This study documents the first morphologically confirmed and geographically precise record of the moth Ophiusa tirhaca (Cramer, 1775) in southern Iraq, specifically in the Basrah Province. Specimens were collected from an agricultural orchard in the Shatt Al-Arab district and subsequently underwent comprehensive morphological evaluation. The studied morphological characteristics (total body length, wingspan, forewing and hindwing length, antennae length and type, larval length at maturity, pupa length, wing color and spot patterns, and reproductive characteristics) were compared with established taxonomic references to confirm the species identity. This is the first record of O. tirhaca in southern Iraq. Its presence on eucalyptus trees in the southern regions is also concerning, as it could become a major pest of other, more economically important hosts than the larger eucalyptus species.
Ashor Aletby Muslim (Sat,) studied this question.