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Salvatore Giacobbe

  • Biodiversity Journal, 9 (3): 283-302

    Salvatore Giacobbe & Giuseppe Notaristefano
    Marine molluscs from Cape Milazzo (Sicily, Italy): a baseline
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2018.9.3.283.302

    ABSTRACT
    An original data set of 556 benthic mollusc taxa, as a first account of Cape Milazzo local biodiversity, is provided. Qualitative differences between more or less anthropized areas have been put in evidence, and species distribution according to the main habitat typologies has been detailed. The highest biodiversity was found in the northern sites, corresponding to the Zone A of the established marine protected area. Most mollusc species under the European Economic Community (EEC) and National protection, and other ones listed as threatened, have been recorded, and are mainly associated to priority habitats as phanerogams meadows and vermitid reefs. In the meantime, the settlement of not indigenous species, mainly of tropical origin, and disease affecting threatened organisms under EEC protection, testified the vulnerability of the local ecosystem under the global change threat.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 9 (3): 255-270

    Salvatore Giacobbe & Walter Renda
    Infralittoral molluscs from the Scilla cliff (Strait of Messina, Central Mediterranean)
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2018.9.3.255.270

    ABSTRACT
    The mollusc taxocoenosis characterizing the photophilic zone of the Scilla cliff (Strait of Messina, Central Mediterranean) has been described on hard bottom samples from 6, 16 and 24 m depth. Seasonality has been evaluated by replicates carried out in autumn and spring. Overall, 229 benthic taxa have been recorded, 87 of which occurred in both seasons, while 109 were exclusively recorded in spring and 29 only in autumn. Specimen abundance also notably decreased from autumn to spring (1581 and 892 individuals, respectively). Depth scarcely affected the species distribution, probably due to water transparency, thermal homogeneity, and nutrient mixing. The recorded species cannot be all assigned to the photophilic rocky habitat, since ubiquitous taxa, organisms of other habitats settled in micro-enclaves, and juveniles of not established species have been frequently recorded. The role of algal covering as larval collector from disparate habitats is confirmed, as also proved by the high occurrence of planktonic molluscs (14 species) in all the examined samples. The whole mollusc taxocoene, whose diversity is high with respect to other areas at comparable latitudes, showed a marked western footprint, in accordance with the known biogeographic peculiarities of the Messina Strait.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 9 (1): 025-034

    Salvatore Giacobbe & Walter Renda
    Mollusc diversity in Capo d'Armi (Central Mediterranea Sea) subtidal cliff: a first, tardy, report

    ABSTRACT
    First quantitative data on mollusc assemblages from the Capo d’Armi cliff, at the south entrance of the Strait of Messina, provided a baseline for monitoring changes in benthic biodiversity of a crucial Mediterranean area, whose depletion might already be advanced. A total of 133 benthic taxa have been recorded, and their distribution evaluated according to depth and seasonality. Bathymetric distribution showed scanty differences between the 4-6 meters and 12-16 meters depth levels, sharing all the 22 most abundant species. Season markedly affected species composition, since 42 taxa were exclusively recorded in spring and 35 in autumn, contrary to 56 shared taxa. The occurrence of some uncommon taxa has also been discussed. The benthic mollusc assemblages, although sampled in Ionian Sea, showed a clear western species composition, in accordance with literature placing east of the Strait the boundary line between western and eastern Mediterranean eco-regions. Opposite, occasional records of six mesopelagic species, which included the first record for this area of Atlanta helicinoidea, were linked to the local upwelling of Levantine Intermediate Waters.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 7 (2): 257-260

    Salvatore Giacobbe & Antonio Di Bella
    About the wide Mediterranean distribution of the “geographically localized” Clelandella myriamae (Gofas, 2005) (Gastropoda Trochidae)

    ABSTRACT
    Almost one thousands of empty shells recognized as Clelandella myriamae (Gofas, 2005) (Gastropoda Trochidae) have been collected from the Gioia Basin (South Tyrrhenian) and, in minor number, from the Strait of Messina. The records remarkably increase the areal known for this bathyal species, previous known only from Levantine Basin.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 7 (1): 059-066 - MONOGRAPH

    Carlo Smriglio, Paolo Mariottini & Salvatore Giacobbe
    Jujubinus errinae n. sp. (Gastropoda Trochidae) from the Strait of Messina, Mediterranean Sea

    ABSTRACT
    A new species of the gastropod family Trochidae, Jujubinus errinae n. sp., from the Mediterranean Sea is described based on shell characters. The new taxon was compared with the most closely related species showing marked sculpture and from relatively deep water habitat, J. catenatus Ardovini, 2006, J. montagui (Wood, 1828) and J. tumidulus (Aradas, 1846). The species, which is known from the type locality only, the Strait of Messina, might be strictly associated to the endemic hydrocoral Errina aspera (Linnaeus, 1767) beds (Hydrozoa Stylasteridae).

  • Biodiversity Journal, 6 (1): 353-364 - MONOGRAPH

    Andrea Cosentino & Salvatore Giacobbe
    Mollusc assemblages of hard bottom subtidal fringe: a comparison between two coastal typologies
    Proceedings of the 2nd International Congress “Speciation and Taxonomy”, May 16th-18th 2014, Cefalù-Castelbuono (Italy)

    ABSTRACT
    The mollusc assemblages of subtidal fringe from two different coastal typologies are described in their qualitative and quantitative features. The large-scale spatial investigation has been carried out in the lava cliffs of Catania and the conglomerate “beach-rocks” of Capo Peloro (Messina), whose assemblages have been compared by fourteen shallow sampling stations, spaced out hundred/thousand meters apart. The similarity/dissimilarity levels of the two assemblages have been evaluated throughout a set of eighty-six species, exclusive or common between the two areas. Both the assemblages were characteristic of an impoverished and highly variable photophilic taxocoenosis. The area was the main discriminating factor that determined the highest richness and abundance in the rough lava surface. The Catania assemblage was more constant in species composition, with presence of exclusive bivalves, cue of a micro-sedimentary environment. The Messina assemblage was very variable in species composition, and its structure, dominated by motile gastropods, was evidence of a high energy environment. Differences in the structure and micro-topography of the natural substratum from the two areas, besides possible secondary influence of freshwater inputs and wave exposure, were factors mainly responsible for the observed patterns. The whole data set, with dominant and accessory taxa, involves a relevant contribution from the deeper subtidal assemblage; despite of their ephemeral character, these assemblages contribute to maintain the local biodiversity on a broader spatial scale.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 4 (2): 359-364

    Salvatore Giacobbe & Sergio De Matteo
    The potentially invasive opisthobranch Polycera hedgpethi Er. Marcus, 1964 (Gastropoda Nudibranchia), introduced in a Mediterranean coastal lagoon

    ABSTRACT
    The non-native opisthobranch Polycera hedgpethi Er. Marcus, 1964 is reported from the coastal lagoon of Capo Peloro (Central Mediterranean Sea) with notes on its habitat typology and feeding behavior. The recently published opinion that P. hedgpethi established in the Mediterranean Sea is disputed, since records of adult specimens and egg laying were not accompanied by the presence of juveniles and/or larvae. Mussels imported from Atlantic and North-Adriatic lagoons are hypothesized to be the source of incoming populations in the Peloro Lagoon.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 3 (4): 501-510

    Salvatore Giacobbe
    Biodiversity loss in Sicily transitional waters: the molluscs of Faro Lake

    ABSTRACT
    Sediment samplings were carried out in six stations of Faro Lake (Sicily, Italy) during spring and autumn 1991, and spring 1993, 2006, 2010, to investigate the soft bottom mollusc assemblages. The study have provided the first quantitative data on the mollusc fauna of Faro Lake, to date known only for some dated inventories. Some differences in species composition in respect to the ancient literature were highlighted. The 1991-2010 data sets showed changes in the mollusc assemblages, which impoverished in composition and structure. Basic indices of community structure (S, d, H’, J’) indicate a marked decline in the 2006, followed by a recovery period during 2010. The multivariate analysis, based on a the Bray-Curtis similarity index, proved that mollusc assemblages sampled prior to the 2006 crisis were more structured and spatially differentiated than those settled later. The observed decline of endemic taxa and the concurrent settlement of species introduced by mussel farming, make the mollusc assemblages in the Faro Lake a case-study for the effect of species introduction in confined environments.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 13 (1): 0155-0162

    Italo Nofroni, Walter Renda, Franco Agamennone & Salvatore Giacobbe
    Dasyskenea dibellai n. sp. from the Central Mediterranean Sea (Gastropoda Vetigastropoda Skeneidae)
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2022.13.1.155.162
    https://www.zoobank.org/References/e1f8d52c-734f-4f66-aae6-722b9f48efa4

    ABSTRACT
    Dasyskenea dibellai n. sp. from the central Mediterranean Sea, collected off Marsala, Western Sicily, 133 m depth, in the Muddy Detritus Biocoenosis, is here described. The new species, characterized by small size, an almost planorbid profile and an evident transverse sculpture prevailing over the longitudinal one, is compared with the Skeneidae with such characteristics both from the Mediterranean Sea and the adjacent Atlantic Ocean. Due to the characteristics of the protoconch and the morphological affinity, the new species is assigned to the genus Dasyskenea Fasulo et Cretella, 2003 together with Skeneoides digeronimoi La Perna, 1998 and the two North-East Atlantic related species, Skenea nilarum Engl, 1996 and S. victori Segers, Swinnen et De Prins, 2009. In the context of comparisons, Skenea costulata Sbrana et Siragusa, 2018 is considered probable synonymous with Skenea divae Carrozza et van Aartsen, 2001.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 11 (2): 399-404

    Walter Renda, Danilo Scuderi & Salvatore Giacobbe
    First record from the Italian coasts of the overlooked chiton Acanthochitona pilosa (Mollusca Polyplacophora Acanthochitonidae)
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2020.11.2.399.404

    ABSTRACT
    Within a general overview of the malacological samples deposited in the collection of the Benthic Ecology Laboratory of Messina, numerous specimens of the recently described Acanthochitona pilosa Schmidt-Petersen, Schwabe et Haszprunar, 2015 (Mollusca Polyplacophora Acanthochitonidae) were found. The new material, together with further specimens of private collections and literature data allowed a better definition of the A. pilosa distributional pattern and some autoecological and biogeographic considerations.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 10 (4): 365-368

    Salvatore Giacobbe, Medea Lo Piccolo & Giuseppe Scaduto
    Forty-seven years later: the blue crab Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896 (Crustacea Decapoda Portunidae) reappears in the Strait of Messina (Sicily, Italy)
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2019.10.4.365.368

    ABSTRACT
    The second record of the invasive blue crab Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896 (Crustacea Decapoda Portunidae) from the Strait of Messina has been reported, forty-seven years after the first record in this area. The specimen, a large-sized adult female, was collected in the Capo Peloro Lagoon, a natural reserve whose brackish waters represent a highly favorable environment for this euryhaline opportunistic species. The actual possibility that C. sapidus may settle in the Lagoon should be carefully evaluated, and a mitigation strategy, involving selective removal of pioneer specimens, timely envisaged.