ACTA SCIENTIFICA BALCANICA

AMPHIBIANS OF RAMSAR SITE “BARDAČA WETLAND” – A CHECKLIST WITH ECOLOGICAL NOTES

2024-04-18T11:13:33+02:00

The goal of this study was to create a faunistic list of amphibians of the Ramsar site "Bardača Wetland" based on literature data and original field studies by the authors, with reference to certain aspects of the ecology of the recorded species. Field data were collected using the transect method, in the period from 2012 to 2022, providing data on nine species of amphibians. Presence of five species previously cited in literature sources was not confirmed. Therefore, the batrachofauna of the Ramsar site "Bardača Wetland" reliably consists of nine species of amphibians: two species of caudate amphibians (Lissotriton vulgaris and Triturus dobrogicus) and seven species of anurans (Bombina bombina, Bufo bufo, Bufotes viridis, Hyla arborea, Pelophylax kl. esculentus, Pelophylax ridibundus and Rana dalmatina). In this paper, the ecological data collected in the field (habitat types of adults and larvae, the season of their activity within the annual cycle, general state of populations of some species) and corresponding ecological data from literature sources are systematically presented, separately for each species.

FAUNISTIČKI NALAZI SA PLANINE VOLUJAK: PRILOG POZNAVANJU FAUNE REPUBLIKE SRPSKE (BOSNA I HERCEGOVINA)

2024-04-18T11:18:11+02:00

Predstavljeni su prvi, nakon dugog perioda bez bilo kakvih naučnih istraživanja, faunistički nalazi sa područja masiva Volujka (jugoistok Republike Srpske, Bosna i Hercegovina). Pored popisa diverziteta faune sisara, zabilježeni su podaci i o drugim faunističkim grupama (ptice, gmizavci, vodozemci, ribe i beskičmenjaci). Različite metode su korištene za otkrivanje prisustva faune istraživanog područja: uspostavljeni linijski transekati, hvatanje živolovkama, mreže za hvatanje šišmiša, snimanje organizama ultrazvučnim detektorom i foto-zamkama i vizuelno osmatranje. Za 17 dana istraživanja, u julu i avgustu 2023., ukupno su registrovana 53 taksona životinja. Izdvajaju se ključne i ugrožene vrste: veliki potkovičar (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum), mali potkovičar (Rhinolophus hipposideros), sivi vuk (Canis lupus), mrki medvjed (Ursus arctos), balkanska divokoza (Rupicapra r. balcanicus), šargan (Vipera ursinii macrops) i bukova strižibuba (Morimus funereus). Područje je biodiverzitetski veoma značajno, i smatra se da ga treba zaštititi.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE BIOLOGY OF DINA SKETI GROSSER & PEŠIĆ, 2014 (HIRUDINEA: ERPOBDELLIDAE)

2024-04-18T11:12:02+02:00

The known range of the species Dina sketi Grosser & Pešić, 2014 (Hirudinea: Erpobdellidae) includes several springs in the Cvrcka and Crna Rijeka basins (Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina). The biology of these leeches is insufficiently known. The aim of this paper was to present new knowledge about their ecology and reproductive biology, based on data collected in the springs of the Crna Rijeka basin. The analyzed parameters included characteristics of the biotope and macrozoobenthos assemblages of the studied springs, as well as characteristics of diet and the cocoons of D. sketi. The features of the biotope partially fit into the known range for this species. D. sketi is the only species of leech found in macrozoobenthos of the study area, where it is represented by less than 1%. The amphipod crustaceans and hydrobid gastropods are the most abundant members of the analyzed macrozoobenthos assemblages. The analysis of contents of the digestive tract revealed that these leeches prey on aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates. It seems that leeches prefer amphipods in their diet. All previous knowledge about the reproductive biology of D. sketi was based on description of their reproductive system. This paper presents the morphology and morphometric properties of the cocoons. They are “kiwi-shaped”, 4.60–8.82 mm in length and 3.19–6.38 mm width.

FAUNISTIC FINDINGS FROM VOLUJAK MOUNTAIN: A CONTRIBUTION TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE FAUNA OF THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA (BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA)

2024-04-18T11:19:46+02:00

The first, after a long absence of any scientific research, faunal findings from the area of the Volujak Mountain (southeast of the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina) were presented. In addition to listing the diversity of mammal fauna, data on other faunistic groups (birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates) were also recorded. Various methods were used to detect the presence of the fauna of the research area: established transects, trapping with livetraps, netting for catching bats, recording organisms with an ultrasonic detector, photo-traps and visual observation. For 17 days of research, in July and August 2023, a total of 53 taxa were registered. Keystone and endangered species are distinguished: greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum), lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros), gray wolf (Canis lupus), brown bear (Ursus arctos), Balkan chamois (Rupicapra r. balcanicus), meadow viper (Vipera ursinii macrops) and the beech longhorn beetle (Morimus funereus). The area is very important in terms of biodiversity, and it needs to be protected.