CONTRIBUTION TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF BLACK FLY (DIPTERA; SIMULIIDAE) FAUNA IN EASTERN CROATIA

Braničevke (Diptera; Simuliidae) su holometabolni kukci koji prvi dio životnog ciklusa provode u tekućicama a drugi, kao odrasle jedinke u kopnenim staništima. Radi se o kukcima koji su medicinski i veterinarski značajni organizmi jer ženke određenih vrsta braničevki hematofagne i potencijalni su vektori uzročnika različitih bolesti. U višegodišnjem istraživanju braničevki na području istočne Hrvatske, zabilježene su četiri vrste: Simulium (Boophthora) erythrocephalum (De Geer, 1776), Simulium (Simulium) reptans (Linnaeus, 1758), Simulium (Wilhelmia) balcanicum (Enderlin, 1924) i Simulium (Wilhelmia) equinum (Linnaeus, 1758). S obzirom na činjenicu da je fauna braničevki na prostoru istočne Hrvatske slabo poznata, ovo istraživanje je provedeno s ciljem utvrđivanja raznolikosti faune braničevki i dobivanja uvida u stanje njihovih populacija.Black flies (Diptera; Simuliidae) are holometabolous insects that spend the first part of their life cycle in fluids, and the second part as adults in terrestrial habitats. These insects are of high medical and veterinary importance, because females of certain species are hematophagic and are potential vectors for pathogens of various diseases. In a multi-year study of black flies in Eastern Croatia, four species were recorded: Simulium (Boophthora) erythrocephalum (De Geer, 1776), Simulium (Simulium) reptans (Linnaeus, 1758), Simulium (Wilhelmia) balcanicum (Enderlin, 1924) and Simulium (Wilhelmia) equinum (Linnaeus, 1758). Considering the fact that the fauna of the black flies in Eastern Croatia is poorly known, this research was conducted in order to determine the diversity of black fly fauna and to gain insight into the status of their populations