During a light-trap moth survey on 21st June 2012 in the northern part of Istria, between the villages of Valica and Sveta Marija na Krasu, two individuals of the box tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis, were caught. This is the first Croatian record of this invasive species. Following the recent records from Slovenia and Hungary, this observation from Croatia indicates the spread of the species towards southern Europe.
box tree moth, invasive species, Istria, Croatia
This paper provides literature review data for Lutraria angustior Philippi, 1844 and Lutraria oblonga (Gmelin, 1791) in the eastern Adriatic Sea as well as new findings for this species. One bivalve specimen of L. angustior from the area of Vrulja (between Omi{ and Makarska) was collected by I. Bilopavlovi}, one subfossil specimen and two single shells were collected by . Igli} in Novsko `drilo. D. Margu{ found shells of L. oblonga at the river Krka mouth, @. Krstini} three living specimens in the vicinity of Rab Island, and . Igli} two subfossil specimens in Ljuba~ Strait.
Bivalves, Lutraria angustior, Lutraria oblonga, Adriatic Sea
Changes are proposed in Croatian land snail names for the taxa Hiltrudia H. Nordsieck, 1983, Hiltrudia kusmici (Clessin, 1887), Hiltrudia mathildae (Westerlund, 1881) and Dilataria marcki (Zelebor, 1868). Also, the first Croatian names are proposed for the land snail taxa Strobilopsidae Pilsbry, 1918, Spelaeodiscinae Steenberg, 1925, Virpazaria E. Gittenberger, 1969, Virpazaria (Virpazaria) E. Gittenberger, 1969, Virpazaria (V.) pageti E. Gittenberger, 1969, Virpazaria (V.) pageti alexanderi Reischütz & Subai, 2012 and V. (V.) pageti kleteckii [tamol & Subai, 2012.
land snails, Croatia, Croatian names, common names, Strobilopsidae, Spelaeodiscinae, Virpazaria, Dilataria, Hiltrudia [tamol, V., Vukovi}, M. & Klete~ki, E.: Hrvatska imena kopnenih pu`eva (Mollusca: Gastro-
Meerkats (Suricata suricatta) are small, cooperative, carnivorous mammals that engage in sentinel behaviour in which an individual keeps guard from an elevated post while the rest of the group is foraging. I present the first quantitative description of where and how high meerkats guard.
sentinel behaviour, sentinel post, vigilance, meerkat
New localities of some rare and floristically interesting species in the Dinaric Mountains are listed in the paper. Daphne cneorum L. was previously found in the hinterland mountains of the town of Rijeka, Paeonia mascula (L.) Mill. on Mt Velebit, Rhamnus pumila Turra on Mt Obru~ and Mt Risnjak, Sorbus chamaemespilus (L.) Crantz on Mt Obru~ and Mt Velebit, and Salix waldsteiniana Willd. on Mt Risnjak.
Dinaric Mountains, Obru~, Risnjak, Velebit, Croatia
During a butterfly inventory from 2005 to 2012 on Mt Dinara along the transect from Knin to the Sinjal peak (1831 m a.s.l.), 116 species were found. There are 23 newly-found species for the Mt Dinara area, and 7 species have not been confirmed. With 130 registered species this area is a hot spot of butterfly diversity. 15 species belong to Alpine elements, but in comparison with other better investigated Dinaric mountains, Ponto-Mediterranean oreal species are more numerous than Euro/Alpine species.
Butterflies, Mt Dinara, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina
This paper represents the first systematic butterfly checklist of the surrounding area of Karlovac. The research into butterfly fauna diversity was carried out during the period 2001-2007. Sixty four butterfly species were recorded. Adding species from literature sources, the total number on checklist rises to 74, representing 37.95% of the butterfly fauna of Croatia. Forty eight butterfly species were recorded for the first time in this area, and ten species from older literature sources need to be confirmed in future surveys. Records of species are noted with sites and dates of findings. Faunistic and biogeographical analyses were made, as well as a short overview of threats, legislative protection and habitat preferences of the species.
butterflies, fauna, biogeography, habitat, protection, Karlovac [pani}, R.: Fauna danjih leptira (Papilionoidea & Hesperioidea) okolice Karlovca, Hrvatska.
Field surveys of Kornati National Park (northern Dalmatia, Croatia) revealed the presence of 39 terrestrial snail species, excluding slugs. Prominent finds included Agathylla lamellosa (J. A. Wagner, 1829), for which this is the second find within the recently discovered northern part of its disjunctive range, Delima vidovichii robusta (Küster, 1847), for which the find in the Kornati archipelago is its northernmost location, about 50 km outside its previously known range, Lauria sempronii (Charpentier, 1837), which has only five localities in Croatia and Delima albocincta albocincta (L. Pfeiffer, 1841), which is endemic to the broader Kornati region. The literature listed 15 species, of which only Lindholmiola corcyrensis (Rossmässler, 1838) was not confirmed. We believe that this species does not inhabit the Kornati islands, but was instead washed up by the sea. Agriculture, tourism and development within Kornati National Park currently pose no threat to terrestrial snails but efforts should be made to ensure that this state is maintained or improved in the future, primary concern being directed to ensuring that the localities and habitats of rare species are not destroyed.
land snails, Kornati National Park, Croatia [tamol, V., Klete~ki, E. & Vukovi}, M.: Prilog poznavanju kopnenih pu`eva (Mollusca: Gastropoda terrestria) Nacionalnog parka Kornati (Hrvatska). Nat. Croat., Vol. 21, No. 2., 427–454, 2012, Zagreb. Terenskim istra`ivanjem Nacionalnog parka Kornati (sjeverna Dalmacija, Hrvatska) na|eno je 39 vrsta kopnenih pu`eva s ku}icom. Me|u njima isti~u se Agathylla lamellosa (J. A. Wagner, 1829), je ovo drugi nalaz unutar nedavno otkrivenog sjevernog dijela disjunktnog areala, Delima kojoj vidovichii robusta (Küster, 1847), koja na Kornatima ima najsjevernije nalazi{te udaljeno oko 50 km od dosada poznatog areala, Lauria sempronii (Charpentier, 1837), kojoj bi ovo bilo tek 5 nalazi{te u Hrvatskoj, te Delima albocincta albocincta (L. Pfeiffer, 1841), endem {ireg podru~ja Kornata. U literaturi je bilo zabilje`eno 15 vrsta, od kojih nije potvr|en nalaz svojte Lindholmiola corcyrensis (Rossmässler, 1838). Smatramo da ona ne obitava na Kornatima, ve} da je tamo naplavljena morem. Poljoprivredne, turisti~ke i urbanisti~ke aktivnosti unutar Nacionalnog parka Kornati zasada ne ugro`avaju faunu kopnenih pu`eva. Trebalo bi omogu}iti da se takvo stanje ubudu}e odr`i ili pobolj{a, a prvenstveno treba paziti da se nalazi{ta i stani{ta rijetkih vrsta ne uni{te.
Drusus chrysotus is a cold water stenotherm species inhabiting spring reaches and headwaters of mountain streams. It has a disjunct distribution range covering mountain ranges across central Europe, and has now been recorded for the first time in Croatia, in the Gorski kotar region, thus extending its distribution range to the Dinaric Western Balkan ecoregion (sensu Illies, 1978). D. chrysotus was collected at the spring of the Dobra River, which is heavily impacted by human activity. Due to the specific aquatic insect fauna of this spring, conservation and prevention of further habitat alteration of this section of the Dobra River should be a priority for the local community.
Gorski kotar, disjunct distribution, cold water stenotherm, conservation
In the years 2007 and 2008 an orthopterological investigation was carried out in the Papuk Mountain, northeastern Croatia. We found altogether 64 species in the 81 sampling sites investigated. Five species, Isophya modestior, Poecilimon affinis, Poecilimon fussii, Pseudopodisma fieberi and Xya pfaendleri are new to the Croatian Orthoptera fauna.
Croatia, Orthoptera fauna, new data, Papuk Mountain
We analyzed 17 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and 7 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in blubber, liver, muscle, lung, heart and kidney of an adult male short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) found dead stranded on the island of Cres (Croatia) in 2004. The PCB profile was dominated by hexachlorobiphenyls (39.4 – 63.2% of SPCB), with PCB-153 exhibiting the highest concentrations across all tissues. The pattern of PCB tissue distribution (SPCB) showed the highest burdens in blubber >> liver > kidney > heart > muscle > lung, which were positively correlated with tissue lipid content (rs = 0.986, p < 0.01). Among OCPs, HCB and SDDT exhibited the same distribution between tissues, correlated with the tissue lipids (rs = 0.985 and 0.986, respectively, p < 0.01). Total HCHs showed highest levels in muscle > blubber > liver > kidney > lung > heart, with no correlation to tissue lipid content (p > 0.05). Total DDTs were lower than total PCB levels for all tissues, with SPCB/SDDTs ratios ranging from 1.3 in blubber to 5.9 in muscles. Blubber OC burdens recorded in our specimen were among the highest found in a dolphin in the Mediterranean after the year 2000. This result and the presence of mono-ortho substituted PCBs with dioxin-like toxicity in all our samples may present an additional factor of concern for the conservation of regional dolphin populations.
cetaceans, common dolphin, PCB congeners, organochlorine pesticides, Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean Sea * corresponding author, e-mail: Drasko.Holcer@hpm.hr Croatian Natural History Museum, Demetrova 1, Zagreb, Croatia 392
The results of floristic investigation into the most representative plant community of Acer opalus subsp. obtusatum growing on Gargano Promontory (Apulia, Italy) are presented. The taxon is in the Regional Red List of plants of Apulia, with lower risk (LR). In all, 126 taxa were recorded, exsiccata of which were stored in the Herbarium Horti Botanici Barensis (BI), while 15 of them are considered important from a conservation point of view. For these species a detailed account is provided.
floristic investigations, Acer opalus subsp. obtusatum, Gargano Promontory, Apulia Region
Chouardia lakusicii ([ili}) Speta, a very rare species in the Croatian flora, was discovered during a study of the karstic flora on the Torac and Ivanova lazina mountains above the villages of Majkovi and Mravinjac, northeast of the village of Slano (Southern Dalmatia, Croatia). Previously, this species in Croatia had been only described in one locality, north of Mt. Biokovo (the Zabiokovlje area). The present specimens were recorded at elevations of 720 – 780 m, within open rocky limestone and in the crevices in limestone blocks. The populations showed good viability. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature methods for threat assessment, we propose that Ch. lakusicii should be included in the category of vulnerable taxa (VU; criteria A3C, B2A, b (ii, v)) and included in the national red list.
Chouardia lakusicii, distribution, new localities, threat assessment, Croatia
The process of urbanization is one of the most extreme forms of anthropogenic habitat modification. Negative trends and their effects on the one hand, and concern for the preservation of biodiversity and quality of city life on the other, are the initiators of urban flora research. The flora of urban areas in Croatia has not been the subject of sustained research and therefore floristic records for most of the larger cities are unknown. The research area is located in northwest Croatia in the city of Zagreb, on the right bank of the Sava River. In the area of Konopljenka and Pi{korovo a total of 351 taxa of vascular plants belonging to 81 families were recorded. Seven of them (2%) were pteridophytes (Equisetidae), two of them (0.6%) gymnosperms (Pinidae), and others were angiosperms (Magnoliidae). Among angiosperms, 71 taxa (20.2%) belong to monocotyledons (superorder Lilianae) and the other 271 taxa (77.2%) from 65 families belong to other superorders of angiosperms. Families with the highest number of taxa are Poaceae (11.4%), Asteraceae (9.1%), Fabaceae (7.4%), Lamiaceae (5.7%) and Rosaceae (5.4%). Phytogeographical analysis showed that the Eurasian geoelement predominated (30.1%), followed by cosmopolites (27%). The most common life forms are hemicryptophytes (48.1%), therophytes (22.2%) and phanerophytes (11.4%). Among recorded taxa 22 are invasive alien species (6.3%), two taxa (0.57%) are threatened and 64 taxa (18.2%) are under legal protection. If we compare the number of species per unit area and proportion of protected and threatened species with the results of similar floristic researches in central and north Croatia we can conclude that it is a relatively rich floristic area.
urban flora, invasive species, Konopljenka, Pi{korovo, Zagreb, Croatia
The species Damasonium polyspermum Coss. (Alismataceae) was first recorded in Croatia in 1994 in Jezera on the island of Murter. The species was discovered in September 2011, and confirmed in June 2012, at the pond Bunari, near Krka National Park. According to the Habitats Directive, this pond belongs to the priority habitat type 3170 *Mediterranean temporary ponds. It is used for watering livestock, which maintains an open habitat necessary for this species. As a very rare and threatened species, D. polyspermum should be included in the Red List of vascular flora of Croatia as an endangered species: EN B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v).
rare species, threatened species, IUCN, Red List, Mediterranean temporary ponds, Habitats Directive, NATURA 2000
This study presents the results of floristic research into a flat fen along a part of the Jarak stream in @umberak-Samoborsko gorje Nature Park. This fen belongs to order Caricetalia davallianae Br.-Bl. 1949, alliance Caricio davallianae Klika 1934, association Eriophoro latifolio-Caricetum panicae Horvat ex Trinajsti} 2002. The area was researched in 2007/2008 and it was divided into four subareas: fen and three succession stages, Phragmites subarea, transitional stage between common reed (Phragmites australis) and young forest, and young forest. During the winter period of the research the overgrowing woody vegetation on three subareas was cut, because that action should prevent further succession and help the restoration of the fen. The following year, floristic changes were monitored. Recorded plants were taxonomically analyzed and ecological indicator values according to Landolt were calculated. During this study 222 plant species were found, out of which 15 were endangered (according to IUCN categorization) and 59 protected or strictly protected in Croatia. The summarized ecological indicator values according to Landolt showed only minor differences between the subareas, out of which only the young forest subarea stood out. The removal of the plants resulted in low floristic changes, present mostly in the young forest subarea, where species of open habitats enlarged their abundance, but no characteristic fen species were recorded. It is concluded that the fen along the stream Jarak should be protected, because of its rare vegetation type, but also because of the endangered and protected species found in this area. It is also necessary to carry out regular removal of overgrowing vegetation from all the subareas and multiple mowing to protect the fen and even enlarge its surface.
fen, @umberak-Samoborsko gorje Nature Park, flora, preservation, protection, ma- nagement [o{tari}, R., Sedlar, Z. & Marekovi}, S.: Ugro`eni bazofilni cret uz potok Jarak (Park prirode @umberak-Samoborsko gorje, Hrvatska). Nat. Croat., Vol. 21, No. 2., 335–348, 2012, Zagreb. U ovom radu su prikazani rezultati floristi~kog istra`ivanja bazofilnog ravnog creta uz dio potoka Jarak, u Parku prirode @umberak-Samoborsko gorje. Ovaj cret pripada redu Caricetalia davallianae Br.-Bl. 1949, svezi Caricio davallianae Klika 1934, zajednici Eriophoro latifolio-Caricetum panicae Horvat ex Trinajsti} 2002. Podru~je je istra`ivano tijekom 2007. i 2008. godine te je, za tu svrhu, podijeljeno
The flora of the town of Omi{ was observed and researched during 2007 and 2008. In all, 870 species and subspecies were recorded. Among them, 614 grow indigenously or spread subspontaneously out of cultivated conditions and 256 plant taxa occur only in culture. Cultivated taxa were not included in the analysis. The results of the flora analysis show a domination of therophytes (40.07 %) and Mediterranean floral element plants (37.95 %), strongly indicating the Mediterranean character of the flora of the researched area. The flora of the town of Omi{ presented in this study is Mediterranean, and in both quality and quantity is comparable to that of other cities on the Croatian littoral as well as of cities in Greece and Italy.
vascular flora, town of Omi{, eastern Adriatic, Dalmatia, Croatia
Small areas of Pleistocene sands occurring on islands in the eastern Adriatic, Croatia, record environmental and depositional conditions during climate changes of that period. The Pleistocene deposits of the Island of Mljet located in the south-eastern Adriatic have been studied using mapping, logging, facies analysis, petrography, heavy minerals and fossil content. The studied sediments include modified deposits, aeolian deposits and fluvial deposits. Modified sediments originated from previously deposited sands and minor gravels which experienced pedogenic homogenisation. Aeolian deposits are represented by deflationary gravel, dune cross-stratified sands and low-angle laminated sands. Aeolian sands were mostly sourced from exposed, shallow-marine sands. Fluvial deposits include gravels reworked from the slope and colluvial sediments related to the carbonate bedrock, and recycled aeolian sands, which were deposited by high-gradient streams. Two tephra horizons represent former sand-grade volcaniclastic material reworked by streams, mixed with aeolian sand and deposited from river floods shortly after eruption and ash fall. The studied succession includes major stratigraphic surfaces (=super bounding surfaces) related to processes of landscape stabilisation and stratigraphic gaps. The lower, modified part of the succession originated during an interglacial (or interstadial) period. Subsequent aeolian sands reflect the onset of a glacial period characterised by strong, cold winds, and an initial sea-level fall which resulted in the exposure of shallow-marine sands, making them a source for the aeolian sands. It is tentatively proposed that the base of the aeolian deposits corresponds to the onset of the Last Glacial period.
South-eastern Adriatic, Late Pleistocene, Mljet Island, aeolian sands, fluvial gravel, epiclastic tephra, provenance of sand.
