The rarest European fish

Romanichthys valsanicola is the scientific name of the fish known as the sculpin-perch, asprete, or Romanian darter, the only member of the Romanichthys genus of the fish family Percidae.


It was scientifically discovered and described in 1957 by the Romanian scientists M. Dumitrescu, P. Bănărescu and N. Stoica. Local names include: asprete, poprete, sforete. Endemic to a very restricted area in southern Romania, it was found in the upper reach of the Argeş river and in two of its tributaries: Râul Doamnei and Vâlsan. Due to hydrotechnical constructions and deterioration of its habitat, it survived only in the tributary Vâlsan. This species is an endangered freshwater fish and is found on the Red List of IUCN. Its area of distribution has drastically diminished and is now considered the European fish genus with the most restricted area.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Percidae
Genus: Romanichthys
Species: R. valsanicola
Binomial name: Romanichthys valsanicola (Dumitrescu, Bănărescu & Stoica, 1957)

It is a small, grey-brownish fish, 10-12 cm long, covered with small, rough scales. Found in cold, clear, fast-flowing waters, hidden under rocks. Territorial. The time of reproduction is in May and June. It lays eggs on rocks. It feeds on insect aquatic larvae, mainly Plecoptera, Trichoptera and Ephemeroptera. (From Wikipedia)

Unique plants from Romania (Part 8)

Astragalus is a large genus of about 2,000 species of herbs and small shrubs, belonging to the legume family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. The genus is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Common names include milk-vetch (most species), locoweed (in western US, some species) and goat's-thorn (A. gummifer, A. tragacanthus). Some pale-flowered vetches are similar in appearance, but vetches are more vine-like. Cosaciul bistriţean (milk vetch), (Astragalus Röemeri) is a species specific to Romania.

Cladus: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiospermae
Cladus:Eudicots
Cladus: core eudicots
Cladus: Rosids
Cladus: Eurosids I
Ordo: Fabales
Familia: Fabaceae
Subfamilia: Faboideae
Tribus: Galegeae
Genus: Astragalus
Species: Astragalus roemeri Simonk.

Astragalus Röemeri is a species threatened at global level, very vulnerable, endemic to Romania, that grows on very small areas and with reduced population in Apuseni Mountains and in Eastern Carpathians.

Unique plants from Romania (Part 5)

Campanula romanica (Romanian: Clopoţelul Dobrogean, English: Dobruja Bellflower)

Cladus: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiospermae
Cladus:Eudicots
Cladus: core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Euasterids II
Ordo: Asterales
Familia: Campanulaceae
Subfamilia: Campanuloideae
Genus: Campanula
Species: Campanula romanica
Name: Campanula romanica Savul.


Image from TrekNature
Is an endemic, unique species of bellflower that grows only in Romania. Campanula romanica is listed in IUCN red list of threatened plants as "vulnerable".

Unique plants from Romania (Part 4)

Centaurea pinnatifida Schur.

* Kingdom: Plantae
* Phylum: Spermatophyta
* Class: Dicotyledones
* Order: Asterales
* Genus: Asteraceae
* Genus: Centaurea
* Species: Centaurea pinnatifida Schur.


Is a rare, endemic Romanian plant (listed in the IUCN Red List of threatened plants), that grows in three restricted areas in the Carpathians Mountains. The stems are 30 to 60 cm high, often woody at base, and the branches are leafless for some distance below capitula. The florets are bluish-violet, with ragged petals.


In Romania, it is named vineţea or albăstrea, but this name is used also for Centaurea nigra and Centaurea Cyanus, plants very similar as aspect.