On the molecular taxonomy of the Dendrobaena alpina species complex, with description of a new species (Crassiclitellata, Lumbricidae).

The molecular phylogenetic analysis of the D. alpina species group and related taxa revealed that this group in the present form is polyphyletic. The dark-red pigmented D. alpina alpina (Rosa, 1884) specimens from the Alps form a distinct clade together with D. alpina alteclitellata (Pop, 1938) and D. clujensis Pop, 1938 (Central European clade). The unpigmented Bulgarian specimens are now part of a clade consisting of Anatolian and Levantine species, namely D. orientalis Cernosvitov, 1940, D. pentheri (Rosa, 1905), D. orientaloides Zicsi, 1985 and D. semitica Rosa, 1893a. Consequently, the unpigmented worms from Bulgaria represent a new species described herein as Dendrobaena misirlioglui sp. nov.

New earthworm records (Clitellata: Lumbricidae) from Bulgaria since 2012.

The early scientists who studied the earthworm fauna of Bulgaria were Rosa (1897), Cernosvitov (1934), and Mihailova (1966). Their work was continued by Sapkarev (1986) and Zicsi and Csuzdi (1986). In the last decade, researchers from Hungary, Serbia and Bulgaria organized explorations of many localities and enhanced the knowledge of the earthworm fauna of the country (Valchovski 2012, Stojanovic et al. 2012, Szederjesi 2013). The present paper summarizes the new species records after these aforementioned three publications: Cernosvitovia munteniana, Eisenia andrei, Murchieona minuscula, Proctodrilus opisthoductus and Dendrobaena veneta.

Endemic earthworms (Oligochaeta: Lumbricidae) of the Balkan Peninsula: a review.

A list of the endemic earthworms of the Balkan Peninsula is presented. Comprehensive information on the ecology, distribution on the Balkan Peninsula and zoogeographical type of all endemics is given. The list comprises 90 species and subspecies, belonging to 11 genera of the family Lumbricidae. The largest number of the Balkan endemic earthworms belongs to a narrow range group (63.3%). Broad range endemic species take part with 36.7%. Our study shows that the degree of endemism on the Balkan Peninsula is extremely high (about 40%) suggesting an important process of autochthonous speciation on the Balkan Peninsula. This appearance is attributable to relative isolation of the mountains compared to the lowlands within the context of paleoenvironmental changes.