RESEARCH NOTES ON RECORDING SOME RARE VERTEBRATES FROM KURDISTAN, IRAQ

A mounted specimen of a mustelid animaldeposited in the Kurdistan Museum of Natural History, Salahaddin University, Erbil proved to be Mustela erminea(Linnaeus, 1758) and represents a new record for the mammalian fauna of Iraq. Its measurements and some biological noted are provided. Also, two passerine birds; the Red-headed bunting, Emberiza brunicepsBrandt, 1841(Family,Emberizidae)and the Variable wheatear, Oenanthe picata(Blyth, 1847)(Family,Muscicapidae)were recorded for the first time in Iraq. Furthermore, the tree frog Hyla savignyiAudouin, 1829was found in two locations north east of Iraq with spotted dorsum andhaving interesting behaviorin having the capability of body inflation and hiding the head downward.