Gregarine (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinorida), ki parazitirajo v jamskih kobilicah Troglophilus (Orthoptera: Raphidophoridae) na slovenskem krasu

The cave crickets Troglophilus neglectus Krauss, 1879 and T. cavicola (Kollar, 1833) originating from caves in Slovenia were surveyed for gregarines. Two gregarine species were identified. Gregarina troglophili (Golemansky & Lipa, 1991) occurred in both cave cricket species, T. cavicola being reported a new host species. Besides, a new species, Gregarina bernardae sp. n., in­fecting T. neglectus, was identified and described. The two spe­cies often infest the same T. neglectus individuals, but can be well distinguished upon the shape and morphometric indexes of both solitary gregarines and associations. The deutomerite in solitary gamonts of G. troglophili is orbicular to broadly el­liptoid, while in G. bernardae sp. n. it is oblong to dolioform. In associations, the primite deutomerite in G. troglophili is orbicu­lar to broadly elliptoid, while in G. bernardae sp. n. it is shal­lowly oblong to oblong. In contrast to broadly obovoid to finely obdeltoid satellite deutomerite in G. troglophili, it is narrowly dolioform or dolioform to narrowly obdeltoid in G. bernardae sp. n. Both species are new to the faunal list of Slovenia, and to the list of cave-dwelling species in the country. We direct the attention to the parasite diversity of cave-dwelling animals – a promising, but understudied topic that might considerably contribute to the diversity of the subterranean fauna.V jamskih kobilicah Troglophilus neglectus Krauss, 1879 in T. cavicola (Kollar, 1833) sva preverjala prisotnost gregarin. Prepoznala sva dve vrsti gregarin. Gregarina troglophili Gole­mansky & Lipa, 1991 je bila prisotna v obeh jamskih kobili­cah; T. cavicola je njen novo ugotovljeni gostitelj. Poleg te sva v T. neglectus našla novo vrsto, Gregarina bernardae sp. n., ki jo tu opisujeva. Obe vrsti sta pogosto v istih osebkih T. neglectus, vendar se dobro razlikujeta po obliki in morfometrijskih indek­sih posameznih gregarin kot asociacij. Devtomerit posameznih G. troglophili je kroglast do široko eliptičen, medtem ko je pri G. bernardae sp. n. podolgovat do sodčkast. V asociacijah je dev­tomerit primita pri G. troglophili kroglast do široko eliptičen, pri G. bernardae sp. n. pa plitvo podolgovat do podolgovat. Za razliko od široko do fino vzdolžno nesomerno jajčastega devtomerita satelita pri G. troglophili, je ta pri G. bernardae sp. n. ozko sodčkast do sodčkast ali ozko deltoidne oblike. V prispevku prikazujeva tudi sizigij pri obeh vrstah. Obenem želiva opozoriti na vrstno pestrost zajedavcev v podzemlju živečih organizmov – obetajoče, a slabo raziskano področje, ki bi lahko znatno prispevalo k povečanju diverzitete podzemeljske favne

Distribution and biology of two Balkan scorpionflies, Panorpa rufostigma and P. lacedaemonia (Mecoptera: Panorpidae)

Background and purpose: Two scorpionflies, Panorpa rufostigma Westwood, 1841 and P. lacedaemonia Lauterbach, 1972, are poorly known and understudied from faunistic and ecological aspects. A review of published and new records of two species in the Balkan Peninsula and Crete is presented. Material and methods: The scorpionflies were caught by various entomologists using a sweeping net, preserved in ethanol, and sent to the article authors. Results: Altogether five unpublished records of P. rufostigma and 19 unpublished records of P. lacedaemonia are presented. The paper summarizes the data on the identification, phenology, altitude preferences and habitats of both species. Three collecting places of P. lacedaemonia in south Albania are the first records in the country. Color images detailing some morphological characters of P. lacedaemonia are presented for the first time. Conclusions: Both species have a wider geographical distribution than previously known. The species P. rufostigma is a summer/autumn species preferring shrubby or semi-open stands, often of dry character. The species P. lacedaemonia occurs the whole year with two distributional peaks between and prefers forest or bushy stands, often by water

Gregarines (Apicomplexa, Gregarinasina) in psocids (Insecta, Psocoptera) including a new species description and their potential use as pest control agents

Gregarine apicomplexans are unicellular organisms that infect invertebrate hosts in marine, freshwater and terrestrial habitats. The largest group of invertebrates infested on land is the insects. The insect order Psocoptera (booklice) has recently gained wider interest due to specimens occurring in stored food products and therefore being considered pest organisms. Biological control agents are often used to eliminate pest organisms. In this study we examined the psocid Dorypteryx domestica, an invasive psocid species that is spreading all over the world. We were able to isolate and describe a new gregarine species (Enterocystis dorypterygis sp. n.) infecting D. domestica. The trophozoites are panduri- or pyriform and their association/syzygy is caudo-frontal. The surface is inscribed by longitudinal epicytic folds covering the complete cell. Phylogenetic analyses of the SSU rDNA gene revealed an only weakly supported relationship with two Gregarina species G. ormieri and G. basiconstrictonea, both from tenebrionid beetles. Gregarines have been proposed to have some potential as biological control agents for several insects. Identifying the gregarine species infecting pest organisms like psocids is a first step and prerequisite for the probable utilization of these parasites as biological control agents in the future

Survival of the epigean Dendrodrilus rubidus tenuis (Oligochaeta: Lumbricidae) in a subterranean environment

The peregrine earthworm Dendrodrilus rubidus tenuis was regularly sampled in a percolating water drip originating in a habitat inaccessible to humans in the Huda luknja pri Doliču cave, Slovenia. The reconstruction of this habitat includes both a larger passage with bat colonies supplying wet bat guano sediments, on which the earthworms feed, and narrow channels, which drain water from this passage into the sampling drip. Fresh guano is deposited in autumn shortly before the earthworms become inactive. Then, it is exploited by moulds and additionally depleted by water washing out the nutrients before the earthworms reactivate in spring. Thus, this is a rather poor food resource for the earthworms. Despite this, and apart from their short size and delayed maturation, no other disturbance or damage was found caused by malnutrition, which was confirmed in individuals submitted to starvation in captivity. We suggest that Dd. r. tenuis, which shows neither disturbance from nor adaptation to living in a subterranean environment, can subsist there because of its euryoecious character. Nevertheless, in temperate climates, this is rather a harsh habitat for this earthworm

Review of Antlions (Insecta: Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) in North Macedonia

We present the state of knowledge on the family Myrmeleontidae occurring in North Macedonia based on published records, museum specimens and new samples, and provide a comprehensive species list. North Macedonia represents only 3.9% of the area of the Balkan Peninsula but harbours 19 species belonging to 14 antlion genera, i.e., 61% of the peninsular fauna. We report collection localities, literature records and biological data for each species. Three species, Nemoleon poecilopterus, Neuroleon assimilis and Myrmeleon inconspicuus, are reported for the first time in North Macedonia. The genus Nemoleon Navás is also reported for the first time in the country

The antlions of Cyprus: review and new reports (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae)

The antlions (Myrmeleontidae) of Cyprus have been poorly studied and only 13 species were known from this biogeographically interesting island. In light of new field research, we provide an updated checklist to the Cypriot antlions, including seven species reported for the first time from the island. Of these, the findings of the Middle Eastern species Distoleon laticollis and Cueta kasyi are particularly noteworthy. The Cypriot antlion fauna appears dominated by widespread Mediterranean elements, with relatively few Middle Eastern and endemic species

Neuroptera in oak forests in the submediterranean district of Slovenia

In the Submediterranean District of Slovenia, Neuropteran assemblages in two types of oak forests have been investigated. For both forest types, data on plant substrate species are provided. The faunal composition of the two oak forests is compared with the fauna of the garrigue from the southernmost part of Istria. While in both woodland habitats arboreal species dominate, in the garrigue habitat the number of species preferring grassy steppes is much highe

Libelloides ottomanus (Germar, 1817) u sjeverozapadnom dijelu Balkanskog poluotoka (Neuroptera, Ascalaphidae)

Distribution of Libelloides ottomanus (Germar) in the northwestern part of the Balkan Peninsula and some information concerning intestinal content are described.Libelloides ottomanus (Germar, 1817) u sjeverozapadnom dijelu Balkanskog poluotoka i istraženi su ostaci hrane u probavnom sustavu

Libelloides ottomanus (Germar, 1817) u sjeverozapadnom dijelu Balkanskog poluotoka (Neuroptera, Ascalaphidae)

Distribution of Libelloides ottomanus (Germar) in the northwestern part of the Balkan Peninsula and some information concerning intestinal content are described.Libelloides ottomanus (Germar, 1817) u sjeverozapadnom dijelu Balkanskog poluotoka i istraženi su ostaci hrane u probavnom sustavu