Research

Publications, field observations and new methods for understanding life underground.

Recent research and collaborations

LifeWatch ERICResearch development

ProteusWatch: towards a virtual cave laboratory

Plans for long-term monitoring of proteus and its groundwater habitat, bringing together Tular, the Karst Research Institute ZRC SAZU and LifeWatch ERIC. A facility in development, as described in the 2025 update.

LifeWatch SloveniaConference contribution

Building virtual laboratories to monitor Proteus anguinus

Aljančič and colleagues presented challenges and preliminary results at the LifeWatch ERIC Biodiversity & Ecosystem eScience Conference in Seville (22–24 May 2023, abstract book, p. 27).

Publication archive

51 entries

2026

2022

Living in darkness: Exploring adaptation of Proteus anguinus in 3 dimensions by X-ray imaging

Markéta Tesařová, Lucia Mancini, Edgardo Mauri, Gregor Aljančič, Magdalena Năpăruş Aljančič, Rok Kostanjšek, Lilijana Bizjak Mali, Tomáš Zikmund, Markéta Kaucká, Federica Papi, Jana Goyens, Anass Bouchnita, Andreas Hellander, Igor Adameyko & Jozef Kaiser

GigaScience 11: giac030.

doi:10.1093/gigascience/giac030

Affiliations and additional details

      (1Central European Institute of Technology, CZ; 2Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., IT; 3Speleovivarium Erwin Pichl, Adriatic Speleological Society, IT; 4Institute Tular Cave Laboratory, SI; 5Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts: Karst Research Institute, SI; 6Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, SI; 7Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, DE; 8Laboratory of Functional Morphology, University of Antwerp, BE; 9Department of Information Technology, Uppsala University, SE; 10Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, TX, US; 11Medical University of Vienna, AT)

2019

A brief historical review of Proteus research in the Dinaric Karst

Katarina Koller Šarić, Dušan Jelić, Gregor Aljančič

In: K. Koller Šarić, D. Jelić, P. Kovač Konrad, B. Jalžić (eds), Proteus. Association Hyla, Zagreb: 78-83.

Affiliations and additional details

      (1Association Hyla, HR; 2Croatian Institute for Biodiversity, HR; 3Tular Cave Laboratory, Society for Cave Biology, SI)

Slovenia - a brief historical review of research

Gregor Aljančič

In: K. Koller Šarić, D. Jelić, P. Kovač Konrad, B. Jalžić (eds), Proteus. Association Hyla, Zagreb: 89-93.

Affiliations and additional details

(1Tular Cave Laboratory, Society for Cave Biology, SI)

Reproductive biology

Katarina Koller Šarić, Gregor Aljančič

In: K. Koller Šarić, D. Jelić, P. Kovač Konrad, B. Jalžić (eds), Proteus. Association Hyla, Zagreb: 130-139.

Affiliations and additional details

      (1Association Hyla, HR; 2Tular Cave Laboratory, Society for Cave Biology, SI)

Proteus breeding in laboratory conditions/ Postojnska jama, Slovenija

Gregor Aljančič, Katarina Koller Šarić

In: K. Koller Šarić, D. Jelić, P. Kovač Konrad, B. Jalžić (eds), Proteus. Association Hyla, Zagreb: 140-143.

Affiliations and additional details

      (1Tular Cave Laboratory, Society for Cave Biology, SI; 2Association Hyla, HR)

The Tular Cave Laboratory, Slovenia

Gregor Aljančič

In: K. Koller Šarić, D. Jelić, P. Kovač Konrad, B. Jalžić (eds), Proteus. Association Hyla, Zagreb: 144-146.

Affiliations and additional details

(1Tular Cave Laboratory, Society for Cave Biology, SI)

Speleological Laboratory at the Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

Gregor Aljančič

In: K. Koller Šarić, D. Jelić, P. Kovač Konrad, B. Jalžić (eds), Proteus. Association Hyla, Zagreb: 146-147.

Affiliations and additional details

(1Tular Cave Laboratory, Society for Cave Biology, SI)

Mitigating the potential risk of chytridiomycete fungi and ranaviruses infection at the Sanctuary for injured proteus (Proteus anguinus) of the Tular Cave Laboratory

Gregor Aljančič, Zlatko Golob, Magdalena Năpăruş-Aljančič, Tajda Turk, Nino Kirbiš, Mojca Vek, Rok Kostanjšek, Nina Gunde-Cimerman

ZSL Symposium "Mitigating single pathogen and co-infections that threaten amphibian biodiversity". London, UK, 24–25 April 2019: 24.

Affiliations and additional details

(1Tular Cave Laboratory, Society for Cave Biology, Slovenia; 2Sanctuary for Protected Wildlife, Slovenia; 3Karst Research Institute, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Slovenia; 4Societas herpetologica slovenica, Slovenia; 5Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia)

2018

Capacity building for conservation of the subterranean biodiversity of the Skadar/Shkodra Lake basin (Montenegro and Albania)

Magdalena Năpăruș-Aljančič, Miloš Pavićević, Leonid Merzlyakov, Tajda Turk, Philippe Theou, Denik Ulqini, Spase Shumka, Gregor Aljančič

Natura Sloveniae 20(2): 69–72.

doi:10.14720/ns.20.2.69-72

Affiliations and additional details

(1Tular Cave Laboratory, Slovenia; 2ZRC SAZU Karst Research Institute; 3Biospeleological Society of Montenegro, Montenegro; 4Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tirana, Albania; 5Department of Biology and Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, »Luigj Gurakuqi« University of Shkodra, Albania; 6Faculty of Biotechnology and Food, Agricultural University of Tirana, Albania)

Development of eDNA methods for monitoring two stygobiotic species of the Dinaric Karst, Proteus anguinus and Congeria jalzici, using digital PCR

Špela Gorički, Primož Presetnik, Uršula Prosenc-Zmrzljak, Tajda Gredar, Matej Blatnik, Blaž Kogovšek, Oliver Koit, Cyril Mayaud, Sara Strah, Branko Jalžić, Gregor Aljančič, Dejan Štebih, Andrej Hudoklin, Rok Košir

Natura Sloveniae 20(2): 47–50.

doi:10.14720/ns.20.2.47-50

Affiliations and additional details

(1 Scriptorium biologorum - Biološka pisarna d.o.o., Slovenia; 2Tolstojeva ulica 9b, Slovenia; 3BIA Separations CRO, 4Labena d.o.o, Slovenia; 5ZRC SAZU Karst Research Institute, Slovenia; 6UNESCO Chair on Karst Education, University of Nova Gorica, Slovenia; 7Institute of Ecology, Tallinn University, Estonia; 8University of Primorska, Slovenia; 9Croatian Biospeleological Society, Croatia; 10Tular Cave Laboratory, Society for Cave Biology, Slovenia)

Environmental DNA in subterranean biology update: from “Where?” to “How many?”

Špela Gorički, Primož Presetnik, Uršula Prosenc-Zmrzljak, Matej Blatnik, Tajda Gredar, Blaž Kogovšek, Oliver Koit, Sara Strah, Helena Bilandžija, Branko Jalžić, Gregor Aljančič, Rok Košir, Cyril Mayaud, Dejan Štebih, Andrej Hudoklin, William Jeffery

ARPHA Conference Abstracts 1: e29968

Affiliations and additional details

(1Scriptorium biologorum - Biološka pisarna d.o.o., Slovenia; 2Tolstojeva ulica 9b, Slovenia; 3BIA Separations CRO, 4Labena d.o.o, Slovenia; 5ZRC SAZU Karst Research Institute, Slovenia; 6Institute of Ecology, Tallinn University, Estonia; 7University of Primorska, Slovenia; 8Ruđer Bošković Institute, Croatia 9Croatian Biospeleological Society, Croatia; 10Tular Cave Laboratory, Society for Cave Biology, Slovenia; 11National Institute of Biology, Slovenia; 12Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation, Novo mesto Regional Unit, Slovenia; 13University of Maryland, Maryland, USA)

2017

Pregled razširjenosti človeške ribice ter njenega odkrivanja na nizkem dolenjskem krasu

Andrej Hudoklin, Gregor Aljančič

Dolenjski kras 7: 212-227.

Affiliations and additional details

(1Zavod RS za varstvo narave; 2Tular Cave Laboratory)

GIS analysis to assess the groundwater habitat pollution of black proteus

Magdalena Năpăruș-Aljančič, Špela Gorički, David Stanković, Matjaž Kuntner, Gregor Aljančič

Natura Sloveniae 19(1): 47–49.

doi:10.14720/ns.19.1.47-49

Affiliations and additional details

(1Tular Cave Laboratory, Society for Cave Biology, Slovenia; 2Scriptorium biologorum – Biološka pisarna d.o.o., Murska Sobota, Slovenia; 3Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste,Trieste, Italy; 4Institute of Biology, Scientific Research Center, Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Ljubljana, Slovenia)

Environmental DNA in subterranean biology: range extension and taxonomic implications for Proteus

Špela Gorički, David Stanković, Aleš Snoj, Matjaž Kuntner, William R. Jeffery, Peter Trontelj, Miloš Pavićević, Zlatko Grizelj, Magdalena Năpăruş-Aljančič & Gregor Aljančič

Scientific Reports 7, Article number: 45054 (2017), doi:10.1038/srep45054

Affiliations and additional details

(1Society for Cave Biology, Tular Cave Laboratory, Slovenia; 2Department of Animal Sciences, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia; 3Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Italy; 4Institute of Biology, Scientific Research Centre, Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Slovenia; 5Department of Biology, University of Maryland, USA; 6Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. 7Biospeleological Society of Montenegro, Montenegro; 8Scientific Research Society Versus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 9University of Bucharest Research Institute, ICUB, Transdisciplinary Research Centre Landscape - Territory - Information Systems, CeLTIS, Romania)

2016

Searching for the black Proteus with the help of eDNA

Špela Gorički, David Stanković, Magdalena Năpăruș-Aljančič, Aleš Snoj, Matjaž Kuntner, Tajda Gredar, Luka Vodnik and Gregor Aljančič

Natura Sloveniae 18(1): 57–58.

doi:10.14720/ns.18.1.57-58

Affiliations and additional details

(1Tular Cave Laboratory, Society for Cave Biology, Slovenia, 2Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Italy; 3Department of Animal Science, Biotechnical faculty, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia; 4ZRC SAZU, Slovenia)

Application of environmental DNA for detection of Proteus

David Stanković, Špela Gorički, Magdalena Năpăruș-Aljančič, Aleš Snoj, Matjaž Kuntner and Gregor Aljančič

Natura Sloveniae 18(1): 55–56.

doi:10.14720/ns.18.1.55-56

Affiliations and additional details

(1Tular Cave Laboratory, Society for Cave Biology, Slovenia, 2Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Italy; 3Department of Animal Science, Biotechnical faculty, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, 4ZRC SAZU, Slovenia)

Rapid genetic and ecological differentiation during the northern range expansion of the venomous yellow sac spider Cheiracanthium punctorium in Europe

Henrik Krehenwinkel, Dennis Rödder, Magdalena Năpăruş Aljančič, Matjaž Kuntner

Evolutionary Applications, DOI: 10.1111/eva.12392

Affiliations and additional details

( 1Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany; 2University of California Berkeley, Environmental Science Policy and Management, Berkeley, USA; 3Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Germany; 4University of Bucharest Research Institute, ICUB; Transdisciplinary Research Centre Landscape - Territory - Information Systems, CeLTIS, Romania; 5Tular Cave Laboratory, Slovenia; 6Evolutionary Zoology Laboratory, Biological Institute ZRC SAZU, Slovenia.)

Searching for black Proteus (Proteus anguinus parkelj) in karst groundwater with the help of eDNA.

Špela Gorički, David Stanković, Magdalena Năpăruş-Aljančič, Aleš Snoj and Gregor Aljančič, 2016.

Abstracts of the 23h International Conference on Subterranean Biology, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA, June 13 -17, 2016: 31.

Affiliations and additional details

(1Tular Cave Laboratory, Society for Cave Biology, Slovenia, 2Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Italy; 3Department of Animal Science, Biotechnical faculty, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia)

2015

Detection of olm (Proteus anguinus) environmental DNA in karst groundwater.

David Stanković, Špela Gorički, Magdalena Năpăruş, Miloš Pavićević, Matjaž Kuntner, Aleš Snoj and Gregor Aljančič, 2015.

Programme and Abstracts of the 18th European congress of Herpetology, Wrocław, Poland, September 7-12, 2015: 89.

Affiliations and additional details

(1Tular Cave Laboratory, Society for Cave Biology, Slovenia, 2Department of Animal Science, Biotechnical faculty, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, 3Biospeleological Society of Montenero, 4ZRC SAZU, Slovenia)

2014

Endangered Proteus: combining DNA and GIS analyses for its conservation.

Gregor Aljančič, Špela Gorički, Magdalena Năpăruş, David Stankovićand Matjaž Kuntner, 2014.

In: P. Sackl, R. Durst, D. Kotrošan and B. Stumberger (eds.), Dinaric Karst Poljes - Floods for Life. EuroNatur, Radolfzell: 70–75.

Affiliations and additional details

(1Tular Cave Laboratory, Slovenia, 2LASIG, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland; 3Zootechnical Department, Biotechnical Faculty, Univ. of Ljubljana, Slovenia; 4ZRC SAZU, Slovenia)

Phylogeny Predicts Future Habitat Shifts Due to Climate Change

Matjaž Kuntner, Magdalena Năpăruş, Daiqin Li, Jonathan A. Coddington

PLoS ONE 9(6): e98907.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0098907

Affiliations and additional details

(1Institute of Biology, ZRC SAZU, Slovenia, 2Centre for Behavioural Ecology and Evolution, Hubei University, China, 3Smithsonian Institution, USA, 4Centre of Landscape–Territory–Information Systems, University of Bucharest, Romania, 5Tular Cave Laboratory, Slovenia, 6Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore)

A novel survey of the distribution of Proteus anguinus by environmental DNA sampling

David Stanković, Gregor Aljančič, Špela Gorički, Magdalena Năpăruş, Miloš Pavićević, Ivan Skaramuca, Jasminko Mulaomerović, Matjaž Kuntner, Aleš Snoj, Zlatko Grizelj, William R. Jeffery, 2014.

Guide book of 22nd International Karstological School, Postojna, Slovenia, June 16–20, 2014: 61–62.

A novel method for detection of the highly endangered cave amphibian Proteus anguinus using environmental DNA and real-time PCR

David Stanković, Špela Gorički, Magdalena Năpăruş, Matjaž Kuntner, Aleš Snojand Gregor Aljančič

Proceedings of International symposium Frontiers in Amphibian Biology: Endangered Species Conservation and Genome Editing, Hiroshima, Japan, March 27-28, 2014. (PDF, 1.7MB)

Affiliations and additional details

(1Tular Cave Laboratory; 2University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical faculty, Department of Animal Science, Slovenia; 3Societas Herpetologica Slovenica, Slovenia; 4Institute of Biology, ZRC SAZU, Slovenia)

2013

The relationships between land cover, climate and cave copepod spatial distribution and suitability along the Carpathians

Ioana N. Meleg, Magdalena Năpăruş, Frank Fiers, Ionuţ H. Meleg, Marius Vlaicu and Oana T. Moldovan, 2013.

Environmental Conservation, 41/2: 206-216.

Affiliations and additional details

(1Emil Rakoviţă Institute of Speleology, Romania; 2Tular Cave Laboratory, Slovenia/ Transdisciplinary Center Landscape-Territory-Information Systems, University of Bucharest, Romania; 3Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Belgium; 4Babeş-Bolyai University, Romania)

Endangered Proteus: combining DNA and GIS analyses for its conservation

Gregor Aljančič, Špela Gorički, Magdalena Năpăruş, David Stanković and Matjaž Kuntner, 2013.

Abstract book of First international workshop on Dinaric karst poljes as wetlands of national and international importance, Livno, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sep 30 - Oct 2, 2013: 16-17. (PDF, 0.9MB)

Affiliations and additional details

(1Tular Cave Laboratory, Slovenia, 2LASIG, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland; 3Zootechnical Department, Biotechnical Faculty, Univ. of Ljubljana, Slovenia; 4ZRC SAZU, Slovenia)

A survey of the distribution of Proteus anguinus by environmental DNA sampling

Gregor Aljančič, Špela Gorički and Magdalena Năpăruş, 2013.

Workshop on protection of underground biodiversity in the Neretva River catchment area, Čitluk, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Affiliations and additional details

(1Tular Cave Laboratory, Slovenia, 2LASIG, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland)

2012

GIS helps to asses threats to Proteus, a highly endangered cave amphibian

Magdalena Năpăruş and Gregor Aljančič, 2012.

GDi FORUM 2012, Budapest, Hungary, Oct 11-12, 2012.

Affiliations and additional details

(Tular Cave Laboratory, Slovenia)

Tular Virtual Lab: Monitoring of a rare cave amphibian, Proteus anguinus, via Internet connection

Gregor Aljančič and Magdalena Năpăruş, 2012.

2 nd EuroSpeleo Protection Symposium, Muotathal, Switzerland, Sep 29-30,2012.

EuroSpeleo Protection Label 2011 Award (European Speleological Federation)

Affiliations and additional details

(Tular Cave Laboratory, Slovenia)

Stygobionts washed out to surface: A case of Proteus anguinus

Gregor Aljančič and Magdalena Năpăruş, 2012.

Abstract book of the 21 th International Conference on Subterranean Biology. Košice, Slovakia, Sep 2-7, 2012: 22-23.

Special Award for Conservation of Subterranean Life (International Society for Subterranean Biology)

Affiliations and additional details

(Tular Cave Laboratory, Slovenia)

The 250th anniversary of the first scientific description of Proteus anguinus

Gregor Aljančič, 2012.

Abstract book of the 21 th International Conference on Subterranean Biology, Košice, Slovakia, Sep 2-7, 2012: 22.

Affiliations and additional details

(Tular Cave Laboratory, Slovenia)

Predictive GIS modelling and conservation of copepods in groundwater habitats of the Romanian Carpathians

Ioana N. Meleg*, Magdalena Năpăruş, Frank Fiers, Ionuţ H. Meleg**, Marius Vlaicu* and Oana T. Moldovan*, 2012.

Abstract book of the 21 th International Conference on Subterranean Biology, Košice, Slovakia, Sep 2- 7, 2012: 68.

Affiliations and additional details

(*Emil Rakoviţă Institute of Speleology, Romania; Tular Cave Laboratory, Slovenia, +Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Belgium; **Babeş- Bolyai University, Romania)

Salt karst: A GIS model to assess the dynamic and risk phenomena under natural and anthropogenic conditions

Magdalena Năpăruş, 2012.

Proceedings of the 20 th International Karstological School “Classical Karst”: Karst forms and processes, Postojna, Slovenia, Jun 18-21, 2012: 65.

Affiliations and additional details

(Tular Cave Laboratory, Slovenia)

2011

Proteus after flooding: should we save the animals or let them be?

Gregor Aljančič and Magdalena Năpăruş, 2011.

Proceedings of 19 th International Karstological School “Classical Karst”. Postojna, Slovenia, Jun 20 - 26, 2011.

Affiliations and additional details

(Tular Cave Laboratory, Slovenia)

2010

Fifty years of Tular Cave Laboratory

Gregor Aljančič, 2010.

Abstract book of 20 th International Conference on Subterranean Biology. Postojna, Slovenia, Aug 29 - Sep 3, 2010: 113-114.

Affiliations and additional details

(Tular Cave Laboratory, Slovenia)

Design of a GIS database to monitor possible threats to the habitat of Proteus anguinus (Amphibia: Proteidae). A case study of a highly vulnerable population of P. a. parkelj in Bela krajina, Slovenia

Magdalena Năpăruş, Gregor Aljančič and Krištof Oštir, 2010.

Abstract book of 20 th International Conference on Subterranean Biology. Postojna, Slovenia, Aug 29 - Sep 3, 2010: 88-89.

Affiliations and additional details

( Tular Cave Laboratory, Slovenia, *ZRC SAZU)

Does Proteus detect and react to a sudden rise of water conductivity which indicates incoming flood?

Gregor Aljančič and Mitja Prelovšek*, 2010.

Abstract book of 20 th International Conference on Subterranean Biology. Postojna, Aug 29 - Sep 3, 2010: 114-115.

Affiliations and additional details

(Tular Cave Laboratory, Slovenia, *ZRC SAZU)

The shrimp rostrum between phylogeny and adaptation

Jure Jugovic*, Simona Prevorčnik*, Gregor Aljančič and Boris Sket*, 2010.

Abstract book of 20 th International Conference on Subterranean Biology. Postojna, Slovenia, Aug 29 - Sep 3, 2010: 118.

Affiliations and additional details

(Tular Cave Laboratory, Slovenia, *Dept. of Biology, University of Ljubljana)

2009