Microorganisms have inhabited the oceans since the dawn of Earth. Some of them have organic walls and some produce mineral tests that are usually composed of carbonate minerals or silica. They can therefore be preserved with original parts during sedimentary deposition or fossilized through permineralization or carbonization processes. The most common marine fossil groups studied by micropaleontologists are cyanobacteria, coccolithophores, dinoflagellates, diatoms, silicoflagellates, radiolarians, foraminifers, red and green algae, ostracods, and pteropods. Dormant or reproductive cysts can also be used for determinations of the fossil microbiota. Microfossils can be studied in petrographic slides prepared from rocks or separated from loosely consolidated rocks by disaggregation or dissolution and wet sieving. Their presence is sometimes recognized by biomarkers. Transmitted light microscopy and reflected light stereomicroscopy are necessary for micropaleontological studies whereas scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) aids research on the tiniest fossils and reveals fine skeletal details. Microorganisms have influenced the oxygenation of water and the atmosphere, as well as Earth's carbon cycle and have contributed to the formation of sedimentary rocks. By studying microfossils, paleontologists depict the age of the rock and identify depositional environments. Such studies help us recognize periods of stress in Earth's history and understand their influence on living organisms. Biogenic rocks, made of microfossils, can be used as raw materials, such as fossil fuels, building stone, or additives for the food industry, agricultural, or cosmetic purposes.

Fossiliferous Middle Miocene deposits from the surroundings of Marija Bistrica (north-east of Zagreb) transgressively overly older pre-Cenozoic bedrocks. Fossils from shallow marine environments are in most cases preserved as bioclasts, while deep marine calcareous oozes characterize the pelagic marls. The age of the transgressive sequence is estimated on the basis of planktic biota from marls (foraminifera, nannoplankton and pteropods) as the Badenian NN5 Nannozone. The following palaeoenvironments can be distinguished or presumed on the basis of biota and sedimentary features: (1) beach characterized by polymictic conglomerates with rhodolith-rich carbonate matrix; (2) oyster banks, recognized from secondarily found oyster clusters; (3) lagoons marked with compact bioclastic deposits and rhodolith-halimeda assemblage; (4) patch-reefs recognized from the surrounding bioclastic deposits; (5) shallow subtidal maerl beds preserved as loose bioclastic deposits and (6) distal slope argillaceous marls with pelagic biota. Palaeoenvironmental analyses indicate rapid drowning, most probably corresponding to the transgression during the Middle Badenian TB 2.4 3rd order transgressive-regressive sequence.

Deep marine Miocene deposits exposed sporadically in the Medvednica Mt. (northern Croatia) comprise pelagic organisms such as coccolithophores, planktic foraminifera and pteropods. The pteropod fauna from yellow marls at the Vejalnica locality (central part of Medvednica Mt.) encompasses abundant specimens of Vaginella austriaca Kittl, 1886, accompanied with scarce Clio fallauxi (Kittl, 1886). Calcareous nannoplankton points to the presence of NN5 nannozone at this locality. Highly fossiliferous grey marls at the Marija Bistrica locality (north-eastern area of Medvednica Mt.) comprise limacinid pteropods: Limacina valvatina (Reuss, 1867), L. gramensis (Rasmussen, 1968) and Limacina sp. Late Badenian (NN5 to NN6 nannozone) age of these marls is presumed on the basis of coccolithophores. Most of the determined pteropods on species level, except V. austriaca have been found and described from this region for the first time. New pteropod records from Croatia point to two pteropod horizons coinciding with the Badenian marine transgressions in Central Paratethys. These pteropod assemblages confirm the existence of W–E marine connection (“Transtethyan Trench Corridor”) during the Badenian NN5 nannozone. Limacinids point to the possible immigration of the “North Sea fauna” through a northern European marine passage during the Late Badenian (end of NN5-beginning of NN6 zone), as previously presumed by some other authors.

The aim of this research was to determine the influence of sex on slaughter traits and carcass characteristics of Travnik pramenka sheep lambs.For that purpose, in April 2017, a total of 70 lambs of Travnik pramenka sheep were slaughtered, of which 48 male and 22 female.The lambs of Travnik pramenka sheep were raised on a family farm in Velika Peratovica, Bjelovar-Bilogora County.At age between 90 and 100 days lambs were individually weighed and slaughtered.After slaughter and standard procedures of processing, the carcasses and investigated organs were measured.The average slaughter weight of lambs measured immediately before slaughter was 21.85 kg, considering that male lambs had statistically significant (P<0.05)higher slaughter weight than female (22.47 kg : 20.38 kg).The average lamb carcass weight of 11.04 kg was determined, which was statistically significantly higher (P<0.05) in male (11.32 kg) compared to female lamb carcass (10.42).Although the dressing percentage of female lambs (51.04%) was higher than that found in male Travnik lambs (50.33%) the difference was not statistically significant.Based on determined carcass measurements of lamb carcasses, the carcasses of Travnik pramenka lambs belong to the category of light lamb carcasses.

This paper presents results of a study conducted to provide detailed characterization of fine-grained fraction in the selected surface sediment sampled along the eastern Adriatic Sea. The studied fraction was dominated by silt-sized material and composed of carbonate particles (both of biogenic and terrigenous origin), biogenic silica and terrigenous siliciclastic particles. Both components, biogenic and terrigenous were deposited in recent and sub recent conditions. The knowledge about mineral and granulometric composition and the origin of fine-grained particles is essential for understanding sedimentological processes. The obvious complex composition of the fine-grained fraction should be taken into account when environmental studies are to be carried out.

This paper is conceived as a contribution to understanding the tectonic setting in the Jabuka region in the Central Adriatic Sea, one of the seismically active regions within the Mediterranean. This seismicity is the result of the compressional tectonics within the Adria microplate, accompanied by halokinetic activity. The Jabuka Islet and the Jabuka Shoal appear to be Triassic igneous bodies extruded by diapir tectonics. Sedimentological, mineralogical and micropaleontological analyses of the surface sediments were done to provide insights into the depositional environment around these igneous outcrops.Coarse-grained gravelly sands surrounding the Jabuka Islet and the Jabuka Shoal are composed predominantly of biogenous detritus, containing small amounts of particles derived from igneous rocks. This highly carbonate sediment cover has been formed in the low-energy environment, below wave base and without terrigenous supply from remote areas. A peculiar finding of reworked Lower Miocene foraminiferal assemblage in the recent surface sediment accompanied with re-interpreted seismic profile was used to propose a conceptual geodynamic model for the Jabuka diapir protrusion. It suggested Miocene age for the earliest protrusion of the Jabuka diapir, followed by further Plio-Quaternary growth and shaping. Together with mostly Paleogene fossil calcareous nannoplankton, fossil foraminifera were presumed to have been weathered from the pierced and extruded overburden rocks and admixed to recent, slowly forming carbonate skeletal association, typical for cool-temperate depositional environments.

Carbonate deposits from Zrin in the Mt. Zrinska Gora were deposited in the SW part of the Central Paratethys Sea during the Middle Badenian (Middle Miocene). The studied section contains a rich fossil community of non-geniculate coralline red algae (Subfamily Melobesioideae), bryozoans, benthic and planktonic foraminifera, echinoderms, ostracods, molluscs, and calcareous nannoplankton. Based on lithological variations and changes in the biogenic components, four facies associations (FA) are distinguished. Their distribution points to skeletal production and sedimentation on a middle to proximal outer carbonate ramp. The main lithological feature of the section is an alternation of two lithofacies: fully lithified grainstone–rudstone and packstone, and semi-lithified rudstone–floatstone with a carbonate sandy matrix. Depositional environments on the ramp were periodically influenced by minor high-frequency sea-level changes and/or changes of hydrodynamic conditions, which are suggested as the driving mechanisms causing the alternation of the two lithofacies. Vertically in the succession, the two lithofacies alternate to give three thinning- and fining-upward units. The lower part of each unit is formed of a rhodolith and coralline algal FA, which passes upwards into a bryozoan-coralline algal FA and/or FA of bioclastic packstone-grainstone. Based on the vertical upward change in FAs, each unit can be interpreted as a deepening-upward sequence. Patterns in the relative abundance of bryozoan colony growth form (vinculariiform, cellariiform, adeoniform, membraniporiform, celleporiform, and reteporiform), size and abundance of rhodoliths and coralline branches, and benthic foraminifera are interpreted by comparison with data from modern and fossil environments. Based on these data, a water depth range for each FA is interpreted, providing evidence of low-frequency relative sea-level changes. It is hypothesized that relative sea-level fluctuated in the water depth range from 30 to 80 m, and in the uppermost part of the section, rich in planktonic foraminifera and calcareous nannoplankton, possibly deeper. Causes of the low-frequency relative sea-level fluctuations and the general deepening trend observed within the succession cannot be interpreted based on one section; however, they may be related to the subsidence of the depositional basin. The benthic biotic communities are a vertical alternation of rhodalgal and bryorhodalgal associations, and this is attributed to relative sea-level fluctuations. These biotic associations gave rise to warm-temperate carbonates of the Middle Badenian N9 planktonic Zone (Orbulina suturalis, O. universa) and NN4–NN5 nannoplankton Zones (Sphenolithus heteromorphus).

Investigated Zrin section in the Mt. Zrinska Gora (Croatia) represents Middle Miocene carbonate deposits from the SW part of the Central Paratethys. Lithological, sedimentological and palaeontological record enabled reconstruction of depositional settings and biostratigraphic position of the studied section, allowing comparison with similar deposits from the Central Paratethys area. Sampling was done bed-by-bed or at each observed lithofacies change within single bed in order to determine facies types, textures, microfossil assemblages, and possible terrigenous influence. The main lithological feature is an alternation of two lithofacies: fully lithified grainstones–rudstones and packstones, and semi-lithified rudstones–floatstones with a carbonate sandy matrix. Therefore, samples of fully lithified limestones were prepared as thin-sections and samples of semi-lithified limestones were sieved and studied in fractions from 63 to 1000 microns. The studied section contains rich fossil community mainly composed of non-geniculate coralline red algae, bryozoans, benthic foraminifera and echinoderms, and of ostracods, molluscs, planktonic foraminifera and calcareous nannoplankton to a lesser extent. According to the presence of foraminifera Orbulina suturalis and O. universa, zonal markers for the N9a and N9b planktonic Subzones, and calcareous nannoplankton Sphenolithus heteromorphus, zonal marker for Zones NN4 and NN5, studied deposits are determined as Middle Badenian. Based on lithological variations and changes in biogenic components, four facies associations are distinguished. Their distribution points to skeletal production and sedimentation on a middle to proximal outer carbonate ramp. Depositional environments on the ramp were presumably periodically influenced by minor high-frequency sea-level changes and/or changes of hydrodynamic conditions, which are suggested as the driving mechanisms causing the alternation of these two lithofacies. High carbonate content (89–100%) found in all of the studied samples indicates that the depositional environment was isolated from the input of terrigenous material, which brought to the high carbonate skeletal production and accumulation. Non skeletal grains, such as ooids or peloids are not observed. Patterns in relative abundance of bryozoan colony growth types (vinculariiform, cellariiform, adeoniform, membraniporiform, celleporiform, and reteporiform), size and abundance of rhodoliths and coralline branches, and benthic foraminifera are interpreted by comparison with data from modern and fossil environments. Based on these data it can be hypothesized that relative sea-level fluctuated in the water depth range from 30 to 80 m, while in the uppermost part of the section, enriched in planktonic foraminifera and calcareous nannoplankton water depth was probably greater. Causes of these relative sea-level fluctuations and a general deepening trend are probably related to the subsidence of the depositional basin. This is supported by alternation of typical rhodalgal and bryorhodalgal skeletal assemblages and abundance of planktonic foraminifera species in vertical facies pattern. Inherent skeletal assemblages are typical for warm-temperate carbonates which accumulated in SW part of the Central Paratethys Sea.