Cave bivalves of the genus Congeria, a unique phenomenon of Dinaric karst

Bilandžija, Helena; Grgić, Magdalena; Jalžić, Branko (2022) Cave bivalves of the genus Congeria, a unique phenomenon of Dinaric karst. Subterranea Croatica, 20 (1). pp. 77-89. ISSN 2623-6648

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Abstract

The cave bivalves of the genus Congeria are a relict of the Tertiary and endemic to the Dinarides. They are the only subterranean representatives of their class in the Old World. Today we know three species, Congeria kusceri, Bole 1962; Congeria jalzici, Morton & Bilandžija 2013 and Congeria mulaomerovici, Morton & Bilandžija 2013. Although they are able to move, they usually live in large colonies attached to walls and formations in submerged cave passages where they feed and breathe by filtering the water. Like other cave animals, they are well adapted to subterranean life, and certain unique features distinguish them from other bivalves. They are completely depigmented, and loss of vision is compensated for by well-developed chemoreceptors (for taste and smell). Their unique reproductive system differs from all other freshwater bivalves. Fertilization and embryonic development take place in the mother‘s shell, which provides protection from the outside world and a better chance of survival for the few offspring they produce. Unlike their surface relatives, which usually live for only a few years, bivalves of the genus Congeria can live for decades, sometimes even out of the water for several months at a time. Although protected at national and EU levels, human impact on the habitats of these species is extremely disruptive, and their survival is questionable.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Dinarides; cave fauna; cave adaptations; bivalves; Congeria; endangered species; protection of species and habitats
Subjects:	NATURAL SCIENCES > Biology
Divisions:	Division of Molecular Biology
Depositing User:	Lorena Palameta
Date Deposited:	01 Apr 2025 12:10
URI:	http://fulir.irb.hr/id/eprint/9687

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