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William Di Pietro

  • Biodiversity Journal, 9 (4): 399-404

    Roberto Battiston, Fausto Leandri, William di Pietro & Simone Andria
    The Giant  Asian Mantis Hierodula tenuidentata Saussure, 1869 spreads in Italy: a new invasive alien species for the European fauna? (Insecta Mantodea)
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2018.9.4.399.404

    ABSTRACT
    The presence of the Giant Asian Mantis, Hierodula tenuidentata Saussure, 1869 (Insecta Mantodea), is here reported for the first time in Italy. A well settled and probably wide spread population of this species is here described in detail, evaluating the increase in the number of individuals in the recent years and its adaptability to the European continental climate and to anthropized environments. The synonymy of this species with H. transcaucasica Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 is here discussed and some considerations on the potential impacts on the local ecosystems and its future spreading in Europe as an invasive species are here given.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 11 (3): 799-802

    Roberto Battiston, Simone Andria, Domenico Borgese, William Di Pietro & Alberto Manciagli
    Where two giants meet: the first records of Sphodromantis viridis in Sicily and Greece and the spread in Europe of Hierodula tenuidentata (Insecta Mantoidea) show new crossroads of mantids in the Mediterranean
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2020.11.3.793.802

    ABSTRACT
    The first presence records of the Giant African Mantis Sphodromantis viridis (Forskål, 1775) (Insecta Mantoidea) are reported for Sicily and Greece, with new evidences on the human-mediated spreading of this species in the Mediterranean area. In Greece, Sphodromantis viridis meets the distribution of the Giant Asian Mantis Hierodula tenuidentata (Saussure, 1869), and these two mantids have been recorded together in the same locality. Some single records from France and Corsica also open the possible expansion of this species in more northern regions. These different spreading dynamics, taking place in the Mediterranean area, in a fast-evolving scenario, are here discussed.