2021
Natura Croatica, Vol. 30 No.2
Abstract
In Europe Callopistromyia annulipes (Macquart, 1855) is an alien species. It was introduced from North America in 2007 and has spread to more than ten European countries. The spread of the species has been observed since 2007 and the trend is still continuing, the species having recently been found in Croatia. Using social networks such as Facebook and iNaturalist, we can spot the spread of alien species to new areas, learn more about their ecology and speculate on the direction of potential expansion. Citizen science is an excellent tool for obtaining new knowledge, but as of today, its potentials are greatly underutilized.
Keywords
social media, citizen science, biodiversity, introduced species
Abstract
Cionus griseopubens Wingelmüller, 1914 and C. hypsibatus Wingelmüller, 1914 are reported for the first time from Albania, and C. neglectus Košťál & Caldara, 2019 from Greece. The localities of all three species are exactly identified, described and their geographical relations to the main distribution areas are given. Verbascum longifolium Tenore is confirmed as a host plant of C. hypsibatus and C. griseopubens in the Tomorr Mt range, Albania.
Keywords
fauna, Curculionidae, Cionus, Albania, Greece
Abstract
The present faunistic report on Scathophagid flies (Diptera: Scathophagidae) has resulted in the recording of 17 species, of which Acanthocnema glaucescens (Loew, 1864) is the last recorded for the fauna of Croatia. Seventeen Scathophagid species are currently known from Croatia, classified in 10 genera. The genus Scathophaga is represented by six species, followed by Amaurosoma and Norellisoma with two species each, while genera Acanthocnema, Cleigastra, Coniosternum, Cordilura, Norellia, Paralleloma, Phrosia, are represented by one species each.
Keywords
Diptera, Scathophagidae, Plitvice Lakes, Croatia
Abstract
Interesting records of one bush-cricket and two grasshopper species are reported from Croatia and Slovenia. Rhacocleis annulata Fieber, 1853 (Tettigoniidae: Tettigoniinae) has been reported for the first time from Croatia (Dubrava by Šibenik), as well as for Slovenia (Borovnica SW of Ljubljana); eyprepocnemis plorans (Charpentier, 1825) (Acrididae: Eyprepocnemidinae) is reported for the first time for Croatia, also from Dubrava; and finally, the Xya pfaendleri Harz, 1970 (Tridactylidae: Tridactylinae) record from Dubrava represents the first record of this species from Dalmatia. Rhacocleis annulata and eyprepocnemis plorans are known to be spreading through Europe, so these records contribute to the understanding of their dispersal in Southern Europe. Croatian Orthopteran fauna now counts, with two species added, 187 species, while Slovenian Orthopteran fauna now counts, with one species added, 158 species.
Keywords
Rhacocleis annulata, eyprepocnemis plorans, Xya pfaendleri, Dalmatia, Dubrava by Šibe- nik, Borovnica, dispersal, allochthonous species
Abstract
The noble crayfish is a native European freshwater species, endangered due to the strong anthropogenic influence on its habitats, climate change, and invasive crayfish species. In the present study, we aimed to assess the effectiveness of nationally designated protected areas and the pan-European Natura 2000 network in representing and maintaining over time the noble crayfish diversity using a comprehensive species occurrence dataset. Overall, our gap analysis indicated moderate efficiency of the existing protected areas in covering the noble crayfish diversity. Overlapping the distribution map of the noble crayfish with the map of protected areas revealed that protected areas encompass 50% of recorded populations. This study can serve as an evaluation of the protected areas in conservation of this key freshwater crayfish species.
Keywords
Astacus astacus, Astacidae, Natura 2000 network, conservation planning, biodiversity conservation
Abstract
We present demographic and reproductive parameters of commercially exploited shark, blackspotted smooth-hound (Mustelus punctulatus), based on samples from 117 males and 108 females from the Adriatic Sea. Calculated size and age at maturity were 83.1 cm in total length (TL) and 6.6 years for males and 100.0 cm TL and 12.5 years for females. The oldest observed male and female were 14 and 19 years old, respectively. The Gompertz growth model provided the best fit and predicted a theoretical maximum size (L∞) of 129.3 cm TL and a growth coefficient (k) of 0.15 year–1 for males, and L∞ = 141.1 cm TL and k = 0.13 year–1 for females. Obtained life history traits classify smooth-hound as slow-growing species, extremely sensitive to fishing, and highlight the need for the development of management strategy for this vulnerable species.
Keywords
age, growth models, reproduction, elasmobranchs, conservation, Mediterranean
Abstract
Zygaena brizae is one of the rarer species of burnet moths on the Balkan peninsula, with only a handful of recent records. While it has been listed as part of the fauna of Croatia, prior to this survey, records from the country were scarce and imprecise, referring only to Istria or Dalmatia, without any exact locality. During 2021 this species has been recorded in Plitvice Lakes National Park at two localities. At Homoljac only a single specimen was observed, but at the meadows near Prijeboj a seemingly numerous population was recorded. These are the first exact records of Z. brizae in Croatia.
Keywords
Zygaeninae, Plitvice Lakes, Lika, distribution
Abstract
The flora of the island of Zlarin was studied in 2019 and mapped using the Central European grid (MTB fields), the area studied consisting of nine MTB 1/64 fields. Altogether 576 vascular plant taxa (532 species and 44 subspecies) were identified, out of which there were 126 newly recorded, 450 previously recorded and confirmed, while 153 taxa from previous authors were not confirmed. In total, 730 taxa are currently recorded on the island of Zlarin. Among these, 580 taxa are indigenous, 147 cultivated and 23 listed as invasive in Croatia. Cultivated and adventitious plants were not included in the analysis of families and life forms. The largest number of taxa was attributed to the families Compositae (13.89%), Fabaceae (12.01%) and Poaceae (10.98%). Along with the domination of therophytes, the results of the phytogeographical analysis show a dominance of the Mediterranean floral element, indicating the character of the flora. Altogether 13 endemic, 44 endangered and 42 strictly protected indigenous species and subspecies are currently recorded on the island. The highest plant richness was observed in fields with higher habitat diversity and in fields with olive groves maintained by mowing. Moderate human impact and habitat diversity are crucial for the increase in floristic diversity on small islands and are much more important than the size of the island itself.
Keywords
endemic plants, floral elements, IUCN, mapping, life forms
Abstract
Bicellaria croatica sp. nov. (Hybotidae) is described and illustrated from Croatia. In Empididae, new records for Rhamphomyia brevis Daugeron & Lefebvre, 2015 (preoccupied, Rhamphomyia brevis Loew, 1861) are presented and a new substitute name for this species is proposed: Rhamphomyia daugeroni nom. nov. The species is transferred to the subgenus Holoclera. Three species of Empididae are first recorded from Croatia: Empis pleurica (Collin, 1960), Rhamphomyia (Amydroneura) pseudogibba Strobl, 1910 and Empis (Xanthempis) hypandrialis Daugeron, 2000 (the female is described for the first time). It is hypothesised that Empis pleurica (Collin, 1960) is extending its distribution area northwest (from Israel through Turkey to Croatia), northwards (to the Caucasus) and eastward (to Iran), probably due to climate change.
Keywords
Bicellaria, Hybotidae, Rhamphomyia, Empis, Empididae, Europe, distribution, new spe- cies, new name
Abstract
Three specimens of sciota rhenella were recorded in July 2021 in Zagreb, northwestern Croatia. Although the species was previously mentioned in the literature for Croatia, its first finding was published without any given information on the locality and date of collection. As far as we know, the only published information on this species is that it is present in the fauna of Croatia. This paper aims at presenting the first data on the localities and dates of collection of s. rhenella in Croatia. By the provision of new, reliable and evidence-based data, the occurrence of s. rhenella in the country is confirmed. Hereby, a contribution to the knowledge of the Croatian pyraloid moth fauna is also given.
Keywords
sciota rhenella, Pyraloidea, Pyralidae, fauna, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The caddisfly species Cyrnus crenaticornis (Kolenati, 1859) was recorded for the first time in Croatia in the Odra River during August 2015. The record refers to a larval stage which was determined according to morphological characteristics and supported by DNA barcoding.
Keywords
caddisflies, larva, new record, Odra River, continental Croatia
Abstract
Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar (the Green Mountain) of Cyrenaica, Libya is known to have the highest plant species diversity in the country, particularly in the depressions and the valleys of the mountain. Wadi Al-Kouf is the largest valley in the mountain, with a rich flora of aromatic and medicinal plants. The present investigation was conducted to record and list the medicinal plant species growing in the valley during the flowering season of 2019. Results revealed that Wadi Al-Kouf hosts 107 medicinal plant species belonging to 49 families and 93 genera. Dicotyledons were the most represented group of angiospermae with 38 families, 79 genera and 89 species, whereas Monocotyledons were represented by only 8 families, 10 genera and 13 species. Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Fabaceae and Solanaceae were the families with the highest number of species; 11, 9, 6 and 6 species, respectively. The most dominant life forms found in the valley were Therophytes (25.2%), Phanerophytes (25.2%) and Chamaephytes (24.3%), followed by Hemicryptophytes (15.9%) and Geophytes (9.3%). Nine endemic species were detected and recorded.
Keywords
Cyrenaica, endemic flora, ethnobotany, Libyan vegetation, medicinal plants, Mediter- ranean flora
Abstract
While investigating the aquatic macroinvertebrate fauna of four intermittent Dinaric karst rivers in Croatia, we confirmed or recorded new distribution data and ecological features for several mayfly species rare in Croatian freshwater habitats: Nigrobaetis niger (Linnaeus, 1761), Procloeon pennulatum (Eaton, 1870) and Paraleptophlebia werneri Ulmer, 1920. To our knowledge, this is the first record of N. niger in intermittent lotic habitats. We discuss their substrate preferences in the studied habitats as well as their relationships with measured physico-chemical water parameters. The newly obtained results confirm that our knowledge about Croatian mayfly fauna and species ecological requirements in intermittent Mediterranean rivers is still incomplete and is increasing with systematic studies.
Keywords
Ephemeroptera, IRES, temporary habitats, lotic habitats, environmental parameters, Nigrobaetis niger, Procloeon pennulatum, Paraleptophlebia werneri Vilenica, M., Rumišek, M., Rebrina, F., Matoničkin Kepčija, R., Medak, K., Gulin, V. & Brigić,
Abstract
The caddisfly fauna of North Africa and Morocco is still poorly known, with only a few historical and recent investigations, carried out sporadically. In this paper we describe a new species, Tinodes atlasensis Ibrahimi, Mabrouki & Taybi, sp. nov. from the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. The new species is closest to Tinodes baenai Gonzales & Otero, 1984, known from the Iberian Peninsula and mainly differs by the shape of segment IX, coxopodites, harpago and the process of basal plate. Tinodes atlasensis Ibrahimi, Mabrouki & Taybi, sp. nov. is the seventh known species of the genus Tinodes Curtis, 1834 from Morocco. Future caddisfly investigations in this North African country will most certainly increase the number of the known species and reveal other new ones.
Keywords
North Africa, caddisfly diversity, new insect species, Tinodes baenai
Abstract
Seawaters in Indonesia, part of the tropical marine ecosystem, have great microbial and plankton diversity. Seawater is used as a water source for marine aquacultures, such as shrimp, milkfish, lobster, and mud crab. Sustainability of environmental resources for supporting aquaculture activities can be assessed by analyzing the actual conditions of the water source environment, including bacterial and plankton communities. However, the characteristics of bacteria and plankton communities in Indonesian seawaters have not been well documented. In this study, we investigated the bacterial and plankton communities in surface seawater from two coastal areas, i.e. Nampu and Sembukan, Wonogiri regency, Central Java, Indonesia. Bacterial diversity was analyzed using the Illumina-based high throughput sequencing with a primer set targeting the V3-V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. Meanwhile, the plankton community (phytoplankton and zooplankton) was calculated and identified using a counting chamber method. Sequencing analysis revealed that the five dominant bacterial phyla in the two seawater samples were similar, consisting of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Bacteriodetes, and Cyanobacteria. Although the two sites are separated by several kilometres, the distribution of dominant bacterial phyla in both seawater samples is similar. Phytoplankton in Nampu and Sembukan were similarly dominated by Trichodesmium sp., Navicula sp., and Rhabdonema sp. Dominant zooplankton in the two sites were Euterpina, Nauplius, Oithona sp., Oncaea sp., Tigriopus sp., and Gastropoda larvae. The seawater in Nampu and Sembukan is suitable as a water source for aquaculture.
Keywords
bacterial diversity, microbiome, plankton, marine water, tropical seawater
Abstract
Throughout this research, 230 Trichoptera specimens were collected in the area of Konavle region, the southernmost area of Croatia. Altogether 21 species, 15 genera and 11 families were identified. DNA barcoding covered 41 specimens represented with 15 species collected in the Konavle region. The highest number of species was recorded at two localities: the spring of the River Ljuta (13) and a spring in the village Vodovađa (8). The highest number of taxa (4) was recorded within the following two families: Hydroptilidae and Hydropsychidae. From a faunistic point of view, the most interesting species in Konavle region are: Agapetus cf. kampos Oláh (the first record for Croatia), Hydroptila martini Marshall (the first record for the Mediterranean part of Croatia), Oxyethira falcata Morton (the first record for Croatia), Tinodes andrasi Oláh (type locality of the species is River Ljuta), Diplectrona cf. afra McLachlan (the first record from the Mediterranean part of Croatia) and Micropterna wageneri Malicky (the second record for Croatia). The first DNA barcoding data for the species Agapetus cf. kampos Oláh and Tinodes andrasi Oláh were entered into the BOLD database. The area of Konavle represents one of the most interesting regions for the fauna of Trichoptera and can be considered as a ”hot spot” for caddisflies in Croatia. Thus, it is necessary to install high standards for their protection.
Keywords
fauna, aquatic insects, the River Ljuta, south Croatia, mitochondrial DNA