volume 11 issue 1 june 2024

In this study, Phoracantha recurva (Family Cerambycidae), Myrrha octodecimguttata and Hyperaspis trifurcata (Family Coccinelidae) and Sitaris solieri (Family Meloidae) are reported for the first time from the Bethlehem district in the Palestinian territories (West Bank).

Comprehensive lists of recorded species of both phyla Annelida and Mollusca from Jordan are provided. Phylum Annelida includes three classes with a total of twentyfour species, with two new species described from Jordan. Phylum Mollusca contains forty-three species of terrestrial land snails and twenty-five species of freshwater snails. 

The cochineal scale, Dactylopius opuntiae (Cockerell) is a serious pest of cactus in many parts of the world. It was first recorded in the north of Jordan in 2018 and continued to spread in the country. To use environmentally safe control methods for this invasive pest, two experiments were conducted to find cactus accessions resistant to the cochineal scale. The first experiment was conducted on twenty-six accessions in a growth chamber at a temperature of 27°C ± 0.5°C and 70-80% of RH. The second experiment was conducted in the Jordan Valley and included ninety-nine accessions. All accessions were obtained from the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA). Accessions from countries around the world were tested (Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Jordan, Mexico, Morocco, South Africa, Syria, and Tunisia). All the first twenty-six accessions were found susceptible to the pest. The average duration of one generation of the insect ranged from thirty days to fortyone days with an average of 36.3 ± 2.59 days.  On the other hand, out of the ninety-nine cactus accessions, four were found resistant and showed no infestation at all. These were Unknown 120 and Unknown 122 from Syria, Opuntia robusta 1280 from Argentina, and Opuntia robusta 200146 from Brazil. The most susceptible accessions were Zastron 4 and M3 Bianca di Macomer from Italy and 40-Tronzar and GS from Tunisia with an infestation rate of more than 90%.

The lime butterfly Papilio demoleus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) is recorded from Jordan for the first time based on the identification of three specimens collected from Al Kurayyimah in the Jordan Valley during May 2024. Its biology, ecology, and distribution are briefly discussed

Sexual differences between males and females have been of special interest in the study of systematics/taxonomy, phenotypic evolution, and the farming of different invertebrate and vertebrate taxa including fishes. Sexual differentiation may be a result of natural selection, sexual selection, or a combination of the two. This study aims to examine the microscopic characteristics of scales and rays in the toothcarp Aphaniops sirhani (Cyprinodontiformes: Aphaniidae) that is endemic to Azraq wetland in northeastern Jordan. The study discusses the taxonomic and evolutionary significance of these structures and determines whether they can be used as secondary sexual dimorphism traits. The findings here indicate that the Azraq killifish males of the toothcarp have contact organs that exhibit sexual dimorphism in the form of spicule-like structures in the anal-fin rays and ctenus-like structures in the posterior margin of the scales. The contact organ variations in size, number, and location may offer a taxonomic and evolutionary signal for a deeper comprehension of the aphaniid species.

The Sand Cat (Felis margarita) is a small sized desert felid weighing two to three kg. Sand Cats have a broad head with large eyes, low-set ears, and short limbs. The tail, which can account for about half of the head-body length or 28-38cm (Ghadirian et al., 2016), features two or three rings and a black tip. Sand Cats have dense hair and pads on the soles of their feet that protect against the intense heat and coldness of their habitat, as well as aiding in movement across the Sand. (Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Biology Institute, 2020). It is found in Sand deserts and gravel deserts ranging from the north of Africa to Asia, with the Arabian Peninsula as its central distribution area (Sausman, 1997). It is well adapted to living in arid areas and where temperature changes are extreme ranging from 0C° to 58C° (Sausman, 1997). The Sand Cat is a nocturnal, spending the days in shallow burrows or under vegetation (Ahmad et al., 2016). Its preferred prey consists of small rodents, reptiles and insects. (Abbadi, 1991; Bunnian et al., 1998; Cunningham, 2002).

The novel observation of Ophiocordyceps nutans infecting Erthesina fullo in Kargudi, Tamil Nadu, emphasizes the potential of entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) as natural agents for controlling pests. O. nutans is known for its host spectrum (primarily ants), which now includes a significant pest, the stink bug. This discovery highlights the complex connections in ecosystems and indicates the possibility of utilizing EPF for environmentally friendly pest control. This work suggests more research on the ecological and agricultural impacts of EPF to investigate sustainable pest management techniques and support biodiversity conservation.

specimen of Metafruticicola berytensis (Pfeiffer, 1841) was found in Ajoul Village in the Ramallah district in the occupied Palestinian territories – West Bank with Scalariform.  This is considered the first record of this malformation for this species. This specimen was collected during a survey to study the land snail of the West Bank between 2015 and 2018 by the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability.