Research Article

The First Record of Dina sivricensis (Hirudinea: Erpobdellidae) from Duhok Province, Iraq, Based on COI Barcoding

Volume: 10 Number: 1 July 14, 2026
EN TR

The First Record of Dina sivricensis (Hirudinea: Erpobdellidae) from Duhok Province, Iraq, Based on COI Barcoding

Abstract

Erpobdellid leeches are important freshwater predators that frequently pose major taxonomic problems due to their high morphological similarity. Dina Blanchard, 1892, is a genus distributed exclusively throughout Eurasia and has been differentiated from related genera by its mid-body annulation. This study presents the first molecular evidence for Dina sivricensis from Duhok Province, Iraq. Recently recorded as a new species from Türkiye, D. sivricensis is distinguished by its small cylindrical body and unique reproductive organs, including a small spherical atrium and an ellipsoidal atrial cornea. Species identification was verified using cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) barcoding. The sequence obtained in this study (PZ144795) showed 95%–97% similarity to reference sequences of D. sivricensis, which were deposited under accession numbers MH013409 and MG949122 in GenBank. This study has recorded D. sivricensis from Iraq, thereby extending its known geographic range and contributing to the recorded diversity of erpobdellids in Iraq.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

Ethics committee approval is not required for this study.

References

  1. Ali, L.A., & Jawair, H.J. (2013). First Record of Dina Lineata (Hirudinea: Erpobdellidae) in Greater Zab River Kurdistan Region-Iraq. Science Journal of University of Zakho, 1(1), 207–209.
  2. Bilal, S., Ali, L., Abdullah, L., Khailany, R., Dhahir, S., & Abdullah, S. (2017). First record of leech Dina punctata (Annelida: Erpobdellidae) from Lesser Zab River in northern Iraq: Morphological and molecular investigation. Jordan Journal of Biological Science, 10(2), 69–72.
  3. Folmer, O., Black, M., Hoeh, W., Lutz, R., & Vrijenhoek, R. (1994). DNA primers for amplification of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I from diverse metazoan invertebrates. Molecular Marine Biology and Biotechnology, 3(5), 294–299.
  4. Kimura, M. (1980). A simple method for estimating evolutionary rates of base substitutions through comparative studies of nucleotide sequences. Journal of Molecular Evolution, 16(2), 111–120. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf01731581
  5. Kutschera, U. (2003). The feeding strategies of the leech Erpobdella octoculata (L.): A laboratory study. International Review of Hydrobiology, 88(1), 94–101.
  6. Nei, M., & Kumar, S. (2000). Molecular evolution and phylogenetics. Oxford university press.
  7. Nesemann, H., & Neubert, E. (1994). New data to the leeches of the subfamily Trochetinae (Hirudinea, Erpobdellidae). Miscellanea Zoologica Hungarica, 9, 19–28.
  8. Nesemann, H., & Neubert, E. (1999). Annelida, Clitellata: Branchiobdellida, Acanthobdellea, Hirudinea. In J. Schwoerbel & P. Zwick (Eds.), Süßwasserfauna von Mitteleuropa (Vol. 6/2, pp. 1–178). Spektrum Akademischer Verlag.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Animal Systematics and Taxonomy

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

July 14, 2026

Submission Date

June 6, 2026

Acceptance Date

July 3, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 10 Number: 1

APA
Kachel, H., Omer, I., Sadeeq, B., Ali, F., & Saglam, N. (2026). The First Record of Dina sivricensis (Hirudinea: Erpobdellidae) from Duhok Province, Iraq, Based on COI Barcoding. Commagene Journal of Biology, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.31594/commagene.1964163
AMA
1.Kachel H, Omer I, Sadeeq B, Ali F, Saglam N. The First Record of Dina sivricensis (Hirudinea: Erpobdellidae) from Duhok Province, Iraq, Based on COI Barcoding. Comm. J. Biol. 2026;10(1). doi:10.31594/commagene.1964163
Chicago
Kachel, Hamid, Imad Omer, Barwar Sadeeq, Farhad Ali, and Naim Saglam. 2026. “The First Record of Dina Sivricensis (Hirudinea: Erpobdellidae) from Duhok Province, Iraq, Based on COI Barcoding”. Commagene Journal of Biology 10 (1). https://doi.org/10.31594/commagene.1964163.
EndNote
Kachel H, Omer I, Sadeeq B, Ali F, Saglam N (July 1, 2026) The First Record of Dina sivricensis (Hirudinea: Erpobdellidae) from Duhok Province, Iraq, Based on COI Barcoding. Commagene Journal of Biology 10 1
IEEE
[1]H. Kachel, I. Omer, B. Sadeeq, F. Ali, and N. Saglam, “The First Record of Dina sivricensis (Hirudinea: Erpobdellidae) from Duhok Province, Iraq, Based on COI Barcoding”, Comm. J. Biol., vol. 10, no. 1, July 2026, doi: 10.31594/commagene.1964163.
ISNAD
Kachel, Hamid - Omer, Imad - Sadeeq, Barwar - Ali, Farhad - Saglam, Naim. “The First Record of Dina Sivricensis (Hirudinea: Erpobdellidae) from Duhok Province, Iraq, Based on COI Barcoding”. Commagene Journal of Biology 10/1 (July 1, 2026). https://doi.org/10.31594/commagene.1964163.
JAMA
1.Kachel H, Omer I, Sadeeq B, Ali F, Saglam N. The First Record of Dina sivricensis (Hirudinea: Erpobdellidae) from Duhok Province, Iraq, Based on COI Barcoding. Comm. J. Biol. 2026;10. doi:10.31594/commagene.1964163.
MLA
Kachel, Hamid, et al. “The First Record of Dina Sivricensis (Hirudinea: Erpobdellidae) from Duhok Province, Iraq, Based on COI Barcoding”. Commagene Journal of Biology, vol. 10, no. 1, July 2026, doi:10.31594/commagene.1964163.
Vancouver
1.Hamid Kachel, Imad Omer, Barwar Sadeeq, Farhad Ali, Naim Saglam. The First Record of Dina sivricensis (Hirudinea: Erpobdellidae) from Duhok Province, Iraq, Based on COI Barcoding. Comm. J. Biol. 2026 Jul. 1;10(1). doi:10.31594/commagene.1964163