The genus Dixa (Diptera, Dixidae) in Croatian lotic habitats, with a checklist of species and relationships with the fauna of neighbouring countries

The first record of Dixella aestivalis (Meigen, 1818) (Diptera: Dixidae) in Serbia

The meniscus midges Dixella aestivallis (Meigen, 1818) was recorded for the first time on the territory of Serbia. This species was found in the Karamejdan Lake on the territory of the protected nature reserve Pešter plateau, the highest Karst plateau of the Balkan Peninsula. The larva of D. aestivalis was detected in a locality with well-developed aquatic vegetation and high value of oxygen concentration. Dixella aestivalis is a eurytopic species, which prefers to live in different types of small stagnant waters. This study is a result of the ongoing monitoring of freshwater ecosystems. This finding is the starting point for further studies of these species in Serbia.

Checklist of aquatic Diptera (Insecta) of Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia, a UNESCO world heritage site

Studies on aquatic Diptera in the Plitvice Lakes National Park (Croatia) conducted in the last 50 years have produced 157 species and 7 taxa of aquatic Diptera placed in 13 families. Samples were collected at 25 sampling sites representing the four main types of karst aquatic habitats: spring, stream, tufa barriers and lakes. All records of all the aquatic families of Diptera in Plitvice Lakes NP are summarized, including previously unpublished data. Twelve species new for Plitvice Lakes NP are recorded for the first time, belonging to the families: Chironomidae – Labrundinialongipalpis (Goetghebuer, 1921), Nilothaumabrayi (Goetghebuer, 1921), Potthastialongimanus Kieffer, 1922, Polypedilum (Polypedilum) nubeculosum (Meigen, 1804), Tanytarsusbrundini Lindeberg, 1963; Dixidae – Dixellaautumnalis (Meigen, 1838); Scathophagidae – Acanthocnemalatipennis Becker, 1894 and Stratiomyidae – Oxycerapardalina Meigen, 1822, Oxyceralimbata Loew, 1862, Oxyceraturcica Ustuner & Hasbenli, 2004, Nemoteluspantherinus (Linnaeus, 1758), Oplodonthaviridula (Fabricius, 1775). The most species-rich family was the Chironomidae with 62 species (and an additional seven taxa), followed by the Empididae with 22 species and Limoniidae with 19 species. The highest number of species was recorded in springs. The relatively low number of species in certain families and the complete absence of some aquatic families shows that further research into the aquatic Diptera in Plitvice Lakes NP is needed.