Endosymbiosis in ciliates

Endosimbioza je jedan od najvažnijih evolucijskih koraka u razvoju eukariotske stanice. Ona nam objašnjava kao su se razvili organeli poput mitohonrija i koloroplasta. Nakon postavljanja teorije nije bilo puno saznanja kako je došlo do endosimbioze i kakav odnos imaju domaćin i simbiont. Kako bi se razjasnili mehanizmi endosimbioze bili su potrebni prikladni modelni organizmi. Takvi su rod trepetljikaša Paramecium i njegovi simbionti. Endosimbioza s rodom Holospora daje uvid u to kako se odvijala primarna endosimbioza, a endosimbioza s rodom Chlorella u mehanizme sekudarne endosimbioze. U ovom radu smo pobliže upoznali proces endosimbioze u trepetljikaša koji nam pruža u uvid u moguće mehanizme evolucije eukariota. Za daljna istraživanja endosimbioze su potrebne nove metode kako bi se detaljnije razriješio misterij nastanka eukariota.Endosymbiosis is one of the most important evolutionary step in the development of a eukaryotic cell. This theory explains the origin of organels like mitochondria and chloroplasts. After setting up the theory there wasn't a lot of knowledge on how endosymbiosis occurred and what kind of relationship exsists within the host and symbiont. In order to clarify the mechanisms of endosymbiosis there was a need for suitable model organisms. One of them is ciliate genus Paramecium and its symbionts. Endosymbiosis with Holospora species offer us a view on primary endosymbiosis, and endosymbiosis with Chlorella species could clarify secondary endosymbiosis. In this article we took a closer look on the process of endosymbiosis in ciliates, which provides us with the insight into possible mechanusms of eukaryote evolution . For further research of endosymbiosis, new methods are needed in order to fully resolve the mystery of the emergence of eukaryotes

NEW RECORDS OF THE BAT HAWKMOTH, HYLES VESPERTILIO (ESPER, 1780) (LEPIDOPTERA: SPHINGIDAE) IN CROATIA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA AND SERBIA

New records of Hyles vespertilio (Esper, 1780) are reported from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. In Croatia, a single specimen was recorded on Mt. Biokovo, within the Biokovo Nature Park, southern Croatia. This is the first record in the country in 44 years. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the species was recorded at 11 localities within or in the near surroundings of the Blidinje Nature Park. This species is new to the fauna of Bosnia and Herzegovina and is the 20th Sphingidae species recorded in the country. In Serbia, the species was recorded in Krajinoviće, Mt. Giljeva. This is the third known record and the first observation for this country in 32 years. The preferred host plant, Epilobium dodonaei, is present at all the studied localities in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, but the caterpillars were not surveyed during this work. These findings could be treated as resident populations of the bat hawkmoth, since the species is considered nonmigratory, and the host plant is present in the study areas

The butterfly (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) diversity of the Barać Caves Significant Landscape (Kordun, Croatia)

We studied the butterfly fauna of the protected area Barać Caves Significant Landscape, which is located in the southern part of the Kordun region. The surveys,carried out during 2020 and 2021, recorded a total of 79 butterfly species. The species recorded in the area outnumber those far recorded in northern Kordun (74) and Plitvice Lakes NP (71), but this is probably due to the lack of systematic surveys of those two areas. The comparison of habitat and biogeographical affiliation between these three areas revealed a similar number of species per habitat and affiliation type. During this survey, several interesting or rare species were recorded like Lycaena hippothoe, L. dispar, Phengaris arion, Melitaea aurelia, M. britomartis, Euphydryas aurinia, Apatura ilia, A. iris, and Boloria selene and their records are discussed. The results of the present study greatly contribute to the knowledge of the butterfly fauna of the Barać Caves Significant Landscape, and they can be used as a basis for the future conservation of butterfly species of the Kordun and Lika region

An extended mtDNA phylogeography for the alpine newt illuminates the provenance of introduced populations

Many herpetofauna species have been introduced outside of their native range. MtDNA barcoding is regularly used to determine the provenance of such populations. The alpine newt has been introduced across the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Ireland. However, geographical mtDNA structure across the natural range of the alpine newt is still incompletely understood and certain regions are severely undersampled. We collect mtDNA sequence data of over seven hundred individuals, from both the native and the introduced range. The main new insights from our extended mtDNA phylogeography are that 1) haplotypes from Spain do not form a reciprocally monophyletic clade, but are nested inside the mtDNA clade that covers western and eastern Europe; and 2) haplotypes from the northwest Balkans form a monophyletic clade together with those from the Southern Carpathians and Apuseni Mountains. We also home in on the regions where the distinct mtDNA clades meet in nature. We show that four out of the seven distinct mtDNA clades that comprise the alpine newt are implicated in the introductions in the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Ireland. In several introduced localities, two distinct mtDNA clades co-occur. As these mtDNA clades presumably represent cryptic species, we urge that the extent of genetic admixture between them is assessed from genome-wide nuclear DNA markers. We mobilized a large number of citizen scientists in this project to support the collection of DNA samples by skin swabbing and underscore the effectiveness of this sampling technique for mtDNA barcoding

Morfometric and meristic characteristics of the populations of the Caspian whipsnake, Dolichophis caspius (Gmelin, 1789 ), in Croatia

Žuta poljarica, Dolichophis caspius (Gmelin, 1789) ugrožena je vrsta koja u Hrvatskoj dolazi u izoliranim i odvojenim populacijama na tri poznata lokaliteta. Rasprostranjena je na kopnu u Baranji te na otoku Olibu i Lastovskom otočju. Do sad nisu rađena sustavna istraživanja ove vrste u Hrvatskoj i stanje populacija nije poznato. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je utvrditi morfometrijske i merističke značajke te razlike po dobi, spolu i lokalitetu populacija žute poljarice u Hrvatskoj. Ukupno je ulovljeno 116 jedinki žute poljarice na sva tri poznata lokaliteta. Premjereno je 14 morfometrijskih, a izbrojane tri merističke značajke te je izvagana masa jedinki. Utvrđeno je postojanje razlika u morfometrijskim i merističkim značajkama između populacija te između mužjaka i ženki unutar populacija. Mužjaci su veći od ženki unutar populacije, a najveći mužjaci, kao i ženke, su u Baranji, dok su najmanji na Lastovskom otočju. Mužjaci imaju manji broj trbušnih ljusaka od ženki unutar populacije, ali imaju veći broj podrepnih. Mužjaci i ženke s Lastovskog otočja imaju više trbušnih i podrepnih ljusaka nego mužjaci i ženke iz Baranje.The Caspian whip snake, Dolichophis caspius (Gmelin, 1789) is an endangered species that lives in Croatia in three isolated and separated populations in three known localities. It is found on the mainland in Baranja and on the islands of Olib and Lastovo archipelago. So far, no systematic research has been carried out in Croatia and the population status is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the morphometric and meristic characteristics and differences in age, sex, and locality of the populations. Altogether, 116 individuals were captured within three known sites in Croatia. Fourteen morphometric, three meristics characteristic and mass of individuals were recorded. Differences in morphometric and meristic characteristics between populations and between males and females within the populations have been confirmed. Males are larger than females within a population, and the largest males and females are in Baranja while the smallest are on Lastovo archipelago. Males have a smaller number of ventral scales than females within a population but have a greater number of subcaudal scales. The males and females of Lastovo archipelago have more ventral scales and subcaudal scales than males and females from Baranja

Morfometric and meristic characteristics of the populations of the Caspian whipsnake, Dolichophis caspius (Gmelin, 1789 ), in Croatia

Žuta poljarica, Dolichophis caspius (Gmelin, 1789) ugrožena je vrsta koja u Hrvatskoj dolazi u izoliranim i odvojenim populacijama na tri poznata lokaliteta. Rasprostranjena je na kopnu u Baranji te na otoku Olibu i Lastovskom otočju. Do sad nisu rađena sustavna istraživanja ove vrste u Hrvatskoj i stanje populacija nije poznato. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je utvrditi morfometrijske i merističke značajke te razlike po dobi, spolu i lokalitetu populacija žute poljarice u Hrvatskoj. Ukupno je ulovljeno 116 jedinki žute poljarice na sva tri poznata lokaliteta. Premjereno je 14 morfometrijskih, a izbrojane tri merističke značajke te je izvagana masa jedinki. Utvrđeno je postojanje razlika u morfometrijskim i merističkim značajkama između populacija te između mužjaka i ženki unutar populacija. Mužjaci su veći od ženki unutar populacije, a najveći mužjaci, kao i ženke, su u Baranji, dok su najmanji na Lastovskom otočju. Mužjaci imaju manji broj trbušnih ljusaka od ženki unutar populacije, ali imaju veći broj podrepnih. Mužjaci i ženke s Lastovskog otočja imaju više trbušnih i podrepnih ljusaka nego mužjaci i ženke iz Baranje.The Caspian whip snake, Dolichophis caspius (Gmelin, 1789) is an endangered species that lives in Croatia in three isolated and separated populations in three known localities. It is found on the mainland in Baranja and on the islands of Olib and Lastovo archipelago. So far, no systematic research has been carried out in Croatia and the population status is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the morphometric and meristic characteristics and differences in age, sex, and locality of the populations. Altogether, 116 individuals were captured within three known sites in Croatia. Fourteen morphometric, three meristics characteristic and mass of individuals were recorded. Differences in morphometric and meristic characteristics between populations and between males and females within the populations have been confirmed. Males are larger than females within a population, and the largest males and females are in Baranja while the smallest are on Lastovo archipelago. Males have a smaller number of ventral scales than females within a population but have a greater number of subcaudal scales. The males and females of Lastovo archipelago have more ventral scales and subcaudal scales than males and females from Baranja

Morfometric and meristic characteristics of the populations of the Caspian whipsnake, Dolichophis caspius (Gmelin, 1789 ), in Croatia

Žuta poljarica, Dolichophis caspius (Gmelin, 1789) ugrožena je vrsta koja u Hrvatskoj dolazi u izoliranim i odvojenim populacijama na tri poznata lokaliteta. Rasprostranjena je na kopnu u Baranji te na otoku Olibu i Lastovskom otočju. Do sad nisu rađena sustavna istraživanja ove vrste u Hrvatskoj i stanje populacija nije poznato. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je utvrditi morfometrijske i merističke značajke te razlike po dobi, spolu i lokalitetu populacija žute poljarice u Hrvatskoj. Ukupno je ulovljeno 116 jedinki žute poljarice na sva tri poznata lokaliteta. Premjereno je 14 morfometrijskih, a izbrojane tri merističke značajke te je izvagana masa jedinki. Utvrđeno je postojanje razlika u morfometrijskim i merističkim značajkama između populacija te između mužjaka i ženki unutar populacija. Mužjaci su veći od ženki unutar populacije, a najveći mužjaci, kao i ženke, su u Baranji, dok su najmanji na Lastovskom otočju. Mužjaci imaju manji broj trbušnih ljusaka od ženki unutar populacije, ali imaju veći broj podrepnih. Mužjaci i ženke s Lastovskog otočja imaju više trbušnih i podrepnih ljusaka nego mužjaci i ženke iz Baranje.The Caspian whip snake, Dolichophis caspius (Gmelin, 1789) is an endangered species that lives in Croatia in three isolated and separated populations in three known localities. It is found on the mainland in Baranja and on the islands of Olib and Lastovo archipelago. So far, no systematic research has been carried out in Croatia and the population status is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the morphometric and meristic characteristics and differences in age, sex, and locality of the populations. Altogether, 116 individuals were captured within three known sites in Croatia. Fourteen morphometric, three meristics characteristic and mass of individuals were recorded. Differences in morphometric and meristic characteristics between populations and between males and females within the populations have been confirmed. Males are larger than females within a population, and the largest males and females are in Baranja while the smallest are on Lastovo archipelago. Males have a smaller number of ventral scales than females within a population but have a greater number of subcaudal scales. The males and females of Lastovo archipelago have more ventral scales and subcaudal scales than males and females from Baranja

Distribution and conservation status of the herpetofauna of Dugi Otok Island, Croatia

The first overview of the amphibians and reptiles of Dugi Otok Island, Northern Dalmatia, is presented, based on the published data and new records collected during the last twenty years. A total of 15 species are present on the island, of which only one was not recorded on our surveys. In comparison to other islands of Northern Dalmatia, Dugi Otok is the second most diverse island in terms of herpetofauna, just after Pag Island. The main threats to the amphibians and reptiles on the island are the disappearance and degradation of aquatic habitats, the abandonment and succession of traditional agricultural fields and olive groves and the increasing presence of several invasive species

Distribution and conservation status of the herpetofauna of Dugi Otok Island, Croatia

The first overview of the amphibians and reptiles of Dugi Otok Island, Northern Dalmatia, is presented, based on the published data and new records collected during the last twenty years. A total of 15 species are present on the island, of which only one was not recorded on our surveys. In comparison to other islands of Northern Dalmatia, Dugi Otok is the second most diverse island in terms of herpetofauna, just after Pag Island. The main threats to the amphibians and reptiles on the island are the disappearance and degradation of aquatic habitats, the abandonment and succession of traditional agricultural fields and olive groves and the increasing presence of several invasive species