Slovenia
The
world’s
most biodiverse cave is the Postojna-Planina system (over 80 species)
with Krizna Jama and Jama Logarcek also among the top five in the world
(caves.org
pdf file). Over 100 endemic cave invertebrates are listed at
(p. 15 of Acta
Carsologica pdf file). Endemic cave-dwelling ground
beetles include Anophthalmus
hitleri (Carabidae
of the World), Anophthalmus
egonis and Anophthalmus
drollii (both at Trechine
Beetle of the World), and Orotrechus novaki (Trechine
Beetle of the World). Other endemic cave-dwelling
invertebrates include a snail Spelaeodiscus
hauffeni (gimvic.org),
a water flea Alona sketi
(p. 14 of ARSO
pdf file), a centipede Lithobius
zveri (CHILOBASE),
and the Kosevje Subterranean Spider Troglohyphantes similis
(BHL).
Crustaceans found only in Slovenia include the amphipods Niphargobates orophobata
(Niphargus)
and Niphargus hadzii
(ARKive),
a copepod Morariopsis
dumonti (G.L. Pesce
pdf file), and the isopods Monolistra
spinosissima (Pošta
Slovenije) and Monolistra
bolei (IUCN Red List).
Endemic insects include the bugs Dimorphocoris
saulii and Halticus
henschii (both at pms-lj.si),
a click beetle Athous
vavrai (Elateridae),
and several caddisflies: Chaetopteryx
clara, Chaetopteryx
goricensis, and Chaetopteryx
irenae (all at Entomofauna
pdf file). Other endemic invertebrates include a money spider Mughiphantes hadzii
(araneae),
a harvestman Siro
crassus (Zootaxa
pdf file), and a snail Belgrandiella
kusceri (gimvic.org).
A recently described fish is the Save Sculpin Cottus metae (flickr).
The Black Olm Proteus
anguinus parkelj
(Wikipedia)
is an endemic cave-dwelling amphibian subspecies.
Plants found nowhere else include the Carniolan Primrose Primula
carniolica (ukom.gov.si),
the Short-haired Sandwort Moehringia
villosa (ukom.gov.si),
Juvan's Houseleek Sempervivum
juvanii (Sempervivophilia),
and the Crimson Leek Allium
kermesinum (ukom.gov.si).
The Hladnikia Hladnikia
pastinacifolia (ukom.gov.si)
represents an endemic genus.
Portions
of Slovenia are included in the Mediterranean Basin biodiversity
hotspot (Biodiversity
Hotspots). In addition to the remarkable cave fauna,
important terrestrial ecoregions for endemic species include the
Illyrian Deciduous Forests (EoE)
and the Dinaric Mountains Mixed Forests (EoE). For an overview of
Slovenian biodiversity see
“Biological and Landscape Diversity in Slovenia” (Univ.
Ljubljani 8 MB pdf file).