Zbirka vretenaca (Odonata) Hrvatskog prirodoslovnog muzeja

A total 1,545 Odonata specimens stored in the collection of the Croatian Natural History Museum in Zagreb have been examined. The specimens were collected in the period between 1869 and 2011, mainly in Croatia, but also in the surrounding countries (Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia) and Switzerland. An overview of 61 species is presented. The most numerous species were Ischnura elegans (Vander Linden, 1820) and Platycnemis pennipes (Pallas, 1771).Pregledano je 1545 jedinki Odonata pohranjenih u zbirci Hrvatskog prirodoslovnog muzeja u Zagrebu. Najveći broj jedinki prikupljen je s područja Hrvatske, no nekolicina je prikupljena i na području susjednih država (Austrije, Bosne i Hercegovine, Crne Gore, Italije, Slovenije, Srbije) te Švicarske. Jedinke su prikupljene u periodu između 1869. i 2011. godine. Prikazana zbirka Odonata sadrži ukupno 61 vrstu. Najveći broj jedinki pripada vrstama Ischnura elegans (Vander Linden, 1820) i Platycnemis pennipes (Pallas, 1771)

Nove spoznaje o fauni vretenaca porječja rijeke Drave

Odonata are amphibious insects widely used as bioindicators of freshwater ecosystems’ health. Their assemblages at lotic and lentic habitats in the area of the Drava River basin are still not completely known. Therefore, we surveyed Odonata fauna at two Drava River oxbows and the Drava River lower reaches in Croatia and Hungary. We recorded a total of 21 species. Although most of them were generalists, we also documented two species of conservation concern: Sympetrum fonscolombii and Ophiogomphus cecilia. During the fieldwork, we also observed some of the anthropogenic impacts present at studied habitats, such as plastic waste disposal, and removal of riparian vegetation, including the removal of individual tress for purposes of fishing. With this study, we increased our knowledge about Odonata fauna of the Drava River basin. Our data can be used for future monitoring of the recorded species and their habitats.Vretenca su amfibijski red kukaca koji se diljem svijeta koriste kao bioindikatori zdravlja slatkovodnih ekosustava. Sastav njihovih zajednica na lotičkim i lentičkim staništima porječja rijeke Drave još uvijek nije u potpunosti istražen. Stoga, inventarizirali smo faunu vretenaca dvaju rukavaca rijeke Drave i rijeku Dravu u području njezina donjeg toka na teritoriju Hrvatske i Mađarske. Zabilježili smo ukupno 21 vrstu, od čega je većina njih generalista. No, zabilježili smo i dvije vrste od konzervacijskog značaja: Sympetrum fonscolombii i Ophiogomphus cecilia. Tijekom terenskog rada na istraživanim staništima uočili smo i neke antropogene utjecaje, poput odlaganja plastičnog otpada, te uklanjanja obalne vegetacije, uključujući i sječu pojedinih stabala u svrhu izrade postaja za lov ribe. Ovo istraživanje doprinosi boljem poznavanju faune vretenaca porječja rijeke Drave te se prikupljeni podaci mogu koristiti za buduće praćenje stanja populacija zabilježenih vrsta i njihovih staništa

What is new in Croatian mayfly fauna?

Here we present a first record of Baetis vardarensis Ikonomov, 1962 in Croatian freshwater habitats. The species was collected in February and March 2020 at two sites in the Sava River. With this record, Croatian mayfly species richness increased to a total of 85 species. In addition, one of the species previously known only from literature, Kageronia fuscogrisea (Retzius, 1783), was confirmed in Croatia. The species was collected in the Rečica River, in March 2020. These results confirm that our knowledge about mayfly fauna in different regions of Balkan Peninsula is still incomplete and is increasing with systematic studies

Fauna vretenaca (Insecta, Odonata) područja Banovine

In all, 32 dragonfly species were recorded between August 2010 and September 2011 at 21 localities in the Banovina region of Croatia, almost half of the total number known in Croatia. The most abundant species was Platycnemis pennipes while the rarest was Coenagrion ornatum. Ten of the recorded species are at a certain level of conservation concern and thus it is important to protect their habitats in region.U razdoblju između kolovoza 2010. i rujna 2011. godine na 21 postaji na području Banovine utvrđene su 32 vrste vretenaca, gotovo polovina broja vrsta prisutnih u Hrvatskoj. Najčešća zabilježena vrsta je Platycnemis pennipes dok je najrjeđa Coenagrion ornatum. Među zabilježenim vrstama vretenaca, deset ih je pod određenim stupnjem zaštite zbog čega se ističe važnost očuvanja i zaštite njihovih staništa na području Banovine

Fauna vretenaca (Insecta, Odonata) područja Banovine

In all, 32 dragonfly species were recorded between August 2010 and September 2011 at 21 localities in the Banovina region of Croatia, almost half of the total number known in Croatia. The most abundant species was Platycnemis pennipes while the rarest was Coenagrion ornatum. Ten of the recorded species are at a certain level of conservation concern and thus it is important to protect their habitats in region.U razdoblju između kolovoza 2010. i rujna 2011. godine na 21 postaji na području Banovine utvrđene su 32 vrste vretenaca, gotovo polovina broja vrsta prisutnih u Hrvatskoj. Najčešća zabilježena vrsta je Platycnemis pennipes dok je najrjeđa Coenagrion ornatum. Među zabilježenim vrstama vretenaca, deset ih je pod određenim stupnjem zaštite zbog čega se ističe važnost očuvanja i zaštite njihovih staništa na području Banovine

Mayflies of the Bednja River, Croatia

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

Novi nalaz razmnožavanja vrste Lindenia tetraphylla (Vander Linden, 1825) (Odonata, Gomphidae) na sjeverozapadnoj granici njene rasprostranjenosti

A total of 12 dragonfly species were recorded at Vlačine Reservoir in the Dinaric Western Balkan region (ER 5) in Croatia. Habitat conditions, i.e. vegetation structure and physico-chemical water properties of the reservoir, are presented and discussed. Habitat conditions were suitable for life cycle completion of Mediterranean species such as Lindenia tetraphylla and Selysiothemis nigra. Exuviae of L. tetraphylla represent new evidence of the species’ reproduction in the north-western border of its distribution.Na akumulaciji Vlačine, smještenoj u dinaridskoj ekoregiji (ER 5, Dinaridski zapadni Balkan) u Hrvatskoj, zabilježeno je ukupno 12 vrsta vretenaca. U radu su prikazani i raspravljeni okolišni uvjeti na istraživanom staništu, prvenstveno struktura vegetacije i fizikalno-kemijski čimbenici vode. Stanišni uvjeti akumulacije bili su pogodni za uspješno završavanje životnog ciklusa mediteranskih vretenaca poput vrsta Lindenia tetraphylla i Selysiothemis nigra. Zabilježeni svlakovi vrste L. tetraphylla predstavljaju novi nalaz razmnožavanja ove vrste na sjeverozapadnoj granici njene rasprostranjenosti

Dragonfly fauna (Insecta: Odonata) of Papuk Nature Park, Croatia

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

Littoral mayfly assemblages in South-East European man-made lakes

Man-made freshwater habitats have been widely used to successfully modify the environment for human benefit, including purposes of irrigation, flood control or electricity generation. Over the past decade, our knowledge about the mayfly fauna and its ecology in South-East Europe has been growing, yet the data related to lentic assemblages remain very scarce. In this study, littoral mayfly assemblages were investigated at artificial and heavily modified lentic habitats in the Dinaric Western Balkan (n=21) and Pannonian Lowland (n=15) ecoregions. Mayfly nymphs were sampled during the summer months of 2016 or 2017. At each sampling site, ten samples were collected using a benthos hand net. A total of 21 mayfly species were recorded, though species richness per site was rather low (i.e., between zero and seven species). Cloeon dipterum (Linnaeus, 1761) was the most frequent species recorded, while Caenis horaria Linnaeus, 1758 was the most abundant. This study showed that the Croatian mayfly fauna is still growing, with the first record of Siphlonurus aestivalis Eaton, 1903 for the country. The assemblage structure was mainly dominated by lower reaches and lentic (potamal and littoral) elements and detritivores (gatherers/collectors and active filter feeders). Orthophosphates and chemical oxygen demand had the highest influence on mayfly assemblages, reflecting a higher level of pollution at sites in the Pannonian Lowland ecoregion, and consequently markedly lower mayfly abundances. As mayflies are widely used as bioindicators of freshwater ecosystems, detailed information about their assemblages in heavily modified and artificial habitats could contribute to future conservation activities of freshwater habitats and their communities. Additionally, these results could be applied in creating a monitoring system for artificial lakes according to the requirements of the European Water Framework Directive