The Vrljika is short sinking river in

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

and

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...

, belonging to

Neretva The Neretva ( sr-cyrl, Неретва, ), also known as Narenta, is one of the largest rivers of the eastern part of the Adriatic basin. Four HE power-plants with large dams (higher than 150,5 metres) provide flood protection, power and water s ...

River basin. Its source is located on the outskirts of village Proložac near town of

Imotski Imotski (; it, Imoschi; lat, Emotha, later ''Imota'') is a small town on the northern side of the Biokovo massif in the Dalmatian Hinterland of southern Croatia, near the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Imotski, like the surrounding inland D ...

, Croatia. The Vrljika River is home of endangered endemic ''Softmouth'' trout, also known as Adriatic trout.

Rare hydrogeology

The Vrljika River is a sinking river, typical of diverse karstic hydrology of Dinaric Alps in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Rising from a strong karstic spring, it flows often short stretches before it sinks again.

Nine names of the Trebižat River

Because the Trebižat (river) disappears and reappears at resurgences various times, the people used to call it different names. Exactly nine names are known (every time it resurfaced, the river got a new name): Vrlika - Matica - Tihaljina - Mlade - Suvaja (Posušje) - Culuša - Ričina - Brina - Trebižat.

Endemic and endangered trout

Dinaric karst water systems support 25% of the total of 546

fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of li ...

species in Europe, many

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

. The degree of

endemism Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

in the karst ecoregion is greater than 10%. The Neretva River basin, together with four other areas in the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...

, has the largest number of

threatened Threatened species are any species (including animals, plants and fungi) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future. Species that are threatened are sometimes characterised by the population dynamics measure of ''critical depensat ...

freshwater fish species. Among most

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inva ...

is rare and endemic species of

trout Trout are species of freshwater fish belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', ''Salmo'' and ''Salvelinus'', all of the subfamily Salmoninae of the family Salmonidae. The word ''trout'' is also used as part of the name of some non-salmoni ...

, a ''Softmouth trout'', also known as ''Adriatic trout'' (

Salmo obtusirostris ''Salmo obtusirostris'', also known as the Adriatic trout, Adriatic salmon, and softmouth trout, is a species of salmonid fish endemic to the rivers of Western Balkans in southeastern Europe. The scientific name has changed several times throu ...

)

References

Rivers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Rivers of Croatia Sinking rivers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Neretva International rivers of Europe {{Croatia-river-stub

Rare hydrogeology

Nine names of the Trebižat River

Endemic and endangered trout

See also

References