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Calogero Muscarella

  • Biodiversity Journal, 8 (1): 249-278 - MONOGRAPH

    Calogero Muscarella & Alessandro Baragona
    The endemic fauna of the Sicilian islands

    ABSTRACT
    In this survey we propose an analysis of the endemic fauna (Mollusca, Arthropoda, Chordata) present in the 14 major circum-sicilian islands and in Lampione islet (Strait of Sicily, Pelagie Islands). Overall, 111 endemic taxa between species and subspecies have been identified. The largest taxonomical groups are Tenebrionid Beetles and Curculionids (respectively 18 and 16 taxa) and Gastropods (20 taxa), due to their strong inclination to insular differentiation, which is inversely proportional to their vagility. The number of endemic taxa per island is positively associated to the extent of the surface but not to the distance from the closest continental mass or altitude or geological origin. The most important connection is with the complex paleogeographic history pertaining the different insular complexes.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 7 (2): 249-252

    Calogero Muscarella & Maurizio Pavesi
    Princidium (Testedium) laetum (Brullé, 1836) new to Italian fauna (Coleoptera Carabidae Trechinae Bembidiini)

    ABSTRACT
    The Mediterranean ground beetle Princidium (Testedium) laetum (Brullé, 1836) (Coleoptera Carabidae Trechinae Bembidiini) is herewith first recorded for Italy, on Favignana Island (Egadi Archipelago). The site of the species is a small complex of coastal temporary pools. Notes on the species and considerations on the significance of its local occurrence are given.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 5 (3): 421-424

    Calogero Muscarella
    On the presence of Buprestis (Ancylocheira) cupressi Germar, 1817 (Coleoptera Buprestidae) in Sicily, Italy

    ABSTRACT
    Buprestis (Ancylocheira) cupressi Germar, 1817 (Coleoptera Buprestidae) had already been reported in the past for Sicily (Italy), but it had been excluded from more recent catalogues because of lack of evidence. In the present paper the occurrence of the species in Sicily is confirmed by some findings in Vendicari (Siracusa province). Moreover, it is emphasized the importance of the dunal environments of Vendicari as regards the preservation of the insect fauna.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 4 (4): 451-466

    Calogero Muscarella, Ignazio Sparacio, Andrea Liberto & Gianluca Nardi
    The genus Lichenophanes Lesne, 1899 in Italy (Coleoptera Bostrichidae) and short considerations on the saproxylophagous beetle-fauna of Nebrodi Mountains (Sicily)

    ABSTRACT
    The Italian distribution and ecology of Lichenophanes numida Lesne, 1899 and L. varius (Illiger, 1801) are summarized; both species are recorded for the first time from Sicily, and L. varius also from Veneto and Molise Regions. L. varius is a protected species, at different levels, in most of European countries in which it occurs, so its main threatening factors are discussed. Finally, the importance of the dead wood for the conservation of saproxylic beetle-fauna of Sicilian forests, is underlined.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 1: 001-002
    Calogero Muscarella
    Parnassius apollo (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Biodiversity Journal, 15 (2): 399-405 - MONOGRAPH

    Calogero Muscarella, Simone Costa, Francesco Paolo Faraone, Giuseppe Mascarello, Alessandro Salemi, Daniele Sechi & Gabriele Giacalone
    Isidus moreli Mulsant et Rey, 1874 in Sicily (Elateridae Pomachiliini): regional distribution and threat factors
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2024.15.2.399.405

    ABSTRACT
    The distribution of Isidus moreli Mulsant et Rey, 1874 (Elateridae Pomachiliini) in Sicily is updated, a saproxylophagous species linked to dune environments and considered “Vulnerable” in the national red lists and “Near Threatened” in the European ones. For this species, the ecological peculiarities are also highlighted and the main threat factors are discussed, underlining the importance of protected areas for its conservation.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 15 (2): 355-361 - MONOGRAPH

    Laura Genco, Giovanni Callea, Calogero Muscarella, Alessandro Salemi & Bruno Massa
    Presence of Brachytrupes megacephalus (Lefebvre, 1827) (Orthoptera Gryllidae) in the Oriented Nature Reserves “Capo Rama” (Terrasini, Palermo, Sicily) and “Torre Salsa” (Siculiana, Agrigento, Sicily)
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2024.15.2.355.361

    ABSTRACT
    The authors present preliminary findings regarding the distribution and habitat selection of Brachytrupes megacephalus (Lefebvre, 1927) (Orthoptera Gryllidae) within the “Capo Rama” and “Torre Salsa” Nature Reserves (Sicily, Italy). This elusive species is closely associated with undamaged coastal ecosystems and appears to be in decline in Italy. It has been listed in the European Union’s Habitat Directive 92/43/EEC and the European Red List. Consequently, a monitoring plan was initiated in March 2021 and continued into 2022. The monitoring involved identifying signs of presence (burrows, sand cones, and song) using zig-zag transects in sample areas, with the aim of collecting both presence/absence data and density information. The presence of the species has been confirmed at various sites within the two study areas and on the beach in Balestrate (Palermo). The data obtained are crucial for planning effective conservation initiatives for both the species itself and the ecosystems inhabited by it.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 15 (2): 135-141

    Calogero Muscarella & Ignazio Sparacio
    Rhizotrogus tatianae a new species from Mount Etna (Sicily, Italy) (Coleoptera Scarabaeidae Melolonthinae)
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2024.15.2.135.141
    https://www.zoobank.org/F370C2CD-4901-460F-82EB-AE82D017197E

    ABSTRACT
    Rhizotrogus tatianae a new species from Mount Etna (Sicily, Italy) is here described and illustrated (Coleoptera Scarabaeidae Melolonthinae). It is similar to R. romanoi Sabatinelli, 1975, endemic of Sicily and Calabria (Madonie and Nebrodi Mountains), from which it differs by some characters of external morphology and genitalia. Both of these species belong to the R. aestivus (Olivier, 1789) group, a species widespread throughout almost all of Europe up to Asia Minor including almost all regions of continental and peninsular Italy. Rhizotrogus tatianae n. sp. is a crepuscolar species found in a forest environment.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 15 (1): 059-062

    Calogero Muscarella & Carlo Monari
    First report of the Curtonotidae Enderlein, 1914 family and the Curtonotum anus (Meigen, 1830) species (Diptera Ephydroidea) from the Sicilian fauna (Italy)
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2024.15.1.59.62

    ABSTRACT
    The authors, on the basis of recent research on the pollinators of Galium litorale Gussone, 1827 (Gentianales Rubiaceae), carried out in western Sicily (Italy), report Curtonotum anus (Meigen, 1830) for the first time in this island. This species belongs to the Curtonotidae Enderlein, 1914 family, which is also new to the island. With this report, there are 3 families of Ephydroidea known for Sicily. In this work, some ecological considerations on C. anus are also reported.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 14 (4): 0791-0849 - MONOGRAPH

    Ignazio Sparacio, Calogero Muscarella, Amedeo Falci & Salvatore Surdo
    Tiger beetles of Sicily (Coleoptera Cicindelidae)
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2023.14.4.791.849

    ABSTRACT
    Tiger beetles (Coleoptera Cicindelidae) are predators, both in the larval and adult state and each species tends to be specialized within a narrow habitat. For this reason, tiger beetles are excellent indicators of the quality of the biotopes in which they live and of the possible degradation of said biotopes due to anthropic actions. Currently, the populations of Cicindelidae are declining almost all over the world due to the destruction of the environments in which they live. In the Euro-Mediterranean area, including Italy, Cicindelidae mainly live in sandy environments like beaches, river mouths, the edges of lagoons and dune, and backdune ponds. Few species live on rocky coasts, in inland locations or in environments far from water such as paths and forest clearings. From what has been said, the coastal environments generally preferred by Cicindelidae are precisely those which in Italy, and also in Sicily, have undergone the greatest alteration and, often, destruction by man and his activities. In Sicily the Cicindelidae have always been studied since the first regional catalogs of the 19th century and other works were carried out in the following years, up to the present day. In the last decade, numerous reports have spread on the web, in numerous online chats, nature forums, etc. The aim of this work is to summarize and improve in a catalog what is known so far about the Sicilian Cicindelidae to highlight their peculiar systematic, ecological and geographical characteristics also in relation to the environment in which they live.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 14 (4): 0741-0747

    Ignazio Sparacio, Pietro Lo Cascio, Calogero Muscarella, Salvatore Surdo, Amedeo Falci & Francesco Allegrino
    A new subspecies of Cicindela (Cicindela) campestris Linnaeus, 1758 (Coleoptera Cicindelidae) from the Aeolian Islands (Italy)
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2023.14.4.741.747
    https://www.zoobank.org/A5E8037D-E05E-4513-9C98-59636F5C7C11

    ABSTRACT
    Cicindela (Cicindela) campestris didyme n. ssp. from the islands of Salina and Lipari (Aeolian Archipelago, Sicily, Italy) is here described. The new subspecies differs from other Italian populations of C. campestris, in particular from the closest ones of Sicily (C. campestris siculorum Schilder, 1953) and Calabria (C. campestris calabrica Mandl, 1944) for some morphological characters such as the shape of the clypeus, the granules of the elytra less elevated and more sparse and the different aedeagus. It is immediately recognizable by more or less extensively green-brown color of the dorsal surface often entirely red-brown.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 13 (2): 0435-0442

    Calogero Muscarella
    New and summary data on the Scarabaeoidea (Insecta Coleoptera) of the Circumsicilian Islands
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2022.13.2.435.442

    ABSTRACT
    According to research materials collected during faunal campaigns, made in Sicily in the last years, ten new Scarabaeoidea insects were reported in Circumsicilians Islands. In particular, I would signalize: in the Island of Pantelleria the Hybosorus illigeri Reiche, 1853 and the Oryctes nasicornis grypus (Illiger, 1803); in the Islands of Favignana and Marettimo the Phyllognathus excavatus (Forster, 1771); in the Island of Favignana the Anomius castaneus (Illiger, 1803), the Euoniticellus pallipes (Fabricius, 1798) and the Trox fabricii Reiche, 1853; in the Island of Marettimo the Protaetia (Potosia) hypocrita (Ragusa, 1905); in the Aegadian Islands and Ustica Island the Aethiessa floralis squamosa (Gory et Percheron, 1833) and the Tropinota (Tropinota) squallida squallida (Scopoli, 1763); in the Aegadian Islands the Oxythyrea funesta (Poda, 1761). On the whole, there are 82 species of beetles around Circumsicilian Islands and the interconnections betweens numbers of these insects for each islet and the surface are positive.