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The dragonflies in the collection of Sapienza University of Rome
No full textThe Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) are key bioindicators of freshwater ecosystem health and are widely used in ecological and conservation research. Historical entomological collections provide a valuable source of biodiversity data, particularly for tracking species distributions over time and detecting environmental changes. The Odonata collection of the Museum of Zoology at Sapienza University of Rome includes 2406 specimens, representing 77 taxa (74 species and three identified at genus level) across 33 genera and 11 families. Most specimens were collected in Italy, with a small subset from other parts of Europe. This collection forms part of the broader entomological heritage of the University and is now being preserved and made accessible for research and public engagement through digitisation and online dissemination initiatives.This is the first publicly available, digitised dataset of the Odonata collection from the Museum of Zoology at Sapienza University of Rome (MZUR), comprising 2406 specimens. All records have been georeferenced and standardised following the Darwin Core format. The dataset is published on the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) under the MZUR institutional profile, significantly increasing its visibility and accessibility. In addition to data publication, the digitisation process included high-resolution photography of specimens and the transcription of original label data. An interactive web-based platform was also developed using Python-based tools, enabling dynamic exploration of the collection and enhancing its use for research, education and outreach
First fossil frog and snake assemblage from southern Taiwan: a window into Pleistocene herpetofauna and palaeoenvironments in subtropical East Asia
No full textHerpetofauna, particularly amphibians and reptiles, exhibit high levels of endemism and distinct diversity pattern on Taiwan island. However, the biogeographic history of these groups remains obscure, in part due to the lack of a herpetofaunal fossil record. Here, we report the first fossil record of frogs and snakes from Taiwan, based on Middle Pleistocene vertebrate assemblage recovered from the Chochen–Tsailiao area in southern Taiwan. The collection includes a vertebra of a bufonid frog and multiple vertebrae of colubrid and viperid snakes. Despite their fragmentary preservation, several vertebrae are identifiable, including a toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus), rat snakes (Ptyas mucosa and P. cf. mucosa), a wolf snake (Lycodon rufozonatum), and a pit viper (Protobothrops sp.). Additional vertebrae are attributed to Colubridae indet. and Alethinophidia indet. The preservation of these delicate skeletal elements in a tectonically active and humid subtropical setting highlights the exceptional nature of this discovery. Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction based on ecological preferences of extant analogues suggests that the region supported a humid fluvial and open woodland environment with abundant water bodies
Decarbonizing Russia: Lessons from global carbon pricing practices
No full textClimate change mitigation increasingly relies on carbon pricing as a core policy tool. This study investigates the applicability of such mechanisms within the Russian context, given the country’s heavy fossil fuel dependence and evolving energy landscape. A mixed-method approach is used, combining case studies (EU ETS, Nordic carbon taxes, Sakhalin pilot) with scenario modeling based on macroeconomic data. The findings suggest that although carbon pricing can drive renewable adoption and emissions reduction, Russia’s centralized governance, regional inequality, and export dependence pose challenges. Key recommendations include phased implementation of carbon taxes and emissions trading, equitable revenue allocation, and integration with existing tax systems. With current limitations including reliance on secondary data and uncertainty in political feasibility, future research should explore public acceptance and institutional readiness. Overall, carbon pricing offers Russia a structured pathway to decarbonization, aligning with global climate goals if carefully adapted to local conditions
A redescription of Glyptochelone suyckerbuykii (Ubaghs, 1879), an enigmatic fossil sea turtle (Chelonioidea) from the Maastrichtian of the Netherlands and Belgium, sheds new light on fossil sea turtle shell variation and neural bone homology
No full textWe here provide a redescription the Late Cretaceous (Campanian–Maastrichtian) fossil marine turtle Glyptochelone suyckerbuykii to document its anatomy and intraspecific variation. This redescription highlights the complete absence of a nuchal pedestal, presence of a radiating shell surface texture pattern easily differentiated from that of coeval marine turtles, and the presence of interneural elements, a characteristic unique among Late Cretaceous turtles. A phylogenetic analysis suggests that Glyptochelone suyckerbuykii is located at the base of Dermochelyidae, a dubious result likely resulting from missing data. To allow constructing phylogenetic characters based on the presence of supernumerary neural elements, we suggest a revised classification for the midline column of the carapace of turtles based on novel homology criteria as consisting of neurals, which are outgrowths of the neural arches, as opposed to preneurals, interneurals, and postneurals, which are independent bones that form in front, within, and posterior to the neural column, respectively. We suggest use of this novel classification in future phylogenetic analysis
First report of Biscogniauxia mediterranea (De Not.) Kuntze on Celtis australis L. in Bulgaria
No full textThis is the first record for Bulgaria of Celtis australis as a new host of Biscogniauxia mediterraneа. Symptoms of the disease (presence of stroma on stems and branches) were found on dried trees in ‘Ayazmoto’ Park in Stara Zagora in the fall of 2024. The route survey conducted in the spring of 2025 showed that out of a total of 140 trees, 21 were completely dry, and 11 were partially dry. Half of the surveyed trees (70) were determined to be healthy. The detailed survey showed the presence of the black stroma characteristic of the genus Biscogniauxia on four dried trees. The results of laboratory analyses give us reason to confirm that the causative agent of European nettle wilt is B. mediterranea
Annotation and functional prediction of RNA helicases in Ustilago maydis
No full textRNA helicases are conserved enzymes found in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. They function in all aspects of RNA metabolism and are known to influence various cellular and metabolic processes. In addition, they have been implicated in certain cancers and diseases. Studies on RNA helicases in fungi indicate their conserved roles in RNA metabolism and suggest that their dysregulation can affect fungal growth. However, the roles of RNA helicases in fungal plant pathogenesis remain underexplored, despite increasing knowledge of how RNA helicases modulate gene expression and disease progression. We used the basidiomycete plant pathogen Ustilago maydis as a model to identify 46 RNA helicases. We review the roles of RNA helicases in RNA metabolism, cellular growth and homeostasis, and metabolism. We then utilized available U. maydis transcriptome data and current research to hypothesize potential functions of RNA helicases in fungal plant pathology. These roles include influencing cell growth, modulating stress response, contributing to virulence and disease progression, and regulating fungal spore dormancy and germination. Understanding the roles of RNA helicases in gene regulation may aid in developing strategies to mitigate disease spread in fungal plant pathogens
Nanostructured electrode material for energy storage
No full textThis work is devoted to the development of an electrode material for energy storage devices and its nanostructuring technology, which significantly improve energy characteristics. The electrode material consists of a conductive carbon flexible matrix with a high specific surface area filled with silver nanoparticles measuring 10–40 nm. The design and manufacturing technology of a supercapacitor based on an aqueous electrolyte with an operating voltage of 2.6 V and a specific energy consumption of 5.5 Wh/kg are presented
First record of Gnaphosa jodhpurensis Tikader & Gajbe, 1977 (Araneae, Gnaphosidae) from Iraq and the Middle East
No full textWe report Gnaphosa jodhpurensis Tikader & Gajbe, 1977 (Araneae, Gnaphosidae) from Iraq and the Middle East for the first time, based on material collected from Karbala, Babylon, and Dhi Qar provinces. Identification was based on morphological comparison with the original description and further supported by DNA barcoding of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene. Known distribution records of the species across its range are mapped
A new species of the genus Hebius (Squamata, Natricidae), previously confused with H. boulengeri (Gressitt, 1937)
No full textA new species of the genus Hebius is described from Yunnan Province, China. The new species was previously identified as H. boulengeri, but it can be separated from H. boulengeri and other species of this genus by a combination of the following characters: 19-19-17 dorsal scale rows, 148–155 ventrals, 90–105 subcaudals, one preocular, three postoculars, 23–25 maxillary teeth, a distinct continuous white streak from posteroventral margin of eye extending backward and upward to nape to connect with dorsolateral stripe on each side, and white venter. The genetic divergence between the new species and H. boulengeri was 6.6% and the genetic divergences between the new species and other congeners ranged from 6.8% to 15.9% in the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene
High genetic diversity and lack of structure underlie the invasion history of the non-indigenous oyster Dendostrea cf. crenulifera (Mollusca, Ostreida, Ostreidae) spreading in the eastern Mediterranean Sea
No full textSince the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, hundreds of Indo-Pacific species have rapidly colonised the Mediterranean. Understanding the spatial and temporal patterns of this biological invasion is crucial for assessing its ecological impact. A notable example is the non-indigenous oyster Dendostrea sp., first discovered in Türkiye in 1998 and later found throughout the easternmost Mediterranean, though its identity remained uncertain. This study clarifies the taxonomic identity and the introduction pathways of Dendostrea sp. using molecular analyses. Over 100 specimens from 25 sites in the eastern Mediterranean, as well as Île d’Ambre and Rodrigues in the Mauritius Archipelago (the native range), were sequenced for mitochondrial DNA (COI) and compared to 422 sequences from GenBank. Phylogenetic and species delimitation analyses identified the Mediterranean oysters as D. cf. crenulifera, conspecific with oysters from Rodrigues. The Mediterranean populations exhibited high genetic diversity, lack of phylogeographic structure and showed no evidence of a founder effect. These findings suggest that D. cf. crenulifera entered the Mediterranean over two decades ago through multiple shipping-mediated introductions from its native range and successfully established, likely aided by the decline of native biodiversity. The observed genetic diversity pattern across the Mediterranean indicates high propagule pressure driving the species’ invasion history, which likely underpins its establishment success by reducing the deleterious consequences of population bottlenecks and overcoming the so-called genetic paradox. This study underscores the value of molecular surveys in identifying taxonomically challenging non-indigenous species and uncovering their invasion histories