NORTH-WESTERN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 10 (2): 435-437 ©NwjZ, Oradea, Romania, 2014 Article No.: 142301 http://biozoojournals.ro/nwjz/index.html

Autumn populations of Branchinecta orientalis G. O. Sars, 1903 and Chirocephalus diaphanus Prévost, 1803 (Crustacea, Branchiopoda) in the Central European Lowlands (Pannonian Plain, Serbia)

Marko ŠĆIBAN1, Aleksandar MARKOVIĆ2, Dunja LUKIĆ2 and Dragana MILIČIĆ3

1. Bird Protection and Study Society of Serbia, Novi Sad, Serbia. 2. Society for Biological Research “Sergej D. Matvejev”, Belgrade, Serbia. 3. University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Belgrade, Serbia. *Corresponding author, D. Miličić, E-mail: [email protected]

Received: 23. October 2013 / Accepted: 12. February 2014 / Available online: 27. March 2014 / Printed: December 2014

Abstract. Autumn populations of two large branchiopod species, Branchinecta orientalis and Chirocephalus diaphanus in the area of southern part of Central European Lowlands (Pannonian Plain) are here reported for the first time. During surveys carried out in 2007–2013, autumn populations were observed in November 2009 (C. diaphanus) and in October 2012 (B. orientalis). Autumn specimens were smaller compared to those caught in spring. Although the two species were found in the same area, their habitats were spatially separated: B. orientalis was recorded only in the soda lake Rusanda, while C. diaphanus was found only in small ephemeral ponds placed over the surrounding meadows. Appearance of autumn populations point to the ecologically tolerant character of these species, and suggests they are able to tolerate lower temperatures during growth.

Key words: B. orientalis, C. diaphanus, autumn populations, Pannonian Plain, Serbia.

Occurrence of large branchiopod crustaceans is Romania (Demeter & Stoicescu 2008), Hungary highly correlated with type of habitat and climate. and Austria (Horváth et al. 2013). This species has Their appearance is often induced by a local com- apparent adaptation to extreme environments, to bination of different environmental conditions high salinites and low temperatures. Although it is (Cvetković-Miličić et al. 2004). Water temperatures a cool-loving element and potentially could ap- serve as a main trigger for hatching, and are posi- pear in spring or in late autumn, species was to tively correlated with the air temperatures (Maier date reported exclusively in the spring season in et al. 1998). the area of Pannonian lowlands (e.g. Petkovski Branchiopods usually occur in ephemeral 1991, 1993). ponds, but sometimes can be found in some per- Brtek & Thiéry (1995) considered Chirocephalus manent water bodies, like soda lakes and pans. In diaphanus as a common eurytopic species with Central Europe, such unique habitats are restricted western Palearctic distribution. It is widespread in mainly to Serbia, Hungary, Austria and Romania Europe, known both from lowlands and higher al- (Petkovski 1991, Eder et al. 1997, Demeter & Stoi- titudes (Demeter & Stoicescu 2008, Lukić et al. cescu 2008, Lukić et al. 2012, Horváth et al. 2013). 2012). Cvetković-Miličić et al. (2004) and Reiners et In the Pannonian Plain, the occurrence of B. orien- al. (2013) consider C. diaphanus as coldwater spe- talis and C. diaphanus was previously recorded cies, due to its ability to tolerate low temperatures only during spring and summer, between April during the hatching period. Late populations of C. and July (Eder et al. 1997, Petrov & Cvetković diaphanus have been reported from mountains in 1997, Demeter & Hartel 2007, Horváth et al. 2013). Bosnia and Herzegovina (in October) and in Ma- In this paper we are reporting about the first find- cedonia (species occurred even in December due ing of these species in the autumn season. to warmer climate along the Vardar valley, see Branchinecta orientalis is a Mongolian steppe Petkovski 1993). In Europe, autumn populations element with Palearctic distribution extending of C. diaphanus were also noted in Sicily (Marrone from east Mongolia, Himalayas and Tibet (at 4000 & Mura 2006). According to Petrov & Petrov m a.s.l.), through the southern Russian steppe and (1997) and Demeter & Hartel (2007), C. diaphanus Iran to the Iberian Peninsula (Belk & Brtek 1995, can appear in late summer (August). However, Brtek & Thiéry 1995, Alonso 1996, Manca & Mura there were no published data about the appear- 1997, Mura & Azari Takami 2000, Horn & Paul ance of autumn populations in the area of Central 2004). In Central Europe the species is restricted to European Lowlands. Pannonian lowlands in Serbia (Petkovski 1991), 436 M. Šćiban et al.

Researching of the study area has been done as part of ex- ponds lie on the alkaline meadows and pastures sur- tensive surveys carried out between 2007 and 2013. Many rounding the lake. These are shallow depressions, or field visits were carried out by NGO volunteers and spe- tracks made by the passage of vehicles. They are usually cialist's expeditions, under the authority of the Faculty of several centimeters in depth. Biology, University of Belgrade. Samples were collected during several occasions from spring to autumn, trying to In the study site, as a rule, the first nauplii appear cover the beginning, the middle and the end part of each in early spring, after heavy rains and snow melt- season, till the final desiccation of habitats. Temperature ing (Fig. 1). Both species can be found synchronic- and pH were measured at each sampling date using a ally, however, they are fully spatially separated: B. WTW Multi-Parameter Meter 340i Set. Samplings were orientalis is found in the Rusanda salt lake (pH 8 – taken in the area of the natron lake Rusanda in the Banat 10, temperature of water from 11°C at the begin- Province, Republic of Serbia (45°31'18"N 20°17'30"E). A total of 55 specimens of B. orientalis and 45 speci- ning, to 20°C as the season progresses), while C. mens of C. diaphanus were analysed, as follows: B. orien- diaphanus occurs only in ephemeral pools in a pas- talis: 6. 4. 2007. 3♂, 3♀; 26. 10. 2012. 3♂; 23. 3. 2013. 3♂, 3♀; ture, with significant lower pH values (5 – 7) and 13. 4. 2013. 16♂, 12♀; 11. 5.2013. 7♂, 5♀. C. diaphanus: 6. 4. higher temperatures (up to 25°C). 2007. 2♂, 1♀; 10. 11. 2009. 5♂, 3♀; 23. 3. 2013. 9♂, 9♀; 13. 4. 2013. 7♂, 9♀. Body length of collected anostracans (from head to end of cercopods) was measured using a ZEISS Discovery V8 Stereomicroscope. Sexual maturity was es- tablished on the basis of development of the reproductive organs and the presence of shelled cysts in females. Proc- essing of data was performed with the software Statistica 5.1. (Stat Soft Inc., Tulsa, USA). Rusanda lake is an alkaline, shallow depression which originated from an old abandoned meander of the Tisza river. The lake has a surface area of about 4 km2 (200 – 600 m wide and 5.5 km in lenght). The depth of the deeper parts varies between 0.5 and 1.5 m, depending on the season. Water has a dark green color and slight trans- parency due to the fact that soils of the site are clayey and Figure 1. Habitats of Branchinecta orientalis (the soda swamp loess. It belongs to the alkaline type with the lake Rusanda) and Chirocephalus diaphanus (ephem- bromine character, sometimes very similar to fossil sea- eral ponds in the meadow) in early spring. water, since the marine sediments remained from most recent ice age. Long-term evaporation has caused raising of concentration of many chemical substances and formed Autumn populations were noticed in October the „Dead Sea“ effect (mineralisation of water is some- and November. Temperatures were rather similar times more than 60 g/l). The mineralisation of the water to those in spring (about 8 – 10°C) but there was a varies throughout the year depending on the dilution by very small amount of water both in the lake and rain. It is highest in the dry season, when water evapora- the pools in the pasture. After visiting site at the tion is more intensive than its renewal by precipitation (Marković & Pavlović 1989, Bogdanović & Marković 2003, middle of November, we were not successful in Davidović et al. 2003, Lazić & Pavić 2003). Several astatic finding sexually mature anostracans, as the water-

Table 1. Statistical data of spring and autumn samples of two anostracan species occurred in Pannonian Plain in Serbia. N—number of collected (and measured - in mm) specimens on each sampling date.

Branchinecta orientalis Chirocephalus diaphanus Samplings N Min. Max. Mean SD N Min. Max. Mean SD April 6, 2007 3♂ 12.00 12.10 12.05 0.07 2♂ 17.50 19.00 18.25 1.06 3♀ 11.00 12.00 11.67 0.58 1♀ 19.00 19.20 19.10 0.14 November 10, 2009 / — — — — 5♂ 12.20 14.20 12.97 0.88 / — — — — 3♀ 8.00 8.50 8.17 0.29 October 26, 2012 3♂ 7.00 8.00 7.67 0.58 / — — — — / — — — — / — — — — March 23, 2013 3♂ 15.00 15.00 15.00 0.00 9♂ 11.00 22.50 18.94 3.81 3♀ 13.00 17.00 15.33 2.08 9♀ 10.00 26.50 20.36 5.36 April 13, 2013 16♂ 8.00 28.00 18.19 5.90 7♂ 13.00 25.00 21.00 4.47 12♀ 13.00 33.00 23.20 6.55 9♀ 24.00 31.00 26.89 2.37 May 11, 2013 7♂ 21.00 29.00 25.79 3.08 / — — — — 5♀ 19.00 32.00 24.84 5.08 / — — — —

Autumn populations of B. orientalis and C. Diaphanus 437

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