The caddisfly fauna (Insecta: Trichoptera) of the Bajgorë area in Kosovo with the first country record of Hydroptila occulta (Eaton, 1873)

Abstract

In this study we report the first systematic investigation of the caddisfly fauna from the Bajgorë area in northern part of Kosovo. Specimens were collected from four stations during July 2024 using ultraviolet light traps. A total of 316 adult specimens were identified belonging to 19 species and 8 families. The most species-rich family was Rhyacophilidae, while Philopotamus montanus (Donovan, 1813) and Psychomyia pusilla (Fabricius, 1781) were the most abundant species. The presence of Hydroptila occulta (Eaton, 1873) is here reported for the first time from Kosovo. This species was found at all three studied sites which represent upstream areas of relatively undisturbed freshwater habitats located between 566m and 677 m asl altitudes. This represents a significant contribution for the knowledge of distribution of this species, representing one of the few records for the Balkan Peninsula and Ecoregion 5, Dinaric Western Balkans. These findings contribute to the knowledge of the insufficiently known caddisfly species of the region in function of the conservation of freshwater habitats in the Balkans.