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Blackflies (Diptera, Simuliidae) are blood-sucking insects which have great economic, veterinary and medical importance as they are vectors of the protozoan parasites. A total of 37387 adult Simuliidae were caught during 2007 and 2008 at the Plitvice lakes, Croatia, using pyramid-type emergence traps. Samples were taken monthly on 3 tufa barriers, Tufa barrier Labudovac, Tufa barrier Kozjak-Milanovac and Tufa barrier Novakovida Brod, with 6 traps placed on each barrier. The main goals of this study were to determine the species composition on tufa barriers of the Plitvice lakes NP and to determine their emergence patterns and microhabitat preference. The blackflies of the Plitvice lakes are represented by 10 species of the genus Simulium. The most abundant species in both 2007 and 2008 was Simulium (Eusimulium) angustipes with 98% of the total catch. The highest number of individuals caught during 2007 was on the barrier Kozjak-Milanovac and during 2008 on the barrier Labudovac. During both 2007 and 2008 highest diversity was recorded on the barrier Novakovida Brod. Emergence started in early spring, and most of the species had two peaks, in early summer and autumn. All Simuliidae, including the most abundant species, Simulium (Eusimulium) angustipes and Simulium (Neveromannia) costatum, exhibited statistically significant positive 58 correlation between abundance and current velocity of the water. Also, the species Simulium (Eusimulium) angustipes preferred substrates like moss and gravel. |
