Publications

Books

 Jablonski, D., Ahmed, S. H., Ararat, K., Majeed, S. I., Ahmad, S. A. (2025). Snakes of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main, Germany: 352 pp. 

Ahmed, S. H. & Majeed, S. I. (2026). Mammals of Bamo-Khoshk Mountain. American University of Iraq-Sulaimani. ISBN: 9789922900735 . 76 PP. (in English &Kurdish).

Journal Papers 

  2026

• Majeed, K. A., Khwarahm, N. R., Ahmed, S. H. & Al-Sheikhly, O. F. (2026). Assessing the current and future habitat suitability of the endangered Syrian brown bear in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region under climate change scenarios. Journal for Nature Conservation 92, 127229. 

2025

• Ameen, S . M., Hassan P. B., Ahmed S. H., Ameen M. S. S., Hamad S. H. & Omer K. M. 2025. Exploring the novel paper wasp (Parapolybia escalerae) honey for green synthesis of silver nanoparticles with antibacterial properties. Scientific Reports 15, 34171.

• Jablonski, D & Ahmed, S. H. (2025). Unusual defensive behaviour combination recorded in Bufotes viridis (Laurenti, 1768). Herpetology Notes 18, 793–795.

• Al-Sheikhly, O. F., Ahmed, S. H., Ararat, K., Abdulzahra, H. K., Böhme, W., Jablonski, D. (2025). First documented record of Pseudocerastes persicus (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854) (Squamata, Viperidae) from Iraq. Check List 21 (3), 635-639.

2024

• Ahmed, S. H. & Majeed, S. I. (2024). New record of a rare robber fly Stiphrolamyra pleskei (Becker, 1913) (Diptera: Asilidae: Asilinae) for Kurdistan, Iraq . Zootaxa, 5543(1), 141-144

• Ahmed, S. H., Krupitsky, A. V., & Majeed, S. I. (2024). Two lycaenid butterfly species (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) recorded as new for the fauna of Iraq. Zootaxa, 5537(1), 147-150. 

• Ahmed, S. H., Ararat, K., & Al-Sheikhly, O. F. (2024). New localities with first breeding record of the Eurasian lynx

in Kurdistan Region, Iraq. Cat News, 80, 12-13.

• Jablonski, D. & Ahmed, S. H. (2024). The first record of the rarely observed rat snake, Elaphe urartica Jablonski et al., 2019 (Squamata, Colubridae) for Iraq. Herpetozoa, 37, 73-76. 

• Al-Sheikhly, O. F., Ahmed, S. H., Majeed, S. I., Kryštufek, B., Yusefi, G. H., & Ararat, K. (2024). Brandt’s Hedgehog, Paraechinus hypomelas (Brandt, 1836), new to the mammal fauna of Iraq. Mammalia, 88(2), 133-138. 

 2023

• Böhme, W., Ahmed, S. H., Al-Sheikhly, O. F., Ararat, K., Auer, M., Khudur, F. A., & Langner, C. (2023). Desert Monitor Lizards (Squamata: Varanidae: Varanus: Psammosaurus) from the Middle East: Further Records of Nesterov’s Desert Monitor, Varanus (P.) nesterovi Böhme, Ehrlich, Milto, Orlov et Scholz, 2015, from Iraq, and Adjacent Localities of Varanus (P.) g. griseus (Daudin, 1803) and Varanus (P.) g. caspius (Eichwald, 1831), with Comments on Biogeography and Taxonomy. Russian Journal of Herpetology, 30(6), 518-528. 

• Majeed, K. A., Khwarahm, N. R., & Ahmed, S. H. (2023). Predicting the geographical distribution of the Persian leopard, Panthera pardus tulliana, a rare and endangered species. Journal for Nature Conservation, 76, 126505. 

• Jablonski, D., & Ahmed, S. H. (2023). Re-evaluating first impressions: Melanism in Hemorrhois nummifer (Reuss, 1834) from Kurdistan Region, Iraq. Zoology in the Middle East, 69(3), 243-247. 

• Ahmed, S. H., & Ali, W. K. (2023). Antimicrobial Activities of Thirteen Insect Species Crude Body Extract Against Some Microbial Pathogens. Zanco Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences, 35(2), 153-159. 

• Ahmed, S. H., & Majeed, S. I. (2023). Population estimate and conservation status of the Persian Leopard, Panthera pardus tulliana, in the Bamo and Khoshk Mountains in Kurdistan Region, northern Iraq. Zoology in the Middle East, 69(2), 79-86. 

• Ali, W. K., Ameen, S. M., & Ahmed, S. H. (2023). New Record and Observations of Parapolybia escalerae (Meade-Waldo, 1911)(Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Polistinae) in Kurdistan, Iraq. Zootaxa, 5230(1), 97-100. 

2022

• Al-Sheikhly, O., Ararat, K., & Ahmed, S. H. (2022). New records for the first time in six decades of the Vulnerable Marbled Polecat Vormela peregusna in Iraq. Small Carnivore Conservation, 60. 

2021

• Lupoli, R., Ahmed, S. H., Ahmad, S. A., & Ararat, K. (2021). First record of Graphosoma melanoxanthum Horváth, 1903 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) in Kurdistan Iraq. Heteroptera Poloniae – Acta Faunistica (15), 139-140.

• Ahmed, S. H., & Al-Sheikhly, O. F. (2021). First record of Blanford’s Fox Vulpes cana (Blanford, 1877) from Iraq. Mammalia, 85(5), 412-416. 

• Böhme , W., Ahmes S. A.,Abdulzahra, H. K., Ararat, K., Haba, M.K., Ahmed, S. H.,  Al-Sheikhly, O. F. (2021) First definite records of two snake species (Squamata: Serpentes: Colubridae et Viperidae) new for Iraq. Sauria 43(4), 86-92. 

2020

• Ahmed, S. H., & Majeed, S. I. (2020). Monitoring of the wild mammal fauna in Bamo Mountain in northern Iraq (Kurdistan) for the first time using camera trap method and raising awareness for its conservation. Bulletin of the Iraq Natural History Museum (P-ISSN: 1017-8678, E-ISSN: 2311-9799), 16(2), 161-172. 

• Khudhur, F. A., & Ahmed, S. H. (2020). New distribution records of the genus Saga Charpentier, 1825 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Saginae) from Iraq. Zootaxa, 4894(2), Zootaxa-4894. 

• Khudhur, F. A., & Ahmed, S. H. (2020). Perisomena caecigena (Kupido, 1825) in Sulaymaniyah, a saturniid moth new to Iraq (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae). Zoology in the Middle East, 66(4), 375–376. 

• Al-Sheikhly, O. F. & S.H. Ahmed – 2020. A rare observation of a wild goat Capra aegagrus with unusual coat-colour in northern Iraq (Kurdistan). Caprinae News 1/2020: 12-13.