Eastern Herzegovina Hypogean Biodiversity

The Joint International "Proteus Project" :
The "focal endangered species" of this current long-term hypogean species and habitat-conservation project is the
amphibious cave salamander Proteus anguinus, more commonly known in the Balkans as.čovječija ribica.- or the "human fish".
It has this status within the project because it is the most well-known of the rare endemic species and because it has acquired universal
public fascination within the Balkans as being something of a myth or legend and a complete mystery.
We are using this public perception to our advantage, not only in promoting the project but in acquiring the co-operation of everyone to help us achieve the objectives.

The main strategy of the project is that of the protection of the species through protection of the natural karst habitat.
If the natural habitat of this mysterious hypogean species can be protected and conserved or managed, then the future of all the other associated hypogean faunal
species can also be assured.
Let us now briefly consider the scientific discipline that deals with the study of hypogean species.

This is the multi-disciplinary science or study of all the life-forms which live underground in caves or use the cave habitat for
part of their life-cycle and includes the two main sub-disciplines of speleo-zoology and speleo-botany.

The word "speleo-biology" has become corrupted in recent years by those who do not understand the English
Language and who have changed it into "bio-speleology", which has an incomprehensible meaning!
Speleo-biology also addresses questions of how such organisms have evolved, the relative roles of natural
selection and genetic drift and has engaged the endeavours of speleo-biologists for decades.
Indeed, these studies continue to inform the more general question of adaptation and evolution.
However, interest in subterranean biology is not limited to questions of evolutionary biology.
Both the distribution and the apparent ancient age of many subterranean species continue to be of
significant interest to biogeographers.
.

The Hypogean Species :
The Society has no webpage(s) specifically dedicated either to the science of speleo-biology per se or to its specific application within the long-term "Proteus Project",
even though our science programmes in Eastern Herzegovina are intrinsically linked with this science !
The dedicated "Proteus Project" Webpages do provide an overview of the Project itself but do not attempt to describe any of the associated endangered hypogean fauna that co-exist
with Proteus anguinus in the same ecosystems.
Only on this specific Webpage, we have attempted to partly overcome this omission, which has been causing frustration to many of the European visitors to our Website.
Although we have now provided illustrations of some of the hypogean species associated with Proteus anguinus, we cannot reveal details of their specific habitat locations or about the
associated karst conduit-aquifer ecosystems.
The images are provided below and some additional bio-constructional drawings of the species are on the left-side of this Webpage.
The "Proteus Project" Webpages can now be accessed via the Link at the bottom of this Webpage. An expanding speleo-biological Glossary is also provided in Section 11.
.
Background Image by the Project's Hungarian Cave Diving & Technical Support Team, 12 August 2006.

Заштита УГРОЖЕНИХ ПОДЗЕМНИХ СТАНИШТА Источне Херцеговине, Босна и Херцеговина.	ЗАЈЕДНИЧКА СТРАТЕГИЈА ЗА ЗАШТИТЕ УГРОЖЕНОГ ПОДЗЕМНОГ ЕНДЕМА ЧОВЈЕЧИЈЕ РИБИЦЕ И ЊЕГОВОГ ПРИРОДНОГ КРШКОГ СТАНИШТА У ДОЛИНИ РИЈЕКЕ ТРЕБИШЊИЦЕ, Источна Херцеговина, Босна и Херцеговина. *A JOINT STRATEGY FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE ENDANGERED UNDERGROUND ENDEM Proteus anguinus* AND ITS NATURAL KARST HABITAT IN THE TREBIŠNJICA RIVER VALLEY*, Eastern Herzegovina, Bosnia & Herzegovina. EGYÜTTMŰKÖDÉSI STRATÉGIA A VESZÉLYEZTETETT BARLANGI VAK GŐTE (Proteus anguinus)* TERMÉSZETES KARSZTOS ÉLŐHELYÉNEK VÉDELMÉRE A TREBIŠNJICA FOLYÓ VÖLGYÉBEN, Kelet- Hercegovina, Bosznia - Hercegovina.
Webpage 01. of 4. for Project Information This Webpage last revised on 22 July 2009. More information to follow. . Proteus Project Co-ordinator Groups : Speleološko društvo "Zelena Brda" (Trebinje, RS-BiH) The Devon Karst Research Society (Plymouth, UK.) Special Technical Support by the Project's Hungarian Cave Diving & Technical Support Group (Budapest, Hungary) (consisting of speleologists from several Hungarian groups) Speleo-biology : Hypogean Species Identification : bio-constructional drawings. . Speleocaris pretneri (Matjašič, 1956). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Troglocaris anophthalmus anophthalmus (Kollar,.1848).	Protecting the ENDANGERED HYPOGEAN BIODIVERSITY of Eastern Herzegovina, Bosnia & Herzegovina. . Cave ecosystems and other subterranean habitats with their often strange inhabitants have long been objects of fascination, curiosity, and debate. The hypogean (or underground) biodiversity of the Classical Dinaric Karst in Eastern Herzegovina is very rich in terms of quality (species types) and population numbers. Although the level of endemism of species in the Balkans is universally accepted as being exceptionally high, the richness of this hypogean diversity in Eastern Herzegovina has never been comprehensively documented before now, although many have alluded to it in the literature. For many reasons, it is not an easy place to undertake such studies and as a consequence, there is a low level of awareness by the international community to the prevailing environmental situation in Eastern Herzegovina and the worsening effects of human activities on this unique natural heritage. The Joint International "Proteus Project" : The "focal endangered species" of this current long-term hypogean species and habitat-conservation project is the amphibious cave salamander Proteus anguinus, more commonly known in the Balkans as.čovječija ribica.- or the "human fish". It has this status within the project because it is the most well-known of the rare endemic species and because it has acquired universal public fascination within the Balkans as being something of a myth or legend and a complete mystery. We are using this public perception to our advantage, not only in promoting the project but in acquiring the co-operation of everyone to help us achieve the objectives. The main strategy of the project is that of the protection of the species through protection of the natural karst habitat. If the natural habitat of this mysterious hypogean species can be protected and conserved or managed, then the future of all the other associated hypogean faunal species can also be assured. Let us now briefly consider the scientific discipline that deals with the study of hypogean species. . SPELEO-BIOLOGY Спелео-биологија Speleo-biologija This is the multi-disciplinary science or study of all the life-forms which live underground in caves or use the cave habitat for part of their life-cycle and includes the two main sub-disciplines of speleo-zoology and speleo-botany. The word *"speleo-biology"* has become corrupted in recent years by those who do not understand the English Language and who have changed it into *"bio-speleology", which has an incomprehensible meaning! Speleo-biology also addresses questions of how such organisms have evolved, the relative roles of natural selection and genetic drift and has engaged the endeavours of speleo-biologists for decades. Indeed, these studies continue to inform the more general question of adaptation and evolution. However, interest in subterranean biology is not limited to questions of evolutionary biology. Both the distribution and the apparent ancient age of many subterranean species continue to be of significant interest to biogeographers. . Speleo-biology and the "Proteus Project" However, for the more practical reasons of karst habitat protection and conservation-management for the "Proteus Project" operating across all of the historical geographical area of Eastern Herzegovina, we are more concerned with the identification of individual species, together with their population numbers and geographical distribution. We are also dealing with the identification of habitat locations and in assessing the spatial extent and physical disposition of ecosystems together with their quality and viability as habitats. Hypogean Ecosystems in Karstic Limestones : In their simplest form, they can be described as any shaft, cave or cave system, fissure or fissure system, with or without water on a temporary or permanent basis. Although an individual cave or part of a cave may be described as being an habitat, cave systems themselves are usually part of a greater hypogean ecosystem, only part of which can ever be accessed for investigation. It is with assessing the spatial extent of hypogean ecosystems that we have the greatest challenges. The success or otherwise of protecting the hypogean species for the future, as well as bringing many of them back from the edge of extinction, rests solely on our ability to determine the physical extent and quality problems of these ecosystems, together with identifying the actual and potential anthropogenic threats to their ecological integrity. From our own extensive experience in Eastern Herzegovina, we can say that many of these hypogean ecosystems resemble underwater zoos, being richly populated with a diverse range of endemic faunal species. In other locations which used to be likewise populated, they are now barren due to the incidental activities of the Human Race. The Hypogean Species : The Society has no webpage(s) specifically dedicated either to the science of speleo-biology per se* or to its specific application within the long-term "Proteus Project", even though our science programmes in Eastern Herzegovina are intrinsically linked with this science ! The dedicated "Proteus Project" Webpages do provide an overview of the Project itself but do not attempt to describe any of the associated endangered hypogean fauna that co-exist with Proteus anguinus in the same ecosystems. Only on this specific Webpage, we have attempted to partly overcome this omission, which has been causing frustration to many of the European visitors to our Website. Although we have now provided illustrations of some of the hypogean species associated with Proteus anguinus, we cannot reveal details of their specific habitat locations or about the associated karst conduit-aquifer ecosystems. The images are provided below and some additional bio-constructional drawings of the species are on the left-side of this Webpage. The "Proteus Project" Webpages can now be accessed via the Link at the bottom of this Webpage. An expanding speleo-biological Glossary is also provided in Section 11. . Background Image by the Project's Hungarian Cave Diving & Technical Support Team, 12 August 2006.
Zaštita UGROŽENIH PODZEMNIH STANIŠTA Istočne Hercegovine, Bosna i Hercegovina.	Заштита УГРОЖЕНИХ ПОДЗЕМНИХ СТАНИШТА Источне Херцеговине, Босна и Херцеговина. . Speleo-biology :..Hypogean Species Identification. Images of the Hypogean Faunal Species recorded in Eastern Herzegovina and which are threatened by Human Activities. Identification of very similar hypogean species such as the decapod crustaceans has proved particularly daunting. The Society is compiling a ready-reference catalogue to assist Project Research Assistants with this task. A qualitative and quantitative inventory of the resident species in a karst conduit-aquifer ecosystem often relies on accurate visual differentiation between related sub-species, supported by good video and photographic-stills records.
Saving the Endemic Species Спасавање ендемске врсте Spasavanje endemske vrste Lithobius matulicii (Verhoeff,.1899) . . Marifugia cavatica (Absolon & Hrabé,.1930) . . Niphargus balkanicus (Absolon,.1927). . . Niphargus croaticus (Jurinac,.1887) . . Monolistra (Pseudomonolistra) hercegoviniensis (Absolon,.1916) . . Typhloglomeris caeca (Verhoeff,.1898) . . Antroherpon apfelbecki (J Muller,.1910) . . Hadesia vasiceki (J. Muller,.1911) . . .Typhlogammerus mrazeki (Schaeferna,.1906) . . Dolichopoda araneiformis (Burmeister,.1838) . . Zospeum amoenum (Frauenfeld,.1856) . . Spelaeoconcha paganettii (Sturany,.1901)	1a. TERRESTRIAL SPECIES (Obligate) : (Below - left) Lithobius matulicii (Verhoeff,.1899) - (Photo : Gergely Balázs, 12 Aug. 2006) This species has the local common name of "Zmijin Cesalj" or "Dragon's Comb". (Below - middle) Troglophilus cavicola (Kollar,.1833) - (Photo : Gergely Balázs, 07 Sept. 2008) The Cave Cricket, also known as the "Camel Cricket" because of its humped back. (This could possibly be Dolichopoda azami (Saulcy). (Below - right) (Identification not confirmed) - (Photo : Gergely Balázs, 07 Nov. 2005) A cave beetle, possibly Neotrechus sp. 1b. TERRESTRIAL SPECIES (Facultative) : (Below - left) Ommatoiulus sabulosus (Linnaeus,1758) - (Photo : B. Lewarne, 06 Aug. 2002) To ward off predators, it emits an ill-smelling fluid from openings along the body. We have found this large millipede in many caves, either at positions far inside the cave or within the entrance zone. The species name we have used here is preliminary because we are unsure that it is correct. . 2a. AQUATIC SPECIES (Obligate) : The images below indicate but a small selection of the species which are under greatest threat, due mainly to either the total destruction of the natural karst hydrographic regime or its long-term, persistent chemical contamination by industrial, agricultural and domestic activities. The images also indicate examples of the different types of habitat within the hypogean karst conduit-aquifer ecosystem, which ideally support each of the species. In this latter context, we ask you, not only to open your eyes wide and see what is illustrated, but to understand what you are seeing. Each image is giving very much information. The continual entry of organic pollutants derived from personal care products, pharmaceuticals and industrial chemicals via wastewaters into rivers and streams is a cause for concern. Little is known about the long-term, potentially toxic effects of these increasingly complex mixtures of pollutants. Crustaceans are especially sensitive to the presence of organo-phosphorus insecticides and many pesticides such as Cypermethrin(a pyrethroid pesticide) and Chlorpyrifos.(an organo-phosphorus pesticide) and the herbicides Isoproturon and Simazine, commonly used in agricultural activities, can also decimate populations if contamination occurs over long periods of time. Although cadmium, lead and mercury can arise from natural sources, major human-induced sources come from the combustion of fossil fuels, particularly from power plants. The case in hand which affects most of Bosnian Eastern Herzegovina is that of the extraction and processing of low-quality lignite coal in Gatačko Polje and its subsequent use as a fuel in the Gacko-1 Thermo-electric Power Facility. One of the primary indicators which we are using for the presence of long-to-medium-term poisonous contamination is that of the absence of Proteus anguinus in those hypogean aquatic habitats where it was once a registered species. (Below - left) Marifugia cavatica (Absolon & Hrabé,.1930) - (Photo : Dianovszki Tibor, 14 Aug. 2005) The only known Polychaete hypogean stygobiotic freshwater tubeworm of the Family Serpulidae, (whose surface equivalent is the marine Keel worm Pomatoceros triqueter, also known as Serpula triquetra). Usually seen in great colonies embedded on the roofs and walls of epi-phreatic passages; we have regularly encountered lone specimens scattered around various subterranean ecosystems. (Below - right) Congeria kusceri (Bole) within a matrix of Marifugia cavatica (Absolon & Hrabé,.1930) - (Photo : Hungarian Team 09 Aug. 2006) Congeria kusceri (Bole) is a troglodytic 'living fossil' the only known stygobiotic bivalve mollusc or clam - from a genus thought to have been extinct since the Miocene, but alive a well in Eastern Herzegovina. Maintenance of genetic variability in C. kusceri may result from long-term population size stability. This underground species apparently was buffered from the climatic changes and resultant population bottlenecks that affected its surface-dwelling relatives during the Pliocene and Pleistocene Ice Ages. . . (Below - left) Troglocaris anophthalmus anophthalmus. (Kollar,.1848) - (Photo : Gergely Balázs, 05 Aug. 2007) A stygobiotic decapod crustacean. (Below - right) Speleocaris pretneri.(Matjašič,.1956) - (Photo : Gergely Balázs, 09 Sept. 2008) An extremely rare stygobiotic decapod crustacean. . . (Below - left) Niphargus balkanicus (Absolon,.1927) -.(Photo : Gergely Balázs, 09 Sept. 2008) Another stygobiotic amphipod, usually seen browsing the cave sediment and wall surfaces for food, as evidenced here in the photograph. They have a peculiar swimming gait, travelling upside-down in motion, before flipping over when coming to rest on a surface. (Below - right) Niphargus balkanicus (Absolon,.1927) with.Troglocaris anophthalmus anophthalmus.(Kollar,.1848) -.(Photo : Gergely Balázs, 05 Aug. 2007) A comparatively small mixed-species shoal of stygobiotic crustaceans browsing for food on a sand and gravel bank in a typical viable hypogean aquatic ecosystem in Eastern Herzegovina. . . (Below - left) Troglocaris anophthalmus anophthalmus.(Kollar,.1848).-.(Photo : Gergely Balázs, 09 Aug. 2008) .... with many Cave Snails. (Below - right) Monolistra hercegoviniensis -.(Photo : Gergely Balázs, 04 Aug. 2007) A stygobiotic isopod, endemic to Herzegovina, here seen browsing amongst an area of fine to coarse mud and vegetative organic debris, the latter material being the darker areas in the cave sediment. 2b. AQUATIC SPECIES (Facultative) : (in preparation)
Заштита УГРОЖЕНИХ ПОДЗЕМНИХ СТАНИШТА Источне Херцеговине, Босна и Херцеговина.	Link forward to >>..."Proteus Project" Webpage 1.