We describe a new autumnal caddisfly species Chaetopteryx bucari sp. n. from 8 localities in the Banovina region of Croatia. We also present molecular, taxonomic and ecological notes (emergence, sex ...ratio and seasonal dynamics) on the new species and discuss the distribution of Chaetopteryx species in general and the Chaetopteryx rugulosa group in particular. Based on Bayesian phylogenetic analysis Chaetopteryx rugulosa schmidi was separated from the clade containing the other subspecies of Chaetopteryx rugulosa. Thus the subspecies Chaetopteryx rugulosa schmidi is here raised to species level, Chaetopteryx schmidi, as it was described originally. We further present distribution data on rare species in the genus Chaetopteryx in Croatia.
Geographic isolation, altitude, climate, landscape and habitat are significant predictors of butterfly diversity in mountain ecosystems. Their diversity and its dependence on altitude, aspect ...(compass bearing) and biogeographic characteristics of the butterflies were surveyed on the karst mountain Biokovo in southern Croatia. The results affirm that there is a high diversity of butterflies in the study area and the species composition and biogeographic elements are more dependent on altitude than aspect of the mountain. The present study indicates that climate, relief and habitat preferences strongly influence the biogeographic features of species and the relationship between species richness per site and altitude, aspect and the altitude-aspect interaction. PUBLICATION ABSTRACT
Inter-population variability within Sabanejewia populations from the western Balkans, and their phylogenetic position in comparison to other European populations were investigated. Of 79 samples ...analysed, 51 unique haplotypes were identified. Network analysis divided thirteen populations from five river basins into two clusters: cluster I was composed of populations from the Vardar drainage and tributaries of the neighbouring River Morava (River Danube basin), while cluster II contained the River Timok (eastern Serbia) and all the River Sava populations. The only locality that housed haplotypes of both clusters was the River Kutinska reka in the upper Morava basin. When compared with the haplotypes reported in former studies, both clusters fell within the ‘Danubian-Balkanian complex’. Cluster II was included in the most heterogeneous sub-lineage S. montana — S. bulgarica — S. balcanica (III), while cluster I was related to the sub-lineages S. doiranica — S. balcanica (II) and S. balcanica (VI). Recently published haplotypes from the Croatian Sava (rivers Petrinjčica and Rijeka) and Drava (rivers Drava and Voćinska) basins, as well as Czech and Slovak individuals from the Danube and Tisza river basins were included. The River Drava showed the same population subdivision as the River Kutinska reka.
Cobitis elongata and Sabanejewia balcanica from the family Cobitidae were collected monthly from September 2004 to October 2005 from the Petrinjcica River in the Danube basin of Croatia. On each ...sampling date, samples of the macrozoobenthos were taken from three different substrates. The density of the macrozoobenthos was calculated and compared with the diet of the loaches. During all months the most dominant group in the macrozoobenthos and in the guts of the analysed loaches was insect larvae of the family Chironomidae. Ivlev's index was used as a measure of selectivity for various macroinvertebrate taxa in the fish rations and showed changing selectivity that indicate opportunistic feeding strategies and wide diet overlaps between the species. PUBLICATION ABSTRACT
A nest-box-breeding population of Tree Sparrow was studied during 2004-2005 in the rural area (in locality Mokrice) in northwestern Croatia. The mean egg length was 18.9 mm, egg breadth - 14.1 mm, ...egg volume - 1937.8 mm super(3) and egg shape index - 1.34. No significant correlation between egg volume and clutch size was found (P> 0.05) and there is no significant difference in those parameters between years of study (2004 and 2005) as well as between successive clutches in the given year. The repeatability of egg dimensions (r = 0-1) of females that bred in an area three times a year was estimated. The egg dimensions are highly repeatable r = 0.78, 0.63, 0.72 and 0.75 for length, breadth, volume and shape index, respectively. The results suggest that in Tree Sparrow population one should expect relatively high heritability of egg dimensions.
The invasive fish species Neogobius fluviatilis was recorded at one locality on each of the two investigated rivers, Una and Kupa. The expansion of this species in Bosnia and Herzegovina is ...presented, as well as the habitat characteristics of the locality on the Una River. Additionally, a list of the associated fish fauna at both localities is given: 18 and 29 additional fish species were recorded for the Una and Kupa Rivers, respectively.
Presented data brings data on ichthyofauna of four localities on Kupa, Orljava, Lonja and Glina Rivers of the Sava River basin (Danube drainage) in central Croatia. We have recorded one lamprey and ...30 fish species, three of them not native for European fauna and eight threatened in Croatian fauna. We have found three species from the Cobitidae family, C. elongatoides, Misgurnus fossilis and Sabanajewia balcanica. Ecological characteristics of C. elongatoides distribution are discussed.
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