Under the surface, under the radar
Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) species are species likely to be considered as:
- evolutionarily distinct
- monotypic (the only one in their genus or family), or
- species where the entire genus (or family) is threatened and/or
- data deficient and/or not evaluated.
CBSS, in partnership with IUCN’s Cave Invertebrate Specialist Group, started the project “Under the surface, under the radar – global assessments of selected EDGE species from Dinaric karst”. During 2025, we will make global IUCN assessments for 5 EDGE species of Dinaric karst: Ogulin cave sponge (Eunapius subterraneus), enigmatic cave hydrozoan (Velkovrhia enigmatica), cave tube-worm (Marifugia cavatica), Thaumatoniscellus speluncae and Hygrodromus nikolinae.
The project is financed by a donation from the organization On the Edge.
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- Ogulin cave sponge (Eunapius subterraneus), the first discovered freshwater cave sponge in the world (photo: M. Lukić)
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- Enigmatic cave hydrozoan (Velkovrhia enigmatica), the only cave cnidarian recorded in only five localities (photo: M. Zagmajster)
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- Cave tube-worm (Marifugia cavatica), the only known representative of the Serpulidae family that lives in caves (photo: J. Bedek)
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- Thaumatoniscellus speluncae, the closest known relative is from Romania (photo: J. Bedek)
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- Hygrodromus nikolinae, a beetle known from only one locality in Dalmatia (photo: B. Jalžić)
