We investigated the preference of Cave molly males to associate with a receptive or a non-receptive female while body contact was prevented but water-borne cues were allowed to reach the male. Both in light and in darkness, males did not prefer the receptive female. Water-borne chemical cues (pheromones) seem to be absent or they are not detected/used by males, respectively.
Poeciliidae, sexual cycle, pheromones, cave fish
This paper discusses the complexity of the determination and taxonomy of Palaeogene fossil floras from Slovenia (village of Socka, north of Celje; Sava folds in Central Slovenia) and Croatia (Central Dalmatia – Mt Promina). One of the most important problems presented by the determination of individual species of fossil leaves is connected with the complex classification (species, genus and family) of traditional determinations of architecture and leaf morphology and also of cuticular studies. In this case, the problems are related to the determination of some fossil leaves and the morphological similarities inside some families, genera or species and among some families. This is related to conifers (Cupressaceae, Taxodiaceae, Araucariaceae), laurels (similarities among themselves and between some families), the families Myricaceae, Moraceae, Rhamnaceae, Proteaceae, Sapotaceae and »Leguminosae« type of leaves. In spite of these problems general palaeobotanical conclusions are very close to composition of classic Palaeogene palaeo-phytoassociations.
determination, taxonomy, palaeogene, macroflora, Slovenia, Croatia
The mixed oak forest located near the town of Motovun is a well-known white truffle (Tuber magnatum Pico) producing area of the Istria region. Motovun Forest covers a 900-ha area in the fluvial plain of the Mirna River, which flows into the Adriatic Sea through a hilly landscape originating in a sedimentary sequence of a Triassic-Eocene carbonatic platform and Eocene-Oligocene Flysch turbidites. T. magnatum production has been decreasing in the last 10 years and a study was specifically performed in an attempt to explain this. Productive soils of the valley bottom were compared with unproductive soils on the slopes, the latter being drier, thinner and more developed than the former. T. magnatum carpophores are not found all over the fluvial plain and Motovun Forest was further subdivided into productive, unproductive and occasionally productive areas. All soils of the valley bottom were thick and continuously rejuvenated by the frequent arrival of fine sediments from slopes, but only unproductive ones were characterized by water saturation in some periods of the year. The soil comparison proved the need of T. magnatum for an alkaline, moist, very well drained and aerated soil environment. Moreover, soils suitable for T. magnatum should be neither too dry nor too moist. In Motovun Forest, the decrease in production has been taking place in conjunction with public works that have modified the hydraulic equilibrium of the area causing an overall drying of the forest soil.
Tuber magnatum, soil, Motovun forest, Croatia
Pitfall samples were taken during summer 2003 in 25 habitats of the Baranya triangle (Croatia) to describe the isopod fauna. The 125 traps caught a total of 2,808 isopods belonging to 11 species: Haplophthalmus danicus, Hyloniscus riparius, Platyarthrus hoffmannseggii, Cylisticus convexus, Porcellium collicola, Protracheoniscus politus, Trachelipus ratzeburgii, Trachelipus nodulosus, Trachelipus rathkii, Armadillidium vulgare and Armadillidium zenckeri. The most characteristic species of the area are A. vulgare, T. rathkii, P. collicola and H. riparius. The composition of the isopod assemblage proved to be similar to that in the Hungarian part of the Drava lowland.
Oniscidea, Isopoda, woodlice, isopod assemblages, pitfall traps, species composi- tion, regional distribution, Croatia
Hauptmannia pseudolongicollis, H. stanislavae, H. silesiacus, Grandjeanella multisetosa, Leptus josifovi, Erythraeus (Zaracarus) budapestensis, Charletonia bucephalia, C. dalegori, C. krendowskyi, Phanolophus oedipodarum, Balaustium nikae, Eutrombidium trigonum and E. robauxi are new to the fauna of Croatia. Erythraeus (Zaracarus) sibuljinicus n. sp. belongs to the group of species having basifemoral, setal formula 3-3-3, Charletonia zorani n. sp. belongs to the group of species with four setae between coxae II and III and Trombidium botovicus n. sp. belongs to the group of species with narrow and nude hypostomalae are described. Additional measurements for L. josifovi, E. (Z.) budapestensis, C. dalegori and P. oedipodarum are given.
Acari, Prostigmata, Erythraeidae, Trombidiidae, Eutrombidiidae, new records, new species, Croatia
Machaerites udrzali sp. nov., a new cavernicolous species of the tribe Bythinini from Croatia, Plitvice, Rodi}eva pe}ina is described and illustrated; the systematic position of the species is discussed.
Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae, Bythinini, Machaerites udrzali sp. nov., taxo- nomy, cavernicolous, Croatia
This is a contribution to the knowledge of troglobiont snails of the genus Zospeum Bourguignat 1856 (Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Ellobiidae) of the karst region in Croatia. Records of the various taxa are listed and a UTM distributional map of Croatia is presented. Six species and two subspecies were found.
Gastropoda, Ellobiidae, Carychiinae, Zospeum, troglobiont snails, distribution, ca- ves, Croatia
In field research into the Tela{}ica Nature Park (Dugi otok, Croatia), 38 species of terrestrial snails were determined. Of these, only 14 taxa had been recorded in the literature. Among the species, particularly prominent were the narrowly endemic Delima edmibrani [tamol et Slapnik, 2002 the range of which is restricted exclusively to the borders of the Park, the endemic Agathylla lamellosa (Schubert et Wagner, 1829), which has so far been known from South Dalmatia and Montenegro, Testacella scutulum G. B. Sowerby I, 1820, for which Tela{}ica is the second and at the same time the most southerly site in Croatia, the endemic Chondrina spelta ventilatoris (Westerlund, 1875), for which this is the westernmost finding site, and Paralaoma servilis (Schuttleworth, 1852), for which this is the sixth site recorded in Croatia. Because of the many visitors whose movements represent a potential threat to the habitats of endemic species, it is proposed that this area be protected.
terrestrial snails, the island of Dugi otok, Croatia [tamol, V.: Kopneni pu`evi (Mollusca: Gastropoda terrestria) Parka prirode »Tela{}ica« (Dugi
