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Occurrence of Chondrostoma phoxinus in Croatia

The status and data on the biology of hondrostoma phoxinus,an endem. species of the Croatian, Bosnia and Herzegovina border, are presented. This species has a peculiar biology, often occurring in small springs, stagnant and underground waters. Body form and small scales indicate specialisation to karstic environment. Ten years ago some authors identified C. phoxinus as the most abundant species in the natural Lake Busko blato in Bosnia ar Herzegovina, which belongs to the same Cetina watershed. In Croatia, the species occurs only in Sinjsko polje and is very rare despite the fact that the area of main occurrence is very close. In major investigations of the Croatian distribution area, within the Cetina river system, C. phoxinus was not registered. Introductions of alien species, especially the invasive ones from the Danube watershed, such as Lepomis gibbosus, Ictalurus nebulosus, Pseudorasbora parva, an Carassius auratus gibelio greatly jeopardise its survival. Recently, natural habitats of C. phoxinus described previously with only twelve species, have completely disappeared.

Chondrostoma phoxinus; Croatia; conservation; karstic; endemic

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