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Biogeographia : The Journal of Integrative Biogeography
Number of Followers: 2

This is an Open Access Journal

Open Access journal
ISSN (Print) 1594-7629 - ISSN (Online) 2475-5257
Published by eScholarship

[73 journals]

The diversity of Protura (Arthropoda, Hexapoda) in the Mediterranean area
- Authors: Galli; Loris
  Abstract: The Mediterranean area is one of the biodiversity hotspots where some soil-borne taxa reach a high peak of diversity. Within this community, Protura is a poorly known taxon of euedaphic microarthropods. Based on the literature, 77 species belonging to 15 genera, arranged into four families and two orders have been recorded in the Mediterranean Basin. Records are concentrated in the northern part of this area (56 species are known in the North West and 28 in the North East), followed by Macaronesia (20 species) South-West (10) and South-East (6). This diversity distribution follows the uneven research effort dealing with this taxon. Much work is still needed, especially in areas that have been completely or largely neglected by researchers to date, before it can be considered that a solid knowledge base has been laid on Protura diversity and distribution.
  PubDate: Thu, 2 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000
On the occurrence of Phallocryptus spinosus (Milne-Edwards, 1840) in
Sicily (Crustacea, Branchiopoda)
- Abstract: The distribution, status, and phenology of the anostracan Phallocryptus spinosus in Sicily are described. The only population of the species to date known to occur with certainty on the island inhabits a few temporary water bodies located within the Natura2000 site “ITA010006 - Paludi di Capo Feto e Margi Spanò”. In these sites, the species co-occurs with an interesting halophilous flora and crustacean fauna. Based on available data, the concentration of dissolved salts in the water bodies seem to be the main driver of the life histories of the co-existing populations of the anostracans Artemia salina and Phallocryptus spinosus.
  PubDate: Sun, 1 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000
Class Trilobita (including agnostoids) from Argentine Precordillera
- Abstract: This data paper inventories the records of 1763 trilobites (including agnostoids) from the Middle Cambrian inner and outer platform of the Argentine Precordillera (San Juan and Mendoza provinces). They were collected by Dr. Osvaldo Bordonaro and his colleagues between 1994 and 2013 and studied within the framework of scientific research. The specimens are stored in the Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales (IANIGLA, CCT-CONICET Mendoza, Argentina), an official paleontological repository of Mendoza Province and are part of its Paleoinvertebrates Collection. The study of these trilobites contributed to the taxonomy of the group and allowed the establishment of important paleobiogeographic connections between Cuyania and Laurentia during the Cambrian. From a preliminary Microsoft Excel format, the dataset is now included in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF, https://www.gbif.org), under the publisher CCT-CONICET Mendoza (Argentina),...
  PubDate: Sun, 1 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000
The new Checklist of the Italian Fauna: Odonata
- Abstract: Seventeen years after the publication of the last checklist of the damselflies and dragonflies found in Italy, an updated list has been compiled. This list reports 95 species belonging to 10 families and 38 genera and includes 2 national endemic and 1 sub-endemic species. Compared to the previous checklist, three species were removed, two subspecies were granted species status, and 10 species were added as new taxa for Italy. The checklist summarizes the current state of the knowledge on the geographical distribution of the Italian species with a regional detail. After the online publication of this dataset on the LifeWatch Italy website in 2021, some minor updates will be included in future releases. The newly discovered species are the result of increased exploration of the national territory combined with some possible range shifts, especially of Libellulidae species of Afro-Asiatic origin. This increased coverage of the country is the result of the efforts of many contributors....
  PubDate: Sun, 1 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000
Marine mollusk thanatocoenoses along the coasts of the San Pietro Island
(South-Western Sardinia): a first reasoning on species composition and
biodiversity
- Abstract: We conducted a study on the taxonomic composition and diversity of thanatocoenoses of marine mollusks sampled at five sites on a circum-Sardinian island (San Pietro Island, South-Western Sardinia). The aim was to measure the differences in terms of biodiversity by analyzing shells >2 mm. We collected 71 taxa (level of diversity γ) at five different sites. Four species represented more than half of the sample: Bittium reticulatum, Glans trapezia, Lucinella divaricata and Truncatella subcylindrica. We observed a high difference in the number of taxa (level of diversity α) between sites (range: 18-41; after normalization using the Margalef index: 9.45-15.84). The turnover of β-diversity between low-energy sites was lower than that among high-wave energy sites; low-energy wave sites located near shallow and extensive Posidonia oceanica beds showed the highest values of diversity metrics. Climatic factors related to wave energy (exposure...
  PubDate: Sun, 1 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000
A new trans-Ionian spider species for the Italian fauna: Habrocestum
graecum Dalmas, 1920 (Araneae, Salticidae)
- Abstract: The salticid spider Habrocestum graecum Dalmas, 1920, until now only known from Greece, is for the first time recorded in Italy. Observations on ecology and behavior are also reported and pictures of its habitus and genitalia are provided. Furthermore, the first DNA barcode sequence for H. graecum is produced and made publicly available. The species has been observed in Puglia, in South-Eastern Italy, and a trans-Ionian dispersal pattern is most likely the cause of its presence both in Greece and Southern Italy, as reported for other taxa with similar distribution in different animal groups.
  PubDate: Tue, 15 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +000
Taxonomy and distribution of the genus Santolina (Asteraceae) in Italy
- Abstract: The Santolina chamaecyparissus complex includes 13 species of dwarf aromatic evergreen shrubs from the western Mediterranean Basin. Five native species occurring in Italy are currently accepted. Four of them are endemic to relatively restricted areas in the peninsula, whereas S. corsica Jord. & Fourr. is endemic to Corsica and Sardinia. The taxonomic treatments of Italian Santolina have been changing significantly in the past, probably due to the misinterpretation of naturalised populations of S. chamaecyparissus, a widely cultivated pentaploid species, which occasionally escapes from cultivation through agamospermy or vegetative propagation. In this study, we carried out the first quantitative morphometric and comparative niche analyses concerning the four species endemic to continental Italy (S. etrusca, S. ligustica, S. neapolitana, and S. pinnata). Morphometric analyses (PCoA, Random Forest, and...
  PubDate: Mon, 8 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0000
Updates to Szeptycki’s check-list of the Protura of the World
- Abstract: After 15 years from its publication, the Szeptycki’s check-list of the Protura of the World has been updated. Five new genera and 98 new species since then were added. New taxonomical combinations have been adopted. Updates to the species distribution were also added. Globally, the new list shows 831 species belonging to 77 genera arranged in seven families and three orders.
  PubDate: Thu, 21 Jul 2022 00:00:00 +000
Age-related mobile digital divide in citizen science: the CSMON-LIFE
experience
- Abstract: The amount of available Citizen Science data has increased significantly in the last two decades and has been used in several biogeographic studies as well. Citizen Science data are mostly collected through digital platforms, and especially mobile Apps. While the adoption of novel Information and Communications Technology (ICT) approaches potentially allow for a wider participation, recent studies have highlighted that the ability of making an intensive use of smartphones and mobile apps could decrease with users’ age. At the same time, data quality and commitment of volunteers in citizen science activities often increases with the age of volunteers. During the CSMON-LIFE (Citizen Science MONitoring) project volunteers provided their year of birth, thus allowing for inferences on the relation between age and data quality and retention rate. In this manuscript, a further investigation is carried out for understanding the potential effect of the digital gap that exists especially...
  PubDate: Tue, 21 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +000
The new Checklist of the Italian Fauna: Simuliidae
- Abstract: We present a dataset reporting the checklist of the species of the family Simuliidae (Diptera, Nematocera) for Italy, updating the one previously published in the series ‘Checklist delle Specie della Fauna d'Italia’ in 1995. The records of the updated checklist refer to the 70 species currently known from areas politically falling within the borders of Italy (belonging to 6 genera: 55 to Simulium genus, 8 to Prosimulium, 3 to Metacnephia, 2 to Urosimulium, 1 to Greniera, 1 to Twinnia) at the regional level (20 terrestrial units). The records refer to various freshwater lotic habitats, from glacier melting waters to large plain rivers. The previous checklist reported a total number of 71 species, of which one represented in Italy with 2 subspecies, belonging to 5 genera: 58 to Simulium genus, 9 to Prosimulium, 3 to Metacnephia, 1 to Greniera, 1 to Twinnia; Urosimulium...
  PubDate: Mon, 23 May 2022 00:00:00 +000
The bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) of Egadi’s Archipelago (Sicily,
Italy)
- Abstract: In the present study, we analysed the bee fauna reported in the Egadi Archipelago (circumsicilian islands). Field and bibliographical research carried out have allowed us to identify 40 taxa, between species and subspecies, belonging to five families: Colletidae (3 species), Andrenidae (9 spp.), Halictidae (4 spp.), Megachilidae (15 spp.), and Apidae (9 spp.). Twenty-seven species are reported here for the first time for the Egadi Archipelago, together with 13 species previously known from this archipelago, of which five are confirmed. For each species, details on collection data, distribution, and plants visited are given. Amongst the species recorded, Hylaeus duckei (Alfken, 1904) (Colletidae) and Osmia alfkenii Ducke, 1899 (Megachilidae) are new for Sicily. We include the first ‘Checklist of bees of Egadi’s Archipelago’ (40 species reported). Furthermore, the Apidae Nomada sicula Schwarz, 1974 is reported for the first time as a parasite of Panurgus...
  PubDate: Fri, 20 May 2022 00:00:00 +000
A dataset of European marine mites (Trombidiformes, Halacaridae)
- Abstract: We present a data set on marine mites (family Halacaridae) in European waters. The data set gathers all the published records of marine mites from the North European Seas, Lusitania, Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea marine provinces, all belonging to the temperate North Atlantic geographical realm. The database includes 3006 records collected from 260 original publications. For each record, the dataset provides complementary taxonomic, geographical, and ecological information, as well as remarks regarding the sampling methods used in each study. We use this dataset to briefly discuss potential knowledge gaps and biases across marine regions and habitats. We hope that these data will provide a baseline for further studies in biogeography and ecology.
  PubDate: Fri, 1 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000
The new Checklist of the Italian Fauna: Rotifera
- Abstract: We present a data set reporting the checklist of the species of the phylum Rotifera for Italy, updating the one previously published in the series ‘Checklist delle Specie della Fauna d'Italia’ in 1995. The records of the updated checklist refer to the 483 taxa at the species and subspecies level currently known from national Italian territories (119 Bdelloidea, 362 Monogononta, 2 Seisonacea) at the regional level (22 terrestrial and nine marine geographical units). The records refer to various freshwater, limno-terrestrial, and marine coastal habitats. The previous checklist reported 245 taxa (54 Bdelloidea, 189 Monogononta, 2 Seisonacea): three taxa were removed because currently considered not valid and 241 were added, scanning 21 papers we found that were published between 1993 and 2020, expanding the regional records and including four papers older than 1993 with overlooked records in the previous checklist. The Rotifera data are part of the updated Checklist of the Italian...
  PubDate: Mon, 21 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +000
First assessment of entomopathogenic fungi and nematodes in hot springs in
central Italy and first record of Pristionchus uniformis for the country
- Abstract: Geothermal soils in Central Italy are characterized by high temperatures (up to 60°C), low pH values, and sparse vegetation. The biodiversity of entomopathogenic soil fungi and nematodes has never been assessed in these areas. Soil samples (N = 12) separated from each other by at least 100 meters were collected in the areas of Le Biancane Natural Park (Grosseto) and Sasso Pisano (Pisa). The Galleria bait method was used to assess the presence of entomopathogenic fungi and nematodes. A total of nine species of fungi and one nematode were isolated and molecularly identified. All these species came from samples collected in the immediate surroundings of geothermal spring, apart from one Beauveria pseudobassiana collected at about 16 meters from the nearest spring. Moreover, Pristionchus uniformis previously reported only from North America and few European countries is recorded for the first time in Italy.
  PubDate: Fri, 4 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000
The new Checklist of the Italian Fauna: Ascidiacea
- Abstract: We present a data set reporting the checklist of the species belonging to the class Ascidiacea for the 9 Italian marine biogeographical units, updating the one previously published by Mastrototaro & Tursi in 2010. In detail, the updated checklist includes 138 taxa at species level (66 Aplousobranchia, 30 Phlebobranchia and 42 Stolidobranchia). Records refer to various marine habitats, including lagoons, harbours and semi-enclosed environments as well as deep habitats. The previous checklist reported 129 taxa (66 Aplousobranchia, 27 Phlebobranchia and 36 Stolidobranchia): in detail, 12 species were added, of which four newly described species, seven non-indigenous species and a new record for the Italian waters. On the other hand, three species reported in the previous checklist were removed: two because currently considered dubious, and one because its occurrence in the Mediterranean Sea is not actually confirmed. Finally, two species were renamed because they are considered...
  PubDate: Wed, 2 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000
The new Checklist of the Italian Fauna: Mecoptera
- Abstract: We present a data set reporting the checklist of the species of the order Mecoptera for Italy, updating the one previously published in the series ‘Checklist delle Specie della Fauna d'Italia’ in 1995. The updated checklist comprises 11 taxa at the species and subspecies level, currently known from national Italian territories (7 Panorpidae, 2 Bittacidae, 2 Boreidae). The records are at the regional level and refer to various terrestrial habitats. The previous checklist reported 10 taxa (6 Panorpidae, 2 Bittacidae, 2 Boreidae): no taxa were removed because currently considered not valid and one was added, after scanning 16 papers published between 1993 and 2020 and expanding the regional records. The data set is freely available from LifeWatch Italy at https://www.lifewatchitaly.eu/en/initiatives/checklist-fauna-italia-en/checklist. The data set will be dynamically updated with new records; this paper describes the state of the art of the data set on December 2021.
  PubDate: Mon, 21 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +000
Seasonal bird assemblages in Dehesas (substeppic prairies with Quercus
suber) of North-Western Sardinia (Italy): A poorly studied landscape of
high eco-biogeographic interest
- Abstract: Dehesas (i.e., substeppic prairies with Quercus suber) represent a poorly studied Mediterranean habitat type of high eco-biogeographic interest. Here, we applied a point-transect method along a yearly cycle (from spring to autumn), to focus on seasonal differences in bird assemblages inhabiting a Dehesas landscape in north-western Sardinia (Italy). We confirmed the presence of Mediterranean species with restricted ranges (e.g. Sturnus unicolor, Sylvia sarda). At the community level, seasonal patterns show significant differences among mean abundance, with a maximum in autumn and a minimum in summer. The highest values in autumn may be explained by the aggregations of wintering small passerines. Considering the univariate metrics of diversity, the number of species significantly differs among seasons, with the richest community in spring. Shannon-Wiener diversity and Margalef (normalized richness) were higher in spring and summer compared to autumn. Habitat...
  PubDate: Fri, 11 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +000
Urban orchids: an updated checklist of the orchid flora of Cagliari
(Sardinia, Italy).
- Abstract: In the last decades, urbanization has led to drastic changes in ecosystems. Although this phenomenon is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity, cities can host a high richness of biological diversity. Several authors have recently emphasized the role of urban biodiversity in mitigating the effects of climate change and in providing benefits to citizens. In this study, I investigate the orchid flora of the city of Cagliari. Although the Mediterranean cities have a significant native flora, purely floristic works in urban ecosystems are still rare. During a thirteen-year study I encountered seventeen species, two subspecies and three hybrids. However, three taxa were no longer found. This inventory can support urban conservation policies and their implementation in the development of sustainable cities.
  PubDate: Fri, 4 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +0000
Towards the new Checklist of the Italian Fauna
- Abstract: The Scientific Committee for the Italian Fauna is managing the new checklist of the animal species of Italy. The previous checklist was published in 1993-1995 and included both protozoans and Metazoa (more than 57,000 species); the new project, which includes only Metazoa, started in 2020 and is aimed at updating the former checklist (with more than 60,000 expected species) by on-line datasets and data papers. The new checklist includes marine species recorded in the Italian seas, divided into nine marine sectors, within the Italian Economic Exclusive Zone, and terrestrial and freshwater species recorded in administrative regions, as well as in the three macro-regions (northern continental, southern peninsular and insular - Sicily and Sardinia - macro-regions). Records from geopolitical units biogeographically related to Italy (i.e., Canton Ticino, CH; Corsica, F; San Marino Republic and Vatican City) are also included. Over 180 Italian and foreign taxonomists have so far participated...
  PubDate: Fri, 28 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +000
The new Checklist of the Italian Fauna: Elateridae, not including
Cebrioninae, Drilinae and Lissominae
- Abstract: This work presents an updated checklist and distribution of Coleoptera Elateridae of Italy. The data come from literature, from museums and private collections directly examined by the authors. The subfamilies Lissominae, Cebrioninae and Drilinae, which were previously considered independent families, are not included in the checklist, because there are not sufficient data. The distribution of the species is recorded and figured on maps at the provincial level, provided in a supplementary file, while the world distribution is given at the state level according to the Palearctic catalogue published by Cate in 2007 and the most recent works. The genus Pseudathous Méquignon, 1930 was resurrected for the species previously classified in the genus Hemicrepidius Germar, 1839 and Megathous nigerrimus (Desbrochers des Loges, 1870) is transferred to the genus Hemicrepidius Germar, 1839 according to recent taxonomic revision. For not recorded species...
  PubDate: Sat, 22 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +000
The new Checklist of the Italian Fauna: marine Mollusca
- Abstract: The mollusc fauna of the Mediterranean Sea is still considered as the best-known marine mollusc fauna in the world. The previous modern checklists of marine Mollusca were produced by joint teams of amateurs and professionals. During the last years the Italian Society of Malacology (Società Italiana di Malacologia – S.I.M.) maintained an updated version of the Mediterranean checklist, that served as the backbone for the development of the new Italian checklist. According to the current version (updated on April 1st, 2021), 1,777 recognised species of marine molluscs are present in the Italian Economic Exclusive Zone, including also the Tyrrhenian coasts of Corsica and the continental shelf of the Maltese archipelago. The new checklist shows an increase of 17% of the species reported in the 1995 Checklist. This is largely (yet not solely) due to the new wave of studies based on Integrative Taxonomy approaches. A total of 135 species (7.6%) are strictly endemic to the Italian...
  PubDate: Fri, 7 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000
DNA analysis supports the presence of Pontia edusa (Fabricius, 1777),
Zizeeria karsandra (Moore, 1865) and Polyommatus celina (Austaut, 1879) in
Malta: A seasonal and multi-location investigation with additional notes
on the central Mediterranean area
- Abstract: On the sole basis of morphometric analysis, it was routinely presumed that Pontia daplidice (Linnaeus, 1758), Zizeeria knysna (Trimen, 1862) and Polyommatus icarus (Rottemburg, 1775), occur in Malta. Recent DNA-based investigations (in-part combined with morphometric analysis) on islands and continental landmasses in the central Mediterranean shed light on the phylogeography of these and other, closely related, species. The present contribution focuses on seasonal and multi-location investigations within Malta of the genera Pontia, Zizeeria and Polyommatus. Voucher specimens from Sicily, Lampedusa and Spain are also analysed. A total of 43 specimens, in the following configuration are examined: Pontia (n = 21), Polyommatus (n = 11), Zizeeria (n = 11). DNA results obtained confirm the presence in Malta of Pontia edusa...
  PubDate: Sat, 1 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000
The new Checklist of the Italian Fauna: Formicidae
- Abstract: I present the updated version of the ‘Checklist of the Italian Fauna’ for what concerns ants (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae), which is part of the broader effort to produce an updated comprehensive checklist of the Italian fauna about 25 years after the first edition. The present list is the fourth Italian checklist of ants to be published since 1916, and refers to the state of art on November 2020. A simplified version of the data set is available as a supplementary file to this paper, while the full data set will be accessible in a regularly updated form from the LifeWatch Italy Data Portal (https://dataportal.lifewatchitaly.eu/data). Compared to the previous list by Poldi and others, published in 1995, the new one contains changes retrieved from 86 literature sources, including 17 published between 1921 and 1995 (which were missed in the previous checklist) and 69 published from 1996 to 2020. These references add 50 new species, including 9 new endemic species, as well...
  PubDate: Sat, 1 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000
Following the Apennines: updating the distribution of Formica clara and
Formica rufibarbis in Italy (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)
- Abstract: Formica clara is an ant species that was historically confused with other congeneric species such as F. rufibarbis until recent taxonomic developments. Due to such misunderstanding, while F. clara is known to occur across a very large Eurasian range, its actual distribution in the Mediterranean is often scarcely known. The distribution of F. clara and F. rufibarbis in Italy is remarkably obscure since almost all records, which spanned across the whole Italian peninsula and Sardinia, were published between 1834 and 1969, at times when the two species were treated as a single taxon. The few modern records of the species testify the presence of F. rufibarbis in the Alps, and F. clara in the Alps, the Po Plain and Sardinia. Here we present some new distributional data on the two species, extending the geographic range of F. rufibarbis south to the Northern Apennines (225 km) and that of F. clara throughout...
  PubDate: Sat, 1 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000
Mice on the borders: genetic determinations of rat and house mouse species
in Lampedusa and Pantelleria islands (Southern Italy)
- Abstract: Biogeography and the occurrence of small mammals are usually hard to investigate due to the small size and secretive habits of these mammals. Available data are particularly insufficient on minor islands and at national borders, where research efforts are usually scarce. Here we briefly updated the knowledge on murid rodents on two remote Italian small islands (Lampedusa and Pantelleria) at the southernmost Italian borders. During summer 2019, house mice and rats were sampled in Lampedusa and Pantelleria and molecular markers were sequenced for species identification. The new sequences of Mus domesticus were also compared with samples from previous works collected in Lampedusa, Pantelleria, and several localities in the Mediterranean basin. Moreover, our analyses provided the first genetic evidence of the occurrence of Rattus norvegicus in Lampedusa. To conclude, R. rattus was confirmed to be present in Pantelleria. The newly collected haplotype of...
  PubDate: Sat, 1 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000
Parrots and parakeets in Genoa (Northwest Italy): preliminary report of a
census and population dynamic analysis through citizen involvement
- Abstract: In the city of Genoa (NW Italy) three breeding species of Psittaciformes are known to occur: Psittacula krameri, Amazona ochrocephala and Amazona aestiva. We planned to update the knowledge of these alien species involving citizens in a project coordinated and managed by professional scientists and technicians from the Genoa University, the Natural History Museum “G. Doria”, the Municipality of Genoa and the Ligurian Environmental Protection Agency (ARPAL). The aims of the research are to highlight and quantify the impact on the urban environment of parrots and parakeets and evaluate which aspects of their presence are most perceived (negatively or positively) by citizens. The data obtained so far, on the basis of 227 observations, have allowed us to outline some aspects of the biology and habits of local Psittaciformes. We have related these characteristics to the impact that these species have on citizens, in terms of hygienic problems...
  PubDate: Sat, 1 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000