The medicinal flora of the Republic of Buryatia includes 556 species of vascular plants, with Asteraceae, Rosaceae and Ranunculaceae as the leading families. Plants of forest and steppe floristic complexes dominate, reflecting the region’s position within the light‑coniferous taiga and forest‑steppe zones. The predominance of wide‑ranging species (57%) and herbaceous perennials (64.5%) is typical of boreal floras and indicates that the medicinal flora consists mainly of ecologically plastic taxa adapted to a harsh continental climate. The majority of medicinal plants (91%) are used exclusively in traditional oriental medicine and lack pharmacopoeial status, revealing a significant knowledge gap and underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive phytochemical, pharmacological and toxicological studies. Twenty‑five species are rare and under considerable threat, mainly due to over‑harvesting for commercial and traditional use. The absence of monitoring and up‑to‑date data on their distribution and abundance impedes the development of effective conservation measures. A relational database using Microsoft Access has been developed to store, systematise and analyse data on the medicinal flora of Buryatia. The database includes taxonomic information, ecological preferences, distribution data, resource potential assessments, conservation status, and traditional uses for each species. It supports querying and filtering by multiple criteria, enabling researchers to extract customised datasets for floristic, phytochemical and pharmacological studies. The database is designed for long‑term maintenance and expansion, serving as a foundation for conservation planning, sustainable resource management and educational purposes.
The first confirmed Greek records of Isolabella graeca Verhoeff, 1902 since the species’ original description is reported. A female and a male were collected in the Parnonas mountain range, providing the first verified Greek material in 123 years and clarify a long-standing biogeographic uncertainty. A short description of the specimens is provided, along with a discussion of its taxonomic status in relation to Pseudisolabis kosswigi Burr, 1947.
Results from two collecting nights in central-eastern and central Albania are presented. One genus (Docirava Walker, 1863) and two species (Docirava dervenaria and Horisme radicaria) are new to the Albanian fauna. Some other species are reported for a second or third time in the country. Altogether, data for 126 species of Lepidoptera from 2 localities are presented here, and habitats, some specimens, and their genitalia are illustrated in 37 figures.
In presents study, Stegonsporium pyriforme (Hoffm.) Corda and Massaria macra (Vestergr.) Voglmayr et Jaklitsch were recorded for the first time in Bulgaria. Symptomatic trees of Acer platanoides L. and A. campestre L. were noticed in 2024 in the field protective forest belts of the State Hunting Enterprise Balchik, Northeastern Bulgaria. Both pathogens were found on dying and dead trees heavily infected by the fungus Cryptostroma corticale (Ellis et Everh.) Greg. et Waller, the causative agent of sooty bark disease. Two micetophagous coleopteran species were found under the bark of dead maple trees: Colobicus hirtus (Rossi, 1790) and Synchita undata Guérin-Méneville, 1844 (Coleoptera: Zopheridae).
The objective of this study was to describe parasitism in the piche armadillo Zaedyus pichiy (Desmarest, 1804) from San Juan Province, Argentina. An adult male Z. pichiy found run over on provincial route 510 (province of San Juan, Argentina) was analysed. The armadillo was examined externally in search of ectoparasites. Subsequently, the gastrointestinal contents were extracted and transported to the laboratory for endoparasite search. The presence of the tick Amblyomma pseudoconcolor (Acari: Ixodidae) and nematodes Cyclobulura superinae (Spirurida: Subuluridae), Aspidodera scoleciformis, and Aspidodera fasciata (Spirurida: Aspidoderidae) was determined. Our work provides new information on parasitism in this armadillo species in San Juan, Argentina.
Campanula lactiflora (syn. Gadellia lactiflora) is a popular garden plant with natural range spanning through Türkiye, Caucasus, Transcaucasia and Iran. It is a well-documented alien species in some countries, but hitherto unknown in Southeastern Europe. The paper presents its first records as naturalised and propagating non-native species in Bulgaria and the Balkans. Hints for its occurrence in Bulgaria first emerged on the Facebook group “The plants in Bulgaria”, where it appeared on photographs from plant enthusiasts. The subsequent targeted search revealed that C. lactiflora is well-established and reproducing in two separate areas in Rila Mts. The origin of the plant was traced back to two estates of the former royal family of Bulgaria, where the species persists for over a century and from where it penetrated natural habitats, spreading up to 3 km from the source gardens. Data about the present state of the population of C. lactiflora are presented and a brief assessment of the reproductive capabilities of the species is given, including first observations on its seed germination. The occurrence of the rare C. latifolia in Rila Mts is tackled in relation to the finding of C. lactiflora. An overview is given of the hitherto known Bulgarian alien plants that are arguably linked to the Crown estates. The potential of the citizen science for documentation of non-native plants is also briefly discussed.
The results of two entomological expeditions conducted in September-October 2025 near Mali me Gropa (Central Albania) concerning Macroheterocera are presented. One genus and three species are new for Albania, nine species are reported for the second time from the country. Among the new species, Gortyna borelii lunata (Freyer, 1838) is from Appendices II and IV of the EEC 92/43 Habitats Directive, while Nothocasis rosariae Scalercio, Infusino & Hausmann, 2016 is recorded for the second time from the Balkan Peninsula. The highest altitudes and the southernmost observation of Gortyna borelii lunata are also presented. For thirty other species, third and fourth reports for Albania are announced. Comprehensive literature sources are gathered to all 122 reported species.
In Bulgaria, data on the abundance of newt populations are extremely scarce, which greatly complicates their conservation. For most sites of the Natura 2000 network, such data are completely lacking. This paper presents data on the relative abundance of Buresch’s crested newt (Triturus ivanbureschi) in three Natura 2000 sites. The data were collected by sampling newts with funnel traps in April and May for two years (2022-2023). The results showed significant variation in newt abundance between ponds and among individual trapping sessions in the same ponds (recorded values ranged between 0.004 and 0.409 adult newts per trapping hour). The representativeness of the collected data, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the methods used are discussed.
Caves in Bulgaria have been studied primarily for their bat fauna, and the occurrence of other mammals in subterranean environments has remained largely unsynthesised. Here we compile and analyse records of non-volant mammals obtained during cave surveys and bat-monitoring activities conducted between 1993 and 2026. The dataset comprises 214 records of 14 taxa from 29 caves, based on direct observations, pitfall trapping, camera trapping, tracks and scats. Most records originate from the entrance and twilight zones, whereas deeper cave sectors were only rarely used. The assemblage is dominated by facultative cave visitors: two species Glis glis (Linnaeus, 1766) and Martes foina (Erxleben, 1777), both of which were classified as common, while most taxa were rare or accidental. Visiting caves for shelters and roosting by Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica (Bolkay, 1925) is a rarely documented phenomenon. Data from camera traps in a small cave in the Rhodope Mountains indicate that different chamois individuals frequently visit underground cavities, using them as shelter and resting sites. Pitfall data indicate strong seasonality in small-mammal detections, with captures concentrated in the warmer months and very limited winter representation, whereas winter surveys more frequently revealed the presence of medium and large mammals. Several records, including direct observations and feeding evidence, indicate opportunistic predation on bats by carnivores. These results show that the contemporary diversity of non-chiropteran mammals using Bulgarian caves has been underestimated. The concentration of records in ecotonal cave zones indicates consistent spatial overlap with bat roosts, highlighting the need to consider the broader mammalian assemblage in cave conservation and assessments of zoonotic risk in subterranean ecosystems.
The taxonomic status and distribution of the poorly known linyphiid species Centromerus obscurus Boesenberg, 1902 is discussed on the basis of newly collected material from Bulgaria. Additionally, after a review of the related literature and the newly collected material, a new species of Centromerus species, C. thaleri sp. n., is described based on both sexes and Centromerus obscurus is considered nomen dubium stat. reconf.
First observations in Bulgaria of Carpobrotus edulis from both sand dunes and coastal cliffs are presented in the current study. In 2024, first signs of naturalisation of C. edulis, a species with high potential for invasiveness, were registered on two locations on the Southern Black Sea Coast: in embryonic shifting dunes, on a small beach west of Chernomorets Town, and on a coastal cliff in the town of Ravda. Images of the most significant morphological characteristics, that distinguish C. edulis from C. acinaciformis, are presented. In 2025, a field survey, monitoring of invasive plants, was carried out at 23 dune systems from the Southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and Carpobrotus species were not registered in the sand dune habitats of the studied dune complexes. Nevertheless, collected data shows, that unregulated ornamental planting is a major source of propagules for several invasive species in the dune habitats, and the appearance of Carpobrotus edulis as a garden escapee from gardens established around hotels, bungalows, beach bars, etc., is a matter of time, given that the species is widely used for ornamental purposes in the area. Therefore, monitoring of priority areas (coastal dunes and cliffs) and timely action by management authorities is needed to eradicate the recorded populations and raise awareness among the local community about the high invasiveness of the species and the existing ecological risk to coastal habitats - sand dunes and coastal cliffs.
The oleander seed bug Caenocoris nerii (Germar, 1847) is a Mediterranean species associated primarily with Apocynaceae host plants that has been expanding its range northward in recent decades. We report new records of C. nerii in Bulgaria and discuss the distribution and the hosts of the species in the Black Sea region. Analysis of regional occurrence data revealed a clear northward range expansion since 2000, with very recent records from Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, and Romania. In Bulgaria, reproduction appears limited to areas where the primary host plant Periploca graeca occurs in suitable density, particularly in Black Sea wooded dunes and Flooded forests of Common alder (Alnus glutinosa). The timing and pattern of establishment suggest climate-mediated range expansion, as rising winter temperatures progressively remove thermal barriers that historically confined the species to the Mediterranean region. Our findings indicate that C. nerii is likely to continue spreading northward across the Danube River and Thracian lowland in areas with both suitable climatic conditions and host plant availability.
The parasite beetle on Eurasian beaver Platypsyllus castoris is reported for the first time from Bulgaria.
New data on the distribution of the species Aspidiphorus lareyniei Jacquelin du Val, 1859, A. orbiculatus (Gyllenhal, 1808), Odontosphindus grandis (Hampe, 1861) and Sphindus dubius (Gyllenhal, 1808) (Coleoptera: Sphindidae) in Bulgaria are presented. The species O. grandis is reported for the first time from the country. Original photographs of all sphindid species occurring in Bulgaria are provided.
In May 2024, stem cuttings of Pinus sylvestris L. attacked by the first generation of Orthotomicus erosus (Wollaston) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) were collected in the Vladimir Village area in Southwestern Bulgaria. The samples were transported to the Laboratory of Entomology at Forest Research Institute in Sofia. The cuttings were placed in photoeclectors and were kept at room temperature (18-22°C). Four predatory dipteran species, Medetera pinicola (Kowarz), M. signaticornes (Loew) (Diptera: Dolichopodidae), Lonchaea collini Hackman (Diptera: Lonchaeidae) and Zabrachia tenella (Jaennicke) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) were reared for the first time from larval galleries of O. erosus. Two species (Medetera signaticornes and Zabrachia tenella) are new for the fauna of Bulgaria. The genus Zabrachia is also new to Bulgarian fauna. In this study, the finding of the species with northern distribution M. signaticornes is the second record on Balkan Peninsula.
The wide-spread tiger beetle species Myriochila (Myriochila) melancholica (Fabricius, 1798) (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae) is recorded for the first time for the territory of Bulgaria. It was collected from the Struma River Valley, a dispersal corridor for many Mediterranean and thermophilic species. We also comment on the distribution and ecology of the species.
Based on samples collected in 2017 and 2024, Eupelmus (Eupelmus) urozonus (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) is recorded as a new egg parasitoid of Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) in Bulgaria. Seven male specimens of E. urozonus were reared from egg samples of the host: one specimen from Dabnitsa Village (Blagoevgrad Region; 2017), five specimens from Dobromirtsi Village (Kardzhali Region; 2017) and one specimen from Gorno Varshilo Village (Pazardzhik Region; 2024). Four primary and one secondary parasitoids (Anastatus bifasciatus, Baryscapus servadeii, Baryscapus transversalis, Ooencyrtus pityocampae and Trichogramma sp.) also emerged from the T. pityocampa egg batches with E. urozonus comprising only 0.1% of the parasitoid complex. The impact of egg parasitoids on host numbers varied between 18.7% (Dabnitsa Village) and 33.0% (Dobromirtsi Village).
During 2024-2025, xylophagous beetles were studied in the field-protected forest belts of South Dobrudzha in Northeastern Bulgaria and in solitary trees in Borisova Gradina Park, Sofia. Parts of stems and branches infected by these beetles were collected and transported to the Forest Research Institute in Sofia and the State Forest Enterprise General Toshevo. In laboratory conditions, the cuttings were placed in plastic boxes and photoeclectors and reared at room temperatures (18-22°C). As a result, 12 taxa from 4 beetle families were identified: Chrysobothris (Chrysobothris) affinis affinis, Agrilus (Quercuagrilus) graminis graminis, A. (Q.) hastulifer, A. (Q.) laticornis, A. (Q.) litura (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), Melasis buprestoides (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae), Lichenophanes varius (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae), Plagionotus detritus detritus, Xylotrechus (Xylotrechus) antilope antilope, Exocentrus adspersus, E. lusitanus, and Mesosa (Aplocnemia) nebulosa nebulosa (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). In this study, 3 new insect-host associations were established: Agrilus (Q.) graminis graminis was reared for the first time from Juglans regia, Agrilus (Q.) hastulifer from Quercus rubra, and Agrilus (Q.) litura from Quercus cerris. Additionally, 15 insect-host associations were newly recorded for Bulgaria. The majority of the xylophages (103 out of 158 specimens reared, 65.2%) belong to the genus Agrilus. Within this group, A. (Q.) hastulifer and A. (Q.) graminis graminis were the most abundant, accounting for 56.3% and 39.8%, respectively. These species have the most significant impact on oak mortality in the field-protective forest belts of Northeastern Bulgaria.
We report 20 species of Psocodea collected in Guadeloupe (Lesser Antilles) during August 2025. Ten are new to the department, and for the Lesser Antilles as a whole. Several species previously known from Guadeloupe are here confirmed with precise localities and GPS coordinates. Five species are recorded for the first time from Grande-Terre Island and four from Basse-Terre Island. With these additions, the checklist of Psocodea from Guadeloupe now comprises 29 species, significantly expanding current knowledge of the Caribbean fauna of this insect order.
