Towards resolving the mystery about the Balkan endemic freshwater snail Graecoanatolica macedonica Radoman & Stankovič, 1979 in Dojran Lake (R. North Macedonia)

Slavevska - Stamenković V., Hinić J., Shoreva I., Mitić - Kopanja D., Glöer P.

vstamen@yahoo.com

Lake Dojran is one of the priority Key Biodiversity Areas in the Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot, containing Mediterranean, Northern and Eastern floral and faunal elements, but also endemic flora and fauna. Endemic species originate from the relict flora and fauna or have derived through the process of specialization and adaptation to the specific local circumstances. One of the valuable endemic species from Dojran Lake is Graecoanatolica macedonica, described from shells taken from the type locality Kaldrma, on the Macedonian side of Dojran Lake. Unfortunately, its population was noted to have suffered declines in the 1970s when the lake’s water levels lowered. As the species was not recorded in the area between 1992 and 2001, it was proclaimed as “Extinct (EX)” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. However, in 2015 and 2016 some fresh-looking shells have been found at the lake by the authors, suggesting the possibility that the species may be still present in the lake. Therefore, detailed and comprehensive survey work was conducted during the summer of 2020 towards revealing whether these shells are 'subfossil' or whether the species survives somewhere at the lake and urgent action in changing its status on the IUCN Red List should be undertaken.

Acknowledgments: This research has been conducted under the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) funded project “Assessment of an Endemic Freshwater Snail in Dojran Lake - Population Status, Threats and Conservation Measures” implemented by GTI - Geotehnicki Inzenering DOO Skopje, North Macedonia.