to submerged plants with

occasional dry ground scattered with bushes and terrestrial species. The eastern part of the site

includes much of the open and deeper Dalmaj Lake that lies within the embankment. To the

east of the embankment there are shallow, salty marshes with a dense strip of reed beds and

Tamarix bushes. The freshwater marshes in the northern part of the site are defined by rich

plant cover, such as Phragmites and Typha reed beds and Tamarix in drier areas. These

marshes have clear, transparent waters and submerged plants, which provide excellent

protection for juvenile fish and offer high oxygen production

Eight field trips (2/season) of 2-3 days each were conducted to Al-Dalmaj marsh lies within

the Al-Diwaniya Province during the year 2013 to report on the vertebrate species present in

the area. The data presented here is mainly the author's personal observations, direct

collection of specimens, photographing, observing species in the field with naked eyes or by

the aid of a binocular, examining of remains and traces of vertebrates and interviews with

hunters and locals in the area. Specific identifications were possible following Coad (2010)

for fishes, Khalaf (1959) for herpetofauna, Salim et al. (2006) for birds, and Harisson (1968,

1981) for mammals.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Table 1 shows that the vertebrate groups in Dalmaj marsh comprise five classes, Class

Pisces, Class Amphibia, Class Reptilia, Class Aves and Class Mammalia. This would includes

147 species of vertebrates.

Fishes:

1-Carasobarbus luteus

2- Barbus xanthopterus

3- Mesopotamichthyes sharpeyi

4- Cyprinus carpio*

5- Tilapia zilli**

6- Liza abu

7- Silurus triostegus

Amphibians:

8- Bufo viridis

9- Rana ridibunda

Reptiles:

10- Maurymes caspica

11- Laudakia persica

12- Acanthodactylus sp.

13- Gymnodactylus scaber

14- Mabuya aurata

15- Natrix tessellata

16- Eryx jaculus

Mohammad K. Mohammad
Birds:

17- Tachybaptus ruficollis

18- Phalacrocorax carbo

19- Pelecanus onocrotalus

20- Botaurus stellaris

21- Ixobrychus minutus

22- Nycticorax nycticorax

23- Egretta garzetta

24- Ardeola ralloides

25- Bubulcus ibis

26- Ardea cinerea

27- Ardea purpuria

28- Ciconia ciconia

29- Plegadis falcinellus

30- Anser erythrops

31- Anser anser

32- Tadorna ferruginea

33- Tadorna tadotna

34- Anas penelope

35- Anas strepera

36- Anas crecca

37- Anas platyrhynchos

38- Anas acuta

39- Anas clypeata

40- Marmaronetta angustirostris

41- Netta rufina

42- Aythya nyroca

43- Aythya ferina

44- Milvus migrans

45- Neophron percnopterus

46- Circus aeruginosus

47- Buteo rufinus

48- Aquila clanga

49- Falco tinnunculus

50- Francolinus francolinus

51- Rallus aquaticus

52- Gallinula chloropus

53- Fulica atra

54- Porphyrio porphyrio

55- Grus grus

56- Chlamydotis undulata

57- Himantopus himantopus

58- Recurvirostra avosetta

59- Glareola pratincola

60- Charadrius dubius

61- Charadrius alexandrinus

62- Hoplopterus spinosus

63- Hoplopterus indicus

64- Chettusia leucura

65- Calidris minuta

66- Calidris temminckii

Vertebrate Diversity Dalmaj Marsh

67- Calidris alpina

68- Gallinago gallinago

69- Limosa limosa

70- Tringa totanus

71- Tringa stagnatilis

72- Tringa nebularia

73- Tringa ochropus

74- Tringa glareola

75- Larus ridibundus

76- Larus genei

77- Larus armenicus

78- Sterna caspia

79- Sterna hirundo

80- Chlidonia hybridus

81- Chlidonia leucopterus

82- Pterocles alchata

83- Columba livia

84- Columba palumbus

85- Streptopelia decaocto

86- Streptopelia turtur

87- Streptopelia senegalensis

88- Athene noctua

89- Tyto alba

90- Caprimulgus aegyptius

91- Halcyon smyrnensis

92- Ceryle rudis

93- Alcedo atthis

94- Merops superciliosus

95- Coracias benghalensis

96- Upupa epops

97- Ammomanes deserti

98- Galerida cristata

99- Calandrella brachydactyla

100- Riparia riparia

101- Hirundo rustica

102- Anthus trivialis

103- Anthus spinoletta

104- Motacilla flava

105- Motacilla alba

106- Pycnonotus leucogenys

107- Hypocolius ampelinus

108- Erithacus rubicula

109- Saxicola rubetra

110- Saxicola torquata

111- Oenanthe deserti

112- Cisticola juncidis

113- Prinia gracilis

114- Acrocephalus griseldis

115- Hippolias pallida

116- Sylvia mystacea

117- Phylloscopus collybita

Mohammad K. Mohammad
118- Turdoides altirostris

119- Turdoides caudatus

120- Lanius collurio

121- Lanius nubicus

122- Corvus frugilegus

123- Corvus corone

124- Sturnus vulgaris

125- Passer domesticus

126- Passer hispaniolensis

127- Passer moabiticus.

128- Carduelis carduelis

129- Carduelis chloris

130- Rhodospiza obsoleta

131- Emberiza hortulana

132- Emberiza schoeniclus

133- Miliaria calandra.

Mammals:

134- Pipistrellus kuhlii

135- Taphozous nudiventris

136- Hystrix indica

137- Mus musculus

138- Rattus rattus

139- Rattus norvegicus*

140- Lepus capensis

141- Canis aureus

142- Canis lupus

143- Vulpes vulpes

144- Hyaena hyaena

145- Herpestes auropunctatus

146- Meles meles

147- Sus scrofa

*exotic species

**invasive species

Dalmaj is rich in biodiversity, being a wintering ground for numerous waterfowl and a

main breeding area for Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris, Ferruginous Duck

Aythya nyroca, and Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina, three of the four known breeding ducks

in Iraq, and a major breeding site for the Endangered Basra Reed Warbler (nature Iraq, 2013).

The list of species included in table 1 indicates that the marsh contains a considerable part of

the Iraqi avifauna which counts to more than 400 species. The number of the recorded birds in

this study is 117 while Nature Iraq (2013) mentioned that 140 migratory and resident birds

were seen in the marsh. In general, it seems that the biodiversity components of the marsh is

rather in a good condition. Some species in table 1 are of certain conservation importance

including Tilapia zilli (Gervais, 1848), Marmaronetta angustriostris (Menetries, 1823) L.

Reichenbach, 1853, Aythya nyroca and Acrocephalus griseldus.

Tilapia zilli: (fig. 1), this is an invasive fish. It is considered a potential competitor with

native fish for food and spawning areas (Molnar, 2008). In Dalmaj marsh, the author was able

to observe it is widely distributed along the marsh shore. On 28.5.2013 a couple of male and

http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/RefRpt?search_type=author&search_id=author_id&search_id_value=71217

Vertebrate Diversity Dalmaj Marsh

female fishes were surrounded with a 30 cm diameter ball of hundreds of apparently newly

hatched fishes just 1.5-2 m off the shore. The author countred 7 pairs of parents with their

juvenile balls in about 50 m distance of the shore. The parents ran away only a little when

thrown with a stone and the juvenile ball tends to decrease the diameter and become denser,

but sooner the parents return back to their juveniles defending them.

Fig. 1: Tilapia zilli from al-Dalmaj marsh.

Marmaronetta angustirostris: It is a resident bird in suitable habitats in the middle and south

and for a lesser extent in the north, and breeds from May to July (Allouse, 1960). IUCN red

list for the year 2012 considered this duck globally vulnerable (A2cd+3cd+4cd ver 3.1)

with decreasing population trend (Salim et al., 2009; BirdLife international, 2012). The marsh

proved to be a suitable breeding site for this species and the author was able to take pictures

of duckling with parents (fig. 2). However, severe hunting practices is going on in the area

and thousands of this duck was brought to local markets during the period from September to

March (fig. 3). The hunting pressure is extremely critical during September to end of

November at which hunting was practically targeted this duck since it the only available game

bird in reasonable number.

Mohammad K. Mohammad

Fig.2: Mother marbled teal Marmaronetta angustirostris and eight ducklings in Dalmaj marsh

Fig. 3: Marbled teals brought from Dalmaj marsh sold at a local market in Baghdad city.

Aythya nyroca: (fig. 4) It is considered globally Near Threatened ver 3.1 with a decreasing

populatioin trend (IUCN, 2013). The author's personal observations indicated that this duck

breeds in Al-Attariya marsh southeast of Baghdad not far from Dalmaj marsh since the 70s

decade of the last century. George and Vielliard (1970) recorded only 31 individuals, then

Scott and Carp (1982) could not find this species in their survey to Iraqi marshes. It was

proved later that it breeds in some other sites in the middle and south of Iraq including Dalmaj

http://www.iucnredlist.org/static/categories_criteria_3_1

Vertebrate Diversity Dalmaj Marsh

marsh and southern Iraqi marshes. Howeverm Salim et al. (2009) stated that further surveys

will show this duck to be more common and more widespread in the Mesopotamian marshes.

Fig. (5) shows hundreds of ferruginous ducks captured in Al-Dalmaj marsh and sold at a local

market in Baghdad city.

Fig 4: Male Ferruginous duck Aythya nyroca

Fig. 5: Hundreds of ferruginous ducks brought from Dalmaj marsh sold at a local market in

Baghdad

Mohammad K. Mohammad
Acrocephalus griseldis: The Basra Reed Warbler is a globally endangered bird (IUCN, 2013).

Iraq is known to encounter more than 90% of the world population of the bird (Richardson

and Hussain, 2006). Nature Iraq (2013) counted up to 900 breeding pairs in Dalmaj marsh.

Many nests were noted by the author among reed beds in the marsh.

LITERATURE CITED
Bozkurt, D. and Sen, O. L. 2013. Climate change impacts in the Euphrates–Tigris Basin based

on different model and scenario simulations. Journal of Hydrology, 480: 149–161.

Coad, B. W. 2010 Freshwater fishes of Iraq. Pensoft. Sofia-Moscow, 274 pp.

Evans, M. I. 1994. Important Bird Areas in the Middle East. Cambridge: BirdLife

International.

George P. V. and Vielliard J. 1970. Midwinter Observations on Birds of Central and South

Iraq.1968. Baghdad, Iraq: Iraq Natural History Museum Bull. Vol. IV (4).

Harisson, D. L. 1968 The mammals of Arabia. Ernest Benn Ltd., London, 3vols.

Harisson, D. L. 1981 The mammals of the Arabian Gulf. George Allen and Unwin, London,

92pp.

IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>.

Khalaf, K. T. 1959 Reptiles of Iraq with some notes on the amphibians. ArRabitta Press,

Baghdad, 96 pp.

Molnar, J. L., Gamboa, R. L., Revenga, C. and Spalding, M. D. 2008. Assessing the global

threat of invasive species to marine biodiversity. Frontiers in Ecology and the

Environment 6: 485–492.

Nature Iraq 2013. available online:

http://www.natureiraq.org/uploads/9/2/7/0/9270858/dalmaj_me10_22_ma anna.pdf.

Richardson, C.J., and N.A. Hussain. 2006. Restoring the Garden of Eden: An ecological

assessment of the marshes of Iraq . BioScience 56 (6):477-489.

Salim, M., Porter, R. and Rubec, C. 2009. A summary of birds recorded in the marshes of

southern Iraq, 2005–2008. BioRisk 3: 205–219. doi: 10.3897/biorisk.3.14.

www.pensoftonline.net/biorisk.

Salim, M. A., Porter, R. F., Christensen, S. Schiermacker-Hansen, P. and Al-Jbour, S. 2006.

Field Guide to the birds of Iraq. Amman: Nature Iraq & BirdLife International. (In

Arabic).

Scott, D. A. and Carp, E. 1982. A midwinter survey of wetlands in Mesopotamia, Iraq: 1979.

Sandgrouse, No. 4.

http://www.iucnredlist.org/

Vertebrate Diversity Dalmaj Marsh

Bull. Iraq Nat. Hist. Mus.

(2014) 13 (1): 5-14

الواقع الحالي لتنوع الفقريات في هور الدلمج، محافظة الديوانية

محمد كاظم محمد

، 82095. ب. مركز بحوث ومتحف التاريخ الطبيعي، جامعة بغداد، باب المعظم، ص

بغداد، العراق

Email: amarmkm82@yahoo.com

الخالصة

بان هذا الهور يشتمل 9002محافظة الديوانية خالل عام بين مسح اجري في هور الدلمج

نوعا تعود الى خمسة 041على جزء مهم من المجموعة الحيوانية الفقرية العراقية ويضم

تبين ان بعض االنواع . اصناف هي االسماك والبرمائيات والزواحف والطيور واللبائن

نوقشت النتائج الحالية في ضوء . ظةالمسجلة ذات اهمية من ناحية االهمية العالمية للمحاف

.البحوث ذات العالقة