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Alberto Villari

  • Biodiversity Journal, 8 (4): 937-942

    Alberto Villari
    A new remarkable species of the Alvania scabra (Philippi, 1844) group from the Ionian Sea: A. scuderii n. sp.(Gastropoda Rissoidae)

    ABSTRACT
    A new species of Alvania Risso, 1826 (Gastropoda Rissoidae) is described, based on 80 living specimens and shells found in Eastern Sicily, Ionian Sea, between Messina and Catania. This new species belongs to the A. scabra (Philippi, 1844) group. The description, pictures, and drawing of the soft parts are presented in this paper. There are also comparisons with other Mediterranean and Atlantic similar species briefly reported towards the end.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 8 (1): 193-204 - MONOGRAPH

    Alberto Villari & Danilo Scuderi
    Taxonomical notes on some poorly known mollusca species from the Strait of Messina (Italy)

    ABSTRACT
    The finding of some species of Mollusca interesting either for their distributional pattern, taxonomy or simply for the new iconography here presented are reported. Some species represent the first finding in Italian waters or the first record of living specimens. As a consequence, they furnished interesting data on habitat preferences and the external morphology of the living animal, which are hereafter reported. The taxonomy of some problematic taxa is here discussed, reporting new name combinations, while for others the question remains open. Discussions, comparisons and a new iconography are here reported and discussed.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 3 (2): 151-152

    Pasquale Micali & Alberto Villari
    New report of Neolepton discriminatum Palazzi et Villari, 2001 for Ustica island (Bivalvia, Veneroida, Neoleptonidae)

    ABSTRACT
    A complete specimen and two loose valves of Neolepton discriminatum Palazzi et Villari, 2001 were found in Ustica island, at Punta Spalmatore at a depth of about 30 m. Up to now, this species was known only for the original description, based on specimens collected inside submarine caves of the coast near Taormina (North-Eastern Sicily). In the same sample of shell grit it was encountered also a specimen of Skeneoides digeronimoi La Perna, 1998, a species the description of which is based on material collected inside a cave of Ustica, on the opposite side of the island, about four miles away from Punta Spalmatore.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 15 (3): 731-740 - MONOGRAPH

    Danilo Scuderi & Alberto Villari
    Taxonomical notes on some poorly known mollusca species from the Strait of Messina (Italy): second contribution
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2024.15.3.731.740

    ABSTRACT
    Changes in currents and temperature of the sea water, the intensification of maritime traffic and the increment of knowledge on the taxonomy of some groups of molluscs justify the present second contribution to the knowledge of poorly known species of Mollusca of the interesting biotope constituted by the Strait of Messina (North-Eastern Sicily). As our previous work, the aim of this new contribution is to give a better taxonomic definition and a new iconography, through photographs and drawings of the shell - as well as the external soft parts of the living animals when possible - of problematic species of Mollusca which have stimulated our curiosity due to their rarity, scanty findings or poor knowledge or definition of their taxonomy. Among others, Rissoellidae are present with dense populations during the summer season: new investigations on their animal chromatism gave light to species assemblage in the studied environment and a better delineation of the single species, whose shell resulted scarce of morphological characters, being minute, almost smooth and colourless.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 15 (2): 311-317 - MONOGRAPH

    Alberto Villari, Giovanni Ammendolia, Danilo Scuderi & Pietro Battaglia
    New stranding records of Janthina janthina (Linnaeus, 1758) (Gastropoda Epitoniidae) in the central Mediterranean Sea (Strait of Messina, Italy) and observations on its behaviour
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2024.15.2.311.317
    Additional files

    ABSTRACT
    An unusual occurrence and massive stranding of the pelagic snail Janthina janthina (Linnaeus, 1758) (Gastropoda Epitoniidae) is reported along the Sicilian coast of the Strait of Messina (Italy). The diet of the Mediterranean species consisting of Porpita porpita (Linnaeus, 1758) and Velella velella (Hydrozoa) is reported. Further information on the genus Janthina Röding, 1798 are provided. Charts, photographs and a video clip on the construction of the ‘raft’ by the mollusc and its predatory behaviour are attached.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 14 (3): 0505-0512

    Danilo Scuderi, Alberto Villari & Agatino Reitano
    Another new eulimid (Gastropoda Eulimidae) from the Mediterranean Sea: Vitreolina micalii n. sp.
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2023.14.3.505.512
    https://www.zoobank.org/E82BBB63-BF8B-4B25-B6B3-27C4DACBF0E8

    ABSTRACT
    Vitreolina micalii n. sp. (Gastropoda Eulimidae) is here described on materials found in shallow waters along the Northern coast of Catania (Eastern Sicily, Ionian Sea). Findings include both live-taken and empty specimens, whose shell and soft parts have been observed and documented. Further specimens have been found in few other localities of Sicily and Corsica. The new species is morphologically distinguishable by a spiny, smooth shell, similar to some other congeners except for some details, and a sculptured protoconch. The different external chromatism of the soft parts is similar only to V. perminima, but it is different in some aspect hereafter discussed. Differences from similar species from Eastern Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific are useful to discard the alien origin of this species in the Mediterranean Sea.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 13 (3): 0717-0728

    Alberto Villari & Danilo Scuderi
    Mainly Mediterranean Rissoellidae (Heterobranchia Acteonimorpha?) with the description of Rissoella camillae n. sp.
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2022.13.3.717.728
    https://www.zoobank.org/References/a02f63e2-eb8e-43b8-80d9-a86bc0b47252

    ABSTRACT
    The present paper is focused on the Mediterranean representatives of the neglected Gastropod family Rissoellidae, but some other not Mediterranean species are treated and figured for comparisons. This family comprises species of minute dimensions and almost smooth and transparent spiral shell. This has led to errors and misidentifications and an objective difficulty in the correct discrimination among species. Quite the opposite, the chromatism of external soft parts is clearly different according to species: in particular the form, width and colour of the hypobranchial gland seen through the transparent shell is a peculiar character for different species. In fact, in recent times taxonomy of Rissoellidae has been reviewed in several geographic areas starting from the animal coloration, with encouraging results. In the Mediterranean the three “classical” species need a modern revision and their taxonomical position should be evaluated to well define single taxa. In the present paper the taxonomy of Mediterranean Rissoellidae is approached starting from the animal chromatism, defining the single species according to shell and soft parts differences and solving long-standing taxonomical problems. On the basis of both shell and external soft parts morphological characters, Rissoella camillae n. sp. is also described as new, increasing to five the number of extant species in this geographical area.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 13 (2): 0387-0397

    Agatino Reitano, Danilo Scuderi & Alberto Villari
    Lectotype designation for Putzeysia clathrata (Aradas, 1847) (Gastropoda Eucyclidae) and its systematic position
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2022.13.2.387.397

    ABSTRACT
    In the present work we discuss the validity of Putzeysia clathrata (Aradas, 1847) (Gastropoda Eucyclidae) currently considered synonym of P. wiseri (Calcara, 1842), despite being the type species of the genus Putzeysia Sulliotti, 1889. Reported as a fossil for the Early Pleistocene of Sicily and Calabria, it is here redescribed for the first time and, at the same time, its taxonomic position is discussed.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 13 (2): 0355-0359

    Danilo Scuderi & Alberto Villari
    Further two alien species for the Sicilian waters: Aplus assimilis (Reeve, 1846) and Mitrella psilla (Duclos, 1846) (Gastropoda Neogastropoda)
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2022.13.2.355.359

    ABSTRACT
    The finding of two further non indigenous species for the Eastern Sicilian rocky coast is here reported. The neo-gastropods Aplus assimilis (Reeve, 1846) and Mitrella psilla (Duclos, 1846) were found living inside the arbor of Catania. Specimens regularly collected during these last five years demonstrate the stability of the populations of both the species inside the harbor, while no other materials emerged from the exam of samples collected around the finding locality. The presence of both the species along Italian coasts was previously ascertained in few scattered localities, while the current represents the first report for Sicily. A human-mediated diffusion is here supposed as for other species found in the island. This last finding brings back to the top the problem of the numerous alien species arrivals during these latest years in Sicily and, more generally, in the Mediterranean Sea.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 13 (1): 0133-0135

    Alberto Villari & Giovanni Ammendolia
    New episodes of stranding of Corolla spectabilis Dall, 1871 in the Messina Strait
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2022.13.1.133.135

    ABSTRACT
    There are two further strandings of pseudoconch of Corolla spectabilis Dall, 1871 (Gastropoda Cymbuliidae) on the Messina coast of the Strait of Messina. The color photo of one of the two specimens found and further information on the species are provided.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 10 (4): 409-414 - MONOGRAPH

    Danilo Scuderi, Alberto Villari & Alfio Viola
    New taxonomical and biological observations on Jujubinus seguenzae Ghisotti et Melone, 1975 (Gastropoda Vetigastropoda Trochidae)
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2019.10.4.409.414

    ABSTRACT
    The study of numerous shells in the collection of the Authors and the finding of new material, among which a single living specimen, some kilometers South to the known geographical area of distribution, allowed us a better accurate morphological study of the shell, the protoconch shape and sculpture and the anatomy and color pattern of the external soft parts. Thus new data allowed to enlarge its geographical distribution and the current taxonomical status of the species. Comparisons with shell and soft parts of similar congeners are made. In particular, differences between Jujubinus seguenzae Ghisotti et Melone, 1975 and the main “morphs” of J. striatus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Gastropoda Vetigastropoda Trochidae) will be underlined and the possibility that this last taxon would be better re-defined on the basis of the original materials is discussed.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 10 (4): 405-408 - MONOGRAPH

    Danilo Scuderi, Alberto Villari & Massimiliano Angelico
    Massive beaching record along the sandy coast of Catania (E-Sicily) of the rare “mole crab” Albunea carabus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Decapoda Anomura Hippoidea)
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2019.10.4.405.408

    ABSTRACT
    After a winter storm, with sirocco wind, hundreds of specimens of the “mole crab” Albunea carabus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Decapoda Anomura Hippoidea) were beached along the sandy coast of “Playa” Catania (E-Sicily). Even though this species was previously recorded in some scattered localities of the Mediterranean, among which a couple were found in Sicily, the present record appears relevant on account of the massive finding of specimens, which is a quite rare event according to literature data. Considerations on the reasons of this wide beaching complete the present note.