Millipedes (Diplopoda) of the Aggtelek National Park, Northeast Hungary

Opusc. Zool. Budapest, 2009, 40 (1): 35–46 Millipedes (Diplopoda) of the Aggtelek National Park, Northeast Hungary E. LAZÁNYI and Z. KORSÓS1 Abstract. Twenty-two species of millipedes (Diplopoda) were recorded during a survey of the Aggtelek National Park in north-eastern Hungary, consisting of one-fifth of the total Hungarian millipede fauna. The relatively low representation may be due to the general pitfall trap collecting method, thus leaving out species with special habitat requirements such as bark-dwellers, etc. Species worth mentioning, however, could still be recorded: Glomeris tetrasticha, Polyzonium germanicum, Enantiulus tatranus, and Unciger transsilvanicus were only collected in very few occasions. Specimens of Mastigona bosniensis Verhoeff, 1897, M. bosniensis hungaricum Loksa, 1953, and M. mehelyi Verhoeff, 1897 were found so similar and geographically so closely occurring to each other, that they are considered here as synonyms. The same is true for Enantiulus tatranus evae (Loksa, 1968) which we consider identical with the nominal form. INTRODUCTION I nvestigation on the Hungarian National Parks (NP) and exploration of their flora and fauna have been carried out for decades, and monographs have been compiled to represent almost all animal groups of the investigated sites (Kaszab & Mahunka, 1981). The project is quite a unique venture worldwide, as very few works have been done with the aim of complete faunal lists of certain geographical areas (Báldi, 1999). Data acquired in that way do not only give a comprehensive picture for later comparative purposes, but also provide essential records for the conservation biology, too. The millipede fauna of the National Parks of Hungary received relatively little attention up to now (Loksa, 1983; Korsós, 1987; Korsós & Dányi,. 2002). The Aggtelek National Park is situated at the north-eastern border of Hungary, and was founded in 1985. After the survey carried out by the staff of the Hungarian Natural History Museum (HNHM), a two-volume monograph has been written on its fauna (Mahunka, 1999b). Unfortunately, due to lack of time, an overview of the millipede species was left out from that book. The aim of the present study is to fill the gap, and thus 1 to contribute to a better knowledge of the millipede fauna of Hungary. MATERIAL AND METHODS The project to study the Aggtelek National Park by the Hungarian National History Museum started in 1987, and officially lasted for four years, but additional collectings were performed until 2002. Soil animals and hence millipedes (Diplopoda) were collected from numerous sampling sites, a complete list of which is given by Mahunka (1999a). Sampling times each year covered the usual activity period of millipedes, i.e. from March till November. Material deriving from pitfall traps, siftings and hand-collectings were sorted in the upcoming years. These data are supplemented by records from an additional National Biodiversity Monitoring Project organized also by the NP in 2002 and 2005. In this way, two additional collecting sites were investigated, which are under the protection and supervisorship of the NP Directorate but do not constitute part of the NP itself. These are the Mohos Peatbogs and the Piroska Hill, both belonging to the municipality of Kelemér, and the latter is being part of the Putnoki Hills. Pitfall Eszter Lazányi and Dr. Zoltán Korsós, Department of Zoology, Hungarian Natural History Museum, H-1088 Budapest, Baross u. 13, Hungary. E-mails: , Lazányi & Korsós: Millipedes (Diplopoda) of the Aggtelek National Park traps in this project were emptied every second week, from May till October. Millipede records of the monitoring project are incorporated into the present publication. All millipede specimens were preserved in 70% ethanol, and are deposited in the Myriapod Collection of the HNHM. For identification we used a Nikon SM-800 stereo microscope, and the relevant publications (Blower, 1985; Schubart, 1934). We also compared our results with works dealing with the Slovakian millipede fauna (Mock, 2001, 2008). Here we present the millipede fauna of the Aggtelek NP in the usual taxonomical arrangement (see e.g. Korsós, 2005). At each species we give the list of localities according to the followings: at first the administrative unit (name of settlement or municipality), and at second the geographical name of the locality. Common geographical names of the latter are translated into English (e.g. hill, lake), but if they constitute an integrated part of the Hungarian name (i.e. they are written merged together), we did not translate them (e.g. Szelcepuszta vs. Szelce-valley). Exact date and other circumstances of the records (e.g. name of collector) are only presented if the species in question is considered as rare in Hungary or has only sporadic occurrences. Summarized number of localities and occurrences (i.e. collecting dates) are provided in the remark section of each species paragraph, as well as other taxonomical, geographical and ecological observations. RESULTS POLYXENIDA Polyxenidae Polyxenus lagurus (Linnaeus, 1758) Scolopendra lagura Linnaeus, 1758: 637. Pollyxenus lagurus: Latreille 1802-1804: 45. Polyxenus lagurus: Latzel 1884: 70., Loksa 1953: 178. 36 Localities. Varbóc, Bokány-hilltop; Jósvafő, Tohonyacrag; Szin, Szelcepuszta. Remarks. Typical bark-dwelling species, once found under barks, twice sifted. GLOMERIDA Glomeridae Glomeris hexasticha Brandt, 1833 Glomeris hexasticha Brandt, 1833: 197. Glomeris hexasticha: Jermy 1942: 21-24., Loksa 1968a: 266272. Localities. Aggtelek, Aggteleki-lake; Aggtelek, Baradlahilltop; Aggtelek, Haragistya; Aggtelek, Ménes-valley; Aggtelek, Mihály-láza; Aggtelek, Patkós-side; Aggtelek, former Haragistya Forester House; Jósvafő, Hosszú-valley; Jósvafő, valley of the Kecső-stream; Jósvafő, Lófej-valley; Jósvafő, Nagy-side; Jósvafő, Szelce-valley; Jósvafő, Hotel Tengerszem; Perkupa, Telekes-valley; Háló-valley; Szin, Kuhogy; Szin, Őzes-crag; Szin, Patkós-valley; Szin, Szelcepuszta; Szinpetri, Szőlő-hill; Szögliget, Derenk; Szögliget, Ménesvalley; Szögliget, Ménes-valley, Ménes-lake; Szögliget, Ménes-valley, Ménes-stream; Szögliget, Patkós-side; Szögliget, Patkós-valley; Szögliget, Szádvár; Trizs; Zádorfalva, Szuhavalley; Kelemér, Mohos-peatbogs; Kelemér, Piroska-hill. Remarks. The most abundant species in the Aggtelek NP, with 76 occurrences in 31 localities. Its abundance is not surprising, as Glomeris hexasticha is a common forest species in Hungary. We found it in almost all kind of woodland: hornbeam, oak, pine, beech, cherry, hawthorn, and even on open grass slopes and in karst sinkholes. Loksa (1968a, 1979) also reported this species twice in the Bükk Mountains. A complex taxonomical review on the Hungarian glomerid species was written by Jermy (1942). Glomeris tetrasticha Brandt, 1833 Glomeris tetrasticha Brandt, 1833 Glomeris connexa: C. L. Koch 1847: 97. Glomeris connexa: Schubart 1934: 41- (...truncated)