Scientific breakthrough: New spider found in Iraq

Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, Dhi Qar University confirmed the discovery of a new spider species in southern Iraq, identified through joint research with Finland’s University of Turku.

The species, Eresus urus Al-Yacoub & Zamani, 2025, was recorded by Assistant Professor Ghassan Adnan and Dr. Alireza Zamani, and named after the ancient Mesopotamian city of Ur.

According to the university, specimens were collected from al-Shatra and al-Nasiriyah in Dhi Qar province. The spider is classified within the ladybird spider group.

The university described the discovery as “a meaningful addition to biodiversity science,” stressing the need for further research in underexplored habitats.

The findings appeared in the British journal Arachnology, which featured the research on its cover. The species has also been registered in the World Spider Catalog, a Sweden-based global taxonomy database.