krokar-predatory-invertebrates

Study Extent

Krokar virgin forest and an adjacent secondary forest. Both on Borovec Mountain

Sampling

pitfall traping, leaf litter sifting, soil sampling

Method steps

1. Spider and centipede specimens were observed using the Olympus SZX7 stereo microscope, while beetles were observed using the Olympus SZ61 stereo microscope. Smaller centipedes were mounted on permanent microscopic slides and observed with the Olympus CX41 microscope. Adult spiders were identified using standard identification keys (Roberts 1995, Nentwig et al. 2020, Oger 2020). If the morphology of the female epigyne was not discernible, the epigyne was dissected and macerated overnight in 15% KOH to remove soft tissue. For taxonomy and nomenclature we followed the World Spider Catalog (World Spider Catalog 2021). Centipedes were identified according toMatic (1966), Matic (1972), Koren (1986), Koren (1992), Stoev et al. (2010) for Lithobiomorpha; Brölemann (1930) and Lewis (2011) for Scolopendromorpha; ChiloKey (Bonato et al. 2014) for Geophilomorpha. For taxonomy and nomenclature, we followed ChiloBase 2.0 (Bonato et al. 2016). Beetles were identified using the determination keys from “Die Käfer Mitteleuropas" by Freude et al. (1974) and the subsequent editions.

The database contains data on 2336 specimens we collected and identified (1079 spiders, 323 ground-dwelling beetles, 299 geophilomorphs, 386 lithobiomorphs, 249 scolopendromorphs).

1. Araneae
   common name: spiders rank: order
2. Coleoptera
   common name: beetles rank: order
3. Chilopoda
   common name: centipedes rank: class

Krokar virgin forest is located on Borovec Mountain in SE Slovenia.