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Publications (104)
Animals in aquatic ecosystems impacted by global changes often face reduced availability of vital organic compounds, such as omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA), vital for brain development and cognition. Cognitive skills are crucial for buffering the impacts of environmental stress on fitness, yet the link between the quality of diet...
Leaf litter decomposition (LLD) is a key ecosystem function where invertebrate shredders produce large amounts of fine particulate organic matter (FPOM) that serves as a substrate for microbial assemblages. Here, we explore the shredder-produced FPOM composition and activity of FPOM-associated microbial communities in response to different leaf spe...
The main aim of the study was to investigate the effects of leaf species and oxic versus anoxic preconditioning on microbial community composition of shredder-produced FPOM during leaf breakdown process in streams. For this, the tested hypotheses were: Oxic preconditioning results in higher microbial diversity in FPOM compared to anoxic precondit...
Wastewater effluents and global warming affect freshwater ecosystems and impact their crucial biodiversity. Our study aimed at characterizing individual and combined impacts of wastewater effluent and increased water temperature (as one aspect of climate change) on model freshwater communities. We tested the effect of experimental treatments on gen...
Chironomids are keystone primary benthic consumers with semi‐aquatic life cycles. They support aquatic and terrestrial consumers at higher trophic levels by conveying dietary nutrients, such as fatty acids. In this study, we combined field sampling and laboratory experiments to examine the effects of environmental parameters, including diet, on fat...
The recently created Vjosa Wild River National Park sets precedence at the European scale to protect a rare river ecosystem and, at the same time, the last refuge of the almost extinct mayfly Prosopistoma pennigerum (Müller 1785, Fig. 1). We extensively searched for the species in the Vjosa and five abiotically similar but fragmented surrounding ri...
Biodiversity and functioning often follow spatial gradients, yet with unclear causal linkage. In spatially complex rivers, regional-scale factors associated with hydrological connections and catchment properties control downstream transport of material and dispersal of organisms, both being crucial for ecosystem functioning. In a single snapshot st...
During several excursions in the framework of the MoFA conference 2023 in Lunz am See, 109 mollusc species were recorded at 38 study sites, including 10 bivalve species, 17 freshwater snail species and 82 land snail species. Among sites, the number of species collected varied from two to 50 species. Non-metric multidimensional scaling based on Søre...
The EU Nature Restoration Law represents an important opportunity for freshwater habitat restoration and, consequently, freshwater biodiversity protection. However, a number of challenges must be anticipated in its implementation, which may compromise its success. Some aspects, particularly those relating to freshwater ecosystems, require more clar...
Fish were sampled at nine locations of the upper Neretva River, upstream of Glavatičevo. Evidence of the endangered softmouth trout (Salmo obtusirostris) was obtained as well as the presence of other native and non-native salmonids. Genetic analysis suggests that the native brown trout (Salmo trutta) in the upper Neretva is homogeneous with no sign...
Body morphologies are significantly different amongst the members of the Drusinae subfamily. Aligned with such differences is the selective niche location chosen by many species from the subfamily. Typically, they live on the sediments of cold, well-oxygenated mountain streams from the Eurasian Region. However, each of the three evolutionary lineag...
Streams represent a special case of directional environmental gradients where ecological opportunity for diversification may be associated with upstream and downstream dispersal into habitats that differ in selective pressures. Temperature, current velocity and variability, sediment erosion dynamics and oxygen saturation are key environmental param...
Reliable biodiversity data are crucial for environmental research and management. Unfortunately, data paucity prevails for many regions and organismal groups such as aquatic invertebrates. High-throughput DNA-based identification, in particular DNA metabarcoding, has accelerated biodiversity data generation. However, in the process of metabarcoding...
The mayfly Prosopistoma pennigerum (Müller, 1785) (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) once occurred in many European river networks. However, observations decreased in the last decades and the species can be considered largely extinct throughout Europe due to river alterations.
Only three extant populations are known from Cabriel (southern Spain), Volga (Russ...
For evaluating hydraulic stress reduction strategies of caddisfly larvae, our study has three goals. First, creating a database on Reynolds numbers (Re) and drag coefficients valid for Limnephilidae larvae with cylindrical mineral cases. Second, evaluating the effects of submerged weight and biometry in cases with comparable length/width ratios. An...
The subfamily Drusinae (Limnephilidae, Trichoptera) comprises a range of species exhibiting differently shaped head capsules in their larval stages. These correspond to evolutionary lineages pursuing different larval feeding ecologies, each of which uses a different hydraulic niche: scraping grazers and omnivorous shredders sharing rounded head cap...
• Nymphs of all 29 described Prosopistoma species share a conspicuous synapomorphy: a round mesonotal shield, the carapace. They occur in the Palaearctic (nine species), the Oriental (12 species) and the Afrotropic as well as Australian regions (six and two species, respectively). Relatively little is known about their ecology, but past and extant...
Consumers feeding at the aquatic–terrestrial ecosystem interface may obtain a mixture of aquatic and terrestrial diet resources that vary in nutritional composition. However, in lake riparian spiders, the relative significance of aquatic versus terrestrial diet sources remains to be explored. We investigated the trophic transfer of lipids and polyu...
The common house mosquito, Culex pipiens s. l. is part of the morphologically hardly or non-distinguishable Culex pipiens complex. Upcoming molecular methods allowed us to identify members of mosquito populations that are characterized by differences in behavior, physiology, host and habitat preferences and thereof resulting in varying pathogen loa...
The subfamily Drusinae (Limnephilidae, Trichoptera) comprises a range of species exhibiting differently shaped head capsules in their larval stages. These correspond to evolutionary lineages pursuing different larval feeding ecologies, each of which uses a different hydraulic niche: scraping grazers and omnivorous shredders sharing rounded head cap...
Background
The Western Balkans are an important hotspot of caddisfly diversity in Europe, with several microscale endemics, many of which were discovered during the recent years. The genus Potamophylax Wallengren, 1891 likely originated and diversified in Europe, with the Balkan Peninsula being one of the most important diversity hotspots.
New inf...
External and internal head anatomy of drusus monticola trichoptera limnephilidae:
Caddisflies have evolved to a staggering diversity, and their larvae inhabit a wide range of different habitats. Also, the larvae differ in their (feeding) ecology, and hydrological niche preference. Consequently, groups differ in their external morphology, a fact th...
The rare mayfly Prosopistoma pennigerum was once widely distributed across Europe and occurred virtually in every large river. Today, it holds fast against the ever-growing destruction of its habitat with a few relic populations remaining. Preliminary data and information on its congeners suggest that free-flowing rivers with near-natural hydrodyna...
Streams and rivers represent hotspots of biodiversity in their natural state. This biodiversity is declining worldwide due to pollution, exploitation and hydromorphological degradation of these systems. One of the last big, natural rivers in Europe is the Vjosa in the Balkan region. The catchment is characterized by natural flow dynamics, resulting...
The Water Framework Directive requires that the ecological status of surface waters be monitored and managed if necessary. A central function in ecological status assessment has the Biological Quality Elements—organisms inhabiting surface waters—by indicating human impact on their habitat. For benthic invertebrates, a wide array of national methods...
Hydraulic niche descriptors of final instar larvae of nine Drusus species (Trichoptera) were studied in small, spring-fed, first-order headwaters located in the Mühlviertel (Upper Austria), Koralpe (Carinthia, Austria), and in the Austrian and Italian Alps. The species investigated covered all three clades of Drusinae: the shredder clade (Drusus fr...
By studying hydraulic stress parameters of larvae of the cased caddisfly Drusus biguttatus (Pictet, 1834) in a tributary of the Schwarze Sulm (Carinthia, Austria), we aimed on (1) detecting the flow properties of the spatio-temporally filtered velocity measurements taken, and (2) on defining the hydraulic niche of this caddisfly larva. For this, we...
A new Drusinae species, Drusus katagelastos sp. nov., of the Drusus chapmani Species Complex, is described based on a male and associated larvae. Adult-larval association was achieved through DNA barcoding. The male of the new species differs from that of its congeners in the formation of the intermediate appendages and parameres. Information on th...
ContextLarge near-natural rivers have become rare in Europe, a fact reflected in the high conservation status of many riverine ecosystems. While the Balkan still harbors several intact river corridors, most of these are under pressure from planned hydropower constructions. Unfortunately, there is little information available on the hydromorphodynam...
Horst Aspöck and Raphidia ulrikae in the rock face: Congratulations from 36 zoologists to Univ.-Prof. Dr. Horst Aspöck on the occasion of his 80 th birthday. - Entomologica Austriaca, 27: 421-448. --- Das Opus eines Wissenschaftlers zu umreißen, dessen ungestüme Neugierde, die Natur zu erkunden bereits in der Gymnasialzeit mit 13 Jahren begann und...
On the occasion of the 70 th birthday of Univ.-Doz. Prof. Dr. Johannes Gepp. Johannes Gepp, long-serving board member of the Austrian Entomologi-cal Society and founder of the Entomologica Austriaca, turned 70. Aside his vast faunistic knowledge and his specialization on Chrysopidae and Myrmeleontidae, Johannes Gepp continues to be vanguard of natu...
The caddisfly Drusus dudor Oláh, 2017 (Limephilidae: Drusinae) was described from the Northwestern Italian Alps. We provide a detailed description of the larva, based on material from the Italian Province of Piemonte. Information on the morphology of the 5 th larval instar is given, and the most important diagnostic features are illustrated. The la...
Benthic invertebrates are the most commonly used organisms used to assess ecological status as required by the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). For WFD-compliant assessments, benthic invertebrate communities are sampled, identified and counted. Taxa × abundance matrices are used to calculate indices and the resulting scores are compared to refer...
This paper summarizes the layout, the three work packages and the intended outcome of the project 'Intricate bodies in the boundary layer P 31258-B29', funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF ; project start: October 2018).
Species of the genus Himalopsyche (Trichoptera, Rhyacophilidae) inhabit alpine to montane environments in Central and East Asia and North America. Diversity of the genus is concentrated primarily in the Himalayas and surrounding mountain ranges. Phylogenetic hypotheses have hitherto been proposed based on morphological data. Here, we present the fi...
This paper summarises the results regarding aquatic invertebrates of a few excursions to the Vjosa in Albania, in the vicinity of the villages Poçem und Kutë. It mainly aims to document the status of one of the last free-flowing rivers in Europe, based on its aquatic communities prior to the realisation of the planned building of hydropower plants....
Current biomonitoring approaches are widely used but have some limitations. • DNA metabarcoding provides a new complementary tool for biomonitoring. • Metabarcoding allows extending the range of taxa used as bioindicators. • Metabarcoding data could be used to establish molecular metrics and indices. • Future work should standardise procedures and...
Himalopsyche Banks, 1940 (Trichoptera, Rhyacophilidae) is a genus of caddisflies inhabiting mountain and
alpine environments in Central and East Asia and the Nearctic. Of 53 known species, only five species have
been described previously in the aquatic larval stage. We perform life stage association using three strategies
(GMYC, PTP, and reciprocal...
Figure S2. Life stage association results based on COI
Figure S1. Life stage association results based on CAD
The Ethiopian caddisfly fauna comprises 85 species, including 10 Oecetis species and three Lepidostoma species. In this context we provide the first species-level descriptions of Ethiopian caddisfly larvae. We describe and illustrate the larvae of O.mizrain and L.scotti , with additional notes on their habitats and distribution.
The Ethiopian caddisfly fauna comprises 85 species, including 10 Oecetis species and three Lepidostoma species. In this context we provide the first species-level descriptions of Ethiopian caddisfly larvae. We describe and illustrate the larvae of O.mizrain and L.scotti , with additional notes on their habitats and distribution.
In many insects, mating induces drastic changes in male and female responses to sex pheromones or host-plant odors. In the male moth Agrotis ipsilon mating induces a transient inhibition of behavioral and neuronal responses to the female sex pheromone. As neuropeptides and peptide hormones regulate most behavioral processes, we hypothesize that the...
This contribution describes the previously unknown larva of Adicella cremisa Malicky 1972. Information on the morphology of the 5th larval instar is given and the important diagnostic features are highlighted on micrographs. Within the genus Adicella the hitherto known larvae differ in color patterns of the head capsule, the morphology of the poste...
In this contribution, we describe Isoperla vjosae sp. nov. from Albania. We characterize males, females, and larvae of the new species collected at the Vjosa River using morphological and molecular approaches. Isoperla vjosae sp.nov. is a member of the I. tripartita group, which is widely distributed in the Balkans. This new endemic species is bein...
Aquatic biomonitoring has become an essential task in Europe and many other regions as a consequence of strong anthropogenic pressures affecting the health of lakes, rivers, oceans and groundwater. A typical assessment of the environmental quality status, such as it is required by European but also North American and other legislation, relies on ma...
Aquatic biomonitoring has become an essential task in Europe and many other regions as a consequence of strong anthropogenic pressures affecting the health of lakes, rivers, oceans and groundwater. A typical assessment of the environmental quality status, such as it is required by European but also North American and other legislation, relies on ma...
Within the genus Leuctra (Plecoptera: Leuctridae) the L. inermis species group comprises 17-18 species in which males lack the characteristic tergal abdominal ornamentation of many Leuctra species, and females have an accessory receptacle in the dorsal portion of the vagina. Taxonomically the group is challenging, and congruence of existing morphol...
Adicella syriaca is a leptocerid caddisfly distributed throughout the Balkan Peninsula, the Carpathians, the Hungarian Lowlands, the Pontic Province, and the Caucasus. This paper describes the previously unknown larva of this species, based on material from the Greek island of Corfu. Information on the morphology of the fifth larval instar is given...
Background
Taxonomy offers precise species identification and delimitation and thus provides basic information for biological research, e.g. through assessment of species richness. The importance of molecular taxonomy, i.e., the identification and delimitation of taxa based on molecular markers, has increased in the past decade. Recently developed...
Background
Vector-pathogen dynamics are controlled by fluctuations of potential vector communities, such as the Culicidae. Assessment of mosquito community diversity and, in particular, identification of environmental parameters shaping these communities is therefore of key importance for the design of adequate surveillance approaches. In this stud...
Background
Culex pipiens complex taxa differ in behaviour, ecophysiology and epidemiologic importance. Despite their epidemiologic significance, information on genetic diversity, occurrence and seasonal and spatial distribution patterns of the Cx. pipiens complex is still insufficient. Assessment of seasonal and spatial distribution patterns of Cul...
This paper describes the previously unknown larva of Rhyacophila meyeri McLachlan 1879. Information on the morphology of the 5th larval instar is given, and the most important diagnostic features are illustrated. In the context of existing identification keys the larva of R. meyeri keys together with R. stigmatica (Kolenati 1859). The species pair...
Drusinae (Trichoptera, Limnephilidae) are highland caddisflies inhabiting high-gradient, turbulent running water and spring habitats. They are disjunctly distributed over the Eurasian mountain ranges, and the majority of species is endemic to particular mountain areas. The most diverse of three main groups of the Drusinae, the grazer clade, consist...
In this paper we describe Drusus sharrensis sp. n., from the Sharr Mountains in Kosovo. Males of the new species are morphologically most similar to Drusus krusniki Malicky, 1981, D. kerek Oláh, 2011 and D. juliae Oláh, 2011 but differ mainly in exhibiting (1) a differently shaped spinose area on tergite VIII; (2) intermediate appendages anteriorly...
A new species of the alpine caddisfly genus Consorophylax (Trichoptera, Limnephilidae, Stenophylacini) and the female of the recently described C. vinconi Graf & Malicky 2015 are described. The new species C. lepontiorum sp. nov. is a microendemic of the Southwestern Alps and differs from its congeners in the shape of the superior and inferior appe...
This paper summarizes the layout, the three work packages (WP) and the preliminary (November 2014) as well as intended outcomes of the Drusinae project funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF).
The Balkan Peninsula is one of the most important European hotspots of freshwater biodiversity. The region is, however, to a large extent insufficiently investigated. Here we present data on distribution of caddisflies in one particularly understudied area, the Republic of Kosovo. Our data include the first records of Adicella altandroconia Botosan...
The caddisfly subfamily Drusinae BANKS comprises roughly 100 species inhabiting mountain ranges in Europe, Asia Minor and the Caucasus. A 3-gene phylogeny of the subfamily previously identified three major clades that were corroborated by larval morphology and feeding ecologies: scraping grazers, omnivorous shredders and filtering carnivores. Larva...
Two new species of the genus Drusus (Trichoptera, Limnephilidae, Drusinae) from the Western Balkans are described. Additionally, observations on the biodiversity and threats to the region's endemic aquatic fauna are discussed. Drusus krpachi sp. n. is a micro-endemic of the Korab Mountains, Macedonia, and D. malickyi sp. n. is a micro-endemic of th...
In South-Eastern Europe the Balkan Peninsula represents one of the most interesting centres of biodiversity
for different animal groups, including Trichoptera. The Republic of Macedonia is located in the Western
Balkans, and harbours due to its geology highly diverse hydrological biotopes (rivers, streams, springs,
lakes), particularly in mountain...
In this study we present morphological, molecular and ecological features of the last instar larvae of Drusus bosnicus with data about distribution of this species in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We also included the most important diagnostic features enabling separation of larvae of D. bosnicus from larvae of the other European Drusinae and Trichoptera...
New species are described in the genera Wormaldia (Trichoptera, Philopotamidae) and Drusus (Trichoptera, Limnephilidae, Drusinae). Additionally, the larva of the new species Drusus crenophylax sp. n. is described, and a key provided to larval Drusus species of the bosnicus-group, in which the new species belongs. Observations on the threats to regi...
In a recent 3-gene phylogeny of the trichopteran subfamily Drusinae Banks 1916, molecular data clearly correlated with the morphology and feeding ecology of larvae. The largest of three main groups, the Drusinae grazer clade, exhibits an unusual larval feeding ecology for Limnephilidae, and is the most diverse group. In this paper we describe four...
New species are described from the genera Consorophylax and Anisogamus (Trichoptera, Limnephilidae, Limnephilinae, Stenophylacini). Additionally the larva of the genus Anisogamus, and the larval stages of Anisogamus waringeri sp. nov. and A. difformis (McLachlan 1867) are described. The new species Consorophylax vinconi sp. nov. is a microendemic f...
Adults and larvae of two new cryptic, endemic caddisflies, Ecclisopteryx keroveci sp.n. and Ecclisopteryx ivkae sp.n., are described and illustrated from the Western Balkans. Phylogenetic analysis (Bayesian MCMCMC) and association of different life history stages in both cryptic species were achieved through comparison of morphological characters a...
A new species of the genus Isoperla (Plecoptera, Perlodidae), belonging to the oxylepis species-group is described, and the male mating call is characterized. Its range falls within a small region of the Southern Limestone Alps which is well known to be one endemism-centre of aquatic insects.
Four specimens of the peristediid genus Satyrichthys were sampled with bottom long-lines from a depth of 180 m during the VA ‘Farumas’ Reef Fish Survey off North Male´ Atoll, Maldives, in 1999. The largest and smallest of these specimens were deposited at Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum (BPBM 34965, standard length (SL) 278.25 mm; BPBM 41160, SL 413.6...
A new species of the genus Satyrichthys, Satyrichthys kikingeri sp. nov., is described from the Rasdhoo Atoll, Maldives Archipelago. The new species is placed in a group of Satyrichthys with at least three lip barbels and unequal parietal bones. It differs from its congeners in the combination of the following characters: (1) 3/3 lip and 1/0 chin b...
This paper describes the previously unknown larva of Drusus vinconi Sipahiler, 1992. Information on the
morphology of the 5th larval instar is given, and the most important diagnostic features are illustrated.
In the context of existing identification keys the larva of D. vinconi keys together with D. annulatus
(Stephens, 1837), D. biguttatus (Pict...
In many animals, male copulation is dependent on the detection and processing of female-produced sex pheromones, which is generally followed by a sexual refractory post-ejaculatory interval (PEI). In the male moth, Agrotis ipsilon, this PEI is characterized by a transient post-mating inhibition of behavioral and central nervous responses to sex phe...
