Velkovrhia enigmatica is the only freshwater hydrozoan living exclusively in groundwater. It is endemic to the Dinarides in the Balkan Peninsula, where it has been known from four caves only. Here we report on a new V. enigmatica population from cave Logarĉek near Laze in southwestern Slovenia. In addition, after almost 30 years since its last recorded presence, we confirm the current presence of numerous V. enigmatica individuals in the type locality, Planinska jama. Individuals from the two

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... ves were morphologically different: polyps from the type locality had 4-9 tentacles, while the ones from Logarĉek had 14-36 tentacles. The mitochondrial DNA sequences in populations from both caves did not differ. Additional research is needed to provide further insights into species taxonomy, biology and distribution. Izvleček. Nove najdbe in nenavadna zgradba velkovrhije Velkovrhia enigmatica Matjašič & Sket, 1971 (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa: Bougainvilliidae)-Velkovrhia enigmatica je edini sladkovodni trdoţivnjak, ki ţivi izkljuĉno v podzemeljskih vodah. Doslej so tega endemita Dinarskega krasa na Balkanskem polotoku našli le v štirih jamah. V prispevku poroĉamo o najdbi nove populacije v jami Logarĉek pri Lazah v jugovzhodni Sloveniji. Poleg tega lahko, po skoraj 30 letih, ponovno potrdimo pojavljanje velkovrhije na tipski lokaliteti v Planinski jami. Osebki iz obeh jam se medsebojno morfološko razlikujejo: polipi iz tipske lokalitete imajo 4-9 lovk v primerjavi s polipi iz Logarĉka s po 14-36 lovkami. V zaporedjih mitohondrijske DNA obeh populacij ni razlik. Šele z dodatnimi raziskavami bi lahko izboljšali vpogled v taksonomijo, biologijo in razširjenost te vrste.