Branko Jalžić

A cave leech (Hirudinea, Erpobdellidae) from Croatia with unique morphological features

Croatobranchus mestrovi is a troglobitic leech from deep shaft‐like caves in the Velebit Mountain, Dinaric karst, Croatia, living in cold (4–6 °C) water. Its oral sucker extends to form four pairs of triangular tentacles, each with about five finger‐like papillae, but widening into a marginally crenulated disc when attached to a substrate. Pairs of stiff, finger‐like lateral projections, probably gills, occur along the body behind the clitellum. Somites are simple five‐annulate. Despite the unique head morphology and the presence of lateral outgrowths, the anatomy and 18S rRNA gene sequence of this species indicate that it is a member of the Erpobdellidae, closely related to Dina.

Population density, habitat dynamic and aerial survival of relict cave bivalves from genus Congeria in the Dinaric karst

*hbilandz@irb.hr Citation:

Endogean and cavernicolous Coleoptera of the Balkans. XIV. Melledobythus bilandzijae, new genus and species of cavernicolous Bythinini (Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae) from the Island Mljet, Croatia

Melledobythus bilandzijae, new cavernicolous genus and species of the tribe Bythinini is described from the island of Mljet, Croatia. A detailed morphological study is presented. The new genus belongs to the phylogenetic lineage of small and anophthalmous Bythinini that lack sutural elytral striae.