1,721,004 research outputs found
Kinorhyncha from Italy, a revision of the current checklist and an account of the recent investigations
Full text linkExcept for the noticeable investigations carried out in 1928 by Karl Zelinka in the Gulf of Naples and Gulf
of Trieste, research on the Italian kinorhynch fauna has been rather erratic in space and time. According
to the current checklist of the Italian marine biota, 48 species of Kinorhyncha were reported up to 2008
along the Italian coastlines. However, 31 of them are considered nomina dubia and hence of doubtful
utility. Here we point out those taxa and provide new information based on recent publications and
on novel investigations carried out in selected areas of the Adriatic Sea (3 localities), Ligurian Sea (4),
Tyrrhenian Sea (8), and Ionian Sea (1). New data derives from qualitative as well as from quantitative
samples. The analysis of the new samples yielded 6 families, 9 genera, and 29 species, of which only 16
were previously recorded from peninsular waters. In summary, we recorded one new genus and two new
species for Italy, together with 13 additional species that appear new to science. Particularly interesting
is the finding of two new species belonging to rare genus Condyloderes, as it represents the first record
of this taxon in the Mediterranean Sea. The most speciose genus is Echinoderes, followed by Pycnophyes
with 10 and 8 species, respectively. The former genus includes the taxon showing the highest abundance,
Echinoderes capitatus, with recorded densities up to 184 ind./10cm2, while the latter includes the most
common species Pycnophyes communis, found in 7 out of the 16 new investigated localities. New faunistic
information prompted the revision of the checklist, which in the new version includes 36 species in 9
genera and 6 families. Old and new data were utilized for a preliminary discussion on the geographic
distribution of the recorded fauna, from which it appeared that five species only can be considered
ubiquitous in the four Italian sea basins, whereas the other taxa appear to be restricted to one or two
seas. However, many sectors of the Italian coastline remain unexplored. Besides those areas (e.g., mid
Tyrrhenian and Ionian coasts), future research should be focused on peculiar habitats, such as submarine
caves, lagoons, and coarse biogenic sediments, as many species and species records come from these
neglected biotopes, often representing biodiversity hotspots
Cycliophora. In Relini, G. (Ed) Checklist della flora e della fauna dei mari italiani
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Integrated data analysis allows the establishment of a new, cosmopolitan genus of marine Macrodasyida (Gastrotricha)
Full text linkMacrodasyida (phylum Gastrotricha) comprises 365 species distributed across 34 genera and 10 families. However, current classification is under revision due to the contradictory results of molecular and morphological cladistic analyses. Studies aimed at bridging the gaps took advantage of supplementary assessments of poorly known species and particularly from observations of new taxa showing original traits that could help to identify plesiomorphic character states in these anatomically diverse micrometazoa. We follow this path by describing three new interesting macrodasyidan species respectively from Italy, Brazil and Sweden. In many respects, the new species resemble most closely species of the genus Macrodasys; however, details of the external morphology, in combination with the different lay-out of the reproductive system and the tiny spermatozoa lacking a visible flagellum, suggest they belong to a new genus, possibly in the family Macrodasyidae. These hypotheses are supported by the phylogenetic relationships of 47 taxa inferred from analyses of the 18S rRNA gene, which found the new species clustering with Thaidasys tongiorgii in a subset of a larger clade containing Macrodasys. Accordingly, the establishment of the following taxa is proposed: Kryptodasys gen. nov., K. marcocurinii sp. nov., K. carlosrochai sp. nov. and K. ulfjondeliusi sp. nov
Momotidae as potential bioindicators of tropical forests alterations: density estimates and habitat preferences
No full textA new Tetranchyroderma (Gastrotricha, Thaumastodermatidae) with triancres from the Mediterranean Sea.
No full textAs part of a project dealing with the meiofauna diversity of three Italian Marine Protected Areas (MPA), a new species of gastrotrich is described. Tetranchyrodermn aapton n. sp. is characterized by the cuticular armature made up of triancres whose shape approaches those of T.tribulosumcrathercthanctheancresof T. adeleaeorT.gausancrum the only other congeners exhibiting a triancrous covering. The new species is from the MPA Capo Caccia-Isola Piana (Northwestern Sardinia, Italy) where it was found in organogenous sediment collected at 20 m water depth,together with 17 other gastrotrich species, most of which appear undescribed. The results call for widening thesurvey to deeper sediments, usually neglected in gastrotrich faunistic surveys
Marine gastrotrichs from Lanzarote, with a description of a phylogenetically relevant species of Urodasys (Gastrotricha, Macrodasyida)
No full textSampling campaign took place in October 2011 and included 7 locations and 16 stations along the eastern coast of the island of Lanzarote (Spain). Samples yielded 61 species for a total of 96 records. Thirty-six species (27 genera and 11 families) belong to Macrodasyida while 25 species (18 genera, 7 families) to Chaetonotida. Thirty-two are known species while 29 appear to be undescribed taxa or putatively so. The finding at Lanzarote of some of the known species bear particular significance: Oregodasys cirratus and Tetranchyroderma canariense are recorded for the second time ever, while Musellifer delamarei and Urodasys acanthostylis were previously known only from the Mediterranean, and Urodadys mirabilis was acknowledge only for northern Europe. Furthermore, the presence in the island of Chaetonotus apechochaetus, C. apolemmus, C. siciliensis, Heterolepidoderma loricatum, Lepidodasys unicarenatus, Musellifer delamarei, Thaumastoderma mediterraneum, and Urodasys acanthostylis, strongly suggest them to be part of the temperate/warm fauna that invaded the Mediterranean basin after the Missinian crisis during the different climate eras. Of the new species, one is described as its characteristics widen substantially our knowledge on the entire genus. Urodasys completus sp. nov. is unique in that it possesses, among others, two testes and a sclerotic stylet. Results of a phylogenetic analysis indicated that the sequence of the evolutionary transformation that have occurred in the reproductive system of the species of Urodasys are likely dissimilar from the ones proposed thus far. The overall results testify the need to continue the exploration in the Canary Islands
Ritual displays by a parasitic cuckoo: nuptial gifts or territorial warnings?
Full text linkIn the sexual selection framework, nuptial gifts are materials a donor provides to a receiver that can increase the donor's fitness. In specific cases, sharing crucial information may be a nonmaterial nuptial gift. To investigate this hypothesis, we focused on the common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus, an obligate avian brood parasite whose reproduction costs of females are mainly related to finding host nests needed to lay their eggs. Nest searching is assumed to be conducted only by females. We hypothesized that males could contribute by transferring information on nest locations to females as a nonmaterial nuptial gift. Here, we show the results of a first step in this direction, in which we identified any behaviour potentially conveying information on nest abundance in the surrounding area, that is, behaviours whose frequency varied with host nest density. We conducted our investigation in a marshland area within the Po Plain (Italy), where we recorded both visual displays of cuckoos at perching sites, by using camera traps, and nest abundance of two of the most parasitized cuckoo host species, the reed warbler, Acrocephalus scirpaceus, and great reed warbler, Acrocephalus arundinaceus, by systematic nest monitoring. We found that male cuckoos adopted a certain posture, wing drooping, and tended to keep their tails up more frequently in areas with the highest versus lowest host nest densities. This is consistent with these behaviours acting as potential signals codifying information on nest abundance in the area. We finally discuss the implications of our findings for the mating choices of female cuckoos and the study directions warranted to reveal whether these displays and information transfer may be included as new elements of the sexual selection framework. (c) 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/4.0/)
Invasive alien species of European Union concern: the use of a faunistic database for the knowledge and future management at a local scale
No full textA research group of the Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia,
with the contribution of the Province of Modena and the Emilia-Romagna Region, implemented a
faunistic database named Darwin. The database gathers information chiefly on the vertebrate fauna
of the province of Modena (Northern Italy). To date, over 20,000 historical and recent records have
been collected, regarding 535 vertebrate species and 7 invertebrates (Bivalvia and Crustacea) of
high managing interest. Darwin allows to register the modification of the local fauna, with regards
to the most problematic taxa and especially to the allochthonous species, which are mainly
organisms living in the lowlands that became invasive at different levels. Some of these assumed
the role of key species in a variety of ecosystems (e.g., Pseudorasbora parva), some threaten
certain autochthonous species already at risk (e.g., Trachemys scripta and Procambarus clarkii),
others give rise to economic issues (e.g., Myocastor coypus), whilst the remaining ones have
progressively lost their invasivity, becoming rare or sporadic (e.g., Ameiurus melas and Lepomis
gibbosus). The database represents a strongly effective tool for the basic knowledge functional to
the actions deriving from the European Regulation 2014/1143, regarding the recent “List of invasive
alien species of Union concern” (EU 2016/1141). Overall, Darwin collects information on the local
distribution of 32 invasive allochthonous species, 7 of which of Union concern, namely: Lithobates
catesbeianus, Myocastor coypus, Procambarus clarkii, Pseudorasbora parva, Trachemys scripta,
Threskiornis aethiopicus, and Oxyura jamaicensis. The first four species are established within the
province, while T. scripta is diffused but not definitively confirmed as breeding, T. aethiopicus is
present but not breeding, and O. jamaicensis is observed only occasionally. Thanks to the database
the autochthonous species of EU interest comprised in the national IUCN Red list and their
competitors could be brought into focus. For instance, we revealed the presence of merely 8 local
populations of Emys orbicularis, threatened by the wide distribution of T. scripta, which is reported
from over 20 sites within Modena’s territory. Furthermore, we found Austropotamobius pallipes at
122 mid-elevation sites (100-1100 m a.s.l.), whilst its direct competitor P. clarkii, currently
expanding to the foothills, was recorded from 101 locations from 10 to 100 m a.s.l. These
preliminary results highlight the necessity of control plans towards the two alien species, which
could be developed on the basis of the already available distribution patterns.
Our research group aims at the constant implementation of the database by adding information from
ongoing and forthcoming studies on species of major interest. The existing data, presently used in
various control plans, will pave the way to more specific investigations on the invasive alien fauna
and increase the effectiveness of future managing actions
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