During collection work on the Odra River, Turopolje, at the Sele~ki most site, in September 2005 and July, August and September 2006 a species of aquatic dance flies, Hemerodromia raptoria (Meigen), was recorded for the first time in Croatia. Altogether 10 specimens were collected (5 a, 5 b). This is the second record of this species for the Balkan Peninsula. The species area of distribution has been expanded.
aquatic Empididae, Hemerodromia raptoria, Croatia, Balkan Peninsula
Between 1998 and 2000, microplanktonic and microbenthic algal communities were sampled and analysed in the coastal lake Fiesa and in the Dragonja estuary. The purpose of the investigation was to establish qualitative composition and the relative abundance of algal communities. In 1999 and 2000, basic physical and chemical parameters were measured. Altogether, 159 algal taxa were determined, 83 in the coastal lake Fiesa and 120 in the Dragonja estuary. Most of the taxa belonged to the Bacillariophyceae. Thirty four percent of all taxa were typical brackish taxa. Achnanthes septata, Amphora angusta, Gyrosigma tenuissimum, Gyrosigma wansbeckii and Pleurosigma strigosum (all Bacillariophyceae) were marine species. Brackish and marine taxa were almost exclusively Bacillariophyceae. Nineteen taxa were the first citations for Slovenia, 15 of them belonging to the Bacillariophyceae and four to the Cyanophyceae. Most new taxa belong to the genus Navicula (4).
brackish waters, coastal lake, estuary, periphyton, phytoplankton
During the years 2005 and 2006, 106 butterfly species were identified on Mt. Velebit. The estimated distribution, diversity and biogeographical characteristics of each species are presented in this paper as well as a comparison between recently estimated butterfly fauna and that identified in the past century. Current check-list of 137 butterflies from Mt. Velebit is contained in the Appendix.
butterflies, fauna, distribution, diversity, protection, Mt. Velebit
The critically endangered butterfly Maculinea alcon was found at the locality Grubi{nopoljska Bilogora in August 2006. That is the first finding of this species in the Pannonian part of Croatia and the second in Croatia as a whole. The biology of this critically endangered species is discussed, as well as some aspects of ecology and protection measures.
Maculinea alcon, Grubi{nopoljska Bilogora, distribution, habitat, protection measures
The distribution and morphological variability of the troglobiotic freshwater sponge Eunapius subterraneus Sket & Velikonja, 1984 registered in Croatia as a threatened species in the IUCN category Endangered (EN) was investigated. The research area encompassed Velika and Mala Kapela Mountains as well as the upper catchment area of the Dobra and Mre`nica rivers on the NE side of Velika and Mala Kapela Mountains, mostly in the Ogulin–Pla{ki karst plateau. The species was registered in six localities, three previously known from the literature and three constituting new records: Mandelaja pit and the caves Crna~ka {pilja and Izvor {pilja Gojak. For subspecies identification the morphology and dimensions of megascleres and gemmuloscleres of the collected samples were analyzed. Significant differences among sponge populations were indicated by one- -way ANOVA (p < 0.001) in width and length of megascleres. The subspecies E. s. mollisparspanis Sket & Velikonja, 1984 was found only at its type locality, in the cave Rudnica {pilja VI. The preliminary variability of other populations after discriminant function analysis of measured morphometric parameters such as the width and length of mega- and gemmulo-scleres indicates four groups, but it was not possible to separate them clearly in all cases. Subterranean sponges were not found in two localities known from the past, the ula – Medvedica cave system and the cave [pilja u kamenolomu Tounj, both under great pressure of groundwater habitat changes because of water pollution, river direction changes and habitat destruction.
freshwater sponges, caves, springs, gemmules, spicules, distribution, Croatia Croatian Natural History Museum, Demetrova 1, Zagreb, Croatia 2
