Diversity of Mollusca in the Southern Part of the Euphrates River

Abstract

This research paper aims at studying the diversity of Mollusca available in aquatic plants for three stations in the southern part of the Euphrates River; Abu Subatt, Abu Choolana, and al-Khinziri from September 2019 to August 2020. The study has included the calculation of some physiochemical variables at these stations. The results of ANOVA statistical analysis have shown that there were significant differences among stations (p<0.05) as to turbidity, transparency, and nitrates, while no differences between stations were registered as to temperature, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and phosphates. During this study, nine species of Mollusca, of Class Gastropoda in the Euphrates River were recorded. The species Radix auricularia has registered the highest monthly and annual numerical abundance 66.34 – 87.39 %, respectively. The highest population density was recorded on the Ceratophyllum demersum plant, 3.94 ind/m2. As for the environmental indices, it recorded the highest value of diversity in Abu Subatt station was 1.481 during August 2020, the highest value of the richness index was 1.412 during August 2020, and the highest value of the evenness index was 0.971 during September 2019, while the dominance index recorded the highest value of 0.777 during February 2020.