Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.20302/NC.2025.34.23
The spread of Trithemis annulata (Palisot de Beauvois, 1807) (Odonata: Libellulidae) in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula
Dejan Kulijer
orcid.org/0000-0003-0274-6335
; National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zmaja od Bosne 3, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
*
Peter Kogovšek
; Slovensko odonatološko društvo, Verovškova ulica 56, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Nika Tivadar
; Slovensko odonatološko društvo, Verovškova ulica 56, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Trithemis annulata (Palisot de Beauvois, 1807) is a widespread Afrotropical species that substantially expanded its range in Mediterranean Europe in the second part of 20th century and most recently in the West Balkan region. A field study was carried out from June to September 2024 in the southern parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Neretva River delta in Croatia in order to investigate the species presence in this area. During the survey, T. annulata was found at 14 locations, seven in each country. The observations from Bosnia and Herzegovina represent the first record of this species for the country. It was found in a wide variety of habitats, both lentic and lotic, including lakes, reservoirs, rivers, larger ponds and canals. Considering that at several of these locations, the species was not found during surveys in 2022 and 2023, it most likely spread to this area recently. Additionally, two observations of T. annulata from North Macedonia that were found in the online databases Observation and iNaturalist represent the first documented reports for this country. These findings represent a substantial increase in species range and abundance in the region. The species’ distribution and spread in the Balkan Peninsula is also outlined and discussed.
Keywords
Bosnia and Herzegovina; Croatia; dragonflies; Mediterranean; Neretva River delta; violet dropwing
Hrčak ID:
335955
URI
Publication date:
31.12.2025.
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