BackgroundThe mobility of birds across or between continents exposes them to numerous vectors that have the potential to transmit pathogens and spread them into new regions. A combination of rich species diversity of birds along with the small amount of molecular studies in Iran makes observing the blood parasite distribution in wild avian populations indispensable for further estimation and administration of blood parasites.Methodology/Principal findingsIn order to evaluate the infection rate and molecular context of avian blood parasites, bird samples were collected (passerine = 316 and non-passerine = 14) in eight provinces of northern Iran between June to September 2015 and 2016. All bird samples were examined for haematoprotozoan infections by morphological screening using light microscope and mtDNA cytb gene amplification. A total of 115 birds were positive for blood parasites by molecular approach (34.84% overall infection). The infection rate of Haemoproteus, Plasmodium, and Leucocytozoon were 33.03%, 1.21%, and 0.6%, respectively. Sequences analysis has detected 43 lineages in Iranian birds’ hosts. Lineages were attributed to three genera Haemoproteus (n = 37), Plasmodium (n = 4), and Leucocytozoon (n = 2), of which 23 lineages fully matched previously recorded sequences in GenBank and MalAvi data reciprocities. Five lineages of ACDUM1, ACDUM2, PARUS1, PYERY01, and SISKIN1 were detected in multiple hosts’ species from dissimilar families. In Bayesian tree, all sequences were clustered in three main monophyletic clades as Haemoproteus, Plasmodium, and Leucocytozoon genera.Conclusions/SignificanceAs the first study outlining the molecular detection of hematozoa of passerines from Iran, the current study has recorded 20 new lineages for three genera of Haemoproteus, Plasmodium, and Leucocytozoon. Additional investigations into these taxa in the avifauna for the other parts of Iran may provide extra information on blood parasites, hosts relationships and distribution patterns.

An updated checklist of the scorpiofauna of Iran is presented. The checklist is based on records of scorpion species which their presence have been confirmed in Iran through field expeditions, examination of scorpion collections, literature review, and personal communications with researchers. According to the presented checklist the scorpion fauna of Iran consists of 68 valid species (41 endemic to Iran) belonging to 19 genera and four families and 6 doubtful reports (belong family Buthidae). Hemiscorpius gaillardi (Vachon, 1974) and Compsobuthus jakesi Kovařík, 2003 reported for the first time from Hormozgan province. Odontobuthus tavighiae Navidpour et al., 2013 collected for the first time from Fars province. Kraepelinia palpator (Birula, 1903) and O. tirgari Mirshamsi et al., 2013 were new records for South Khorasan province fauna. The list is dominated by members of the family Buthidae (58 species) with 85.3% of total species. The level of regional endemism exceeds 60.3%. A dichotomic identification key to the Iranian species on the basis of a DELTA database has been provided.

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The existence of substantial morphological variation has resulted in the description of numerous subspecies of the cosmopolitan barn owl, Tyto alba. However, preliminary studies have revealed a high degree of genetic variation between Old and New World barn owls, suggesting that the T. alba complex may consist of several species. We present a comprehensive study of its taxonomy and propose a spatiotemporal framework to explain the origin and patterns of dispersal and diversification within these cosmopolitan owls. We used a Bayesian relaxed molecular clock approach to assess the timing of diversification. To evaluate the biogeographical pattern, we considered dispersal in addition to temporal connectivity between areas. Finally, we used ecological niche modelling to evaluate their ecological niches. Our phylogenetic analyses suggest that barn owls of the Old and New World show a high degree of genetic divergence, and the barn owls of South and South‐east Asia (Tyto alba stertens and Tyto alba javanica) cluster with the Australian barn owl Tyto delicatula. We propose to treat the T. alba complex as three species: T. alba (Africa, Europe), Tyto furcata (New World), and Tyto javanica (Australasia). The dating analyses indicate that the early divergence among the species of the T. alba complex took place in the Middle Miocene and we hypothesize that a common ancestor of the T. alba complex lived in Africa. A potential scenario suggests that T. alba dispersed to Europe and south‐western Asia during the interglacial periods of the Miocene/Pliocene, and dispersed into the New World either via an eastern Asian route or a western north Atlantic one.