ɉɊɂɅɈɁɂ, Ɉɞɞɟɥɟɧɢɟ ɡɚ ɩɪɢɪɨɞɧɨ-ɦɚɬɟɦɚɬɢɱɤɢ ɢ ɛɢɨɬɟɯɧɢɱɤɢ ɧɚɭɤɢ, ɆАɇУ, ɬɨɦ 37, ɛɪ. 2, ɫɬɪ. 173–183 (2016) CONTRIBUTIONS, Section of Natural, Mathematical and Biotechnical Sciences, MASA, Vol. 37, No. 2, pp. 173–183 (2016) Received: September 8, 2016 ISSN 1857–9027 Accepted: November 17, 2016 e-ISSN 1857–9949 UDC:595.384.06.082.5(497.7) DOI: 10.20903/CSNMBS_MASA.2016.37.2.42 Original scientific paper THE CATALOGUE OF FRESHWATER DECAPODA (DECAPODA: POTAMONIDAE, ASTACIDAE, ATYIDAE) FROM THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA IN THE COLLECTION OF MACEDONIAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY Valentina Slavevska-StКЦОЧkovТć 1* , Biljana Rimčeska 1 , Emilija Stojkoska 2 , Nataša Stefanovska 2 , Jelena HТЧТć 1 , Vasil Kostov 3 1 Institute of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia 2 Macedonian Museum of Natural History, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia 3 Fisheries Department, Institute of Animal Science, Ss. Ciril and Methodius University, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia * Corresponding author: vstamen@yahoo.com The catalogue summarizes the data found in the collection of freshwater decapods of the Macedonian Museum of Natural History in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia. In the present work we have also critically reviewed the historical data on the occurrence and distribution of representatives of decapods present in the country. The popula- tions of decapods have never been intensively studied in Macedonia, and thus, this catalogue may serve as a valuable source of data for nature conservation and protection of crustaceans and their habitats. Key words: catalogue; Decapoda; Macedonian Museum of Natural History; Macedonia INTRODUCTION Freshwater decapods are a highly diverse group of crustaceans currently known from all biogeographical regions (except Antarctica and India for crayfishes). Among an estimated number of 3.000 described freshwater decapod crustaceans, about 640 species can be considered as crayfish species (Astacidea) [1, 2]. A total of 655 freshwater shrimps (Caridea) and 1.300 freshwater crabs (Brachyura) are presently known [3, 4]. The key pro- cesses driving decapod crustaceans НivОrsifiМКtion КrО likely to be habitat heterogeneity, high diversity of ecological niches in freshwater ecosystems and frequent genetic isolation between populations [1, 3, 4]. Relatively low fecundity and poor dispersal abili- ties, probably, contributed to the evolution of rich assemblage of freshwater decapods [2]. There are scarce published data about the decapod fauna (Crustacea: Decapoda) from the Re- public of Macedonia. The oldest data are from the 1920’s, when Balss [5] registered three species for the country. On the basis of morphological criteria Karaman S. [6] gave a description of two crayfish subspecies, Astacus astacus balcanicus S. Karaman, 1929 (under synonymic name Potamobius fluviatilis balcanicus S. Karaman, 1929) and Austropotamobius torrentium macedonicus S. Karaman, 1929 (under synonymic name Potamobius torrentium macedo- nicus S. Karaman, 1929) in his review of fresh- water decapods (Astacidea: Astacidae) in former Yugoslavia. According to Karaman S., A. t. mace- donicus represents a national (Macedonian) endemic crayfish restricted to the River Vardar drainage. Few decades later, the most widely accepted taxonomic studies by Karaman M. [7, 8] recognized three subspecies of crayfish Astacus astacus (Linnaeus, 1758), confirming the presence of subspecies A. a. Balcanicus in the Western Balkans, in the drainage