The European snake-eyed skink (Ablepharus kitaibelii) is an endangered lizard species in Croatia, limited to a very small area in Papuk Nature Park, and several localities in the town of Ilok and the surrounding area. On Mt Papuk, the species is limited to an area of the warm southern slopes of the Turjak-Mališćak-Pliš peaks, above Velika. In the year 2019, the species was documented in a new location, on Stinice. The aim of this study is to analyse morphometric measures, relative density, predatory pressure, and to determine the sustainability of this population. Data obtained were compared with the previous research into the European snake-eyed skink on Turjak, the most researched European snake-eyed skink site on Papuk so far. The population on Stinice has lower density, and is under higher predatory pressure than the population on Turjak. Also, there are differences in some morphometric measures between these two populations that should be further explored.
Papuk Nature Park, morphometric data, population density, Reptilia, Scincidae
Six males of Leptochilus quintus Gusenleitner were collected in May 2021 on Mosor Mountain in Croatia. This species was assumed to have become extinct since no specimens were collected during the past 136 years. In contrast to the only previously known (holotype) specimen with an entirely black clypeus, the specimens examined have variable amounts of yellow markings on the clypeus, and only one specimen has an entirely black clypeus. Two specimens were sequenced for the mitochondrial COI gene, revealing that their sequences differed in two base pairs and suggesting a certain level of retained genetic diversity in the population. This finding suggests the need for a more detailed faunistic analysis of Croatia and the entire Balkans as an intersection of Central, Eastern and Southern European faunistic elements.
near-extinction, Eumeninae, sequencing
In the Mediterranean, the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) has exhibited increase in the number of nests over the past two decades. While the Eastern Mediterranean is recognized as a high use area, scarce observations of green turtles in Adriatic Sea suggested only low-level utilization of this area. This study presents new findings of green sea turtles in the Adriatic Sea and analyses the importance of the region for the species. In combination with published records, we present 75 findings of the species in the Adriatic including eight new records. The number of records is generally low but shows an intriguing ten-fold increase since 2000. This may be a result of three confounding factors: (i) positive population trend at main nesting sites in Mediterranean; (ii) increased institutional capacity for sea turtle research and conservation in the past two decades, and (iii) raising sea temperatures. Documented increases in the sea surface temperatures may have established suitable and recurring thermal corridors along Ionian-Adriatic developmental pathway and provided environmental cues for immigration of juvenile green turtles into the Adriatic. As the abundance of the species will likely increase in the future, research and conservation efforts will be needed to avoid the Adriatic Sea becoming a sink habitat for the Mediterranean green turtle population.
marine turtles, distribution, Mediterranean Sea, climate change, sea warming, thermal corridors
The stenoendemic species Dalmatocytisus dalmaticus (Vis.) Trinajstić was previously known only from two sites (hills of Medinjak and Šušnjevača) on the outskirts of Sinj. But large populations have been found at over 30 new sites in the surroundings of Sinj, Otok and Trilj. The plant grows on substrate of limestone marls, on rocky grasslands, as well as in the ground layer of planted black pine forests and along the edges of pine forests. The size of the occupied habitat area of D. dalmaticus known so far is estimated at approximately 1.5 km2. The area has been significantly reduced by the expansion of the settlements of Jasenovo and Poljak, as well as by the building of a macadam road through Greda Hill. The planned construction of a quarry with an access road in the Šušnjevača area will result in an additional reduction of the plant's area. Habitats are exposed to strong anthropogenic pressure and to the changes resulting from the previous and current planting of black pine. According to the methods for threat assessment of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, we propose that D. dalmaticus should be included in the national red list in the category of ”endangered“ taxa (EN; criteria B2ab(ii,iii,iv)).
Central Dalmatia, Endangered (EN), Dalmatocytisus dalmaticus, stenoendemic taxon, threat assessment
This paper is a survey of distribution of the Balkan endemic obligate serpetinophyte Euphorbia serpentini in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia based on a revision of herbarium specimens from SARA, BEO, BEOU and private collections of the authors, literature data and on field observations. In addition a short morphological description and photographs of the species are presented.
Balkans, distribution, endemic species, Euphorbia serpentini, morphology, serpentine
Alpiscorpius liburnicus sp. n. is described from Krk Island, Croatia, as the first cave dwelling scorpion species in the genus. Clear differences from the genetically closest epigean species were found in metasomal morphometry. Its delineation is supported phylogenetically based on mitochondrial (COI and 16S rRNA) and nuclear (ITS1) markers. In the barcode fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene (COI), the uncorrected pairwise genetic distances to other known taxa in “Alpiscorpius croaticus group” range between 4.2 and 4.8 %. The first molecular evidence of the species’ presence on the coastal part of Mt. Velebit implies its potential distribution in the whole of the eastern Adriatic coastal area, roughly from Rijeka City area to the source of the Zrmanja River. The new species is sympatric with common epigean taxa of the “Euscorpius tergestinus group” and with the synanthropic E. italicus in Mediterranean habitats. The phylogenetic relationships within the “A. croaticus group” are estimated. Localities of epigean A. croaticus are restricted to the continental side of southern and southeastern parts of Mt. Velebit. There it is sympatric and syntopic with the smaller A. omega in karst beech forests, with an extrazonal enclave in the Velika Paklenica canyon area on the southern slopes of the mountain. The third taxon in the group is known at the moment from a single locality in the middle part of Mt. Velebit, where it is also syntopic with A. omega in a beech forest near limestone cliffs.
taxonomy, phylogeny, mitochondrial and nuclear molecular markers, cave dwelling species, distribution, habitats
Here we present the results of a mayfly study conducted on a hydromorphologically altered lowland river in Croatia, the Bednja River. Twenty-two mayfly species were recorded, Baetis fuscatus (Linnaeus, 1761) and Serratella ignita (Poda, 1761) being the most widespread and Paraleptophlebia submarginata (Stephens, 1836) and Cloeon dipterum (Linnaeus, 1761) the rarest species. A significant increase in mayfly species richness was observed along the river course. Nevertheless, cluster analysis showed that their assemblages were not grouped according to the study position along the Bednja River. The lowest species richness and diversity were recorded for the spring area. Surprisingly, the highest species richness was found at a site with moderate hydromorphological alterations, and the highest diversity at a site with severe hydromorphological alterations. This could be because the river is connected to numerous lateral streams and a variety of microhabitats are available. New distribution records in Croatia are presented for some rare species in Croatian freshwater habitats, such as Heptagenia longicauda (Stephens, 1836). Ephemera lineata Eaton, 1870 was recorded for the first time in the Pannonian lowland ecoregion (ER 11) in Croatia. Caenis cf. pseudorivulorum Keffermüller, 1960 has not yet been recorded in Croatian freshwater habitats, but since our identifications are based on juvenile specimens, its occurrence is still to be confirmed.
Ephemeroptera, lowland river, human impact, species richness, rare species
In August 2022 the first individuals of the dragonfly species Violet dropwing, Trithemis annulata (Palisot de Beauvois, 1807), were observed in Croatia, at three localities in southern Dalmatia. Two males were observed at the Peračko Blato lake, while both males and females were recorded at two localities at the Baćinska Lakes. At the Baćinska Lakes, more than 10 individuals were observed indicating a possible established population. The nearest known reproducing population is located about 160 km to the south, in Montenegro. Due to the species expansion in Europe, and recent records as north as Slovenia, additional records and established populations are to be expected in Croatia. As the species is now known from Croatia, we propose a vernacular name for this species, “ljubičasta skitnica” meaning purple tramp, referring to its coloration, wandering behavior and dispersal potential.
climate change, range expansion, distribution, dragonflies, Libellulidae, Dalmatia
In this research 55 species of caddisflies belonging to 33 genera and 13 families were identified in 23 springs in the Dinaric area of Croatia. The Dinaric karst region is recognized as an area of exceptional biodiversity and endemism. The species Crunoecia irrorata (Curtis, 1834) was found in the spring in Kamensko, in the area of Lička Plješevica, and that is the first finding of this species in Croatia. The largest number of species was determined at the spring Keljevac (14 species) and the spring in Rudanovac village (14 species). The species Drusus croaticus Marinkovic-Gospodnetic, 1971 was found in most of the locations.
South-east Europe, aquatic habitats, aquatic insects, Crunoecia irrorata
Artemia cf. parthenogenetica Bowen and Sterling, 1978 is widely distributed in the saline lakes of Northern Kazakhstan. Female Artemia can easily be recognized by a brood pouch full of cysts before being released. The number of cysts can be used to estimate both individual reproductive performance and the entire population. During the studies involving Artemia reproductive performance, it was observed that throughout the growing season, in the water bodies, there were females whose well-developed brood pouches were partially filled with cysts. Thus, we were confronted with a question about the relevance of using females with partially filled brood pouches to determine the reproductive performance of Artemia. The number of cysts in a full brood pouch and a partially filled brood pouch revealed consistent differences in the following statistical indicators: average reproductive performance, coefficient of variation, and average minimum and maximum reproductive performance. As the percentage of females in the population with cysts not yet ready to be released increases, the percentage of females with partially filled brood pouches decreases. The general conclusion is that the use of females with partially filled brood pouches underestimates the valid value of average reproductive performance and also changes the pattern of the reproductive performance distribution. The obtained results prove that only females with a full brood pouch should be used when assessing the reproductive performance value of Artemia.
Artemia, Kazakhstan, reproductive performance, brood pouch, cysts
In this paper, we present new faunistic data of the spider fauna from the Sharr Mountains (Kosovo), one of the least investigated areas in the Balkans. Previously only 27 species of spiders were known from the Kosovo part of the Sharr Mountains but with this investigation, the number has increased to 74. Pictures of rare and interesting species are provided. We also include a new record from the North Macedonian part of the Sharr Mountains. In total we report fifty species, eight of which are first records for Sharr Mountains, twenty-eight are first records for Kosovo, and one species is reported for the first time for North Macedonia. Species recorded for the first time from the Sharr Mountains belong to the following genera: Histopona, Clubiona, Zelotes, Ceratinella, Mughiphantes, Robertus and Ozyptila. We also provide a checklist of spider species for the Sharr Mountains in Kosovo.
Kosovo, North Macedonia, endemism, diversity
Odonata is an amphibious insect order constituting an important link between aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Members of the group are widely used as bioindicators of freshwater habitat health. The Odonata fauna of a total of 44 freshwater habitats in the wider area of Papuk Nature Park was investigated in the spring and summer of 2017 and 2019. Twenty-three lotic and 21 lentic habitats were included in the study. We recorded 39 Odonata species, witha higher species richness (i.e. 35) documented at lentic than at lotic habitats (i.e. 16 species). Calopteryx virgo was the most widespread species in the area, while Aeshna affinis, Epitheca bimaculata, and Sympetrum meridionale were the rarest. The most frequently recorded species at lentic sites were Platycnemis pennipes, Coenagrion puella, and Ischnura elegans, while Calopteryx virgo, Onychogomphus forcipatus, and Cordulegaster bidenatata were the most common species in lotic habitats. Although we recorded numerous anthropogenic pressures in freshwater habitats in the Park, 11 recorded species are of conservation concern, which highlights the conservation value of aquatic habitats in the study area. Our results represent the first Odonata checklist of Papuk Nature Park, and as such, they are an important contribution to our knowledge of the Odonata fauna and species distribution in Croatia.
freshwater habitats, protected area, anthropogenic pressures, threatened species, Odonata
The aim of this study was to investigate for the first time some aspects of the reproductive activity of the Caramote prawn, Melicertus kerathurus, in Montenegrin waters. This species is considered a target species in the small-scale fishery in Boka Kotorska Bay, being a species of high commercial value. Sampling was carried out on a monthly basis from April 2019 to December 2019 by trammel nets. The spawning season was estimated based on monthly changes in the gonadosomatic index, condition factor and gonadal maturity stages. The main spawning season for females extends from April-May to September, with a clear peak in June. The total sex ratio (males/females) was 1:1. Sexual differences related to the length-weight relationship were noted.
crustaceans, Melicertus kerathurus, spawning season, South Adriatic Sea
The flora of three small islets located in the Korčula Archipelago was investigated on several occasions during 2020. In all, 105 plant taxa were recorded, of which 101 are angiosperms, 3 gymnosperms and with 1 fern. The total flora of the islets is distributed in 48 families. The families with the highest number of taxa are Poaceae (12.38%) and Asteraceae (10.48%), followed by Lamiaceae (7.62%) and Fabaceae (5.71%). The most common life forms are therophytes (31.43%), hemicryptophytes (27.62%) and phanerophytes (19.05%). The largest number of plant taxa is accounted for by the Mediterranean floral element (60.95%), followed by the South European (20.00%) In all, three endemic, four endangered and seven strictly protected taxa were recorded. Endemics are Carduus micropterus (Borbás) Teyber ssp. micropterus, Vincetoxicum hirundinaria Medik. ssp. adriaticum (Beck) Markgr and Limonium dictyophorum (Tausch) Degen. All recorded endemic taxa belong to the group Illyrian-Adriatic endemic plants. Endangered taxa are Desmazeria marina (L.) Druce, Elymus pycnathus (Godr.) Melderis and Narcissus tazetta L. Strictly protected taxa include Chenopodium murale L. and Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile. The invasive species Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronquist and Euphorbia prostrata Aiton have been recorded in the flora of the islet of Majsan.
Adriatic islets, flora, diversity, NE Mediterranean, rocky coastal belt
The Chinese pond mussel Sinanodonta woodiana s.l., is a successful global invader. We report its first finding in Morocco, which represents the first record of the species in the African continent. Measures are needed to increase monitoring and management of its invasion process.
new arrival, Morocco, aquatic invasion, alien mussel, Sebou River basin
This paper presents information about two additional sites of the Greater Noctule Bat, Nyctalus lasiopterus, in Croatia. The first site is the first wintering record of this species in Croatia. It is the first record in the continental part of Croatia. The second site refers to an animal that was found dead on a windfarm in the Mediterranean region of Croatia.
Nyctalus lasiopterus, wintering, wind turbine fatality, distribution, Croatia
In this paper, we report two new locations of the alien invasive seed beetle Megabruchidius dorsalis in Zagreb, Croatia. Additionally, we confirm for the second time the presence of M. dorsalis at one location in the same city. All beetles were reared from mature Gleditsia triacanthos pods collected from the ground (three locations) and from trees (one location). These records contribute to the knowledge of the distribution of M. dorsalis in Europe.
new locations, seed beetle, Gleditsia triacanthos, Europe, alien species, range expansion, coexistence
During the summer of 2022 Rudbeckia triloba L. was recorded outside cultivation at four localities in the inland part of Croatia (Korana Selo, Vukova Gorica, Vugrovec and Slivonja Jarek) growing in anthropogenic habitats. This species, native to North America, was introduced to Europe as an ornamental and in several European countries is spreading mostly as garden escapee. The time of introduction into Croatia is not known. It can be considered a casual alien or a garden escapee ephemerophyte with an as yet unknown invasive potential.
ephemerophyte, garden escapee, SE Europe
Here we report the first record of the Orange-flanked Bush-robin Tarsiger cyanurus in Serbia, the westernmost record of this species on the Balkan Peninsula. The individual aged as 2Y (in second calendar year) was ringed in tTara National Park, Western Serbia, on 7 October, 2020. The bird was caught in a mist net situated in a young open-canopy mixed forest.
autumn migration, Balkan Peninsula, passerine, vagrant
Josip Poljak, biography, geology in Croatia