HERPETOFAUNA OF THE CROATIAN ISLANDS AND COAST implications for conservation and research

Kuljerić Marija1, Lončar Mila 1, Kobašl ić Ana2 1. Croatian Herpetological Society - Hyla; Radučka 15; 10000 Zagreb

mkuljer@inet.hr 2. Department for Nature Protection, Ministry of Culture; Savska cesta 41; 10000 Zagreb

Google Earth 2007.

Croatia is situated on the Balkan peninsula, area that has a number of herpetofauna taxa. In order to determine conservation priority areas for herpetofauna and to facilitate further research we analysed the data on species occurrence along the coast and the islands of the Croatian part of the eastern Adriatic sea.

Besides islands and narrow coastal stripe we also included whole Istrian peninsula, coastal mountains (Velebit - southern slopes and peaks, Mosor, Biokovo, Sniježnica) and area between coast and peaks of Dinara mountain - Dalmatinska Zagora. Regardless of mountain chains, in this area mediterranean type flora and fauna penetrate further from the coast through the river canyons of the Adriatic watershed.

Data were obtained from the Croatian Natural History Museum collection and published literature from the last 50 years and were complemented with the personal data (our own and from our colleagues).

Distribution patterns of amphibian sp. in the area - total of 14 species Distribution patterns of reptile sp. in the area - total of 34 species

- obvious lack of amphibian and reptile data from the central part - further research on species distributions should be focused in this area:

- smaller islands; coast from Zadar to Split: Velebit mountain

- general threats: roadkills for amphibians and snakes; prejudice and killings for snakes; destruction and disapearance of water habitats for amphibians, Emys orbicularis, Mauremys rivulata and Natrix tesselata

- Istrian peninsula (with Učka mountain) - greatest amphibian biodiversity; presence of 13 species- potential high biodiversity areas - canyons/valleys of rivers Zrmanja, Krka, Cetina, Neretva with associated fields - further research needed

- important habitats - priorities for conservation:- wider area of Motovun forest (Istria) - moist (riparian) deciduous

forest; contains largest population of Rana latastei in Croatia, also 8 other sp.

- caves and underground water bodies - habitat of Proteus anguinus- small karstic ponds - natural and semi-natural; important for breeding,

especially in the areas without rivers and streams; on many islands only breeding habitat

- river valleys, especially delta of Neretva river

- interesting taxa:- Proteus anguinus - IUCN Red List status: VU; endemic- Rana latastei - IUCN Red List status: VU; endemic for the wider

Padano-Venetian area, Croatian populations are on the edge of the distribution area

- Bombina variegata kolombatovici - distribution: Dalmatian coast, southern of Šibenik; IUCN Red List status (Bombina variegata): LC

- Triturus vulgaris sp. meridionalis - Krk island; sp. graecus - extreme south; IUCN Red List status (Triturus vulgaris): LC

- greatest reptile biodiversity: bigger islands, coastal mountains and Dinara mountain - but further research needed in the most of the area for all but few taxa; current distribution pattern is also reflecting extent of the area for wich there is available data

- conservation priorities:- habitats of Vipera ursinii macrops - on Dinara mountain; IUCN Red List

status: EN- habitats of Mauremys rivulata - extreme south; Croatian populations are on

the edge of the distribution area- endemic island subspecies of Podarcis melisellensis (i.e. P.m. melisellensis)

and Podarcis sicula (i.e. P.s. ragusae); P.s. campestris presents a threat to the many island P. melisellensis populations, this subspecies can be treated as invasive; problem - unsolved taxonomical status of most subspecies, furthr research needed; both sp. listed as IUCN Red List status: LC but some subspecies are more threatened

- Archaeolacerta (Dinarolacerta) mosorensis - endemic, area of distribution: central Dalmatia; IUCN Red List status: VU

- Doliophis caspius - only on island Lastovo (and extreme east Croatia)

- other taxa of interest:- Lacerta (Dalmatolacerta) oxycephala - endemic; IUCN Red List status: LC- Zamenis situla - in recent years became very rare; IUCN Red List status: LC- Lacerta viridis / Lacerta bilineata - due to the recent species status older

literature data for this species are treated as one; further research needed to determine distribution area and eventual contact zones; IUCN Red List status: LC

- Podarcis muralis maculiventris - area of distribution: W Istrian peninsula; IUCN Red List status: LC

- Testudo hermanni - threat: massive illegal trade to the tourists during summer months; IUCN Red List status: LR/nt

- Emys orbicularis - threatened by habitat destruction; IUCN Red List status: LR/nt

AMPHIBIANS REPTILES

1-2 species

3-4 species

5-6 species

7-8 species

9 - species

1-3 species

4-7 species

8-11 species

12-15 species

16-19 species

AKNOWLEGEMENTS: For the distribution data on various species thanks to Ivan Budinski, Dragica Šalamon, Tea Šilić, Dag Treer, Eduard Kletečki and Nino MihokovićPart of the project “Atlas of Amphibians and Reptiles of Croatia”, partly financed by Ministry of Culture