2017
Natura Croatica, Vol. 26 No.1
Abstract
Modern museums have an ever more important role in the implementation of programmes of cultural or natural tourism, for with their collections and exhibitions they attract increasing numbers of tourists and also encourage their visitors to set off into nature, to see the sites of the natural history. The Republic of Croatia has outstanding geological (rocks, minerals, fossils and relief) and biological diversity (the plant and animal worlds, habitats and ecosystems), and a little part of this is to be seen in the museum as well, which gives it great potential for interpretation of the natural heritage, and thus for tourism as well. The museum does keep and look after its heritage, but it also promotes it, together, then, with its city, region and country. The partnership between museum and tourism is today necessary for a given natural feature to be properly presented and preserved. There is particular importance in the networking of natural history museums with institutions related to the actual sites of natural features of interest (nature and national parks, geo-parks). The paper shows how the museum in its programmes is oriented to the popularisation and interpretation of the natural beauties of the country. Along with the interactive map on the museum’s web site, by touring the display and the exhibitions, through workshops, publications and other activities, the public can get to know some well known and less well known or entirely unknown and yet significant natural history sites. The programme partners are primarily schools, and after them, tourists. The Croatian curriculum is increasingly encouraging familiarity with natural history, the aim being systematic learning in the classroom and in nature as well, at the sites themselves. In the museum programme of presentation of the natural heritage for schools and tourists, sites are presented that have not only natural value and interest but are also easy, simple and safe of access, in other words, laid out for visitors.
Keywords
museum, natural property, interpretation, visitors, schools, Republic of Croatia
Abstract
First finding of Gryllotalpa stepposa Zhantiev, 1991, a species typical of lowland steppe area of Eastern Europe, is documented for Croatia based on the shape of chitinized part of the epiphallus and the density of stridulatory teeth on male tegmen. All specimens from Valpovo, Podravina sample were brachypterous, which is usual for this species, morphologically very similar to the continental species G. gryllotalpa. Unusual variability is found in the appearance of veins on male tegmina, which should be investigated on a larger sample. This finding should encourage further research on mole crickets in Croatia, which will result in better understanding of their distribution and biogeography of this part of Europe in general.
Keywords
Gryllotalpa stepposa, Croatia, morphological traits
Abstract
The chernetid pseudoscorpions Pselaphochernes lacertosus (L. Koch, 1873) and P. scorpioides (Hermann, 1804) are here recorded for the first time from Albania and the second locality of the species Dendrochernes cyrneus (L. Koch, 1873) is reported.
Keywords
Balkans, compost, new records, Pselaphochernes, Pseudoscorpiones, tree bark
Abstract
The invasive seed beetle Megabruchidius tonkineus (Pic, 1904) is an agricultural pest native to the east Asian region that was first recorded in Europe (Germany) in the 1980s. There are further recent reports of this species from Bulgaria, France, Hungary, Russia, Serbia and Switzerland. Megabruchidius tonkineus resides in the seed pods of gleditsia triacanthos L. (Fabaceae) and is recorded for the first time in Croatia in our study. The general morphological, biological and distributional features of this invasive species are given.
Keywords
Megabruchidius tonkineus, invasive species, new record, seed pods, Croatia Kurtek, I., Zahirović, Ž., Turić, N., Vrućina, I., Vignjević, G., Merdić, E. & Sudarić Bogojević,
Abstract
During a field investigation on the island of Korčula, in 2016, Eclipta prostrata (Asteraceae) was found near the village of Smokvica, in the bay of Stiniva on moist sandy and rocky parts of the bay. Although this species has already been reported by many European countries it can be considered a new alien species for the Croatian flora.
Keywords
alien species, Croatia, Eclipta prostrata, flora, island of Korčula
Abstract
In Europe, Myriophyllum heterophyllum Michx. (Haloragaceae) has had the status of invasive species in freshwater ecosystems since 2012. During phytosociological research in the Neretva River Delta in July 2016, we noted a high coverage of species Myriophyllum heterophyllum within vegetation of rooted leaf-floating macrophytes of the Nymphaeion albae Oberd. 1957 alliance (the order potamogetonetalia Koch 1926). In this paper, alongside the finding of the new locality with M. heterophyllum in Croatia, its phytosociology is reported.
Keywords
alien taxon, freshwater ecosystems, the Nymphaeion albae alliance, the Neretva River delta, Croatia, NE Mediterranean
Abstract
the paper brings data about the new findings of the rare Mediterranean caddisfly species Micropterna wageneri Mal. in Croatia with first data of DNA barcoding for this species. the species is recorded in Konavle region and on the Mt. biokovo. we also present the diversity of the genus Micropterna in Croatia and discuss issues related to the DNA barcoding for this genus in Croatia and europe.
Keywords
trichoptera, Micropterna, DNA barcoding, museum collections, Croatia, biokovo, Ko- navle Kučinić, M., Ćukušić, A., Žalac, S., Podnar, M., Kambarovich Akhmetov, K., Akimbekova, N.,
Abstract
The results of the first study of the dragonfly fauna in northwest Bosnia are presented. Field surveys were conducted in summer 2012 and 2013, resulting in the identification of 36 species. Out of these, 34 are new for the region. The present paper gives a detailed overview of the results and a comparison of the dragonfly fauna composition of the region studied with the neighboring areas within Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia is made. The most abundant species were: Calopteryx virgo (Linnaeus, 1758), Sympetrum sanguineum (Müller, 1764), Onychogomphus forcipatus (Linnaeus,1758), Somatochlora meridionalis Nielsen, 1935, Calopteryx splendens (Harris, 1782) and Platycnemis pennipes (Pallas, 1771). Noteworthy are the records of Chalcolestes viridis (Vander Linden, 1825) and Coenagrion scitulum (Rambur, 1842), two species that are rare in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and also Coenagrion ornatum (Selys, 1850) and Cordulegaster heros Theischinger, 1979, species of European conservation concern. Distribution and the status of these species and the conservation of dragonfly species in the country are briefly discussed. The data collected represent an important contribution to the knowledge of the dragonfly fauna of the Una River basin and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Keywords
Bosnia and Herzegovina, distribution, insects, Coenagrion ornatum, Cordulegaster heros, Odonata, Una River.
Abstract
During the field work of our research into the terrestrial malacofauna of the eastern adriatic islands Šolta, Drvenik veli and Drvenik mali (Croatia) 36 snail species with shells were registered. That almost tripled the number of taxa recorded in the literature. We consider Lindholmiola corcyrensis (rossmässler, 1836) and Delima (Piceata) piceata (rossmässler, 1836), registered in the literature for Drvenik veli, non-existing for the researched area, as well as for Croatia. Of the recorded taxa we particularly refer to Odontocyclas kokeilii (rossmässler, 1837) with Šolta and Drvenik veli being its second i.e. third island localities in Croatia, and the endemic clausilid snail Delima (Semirugata) hiltrudis H. Nordsieck, 1969, also found on Šolta and so far known only from the island of Brač. The greatest number of species were found on the biggest island of Šolta, and the smallest island Drvenik mali had the lowest number of species, as expected. The values of the Whittaker index of biodiversity and of the maximum index of biodiversity increased according to size of island. The average number of taxa per site is the highest on the mid-sized island of Drvenik veli, which is a consequence of the diversity and good state of preservation of its habitats.
Keywords
land snails, adriatic islands, Šolta, Drvenik veli, Drvenik mali, Croatia.
Abstract
It seems that the only Echiuroid species present in the Mljet National Park is Bonellia viridis. This species is known world wide for its peculiar larval development and sexual dimorphism. The forked proboscis females prefer to live in shallow sublittoral crevices in large stones and similar rocky environments. Divers reported B. viridis to be a rather common marine invertebrate.
Keywords
Echiura, Bonellia viridis, Adriatic Sea, National Park Mljet.
Abstract
Epipelic diatom communities were studied in the Šerićka bara marsh in northeast Bosnia and Herzegovina throughout 2009. During spring and summer a total of 57 species was found at 6 sampling points. The highest number of species was noted for genera Gomphonema (8) and Nitzschia (5). The most abundant species were Melosira varians C.Agardh, Gyrosigma acuminatum (Kützing) Rabenhorst, Lemnicola hungarica (Grunow) F.E.Round & P.W.Basson, Navicula cryptocephala Kützing, Cocconeis placentula var. placentula Ehrenberg, Hippodonta capitata (Ehrenberg) Lange-Bertalot, Metzeltin & Witkowski, Fallacia pygmaea (Kützing) A.J.Stickle & D.G.Mann, Anomoeoneis sphaerophora E.Pfitzer, Craticula cuspidata (Kutzing) D.G.Mann, Cyclotella meneghiniana (Kutzing) D.G.Mann and Tryblionella hungarica (Grunow) Frenguelli. The spatial variation of the epipelic community was higher in summer as summarized by PCO analysis. Values of the Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index ranged from 2.47 to 2.96, while the Rott Trophic Index ranged from 2.7 to 3.4. Most of the species were eutraphentic (61%) and alkaliphilous (60%), indicating the eutrophic and polytrophic status of this wetland.
Keywords
epipelon, diatoms, biodiversity, eutrophication, ecological status, wetland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Šerićka bara
Abstract
The vascular flora of 'Isola di Vendicari', a small islet (surface 4.45 hectares) located along the Ionian coast of south east Sicily, has been investigated. The surveyed taxa at specific and infraspecific level amount to 80, of which 21 are new records from this islet. The life form spectrum of the current flora brings out the dominance of therophytes as well as a significant occurrence of hemicryptophytes. The plant communities colonizing the surface of the islet have been investigated from floristic, phytosociological and ecological points of view. The vegetation is represented mainly by psammophilous and halophilous aspects. As regards the conservation area policy, the islet falls within the Nature Reserve of Vendicari, which is also a SCI of the Natura 2000 network, showing its remarkable importance for the biodiversity conservation.
Keywords
Sicily, Islet, vascular plants, phytosociology, biodiversity, conservation