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Marco Masseti

  • Biodiversity Journal, 14 (4): 0765-0773

    Gianni Insacco, Bruno Zava & Marco Masseti
    Two late 1800s wolves, Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758 (Mammalia Canidae), from the Hyblean Mountains, in eastern Sicily
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2023.14.4.765.773

    ABSTRACT
    The wolf, Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758 (Mammalia Canidae), became extinct in Sicily in the past century, between 1930 and 1960. The present paper describes the unpublished remains of two wolves, killed in the late 1800s in the Hyblean Mountains and preserved within the vertebrate collection of the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale of Comiso, Ragusa, (Italy), that is an important asset for biodiversity research as well as for morphological and genetic studies. The two specimens constitute the only finds of the species that are known so far for eastern Sicily. Their measurements and the restoration carried out for museum display are presented. A morphological description of these two specimens is provided and the taxonomic problems of the Italian and Sicilian populations are discussed.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 13 (3): 0651-0662 - MONOGRAPH

    Marco Masseti
    On the elusive origin of the wild goat, Capra aegagrus Erxleben, 1777, on the island of Montecristo (Italy)
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2022.13.3.651.662

    ABSTRACT
    The origin of the wild goats currently living on the small island of Montecristo in the northern Tyrrhenian Sea (Italy) is still discussed. Their phenotypic characteristics, described as those of the Asia Minor wild goat, also called pasang or Bezoar goat, Capra aegagrus Erxleben, 1777, would point to an initial nucleus introduced around the Neolithic age. There are, however, also those who hypothesise the importation of the ungulates by the monks who colonised Montecristo from the 5th century AD onwards. Some authors are instead of the opinion that a small herd of goats from the - not better identified - kingdom of Montenegro was introduced by the Crown Prince of the House of Savoy, Vittorio Emanuele III, at the end of the 19th century, with the aim of restocking the local big game. It seems that this rumour began to spread in the aftermath of his marriage to Jelena (Elena), the daughter of the ruler of Montenegro. If that was indeed the case, the question would arise as to what kind of domestic or wild goats these animals from Montenegro might have been. In the latter case, the debate should involve the improbable diffusion of the Asia Minor pasang in the Balkan peninsula.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 12 (4): 0875-0885

    Marco Masseti & Bruno Zava
    Extinct and living mammals of the island of Marettimo (Aegadian archipelago, Trapani), off the north-western Sicilian coast (Italy): a review of evidence and historical data
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2021.12.4.875.885

    ABSTRACT
    Marettimo island is the furthest of the Aegadian archipelago from the coast of north-western Sicily. Nevertheless, the presence of continental and non-endemic mammals on the island has been documented since the Mesolithic period. Over the course of historical times the introduction of mammals on the small island has continued without any apparent solution of continuity, even attempting to involve neo-Arctic species such as the Eastern cottontail. Recently, evidence has been found of the monk seal visiting some of the island’s caves.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 10 (4): 373-382 - MONOGRAPH

    Marco Masseti
    Terrestrial mammals of the satellite islands of Sardinia (Italy)
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2019.10.4.373.382

    ABSTRACT
    The mammalian fauna of the satellite islands and islets of Sardinia (Italy) is still imperfectly known. Only few data are available for some of them, while several others are still almost regarded as terra incognita. Complete information on the extant non-volant terrestrial mammals is available only for Asinara, Tavolara, and Molara, whereas historical and present data are available on the mammals of San Pietro. Further information on the non-flying taxa occasionally appears in specialised literature. At present, 15 species occur in the circum-Sardinian archipelagos. Only 6 of them, however, have been reported from the largest island, San Pietro, whereas the smaller Asinara hots at least 13 species, excluding local domestic breed such as the dwarf donkey. Data on the distribution of chiropters have been provided by a few studies carried out over time. Of the 21 species of bats found in Sardinia, at least 11 were recorded from the small islands.