First Insight into Distribution and Ecology of Austropotamobius torrentium (Schrank, 1803) (Decapoda: Astacidae) in the North-Western Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, four species of indigenous European freshwater crayfish have been identified:noble crayfish (Astacus astacus), narrow-clawed crayfish (Pontastacus leptodactylus), stone crayfish (Aus-tropotamobius torrentium) and white-clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes). The aim of this study was to determine distribution and habitat of the stone crayfish in the north-western Bosnia and Herzegovina (Republika Srpska). Its presence was recorded in the waterbodies of both Black Sea and Adriatic basins at 16 sites. New data on distribution indicate its distribution in the tributaries of the Vrbas and Una rivers. To-tally, 438 specimens were analysed (246 males and 192 females). The treatment included the measurement of 12 morphometric characteristics: total body length (TBL), weight (W), rostrum length (ROL), rostrum width (ROW), claw length (CLL), claw width (CLW), carapace length (CPL), carapace width (CPW), abdominal length and width (ABL, ABW) and telson length and width (TEL, TEW). T-test results indicate significant difference in measured morphometric features between sexes due to sexual dimorphism. Significant differences were also recorded between different populations. Linear regression analysis showed correlation between TBL and W as well as between W/CLL and CPW/TBL. Fulton`s Conditions Factor and Crayfish Constant indicate that males are in better condition. New data obtained during this study will be used for legislation corrections for crayfish protection in the Rebublic of Srpska.