engleski

New data about the reproductive cycle of Congeria kusceri Bole, 1962 (BIVALVES, DREISSENIDAE) from the pit „Jama u Predolcu“ (Croatia)

This paper presents the results of a survey on Congeria kusceri population from the pit „Jama u Predolcu“ near Metković (Croatia). The species Congeria kusceri or „a living fossil“ is the only subterranean bivalve in the world living in the subterranean waters of the Dinaric karst of Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. The biology and anatomy of Congeria kusceri is well known, as well as the genomic sequence and evolutionary placement among the family Dreissenidae. However, the annual reproductive cycle, type of fertilization (internal or external), larval and postlarval stages have not yet been described. The investigation of Congeria kusceri population in the Pit „Jama u Predolcu“ included collection of live specimens for morphometric and histological analyses (sex determination). The survey was carried out from January to December of 2009 and samples were collected every month. As Congeria kusceri is a protected subterranean species, we obtained permission to collect only 30 specimens per month. Also, we measured several physico-chemical parameters of the underground water in an attempt to examine the relationship between the underground ecological conditions and the reproductive cycle.

Bivalves; Congeria kusceri; Croatia

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