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Backwards and forwards at once, the zoological checklists bring the past into the present and draw a direction towards the future. They cover historical and current information providing open data for environmental issues. The present-day research framework aims to produce papers reporting lists of animal species, after a couple of decades of absolute refusal of such inventories, years where the prevalence of studies has been focused on ecological or molecular statistics. Now, the contemporary era is moving towards the gathering of organized data, shared on web platforms, and cross-linked in a sort of global metadata outcome. It means that a single record of the occurrence of a species can be associated with its DNA tag, the georeferenced localities of its captures, and the correspondent museum specimen preserved in a collection. Unfortunately, many taxonomists and many countries do not have built or updated faunal checklists yet, though open-access journals offer a platform to share and disseminate such core information and most of the recent checklists have demonstrated the disclosure of an unexpected diversity all over the world.

Benthic marine invertebrates, such as corals, are often subjected to injury caused by several sources. Here, the differences and characteristics in injured and health tissues in terms of cellular components are shown through a histological investigation of the soft coral Anemonia viridis at 0 h, 6 h, 24 h, and 7 days after injury caused by tentacle amputation. In addition, a new tool was used for the first time in invertebrates, positron emission tomography, in order to investigate the events that occur during regeneration within a longer time period (0 h, 24 h, and 14 days after the tentacles were cut). Higher integrated density values were measured through a densitometric analysis in sections stained with Fontana–Masson at 24 h after the tentacles were cut. This suggests an increase in melanin-like containing cells and a subsequent increase in fibroblast-like cells differentiated by amoebocytes that converge to the lesion site in the early stages of inflammation and regeneration. This work provides, for the first time, an elucidation of the events that occur during wound-healing and regeneration in basal metazoan, focusing on the characterisation of immune cells and their role. Our results indicate that Mediterranean anthozoan proves to be a valuable model for studying regeneration. Many events highlighted in this research occur in different phyla, suggesting that they are highly conserved.

Capturing activities and defense mechanisms of Cnidarian are strongly associated with toxins and peptide with antimicrobial properties. AMP are an important component of many organisms’ innate immune system with a good inhibitory or killing effect against invaders pathogens. We investigated the AMP activity of acid extracts obtained from tentacle and body of Actinia equina (Cnidaria, Anthozoa) against Gram positive (Micrococcus lysodeikticus) and Gram negative (Escherichia coli, Vibrio alginolyticus) bacteria. The peptide fractions showed interesting minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) values (concentrations up to 0.125 μg/ml) against tested pathogens. Tentacle acid extracts exhibiting a good antimicrobial activity, were further investigated, characterized and the peptides purified by reverse phase chromatography on solid phase Sep-Pak C8 column followed by several HPLC runs on C18 column. A broad-spectrum antibacterial peptides activity was detected in 40 % acetonitrile fractions. The Peptide 6.2 has a molecular weight of 2612.91 Da and is composed of 27 amino acids (Actinin A); while peptide 7.3 has a molecular weight of 4323.07 Da and is composed of 35 amino acids (Actinin B). The two peptides were completely sequenced and their aa sequence revealed similarity with the already described AMPs identified in amphibians and fish, with anti-Gram+ & Gram-, antifungal, candidacidal, anti- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) activity Actinins A and B were chemically synthesized and tested in vitro against the above-mentioned bacterial pathogens. The analysis identified the peptide Actinin B which showed an interesting antibacterial and can be considered good candidates for new therapeutic applications.

Anthozoans are the richest class of species of the phylum Cnidaria. They are a candidate group for studying the evolution of mutualisms and immunity and despite their morphological simplicity exhibit a repertoire of immunological components with large genomes and gene families similar to those of the Bilateria. Like other invertebrates, anthozoans immunity is based on self/non-self recognition mechanisms and allorecognition responses, therefore, maintaining their integrity and responding actively to selection pressures. Highlight and investigate the link between innate immunity, homeostasis maintenance, inflammation, tissue remodelling and regeneration in Anthozoa could be useful to elucidate the adaptive capability features to different stress factors. We have carried out studies demonstrating that all these processes are highly conserved among the anthozoans species. We have compared the inflammatory responses and the morpho-functional aspects related to regeneration in different species of Mediterranean anthozoans using histological, cellular and molecular technical approaches on organisms, maintained in aquaria under environmental and pathogenic stressful conditions. This approach appears to be a useful tool from baseline studies in immunology and anthozoans result valid models able to respond to environmental stress conditions. Important results have been obtained with potential biotechnological transferability in pharmacology.

Various key economic sectors of the National and Sicilian economy, in addition to contributing to the economic growth also cause a considerable production of waste which today are a problem both for companies then for the environment. For this reason, there is considerable interest in this waste and in the possibility of their reuse to extract bioactive molecules with added value, all in accordance with the objectives of the Blue Economy. In this regard, it has already been demonstrated that from the production waste of various economic sectors it is possible to obtain bioactive molecules with anticancer, antimicrobial, cosmetic, antioxidant and nutraceutical properties (Mauro et al., 2022). If we focus on farm animals and the feed used, it is known that the latter can be a source of antioxidants which help the body to prevent the harmful effects of free radicals and metabolic products. In this context, polyphenolic compounds (e.g. flavonoids) showed important antioxidant activities in vitro, although it seems that these are poorly absorbed in the intestine and their tissue concentrations are too low to contribute to the antioxidant defense (Surai, 2013). In light of all this, within the SMILING Project a study concerned the possibility of reusing wine production waste (pomace and grape seeds, the cause of the production of considerable quantities of waste) rich in fatty acids, triglycerides and polyphenols (Di Stefano et al., 2021; 2022) in the feeding of broiler chickens by evaluating the possi- ble effects of these diets on the animal’s health status also in terms of antioxidant capacity. Three experimental sets were carried out and concerned the administration of three different types of diets: Grape marc (0%, 3% and 6%), Grape seeds (0%, 3% and 6%) and a mix of grape marc and grape seed (0 and 3%). At the end of the experimental times, biomarkers typical of the evaluation of the state of health of the organisms were used for the preliminary analyzes of the blood and meat samples. Significant effects were observed in all diets depending on the concentration administered. Probably the phenolic content of the flours used contributes to the improvement of the health of the farmed animals.

By 2030, the European Commission intends to halve chemical pesticide use and its consequent risks. Among pesticides, nematicides are chemical agents used to control parasitic roundworms in agriculture. In recent decades, researchers have been looking for more sustainable alternatives with the same effectiveness but a limited impact on the environment and ecosystems. Essential oils (EOs) are similar bioactive compounds and potential substitutes. Different studies on the use of EOs as nematicides are available in the Scopus database in the scientific literature. These works show a wider exploration of EO effects in vitro than in vivo on different nematode populations. Nevertheless, a review of which EOs have been used on different target nematodes, and how, is still not available. The aim of this paper is to explore the extent of EO testing on nematodes and which of them have nematicidal effects (e.g., mortality, effects on motility, inhibition of egg production). Particularly, the review aims to identify which EOs have been used the most, on which nematodes, and which formulations have been applied. This study provides an overview of the available reports and data to date, downloaded from Scopus, through (a) network maps created by VOSviewer software (version 1.6.8, Nees Jan van Eck and Ludo Waltman, Leiden, The Netherlands) and (b) a systematic analysis of all scientific papers. VOSviewer created maps with keywords derived from co-occurrence analysis to understand the main keywords used and the countries and journals which have published most on the topic, while the systematic analysis investigated all the documents downloaded. The main goal is to offer a comprehensive understanding of the potential use of EOs in agriculture as well as which directions future research should move toward.

Discards remain among the main negative impacts of fishing activities, and their reductions are strengthened by the European Common Fisheries Policy (European Regulation 1380/2013). Trammel net fisheries appear more sustainable compared with other fishing techniques, especially from an ecological viewpoint. Despite this, reports show that trammel net fisheries deliver discard quantities between 10% and 43% of the total catch biomass. To supplement existing information, this current work attempts to address the discard reduction using guarding net in the small-scale fisheries of Egadi Islands MPA (Western Sicily, Central Mediterranean Sea). To assess the reduction of unwanted catches, 48 experimental fishing trials were conducted within a 6-month period. The experimental fishing trial employed a trammel net made up of 20 panels alternated with two different net configurations. The control panels (CN) held a large outer (180 mm) and small inner (31.25 mm) meshes. The test panels (GN) with guarding net constituted a three-mesh-high (50-mm mesh size) net placed between trammel net panels and a lead line. A total of 3,310 individuals belonging to 106 taxa and nine phyla were caught. Crustaceans were the most abundant unwanted catches in the control panels, whereas bioconstructions occurred in the guarding net panels. The discard ratios of CN and GN panels were statistically different (t-value = –2.55; p< 0.05). The analysis of catch per unit effort showed higher catches of CN panels for both commercial and discard fractions (p< 0.05). Moreover, the guarding net panels caught the main discarded species at 20% lower compared with the control. The overall value of the catch at the CN panels (€ 3,366.90) was higher than the total income (€ 2,043.70) generated using the GN panels, which suggests a significant commercial loss of 40% (p< 0.05).

The collection of Crustacea preserved in the Museum of Zoology “P. Doderlein” in Palermo (Italy) has been revised in the framework of the activities of the National Biodiversity Future Center. The main part of the collection is composed of Decapoda, while a smaller part includes Stomatopoda, Isopoda, Amphipoda, and Cirripedia. Overall the collection includes common species, some of which are now protected.

Pleistocene glaciations had a tremendous impact on the biota across the Palaearctic, resulting in strong phylogeographic signals of range contraction and rapid postglacial recolonization of the deglaciated areas. Here, we explore the diversity patterns and history of two sibling species of passively dispersing taxa typical of temporary ponds, fairy shrimps (Anostraca). We combine mitochondrial (COI) and nuclear (ITS2 and 18S) markers to conduct a range-wide phylogeographic study including 56 populations of Branchinecta ferox and Branchinecta orientalis in the Palaearctic. Specifically, we investigate whether their largely overlapping ranges in Europe resulted from allopatric differentiation in separate glacial refugia followed by a secondary contact and reconstruct their postglacial recolonization from the inhabited refugia. Our results suggest the existence of distinct refugia for the two species, with genetic divergence among intraspecific lineages consistent with late Pleistocene glacial cycles. While B. ferox lineages originated from Mediterranean refugia, the origin of B. orientalis lineages was possibly located on the Pannonian Plain. We showed that most dispersal events predominantly happened within 100 km, coupled with several recent long-distance events (> 1000 km). Hence the regional habitat density of suitable habitats in Central Europe is possibly a key to the co-existence of the two species. Overall, our study illustrates how isolation in combination with stochastic effects linked to glacial periods are important drivers of the allopatric differentiation of Palaearctic taxa.

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 seems to be the main driver of the life histories of the co-existing populations of the anostracans Artemia salina and Phallocryptus spinosus.

We report a dataset of known and published occurrence records of Italian taxa from species (and subspecies) to family rank of the phylum Rotifera; we considered only Bdelloidea, Monogononta, and Seisonacea, and did not include Acanthocephala. The dataset in-cludes 15,525 records (12,015 of which with georeferenced coordinates) of 584 valid species and subspecies names and other taxa at family level, gathered from 332 published papers. The published literature spans the period from 1838 to 2022, with the lowest number of papers published during the first half of the twentieth century, followed by an increasing number of papers, from 20 to more than 60 in each decade. The Italian regions with the highest number of records and species are Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy, and Piedmont, whereas no records are known for Molise. The number of species known from each region mostly mirrors sampling efforts, measured as the number of publications per region. The dataset is available through the Open Science Framework (OSF), and all the georeferenced occurrence data have been uploaded to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). ial use only.

Biodiversity is my main research focus and that of my research group. We study a range of different aspects concerning biodiversity, such as the impact anthropic activities have on biodiversity and how to improve its preservation, its use as a valuable resource for the extraction of bioactive molecules, and the study of its distribution. The research group has over twenty years of experience in the study of zoology, and, more in particular, the immune and behavioural responses of aquatic invertebrates and fish. For many years, the group has observed the effects of various anthropogenic activities, such as the acoustic and chemical impacts on the physiological and behavioral responses of invertebrate organisms, such as Arbacia lixula and Mytilus galloprovincialis, and of fishes, such as Sparus aurata, evaluating not only adult stage but also embryonic stage [1,2]. From a sustainable development perspective, we have recently turned our attention to an evaluation of the nutritional potential of aquaculture species which are recent additions to farming in Sicily: Cherax quadricarinatus and Cherax destructor [3]. However, biodiversity, as well as needing our protection, is also a resource which we can seek to harness in an eco-sustainable way. In recent years, research in our group has focused on the extraction of bioactive molecules from invertebrates and vertebrate living organisms (including from waste from the processing industry), with evident antimicrobial, anticancer and food preservation potential [4]. Last but not least, the regenerative capacities of invertebrate organisms such as Holothuria tubulosa [5] were evaluated with the possibility of transferring this knowledge to the biomedical sector. In addition to carrying out the aforementioned research, we are currently working on a nationally funded PON research project to conduct a freshwater biodiversity census in Palermo, including environmental DNA evaluation.

Stammericaris similior sp. nov. is described combining light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and genetic barcoding. The new species was collected from rimstone pools in Scrivilleri Cave, a cave in Sicily with so far unexplored microcrustacean fauna. The new species is particularly interesting because it is morphologically very similar to Stammericaris destillans, an epikarstic parastenocaridid endemic to a different Sicilian cave; however, the phylogenetic analysis based on the mitochondrial COI gene of sixteen parastenocaridids shows that these two Stammericaris are two distinct species, with an uncorrected p-distance of 22.9, and the sequences of Stammericaris similior sp. nov. cluster together in a well-supported monophyletic clade, with two different haplotypes. To our knowledge, the presence of different species of almost identical morphology had not been recorded before for the genus Stammericaris. The integrated molecular and morphological analysis, the latter conducted with the support of SEM, allows disentangling the affinities of the new species and identifying a few distinctive characters: the males of the new species are characterized by the caudal rami shorter than the anal somite; the morphology of the P3, which is thin and slightly arched, with three proximal spinules on exp-1; the peculiar structure of the P4 enp; the P4 basis ornamented with two spinules of different length, the one closest to the endopod being the shortest one, and a half-moon shaped lamella. The new species differs from S. destillans for its larger size, the presence of: three spinules, instead of two, on the P3 exp-1; the half-moon shaped lamella on the P4 basis; a row of spinules along the inner margin of P4 exp-1. We also provide data on the ecology and distribution of the new species, a list of the other copepod species collected, and a dichotomic key for the males of all species presently assigned to the genus.

Marine species represent a rich source of biologically active products that can be used in various fields. Among them, marine algae produce numerous secondary metabolites responsible for different biological activities such as: immunomodulatory [1], antioxidant [2], and antimicrobial [3]. The aim of this study was chemically characterizing the extracts of three macroalgae species: Carpodesmia crinite (Duby) Orellana & Sansón, 2019, Carpodesmia brachycarpa (J. Agardh) Orellana & Sansón 2019, Asparagopsis taxiformis (Delile) Trevisan 1845 and evaluate their biological activities. The characterization of the secondary metabolites was performed by HPLC-MS and the results obtained showed higher meroterpenoids levels. Moreover, the extracts tested against the Arbacia lixula sea urchin modulate the total and differential cellular count demonstrating their involvement in immunity responses. Furthermore, important antimicrobial activities were observed by testing these extracts against the bacterial strains Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. For the first time our study shows the effects of macroalgae extracts on the immunomodulatory activity in Arbacia lixula sea urchin and important antimicrobial activity. The results obtained, although preliminary, are certainly encouraging and our purpose is also improved this information performing biochemical and molecular assays of extracts obtained to understand better the potential that these metabolites have towards the sea urchin Arbacia lixula that graze on these macroalga.

Siciliaria septemplicata (R.A. Philippi, 1836) (Gastropoda Clausiliidae) endemic from northwestern Sicily (Italy) is revised, using shell and genital characters. The diversity of the species complex, the taxonomic history, faunal data and distributional relationships are examined. Siciliaria septemplicata vincentii n. ssp. and S. septemplicata mariastellae n. ssp. from the surroundings of Palermo are here described

Innovative technological approaches are crucial to enhance naturalistic museum collections and develop information repositories of relevant interest to science, such as threatened animal taxa. In this context, museomics is an emerging discipline that provides a novel approach to the enhancement and exploitation of these collections. In the present study, the discovery of a neglected lion skeleton in the Museum of Zoology “Pietro Doderlein” of the University of Palermo (Italy) offered the opportunity to undertake a multidisciplinary project. The aims of the study consisted of the following: (i) adding useful information for museographic strategies, (ii) obtaining a new genetic data repository from a vulnerable species, (iii) strengthening public awareness of wildlife conservation, and (iv) sharing new learning material. The remains of the lion were examined with a preliminary osteological survey, then they were restored by means of 3D printing of missing skeletal fragments. Phylogenetic analyses based on cytochrome b sequence clearly indicate that the specimen belongs to the Central Africa mitochondrial clade. At the end of the study, the complete and restored skeleton was exhibited, along with all of the information and data available from this project. This study shows a useful approach for the restoration and enhancement of a museum specimen, with important opportunities for preserving biodiversity and driving specific conservation policies, but also for providing Life Science learning material.

The pond slider Trachemys scripta is one of the most widespread alien turtle species in the world. Its unregulated trade and the consequent uncontrolled releases into the wild led to negative impacts on the native turtles of the invaded areas. In Italy, alien pond sliders are widely spread, and the occurrence of hatchlings and well-established populations is known in some areas. However, to date in Sicily, only a single female of Trachemys scripta laying eggs was reported. Besides that, nothing is known about the actual reproduction success and establishment of self-sustaining T. scripta populations in Sicily. Therefore, based on 14 previously characterised highly polymorphic microsatellite loci, we aimed to unravel if the alien turtles successfully reproduce in Sicily, in both natural and semi-natural areas (i.e., lake “Biviere di Gela” and “Parco d’Orléans”, respectively). Our results show a clear structuring of the two studied populations. Several full-sibling relationships between the sampled turtles were found, suggesting actual reproduction in the wild of the pond sliders in Sicily. However, further sampling is desirable since no parent-offspring relationships were observed in the studied populations. Due to our results, systematic monitoring of alien pond sliders in the whole of Sicily is crucial for better planning of mitigation strategies in order to protect the native biota of Sicilian inland waters.

The first studies on the micro-organisms inhabiting Sicilian inland waters date back to the middle of the XIX century. However, these were based on single samples and mainly addressed at compiling faunistic and floristic inventories. It was in the first decades of the XX century that the first methodical studies were performed, which focussed on assessing microbial diversity in saline and hypersaline inland waters. Studies on plankton dynamics in ponds and reservoirs of the island started at the beginning of the 1980s and, since the end of the 1990s, temporary waters have also been intensively sampled, especially as regards phytoplankton and micro-crustaceans. These intensified sampling efforts contributed to increasing our knowledge of the composition, structure and functioning of the planktic compartment. On the contrary, studies on benthic microflora and fauna are still numerically scarce and mostly based on occasional collections. Also, running waters have received little attention and the methodical analysis of their micro-organisms is still in its infancy.

Citizen science can represent an effective tool for large- scale data collection and can be used to improve scientific knowledge and define species distribution ranges before proper planning of related conservation strategies. A regional census of wintering Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus in Sicily, never achieved before, was organized by GAM (Gruppo Aquila Minore - Booted Eagle Group) on 12 Janu- ary 2020, involving 90 people from several organizations. A total of 112 wintering individuals have been recorded for the whole region, col- lecting related data about their colour morph, habitat preference and altitude. A regional estimate of 180-220 wintering individuals was cal- culated, also considering previous data collected during counts carried out in some selected sample areas during December 2019 and January 2020.

The macrofauna in the intertidal zone of sandy beaches provides the trophic connectivity between land and sea, by linking microbiome, meiofauna, and megafauna, representing a food source for several terrestrial animals, including shorebirds and mammals. However, the macrozoobenthos in urbanised beaches is subjected to intense disturbances, such as breakwater barriers and tourism, which limit or impede the energy transfer from the marine to the terrestrial habitats. Because the information about diversity and abundance of the macrozoobenthos of the intertidal zone on the Mediterranean sandy coasts is scant, the main objective of this study is to increase the knowledge on the macrofauna living in this habitat and to identify taxa sensitive to cumulative human-induced stresses. To achieve this purpose, the structure and dynamics of macrozoobenthic communities from (1) a highly frequented beach characterized by breakwater barriers and (2) a marine protected area (MPA) in the Adriatic Sea were compared. The hypotheses that macrofauna composition and abundance changed in the two sites and over time were tested. Results highlighted that the macrozoobenthos in the MPA is mainly dominated by juvenile bivalves, which peaked from autumn to winter, and to a lesser extent by ostracods and mysids. Conversely, ostracods and the bivalve Lentidium mediterraneum (O. G. Costa, 1830) are particularly abundant in the highly disturbed beach, while the gastropod Tritia neritea (Linnaeus, 1758) increased only during summer. A possible combined effect of breakwater barriers and intense trampling has been theorized to explain the main differences between the two sites especially in the summer.

Guaranteeing a high quality of life for animals has recently become a matter of increasing concern. Welfare assessment has been well-developed for terrestrial species, mainly for those kept in captivity, but the current state of the art is less well-characterized for aquatic animals. The classical methodologies utilised to date, such as the kind of behavioural observation widely used for terrestrial animals, are not appropriate for improving our knowledge of the well-being of aquatic animals if used alone, mainly due to the large number of species and the difficulty of obtaining comparative results among the different taxa of interest. Among different approaches, the evaluation of internal responses inside organisms can be carried out using different physiological and biochemical tools. This thesis presents methodologies and results of studies aimed at validating physiological and immunity parameters as markers of stress in the evaluation of fish welfare, with a particular focus on two important species in aquaculture, Sparus aurata and Dicentrarchus labrax. Fish were exposed to different conditions, and their welfare status was evaluated. An approach based on physiological markers was introduced to investigate the effects of the surgical implantation of electronic tags to provide telemetry for aquaculture study purposes. Indeed, the use of telemetry to study aquatic organisms has developed rapidly and its utilization needs to be better understood. Nutrition and food quality are further critical aspects for farmed animals. Indeed, aquaculture, both conventional and organic, has increased widely in recent years and has attracted the attention of various stakeholders. Physiological stress indicators, growth performance, and swimming activity data obtained by acoustic transmitters are good indicators for welfare assessment, and here they have been used to evaluate the effect of different aquaculture methodologies, in particular on fish fed with different diets. In addition, social stress and territoriality are relevant factors to evaluate for gregarious species that may have consequences on animals farmed in captivity conditions. These aspects may impair the ability of fish to respond to various stimuli, such as pathogens and environmental variations, with negative influences. In this thesis, we evaluate the effects of social stress on gilthead bream through behavioural observation supported by the evaluation of physiological and immunological-cellular parameters, such as cortisol, glucose, lactate, osmolarity, and phagocytosis.

Habitat mapping, physical characteristics and benthic community of a rhodolith bed in the Pelagie Islands (Strait of Sicily, Mediterranean Sea) were studied through Multi–Beam Echo–Sounder (MBES), Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and grab samples. The geomorphological analysis revealed an articulated and wide rhodolith bed; video inspections highlighted a bed with high coverage, few sandy patches and with a prevalence of the boxwork morphotype. A total of 207 taxa with 876 specimens were identified, and Polychaeta was the dominant taxon. Linguimaera caesaris, a Lessepsian benthic amphipod, was recorded in all sampling sites, and its presence represents an input to deepen the benthic assemblage research on the rhodolith bed. In terms of morphotype composition, dead/live ratio and species variability, the bed variability indicated a good status of health, although trawling signs were detected through ROV videos. The present study broadens the knowledge on Mediterranean rhodolith beds and supports the importance of survey and monitoring activities for the conservation and management of this important habitat.

During the summer of 2022, an extensive die-off of Dendropoma cristatum and other marine organisms associated with vermetid reefs was observed in the western Mediterranean Sea (northern coast of Sicily). Quantitative data from more than 300 km of coastal stripe indicated that the percentage of dead D. cristatum specimens, showing empty and/or transversely fractured shells, ranged from 64 to 84 % in populations having a density of 2900-4730 ind./m2, suggesting that millions of organisms had recently died along the Sicilian coast. This high mortality range coincided with prolonged desiccation events during which biogenic vermetid reefs were exposed to extreme warm-air conditions for several consecutive days. This warning report about neglected shallow vermetid reefs raises concern regarding the loss of Mediterranean biodiversity, underlining the need to develop and implement monitoring and conservation efforts on a basin-wide scale.

The genus Myzocallis Passerini (Hemiptera, Aphididae, Calaphidinae, Myzocallidini) is a rather primitive group of aphids currently comprising 45 species and 3 subspecies, subdivided into ten subgenera, three of them having a West Palaearctic distribution. The majority of the species inhabit Fagales plants and some of them are considered pests. Despite their ecological interest and the presence of some taxonomic controversies, there are only a few molecular studies on the group. Here, the main aims were to develop a DNA barcodes library for the molecular identification of West Palaearctic Myzocallis species, to evaluate the congruence among their morphological, ecological and DNA-based delimitation, and verify the congruence of the subgeneric subdivision presently adopted by comparing the results with those obtained for other Panaphidini species. These study findings indicate that Myzocallis (Agrioaphis) leclanti, originally described as a subspecies of M. (A.) castanicola and M. (M.) schreiberi, considered as a subspecies of M. (M.) boerneri, should be regarded at a rank of full species, and the subgenera Agrioaphis, Lineomyzocallis, Neomyzocallis, Pasekia were elevated to the rank of genus, while Myzocallis remain as such.

The Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896 is included among the worst invasive alien species in the Mediterranean Sea. Here, we report the finding of the species in two Sicilian rivers, the Irminio and the Imera Meridionale, where it was collected up to 6 km from the river mouths. Although several records of the species are already available from Italy, this is the first evidence of the occurrence of this invasive crab so far from the coastline in the whole country. In the light of the well-known impact of the Atlantic blue crab on the invaded water bodies, the monitoring of the species and appropriate mitigation strategies should be implemented in order to protect the threatened native biota of Sicilian inland waters.

Aim Understanding the drivers of species distribution ranges and population genetic structure can help predict species' responses to global change, while mitigating threats to biodiversity through effective conservation measures. Here, we combined species habitat suitability through time with process-based models and genomic data to investigate the role of landscape features and functional connectivity in shaping the population genetic structure of Northern chamois. Location European Alps. Taxon Northern chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra). Methods Using a model that simulates dispersal and tracks the functional connectivity of populations over dynamic landscapes, we modelled the response of the chamois to climate change from the last glaciation (20,000 years ago) to the present. We reconstructed species habitat suitability and landscape connectivity over time and simulated cumulative divergence of populations as a proxy for genetic differentiation. We then compared simulated divergence with the actual population structure of 449 chamois (with >20 k SNPs) sampled across the Alps. Results We found that Alpine populations of chamois are structured into two main clades, located in the south-western and the eastern Alps. The contact zone between the two lineages is located near the Rhone valley in Switzerland. Simulations reproduced the geographic differentiation of populations observed in the genomic data, and limited dispersal ability and landscape connectivity co-determined the fit of the simulations to data. Main conclusions The contemporary genetic structure of the chamois across the Alps is explained by limited functional connectivity in combination with large rivers or valleys acting as dispersal barriers. The results of our analysis combining simulations with population genomics highlight how biological characteristics, habitat preference and landscapes shape population genetic structure over time and in responses to climate change. We conclude that spatial simulations could be used to improve our understanding of how landscape dynamics, shaped by geological or climatic forces, impact intra- and interspecific diversity., Journal of Biogeography, 49 (10), ISSN:0305-0270, ISSN:1365-2699

Based on the critical review of the literature published in the last 22 years, an attempt was made to evaluate the current knowledge gap on the distribution and status of the native Testudines taxa occurring in Sicily (namely Caretta caretta, Emys trinacris, and Testudo hermanni hermanni), as well as the available knowledge of the only non-native species with putative viable populations occurring on the island, i.e., Trachemys scripta. Summarizing the current information, all of the Testudines species occurring in Sicily showed a fragmented and incompletely-known distribution, and only scarce data are available about their phenology. Moreover, despite their inclusion of international and national laws (Bern Convention, CITES, Habitat directive), all three native species are facing several threats (e.g., habitat alteration, the occurrence of invasive species, parasite spillover) leading to a reduction of their populations on the island. Future monitoring programs on the island should be enhanced, with an emphasis on those taxa in decline. Moreover, involve Citizen Science programs should also be implemented in order to increase the awareness of non-experts and facilitate the monitoring task.

No molecular data are currently available for the Sicilian populations of the European pine marten Martes martes, thus preventing any sound inference about its native or non-native status on the island, as well as the local phylogeography of the species. In order to investigate these issues, we sequenced two mtDNA markers in road-killed specimens collected in Sicily. Both markers consistently demonstrated the existence of a well-characterised Sicilian clade of the species, which is endemic to the island and constitutes the sister group of a clade including the Mediterranean and Central–North European major phylogroups of the European pine marten. Such evidence supports the autochthony of Martes martes in Sicily and points to a natural Pleistocene colonisation of the island followed by isolation. The occurrence of a, to date undetected, major phylogroup of the species in Sicily calls for the dedicated monitoring of the Sicilian populations of the species in order to preserve this evolutionarily significant unit.

Al giorno d’oggi le meduse, e il plancton gelatinoso in generale, non possono più essere considerati personaggi secondari come accaduto in passato, è sempre più evidente che questi organismi giocano un ruolo chiave negli ecosistemi con numerosi collegamenti nella rete trofica. Con questo dottorato, l’obiettivo è stato investigare le dinamiche tra il plancton gelatinoso e una particolare sottoclasse di parassiti, i Digenea, per determinare il ruolo delle meduse (ospite intermedio) come link o trasmettitore di questi parassiti dal comparto bentonico (gasteropode, primo ospite) a quello pelagico (pesci, ospiti definitivi). Ancora più cruciale se consideriamo il notevole aumento di bloom negli ultimi decenni. L’aumento di numero e biomassa di meduse potrebbe andare a favorire la trasmissione di questi parassiti ai livelli più alti delle reti trofiche. Questo potrebbe portare a un aumento del numero di parassiti nei pesci e nei gasteropodi, con imprevedibili effetti sul loro metabolismo, ed a un generale aumento di questi parassiti negli ecosistemi. Questa tesi mira anche a sfruttare questi nuovi dati parassitologici come uno strumento per meglio determinare la posizione delle meduse negli ecosistemi e le interazioni tra pesci e plancton gelatinoso (la predazione pesce-medusa è fondamentale per i digenei per chiudere il proprio ciclo vitale), integrando altri studi basati sui metodi tradizionali di ecologia trofica. La parte centrale del PhD, incentrata sull’investigare per la prima volta le dinamiche di questi parassiti nel plancton gelatinoso del golfo di Trieste, ha mostrato che ogni specie del plancton gelatinoso è risultata essere ospite di parassiti digenei, a prescindere dal luogo e periodo di campionamento. La maggioranza di parassiti è risultata appartenere al genere Clavogalea, una prima descrizione per questo genere nelle meduse e prima osservazione di questo parassita nel mar Mediterraneo. Il secondo genere trovato, Opechona, è già stato descritto in meduse ma mai nel Mediterraneo. L’alta prevalenza di parassiti registrata in ogni specie (>80%) nel golfo di Trieste suggerisce che il plancton gelatinoso è un importante secondo ospite intermedio per digenei lepocreadidi e gioca quindi un ruolo importante per i loro cicli vitali nell’area investigata. I nostri risultati supportano anche l’ipotesi che queste specie gelatinose siano una parte importante della dieta dei pesci, ospiti definitivi dei lepocreadidi, in quanto il trasferimento trofico è necessario per questi parassiti per chiudere il loro ciclo vitale. Il progetto sui parassiti di pesci, finalizzato a identificare gli ospiti definitivi di queste due specie di digenei, ha per ora dato esito negativo per quanto riguarda Clavogalea, lasciando il ciclo vitale di questi organismi ancora indefinito. Individui del genere Opechona sono invece stati trovati in Scomber scombrus ma le basse intensità riscontrate in Aequorea forskalea rendono difficile teorizzare una relazione trofica stabile tra queste due specie. Allo stesso tempo, l’assenza di esemplari adulti di Clavogalea sp. (molto più abbondanti di Opechona sp. in Aequorea forskalea) negli sgombri suggeriscono che questo pesce ha ottenuto tali digenei da un altro secondo ospite intermedio. In ultimo, durante questo PhD, l’anatomia morfologica e funzionale del sistema gastrovascolare di Rhizostoma pulmo (Macri 1778) è stata investigata tramite la creazione e l’utilizzo di un inedito protocollo con tecniche innovative mai adottate nella ricerca su meduse: endocast in resina e analisi microtomografica 3D a raggi X. Concludendo, questo lavoro è stato un primo passo verso il completare il quadro riguardante i parassiti di meduse e l’ecologia di queste ultime nel nord Adriatico, investigando e facendo luce sul grande buco di conoscenza riguardo questi argomenti e, al tempo stesso, aprendo numerosi punti interrogativi che necessitano di essere affrontati. Nowadays, jellyfish can not be considered secondary characters as happened in the past. It is more and more evident that gelatinous zooplankton play a major role in the ecosystems with numerous links in the food webs. With this thesis, we aimed at addressing the dynamics between gelatinous zooplankton and a peculiar subclass of parasites, the Digenea, crucial to determine the role of jellyfish (intermediate host) as a link or transmitter of these parasites from the benthic compartment (gastropods, first host) to the pelagic compartment (fish, definitive hosts). Even more crucial if we consider the noticeable increase of blooms in the last decades. The increase in number and biomass of jellyfish could favor the transmission of these parasites to the upper levels of the trophic webs. Potentially, this could lead to a higher number of digenean parasites in fish and gastropods, with still uncharted effects on their physiology, and an overall increase of these parasites in the ecosystems. Simultaneously, few information on fish-jellyfish feeding interactions is available at the current state of the art. This thesis aimed at exploiting its brand-new parasitological data about jellyfish digeneans as a useful tool to better estimate the trophic position of jellyfish in the ecosystems and the interactions between fish and gelatinous organisms in the area (feeding on jellyfish is needed for Digenea to close their life cycle), potentially providing new hints and integrating other studies based on trophic ecology traditional methods (gut contents and stable isotopes analysis of fish). The core part of the PhD, focusing on investigating for the first time the dynamics of these parasites in the gelatinous zooplankton of the Gulf of Trieste, showed that every gelatinous zooplankton species resulted to be host to digenean parasites despite sampling location and month. The majority of parasites belonged to the genus Clavogalea, a first record for this genus in jellyfish, and a first record in the Mediterranean Sea. The second genus found, Opechona, has already been observed in jellyfish, but never in the Mediterranean Sea. The high prevalence of parasites recorded in every species (>80%) in the Gulf of Trieste, suggests that the gelatinous zooplankton is an important second intermediate host for lepocreadiid digeneans and therefore plays a key role in their life cycle in the investigated area. Our findings also support the hypothesis that these gelatinous species are an important part in the diet of teleost fish, which are reported as definitive hosts of lepocreadiids, since trophic transmission is necessary for these parasites to complete their life cycles. The project on fish parasites, aimed to find the definitive hosts of these two digenean species, did not record any Clavogalea, leaving the life cycle of this organisms still unclear. Opechona sp. individuals have been found in Scomber scombrus but the intensities recorded in Aequorea forskalea were so low that it would be hard to theorize a stable trophic relation between Scomber scombrus and the hydromedusa. At the same time, the absence of Clavogalea sp. (much more abundant in Aequorea forskalea. compared to Opechona sp.) in Scomber scombrus would suggest that the fish got the parasites from another intermediate host. Last, during this PhD, morphological and functional anatomy of the gastrovascular system of Rhizostoma pulmo (Macri 1778) was investigated in detail by using a brand-new protocol (created by us), involving innovative techniques never adopted in jellyfish science: resin endocasts and 3D X-ray computed microtomography. Concluding, this work has been a first step in jellyfish parasitology and jellyfish ecology in the north Adriatic since it started investigating and shedding light on the huge hole of knowledge about this topic and opened numerous questions that still need to be addressed.

In this thesis RNA-sequencing tools are applied on some representatives of the antarctic trophic chain exposed to a non lethal temperature increase, as to understand and model their response to the increase in temperature expected to happen in this decade, in order to extend eventual functional conclusions to other temperate stenotherm organisms such as those living at extreme depths. RNA-sequencing consists in a set of powerful and sensible tools that allow qualitative and quantitative measurements in gene expression, pairing molecular analyses with state-of-the-art statistics and computer science. The aforementioned sensitivity, in synergy with a proper experimental design, allowed studying not only the response to a temperature increase, but also to the experimental condition itself (i.e. stabling of wild animals in tanks). The notothenioid fish Trematomus bernacchii (from which muscle, gills and brain were sampled), the scallop Adamussium colbecki (from which gills, mantle and digestive gland were sampled), the amphipod Pseudorchomene plebs and the tardigrade Acutuncus antarcticus are the models of choice of this work. In particular T. bernacchii was the most responsive of the bunch, specially in the brain tissues, where the temperature (+1.5°C increase) induced upregulation of genes involved in immune response and inflammatory state after 7 days of exposure. After 20 days of heat exposure many pathways related to synapse function and structure were altered, suggesting an on-going profound alterations in the tissue, which may also be the result of the combined effect of heat and the impossibility to avoid it in captivity. Even more profound effects were observed in the response to time in experimental tanks, as an important shift in gene expression was observed in the brain, suggesting profound changes in the neural pathways, including those involved in specific stress perception. The scallop A. colbecki did not show significant change in gene expression patterns in response to heat, but a small change was observed in the digestive gland after 20 days of experimental captivity, showing alterations in genes whose functions are mainly involved in feeding ability. Samples from the amphipod P. plebs were challenging to prepare and to analyze, as many were lost due to unfreezing during transport. Moreover the presence of a bycatch of Eusirus cf. giganteus juvenile and an high degree of parasitism from a dinoflagellate of the genus Hematodinium in all samples made it impossible to study the response of the amphipod to a warmer environment. Nevertheless, the transcriptomic data allowed the identification of an high expression of hemocyanin in E. giganteus suggesting a possible cold adaptation trait, the classification of our samples as a Orchomenid cryptic species, and the first identification of active Hematodinium parasitism in the antarctic ocean. Finally the tardigrade A. antarcticus displayed a striking sample variability, that may underlie an never described genomic variability and/or an high level of heterozygosity. This fact reduced the number of samples in the differential expression analysis, which nevertheless showed a response to short term exposure to heat with a pattern proportional to temperature in terms of fold changes of gene expression levels. The differentially expressed genes suggested that mitochondrial oxidative metabolism increased and hinted the activation of pathways related to resistance forms typical of the Tardigrada phylum. Such a response was not observed in a long term exposure to the higher temperatures, suggesting that the changes observed in short term are compensatory. ​

To date, drugs released into the aquatic environment are a real problem, and among antibiotics, sulfamethoxazole is the one most widely found in wastewater; thus, the evaluation of its toxicity on marine organisms is very important. This study, for the first time, investigates the in vitro effects of 4 concentrations of sulfamethoxazole (0.05 mg/L, 0.5 mg/L, 5 mg/L, 50 mg/L) on the fertilization and development of the sea urchin Arbacia lixula. The gametes were exposed to drugs in three different stages: simultaneously with, prior to, and post-fertilization. The results show a significant reduction in the percentage of fertilized oocytes at the highest drug concentrations. Moreover, an increase in anomalies and delays in embryo development following the treatment with the drug was demonstrated. Therefore, the data suggest that this antibiotic can alter the development of marine organisms, making it urgent to act to reduce their release and to determine the concentration range with the greatest impact.

Many global and European commitments state the need to plant billions of trees and restore millions of hectares of degraded ecosystems to contrast biodiversity loss, desertification and climate change. Seed dispersal is a crucial process promoting vegetation dynamics, and in the Mediterranean, up to 65% of woody plant species need animals for seed dispersal. Therefore, such mutualistic ecological interaction represents a key nature-based solution to help us reaching our commitments. In this presentation first we will report the strong expansion rate and correlated finescale spatio-temporal patterns of woody natural regeneration over a pastureland, using a spatially-explicit framework deployed over 30 ha inside the last large forest remnant in western Sicily, Italy. Then we will quantitatively demonstrate the key and complementary seed dispersal services promoted by birds, wild mammals and cattle across three different habitats, revealing the structure, specialization and modularity of the trophic and spatial seed dispersal networks. Finally, we will discuss the effects of human-made habitat heterogeneity and climate change on animal seed dispersal services and explore some strategies to take advantage of such services to promote ecological restoration of natural habitats as well as to increase biodiversity in agroecosystems.

Biodiversity underlies ecosystem resilience, ecosystem function, sustainable economies, and human well-being. Understanding how biodiversity sustains ecosystems under anthropogenic stressors and global environmental change will require new ways of deriving and applying biodiversity data. A major challenge is that biodiversity data and knowledge are scattered, biased, collected with numerous methods, and stored in inconsistent ways. The Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON) has developed the Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs) as fundamental metrics to help aggregate, harmonize, and interpret biodiversity observation data from diverse sources. Mapping and analyzing EBVs can help to evaluate how aspects of biodiversity are distributed geographically and how they change over time. EBVs are also intended to serve as inputs and validation to forecast the status and trends of biodiversity, and to support policy and decision making. Here, we assess the feasibility of implementing Genetic Composition EBVs (Genetic EBVs), which are metrics of within-species genetic variation. We review and bring together numerous areas of the field of genetics and evaluate how each contributes to global and regional genetic biodiversity monitoring with respect to theory, sampling logistics, metadata, archiving, data aggregation, modeling, and technological advances. We propose four Genetic EBVs: (i) Genetic Diversity; (ii) Genetic Differentiation; (iii) Inbreeding; and (iv) Effective Population Size (Ne ). We rank Genetic EBVs according to their relevance, sensitivity to change, generalizability, scalability, feasibility and data availability. We outline the workflow for generating genetic data underlying the Genetic EBVs, and review advances and needs in archiving genetic composition data and metadata. We discuss how Genetic EBVs can be operationalized by visualizing EBVs in space and time across species and by forecasting Genetic EBVs beyond current observations using various modeling approaches. Our review then explores challenges of aggregation, standardization, and costs of operationalizing the Genetic EBVs, as well as future directions and opportunities to maximize their uptake globally in research and policy. The collection, annotation, and availability of genetic data has made major advances in the past decade, each of which contributes to the practical and standardized framework for large-scale genetic observation reporting. Rapid advances in DNA sequencing technology present new opportunities, but also challenges for operationalizing Genetic EBVs for biodiversity monitoring regionally and globally. With these advances, genetic composition monitoring is starting to be integrated into global conservation policy, which can help support the foundation of all biodiversity and species' long-term persistence in the face of environmental change. We conclude with a summary of concrete steps for researchers and policy makers for advancing operationalization of Genetic EBVs. The technical and analytical foundations of Genetic EBVs are well developed, and conservation practitioners should anticipate their increasing application as efforts emerge to scale up genetic biodiversity monitoring regionally and globally. ispartof: BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS vol:97 issue:4 pages:1511-1538 ispartof: location:England status: published

Sound is the most effective means of communication in marine and freshwater ecosystems. However, no data about acoustic emissions from non-malacostracan crustaceans are currently available, so their ability to produce sounds is unknown. For the first time, this study investigated the sound produced by 2 tadpole shrimp species,Triops cancriformisandLepidurus lubbocki.L. lubbockiindividuals were collected from a natural temporary pond in Sicily (Italy), whereasT. cancriformisindividuals were obtained from eggs contained in sediment from a rock pool in Sardinia (Italy). In the laboratory, experimental tanks with the animals (one species at a time) were acoustically monitored. Both species produced high-frequency, wideband pulses distinguishable by their sound pressure level, which was higher inL. lubbocki(146 dB) than inT. cancriformis(130 dB), and by their first and second peak frequencies, which were higher inL. lubbocki(65 and 86 kHz) than inT. cancriformis(63 and 71 kHz). The energy distributions in the power density spectra showed different shapes, as revealed by the 3 dB bandwidth and centre frequency. The pulse durations were 88 and 97 µs inL. lubbockiandT. cancriformis, respectively.L. lubbockipresented a higher emission rate thanT. cancriformisand a marked circadian pattern, with a higher abundance of sounds during the night. This study reports the first evidence of sound emissions from non-malacostracan crustaceans and reveals the high potential of passive acoustic monitoring to detect the presence, abundance, and life cycle of these elusive keystone species of temporary water bodies.

Birds use stopovers during migration to interrupt endurance flight in order to minimize immediate and/or future fitness costs. Stopovers on ships is considered an exceptional and anecdotal event in the ornithological literature. This does not match the experience we had in the summer of 2021, during an oceanographic campaign in the Central Mediterranean, when we regularly observed on average 2.8 birds, of at least 13 species, stopping on board during the 25 days of the campaign. The median stopping time was 42 min, ranging from a few minutes to overnight stays on board. The probability of finding a bird stopping aboard increased with wind force and cloud cover. Birds also stopped more often in a headwind and did not stop when the wind came from different directions other than the headwind. The Central Mediterranean is one of the busiest sea routes in the world, combining the mean daily number of birds on board with the thousands of ships that pass through it during the 3 months of summer migration; we estimate that nearly 4 million birds could use ships as stopover sites. This behaviour may represent a modern-day strategy that uses ships as stopovers in the event of adverse weather conditions or could act as an ecological trap, increasing the mortality of migrants. This phenomenon deserves more research attention and further studies recording body condition and tagging of individuals on board would be informative.

The Southern smooth snake, Coronella girondica, is a small-sized colubrid found in Northwest Africa and Southwest Europe. Mitochondrial DNA-based studies showed that the species can be split into five clades: two from Northwest Africa (one Moroccan and one Tunisian-Algerian) and three from Europe (one in the south-west of the Iberian Peninsula, one in the south-east of Spain and one in the rest of the European range). With regards to Italy, to date, only two samples have been analysed both from the Province of Pisa, Tuscany, pointing at that fact that genetic characterisation of Italian populations is still lacking. Accordingly, we have increased the sampling coverage with 19 new samples from northern and central regions of Italy, including two populations, apparently disconnected from the rest of the known range, and analysed their phylogenetic relationships using a portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. Our results confirm the general phylogenetic arrangement detected in previous studies; specifically for Italian populations, no variability emerged from the Apennine populations, and a slight differentiation could be shown for the Alpine and subalpine ones. This pattern can be explained assuming past spread and recent isolation of C. girondica relict populations in the Alpine region, likely during the Last Glacial Maximum. Later, during the Holocene, the Italian Alps and the Po Plain went through various climatic variations and high anthropization which may have influenced C. girondica distribution through expansion and contraction processes.

Planning conservation actions requires detailed information on species’ geographic distribution. Species distribution data are most needed in areas hosting unique or endangered biodiversity. Italy is one of the European countries with the highest levels of herpetological diversity and endemism and is home to several threatened species of amphibians and reptiles. Information on the distribution of species’ habitats can help identify sites where the species is most likely to thrive, as viable populations depend on it. Area of Habitat (AOH) maps reveal the distribution of the habitat available to the species within their geographic range. We produced high resolution, freely accessible global area of habitat maps for 60 species of reptiles and amphibians distributed in Italy, which represent 60% of all Italian amphibian and reptile species. We validated a total of 44 AOH maps through a presence-only based evaluation method, with 86% of these maps showing a performance better than expected by chance. AOH maps can be used as a reference for conservation planning, as well as to investigate macroecological patterns of Italian herpetofauna. Furthermore, AOH maps can help monitoring habitat loss, which is known to be a major threat to many reptile and amphibian species in Europe.