Professional paper

Invertebrates of the Veternica cave

Jana Bedek

Abstract

The Veternica cave with five troglobionts, seven eutroglophiles and two subtroglophiles represents an important habitat of cave fauna and is the richest cave on Medvednica in terms of underground fauna. Few Veternica species are endangered, such as the Veternica roof-like springtail Pseudosinella dalai, which is endemic to Veternica and is considered critically endangered according to IUCN criteria. The carabid beatle Anophthalmus kaufmanni weingaertneri is endemic to Medvednica, whose type locality – the cave Bizečka špilja in Bizek – was completely devastated. Veternica is also an important habitat for surface species, such as the isopod crustacean Mesoniscus graniger with the largest known population in Croatia found in Veternica. Veternica is also an important refuge for cave cricket Troglophilus cavicola and the herald moth Scoliopteryx libatrix, species that use the entrances as shelters.

Keywords

Veternica; invertebrates; troglobionts;

Hrčak ID:

314783

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/314783

Publication date:

23.2.2024.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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