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- Primula ×chignolensis (Ericales: Primulaceae), a new primrose hybrid
discovered in Val Seriana (northern Italy)
Authors: Enrico Banfi; Renato Ferlinghetti
Abstract: A new hybrid of primrose discovered fifteen years ago in the locality Bivacco La Plana, Pre-Alps of Bergamo, above Chignolo, a hamlet of the municipality of Oneta, later also confirmed for the crest of Mount Alben, always in the same municipality, is here described. The parental species turn out to be Primula albenensis Banfi & Ferl. and P. auricula L., the former endemic to the mountains of Bergamo (Mount Alben, Mount Aralalta group and the Ancogno Valley), the latter a European orophyte, here coexisting often together on limestone faces. The new finding shows constant morphology in its stands, and there is no evidence of either "hybrid swarming" or introgression to exclude the total sterility of the population and this occurrence should be considered result of a process of inter parentes hybrid speciation (nothospecies) deserving of taxonomic recognition.
PubDate: Thu, 26 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +000
- Westward expansion of the brown shrimp Penaeus aztecus Ives 1891
(Decapoda: Penaeidae) in the Mediterranean Sea: a review on the
Mediterranean distribution and first record from Spain
Authors: Andrea Spinelli; Pau Sendín Baquero, Francesco Tiralongo
Abstract: Penaeus aztecus Ives 1891, commonly known as the brown shrimp, is a well-established invasive alien species of Atlantic origin in the Mediterranean Sea. Here we report on the presence of the species in the Balearic Sea, eastern Mediterranean coast of Spain, where seven specimens were caught in 2023 (February, May and July). Our records represent the first from Mediterranean Spanish waters, as well as the westernmost for this species in the whole basin. Furthermore, on the basis of the data collected, we suggest the presence of a well-established population in this part of the basin. We provide a review on the Mediterranean distribution of the species with discussion on possible pathways of introduction and implications for the ecosystem and fisheries.
PubDate: Wed, 25 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +000
- New records and ecological data on the alien species Colasposoma dauricum
and Luperomorpha xanthodera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Italy
Authors: Giulia Magoga; Matteo Montagna
Abstract: New records and ecological data on the alien species Colasposoma dauricum and Luperomorpha xanthodera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) are provided for Italy. C. dauricum was collected during the summer of 2021 in Verbania (Piedmont), close to the border between Lombardy and Switzerland, on Rubus ulmifolius Schott, a new host plant for the species. L. xanthodera was collected both in semi-natural environments and in close proximity to gardens and greenhouses. Interestingly, among the newly reported records, the presence of L. xanthodera in the vicinity of Lago Fimon (Veneto) in 2007, only one year after its first detection in Italy, suggests that this species may have been introduced in the Country multiple times.
PubDate: Thu, 19 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +000
- First record of naturalization of Erechtites hieraciifolius (L.) Raf. ex
DC. (Asteraceae) in Italy
Authors: Giacomo Trotta; Miris Castello, Francesco Petruzzellis, Sara Pischedda, Francesco Boscutti
Abstract: The plant species Erechtites hieraciifolius (Asteraceae) is here reported for the first time in Italy as a naturalized neophyte in the Classical Karst. The species was observed in 2023 in post-fire forest areas burnt by wildfires in the summer 2022. The features of findings suggest for a naturalization of the species with putative invasive character. This novel occurrence highlights the need for additional research to better understand its colonization and expansion, suggesting the need of early eradication actions.
PubDate: Wed, 11 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +000
- Bats of Sicily: historical evidence, current knowledge, research biases
and trends
Authors: Mark Massaad; Rafael da Silveira Bueno, Ilham Bentaleb, Tommaso La Mantia
Abstract: Insular bat communities are a preeminent conservation taxon due to their ecological role and intriguing and unique species composition. Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean. However, research on Sicilian bats is still scattered, with substantial information being overlooked. Here we present a systematic review of all available bibliographic information from 1810 to 2022, including grey literature, archives, and peer-reviewed publications. The analyses of bibliographic sources permitted us to evaluate the status of research on bats using the Bat Research Efficiency (BRE) and Species-Research Effort Allocation (SREA) metrics. A total of 81 documents were obtained. Since 1955, an average of 1.2 contributions have been issued per year. Over half of the documents are in Italian. The studies are primarily conducted in north-western (40%) and south-eastern (28%) Sicily, mainly in the provinces of Palermo and Siracusa. Most of the contributions concern “Species records” (61%) and “Ecology” (21%). There were 28 species reported, but a significant bias exists towards Myotis myotis, Miniopterus schreibersii, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Myotis capaccinii, and Rhinolophus euryale. Around 31.5% of the studies focused on threatened species, while 68.5% concentrated on non-threatened species, with an overall preference for cave-dwelling species. Yet, SREA analysis demonstrates a lack of research efforts for all species. We encourage the use of a multidisciplinary approach towards under-studied species while covering geographical gaps and increasing public awareness of the functional role of bats in natural ecosystems.
PubDate: Wed, 11 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +000
- An aberrant coloured Southern crested caracara Caracara plancus Miller
1777 (Falconiformes: Falconidae) from Brazil
Authors: Raone Beltrão-Mendes; José Percílio Mendonça Costa, André Beal Galina, Juan Ruiz-Esparza
Abstract: We present an aberrant coloured individual of Southern crested caracara (Caracara plancus) from Brazil. The individual has predominantly white plumage with a few dark grey feathers on the body; the legs and face are yellow and the eyes are melanic. The individual was observed in the municipality of Nossa Senhora Aparecida, state of Sergipe, northeastern Brazil. The animal presented signs of sun burn and currently is hosted in the Parque dos Falcões, Sergipe, Brazil.
PubDate: Fri, 06 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +000
- Further evidence of the occurrence of the Atlantic blue crab Callinectes
sapidus (Rathbun 1896) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Portunidae) along the central
Tyrrhenian coast
Authors: Corrado Battisti; Stefania Chiesa, Luca Gallitelli, Massimiliano Scalici
Abstract: We report evidence of the occurrence of the alien invasive crab Callinectes sapidus along the coast of Latium (central Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy). Original data refer to five adult females found in July 2022 in the Special Protection Area of “Torre Flavia” (Municipalities of Ladispoli and Cerveteri; IT6030020). Indirect evidence was obtained by web sources and personal communications by tourists and fishermen from the same site (including a juvenile reported on February 2023) and from neighbouring localities: Passoscuro (Municipality of Fiumicino), Santa Marinella, and Tarquinia. The Atlantic blue crab appears sparsely distributed along the coast of Latium, although its presence, even if still occasional, might prelude to a concerning scenario in relation to its high invasiveness. The Atlantic blue crab is known to have a severe impact on the invaded habitats, including the transmission of pathogens and parasites. Therefore, further monitoring aimed at collecting data about the distribution and population structure of this species are urgently required in order to develop strategies for the effective control of this non-native crustacean and the mitigation of its impact.
PubDate: Fri, 06 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +000
- The butterflies and burnets (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidea, Lycaenidae,
Nymphalidae, Papilionidae, Pieridae, Zygaenidae) of the Nature Reserve
Bosco della Fontana (Lombardy, Italy)
Authors: Sönke Hardersen
Abstract: Insects are declining at an alarming rate in many parts of Europe and this also applies to butterflies, one of the most well-studied groups of insects. They are popular with the public and are considered good biodiversity indicators. Bosco Fontana, an isolated protected area, which contains one of the best preserved lowland forests of northern Italy, is surrounded by a highly modified landscape and is known to host some important butterfly populations. To investigate the butterflies and burnets, a total of 22 standard surveys, lasting 25 minutes each, were carried out in four different habitat types of Bosco Fontana in the years 2020 and 2021. The surveys confirmed the presence of 36 species of butterflies and 3 species of burnets for the reserve. Statistical analysis revealed that the butterfly and burnet assemblages of the grasslands, ecotones and forests were distinct, but similar in the two study years (datasets available as supplementary information). Many nemoral species were confirmed for Bosco Fontana, with relict populations of Favonius quercus and Argynnis paphia present only in a few residual forests in the Po Plain. Five species typical of grasslands and other open habitats and belonging to the local species pool of the Po Plain in the province of Mantua, were never detected at Bosco Fontana in the study years. The ecological significance of their absence is discussed.
PubDate: Wed, 27 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +000
- The Milan “mermaid”
Authors: Nicolò Bagnasco; Giorgio Bardelli, Luigi Garlaschelli
Abstract: An ancient false “mermaid” kept at the Natural History Museum of Milan has been examined through X-rays and microscopic observations. It was possible to understand how this artifact was made. The Milan “mermaid” is one of several similar examples known for at least two centuries.
PubDate: Wed, 27 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +000
- Archive reports and memories. The Brera Botanical Garden of Milan
(1982-2001)
Authors: Enrico Banfi; Paola Caccia, Agnese Visconti
Abstract: The article, based on printed material about Italian and foreign gardens and on unpublished documents preserved in different Milanese archives, aims at reconstructing the history of the Brera Botanical Garden in the period between 1982 and 2001. This is a period of particular interest in that it illustrates how the Lombard and State institutions, after leaving the Garden in a state of neglect for many decades, went on, while deciding to restore it, to fail to understand its value, risking with their plans to misrepresent its history. However, over the years, these plans were dropped and replaced with a restoration job carried out according to the most modern historical-scientific guidelines of The Florence Charter (1982). Thanks to this restoration, the Garden was enabled to redefine its role and vocation.
PubDate: Wed, 27 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +000
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