title: New records for the Kosovo caddisfly fauna with the description of a new species, Drusus dardanicus sp. nov. (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae).
abstract: The Balkan Peninsula is one of the most important European hotspots of freshwater biodiversity. The region is, however, to a large extent insufficiently investigated. Here we present data on distribution of caddisflies in one particularly understudied area, the Republic of Kosovo. Our data include the first records of Adicella altandroconia Botosaneanu & Novak and Halesus tessellatus (Rambur) for the Kosovo caddisfly fauna, and a new locality for the recently described Ecclisopteryx keroveci Previšić, Graf, & Vitecek. Further, we describe the new caddisfly species Drusus dardanicus sp. nov. from the Kopaonik Mountains. The new species belongs to the D. discophorus Species Group and differs morphologically from its most similar congeners (D. discophorus Radovanović, D. balcanicus Kumanski, and D. bureschi Kumanski) mainly in exhibiting (1) subtrianglar superior appendages; (2) a narrow, dorsal spinate area of tergite VIII; and (3) evenly rounded tips of intermediate appendages in caudal view. In phylogenetic analysis, D. dardanicus sp. nov. is well delineated and recovered as a sister taxon to D. osogovicus Kumanski, a species recorded from Bulgaria. The recent discovery of a new species and other rare or microendemic species presents important contributions to the knowledge on the rich freshwater biodiversity in Kosovo. These species face increasing anthropogenic pressure and threats to their conservation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Prishtina "Hasan Prishtina," "Mother Theresa" street p.n. 10000 Prishtina, Kosovo.; Email: halil.ibrahimi@uni-pr.edu.
authors.forename: Halil
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ibrahimi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.; Email: mladen.kucinic@biol.pmf.hr.
authors.forename: Mladen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kučinić
authors.affiliation: Department of Limnology & Bio-Oceanography, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.; Email: simon.vitecek@univie.ac.at.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vitecek
authors.affiliation: Department of Limnology & Bio-Oceanography, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.; Email: johann.waringer@univie.ac.
authors.forename: Johann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Waringer
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecology Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria.; Email: wolfram.graf@boku.ac.at.
authors.forename: Wolfram
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Graf
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.; Email: ana.previsic@biol.pmf.hr.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Previšić
authors.affiliation: Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, 60388 Frankfurt a. M., Germany.; Email: mbalint@senckenberg.de.
authors.forename: Miklós
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bálint
authors.affiliation: Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.; Email: keresztes2012@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lujza
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Keresztes
authors.affiliation: Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, 60388 Frankfurt a. M., Germany.; Email: steffen.pauls@senckenberg.de.
authors.forename: Steffen U
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Pauls
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000825:Animal Structures / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D049628:Body Size; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D007313:Insecta / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D010802:Phylogeny