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Biodiversity Journal 2010, 1 (1-4): 1-55

  • Biodiversity Journal, 1: 001-002
    Calogero Muscarella
    Parnassius apollo (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Biodiversity Journal, 1: 003-006

    Francesco Izzillo
    New faunistic records of Jewel beetles from southern Italy and Sardinia (Coleoptera, Buprestidae)

    ABSTRACT
    Three species of Buprestidae are reported for the first time from two Italian regions: Anthaxia (s. str.) midas ssp. oberthuri Schaefer, 1937, and Anthaxia (s. str.) salicis (Fabricius, 1777) new to Campania, and Agrilus (Spiragrilus) hyperici (Creutzer, 1799) new to Sardinia. Short notes on ethology and larval development of A. midas oberthuri are also given.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 1: 007-014

    Maria Stella Colomba, Armando Gregorini, Fabio Liberto, Agatino Reitano, Salvatore Giglio & Ignazio Sparacio
    Molecular analysis of Muticaria syracusana and M. neuteboomi from Southeastern Sicily, Italy (Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Clausiliidae)

    ABSTRACT
    The genus Muticaria Lindholm, 1925, is currently distributed either in Southeastern Sicily or in the Maltese islands and comprises the species M. syracusana (Philippi, 1836), M. neuteboomi Beckmann, 1990 and M. macrostoma (Cantraine, 1835). For the first time, we report a molecular study on the topotypicous populations of M. syracusana and M. neuteboomi carried out on fragments of the ribosomal 16S rDNA subunit and the cytochrome oxydase I (COI) mitochondrial genes by Neighbour Joining, Maximum Likelihood, Maximum Parsimony and Bayesian Inference algorithms. Our results revealed the existence of nucleotide-sequence divergence (Dxy: 5% for 16S rDNA and 12% for COI sequences) between the two taxa.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 1: 015-044

    Tommaso La Mantia, Michele Bellavista, Giovanni Giardina & Ignazio Sparacio
    Longhorn beetles of the Ficuzza woods (W Sicily, Italy) and their relationship with plant diversity (Coleoptera Cerambycidae)

    ABSTRACT
    The woods in Sicily are the result of centuries of anthropogenic activities that have reduced the surface of wood and changed the original composition even with the introduction of alien species to native flora. The value in terms of biodiversity of these forests remains, however, high for they are the last refuge areas for many animals and plant species. This study was conducted within the Ficuzza woods (West Sicily), extended about 5,000 hectares on the slopes of limestone-dolomite rock of Busambra (1615 m asl), within which lies the largest remaining forest area in western Sicily. It is an area with a wide diversity of vegetation, represented mainly by native forests (holm oak, cork oak, deciduous oaks), groups of riparian vegetation, shrubs, bushes, grasslands, and of non-native forest formations (Pinus and Eucalyptus woods). The study on Cerambycidae in this area is fragmented and does not specify a relation the species with the surrounding vegetation. This study was performed by choosing among various groups of insects, xylophagous Coleoptera Cerambycidae; existing literature data and extensive collected field data were reviewed. The analysis was also performed by the collection of dead wood in order to distinguish the relationship between the plant species and coleoptera. The results summarize and supplement the data registered so far, shedding further light on the ecological role of this group of insects that are also valid biomarkers of the integrity and complexity of the forest.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 1: 045-055

    Enrico Pezzoli
    Notes on new or rare taxa of Crustaceans and Molluscs from a “fontanile” in Arzago d'Adda, Bergamo, Italy (Crustacea, Mollusca)

    ABSTRACT
    The present work is a continuation of previous researches and censuses carried out by the Author, reports on Italian biotopes characterized by typical fauna inhabiting springs and other fluvial (or freshwater). During the last decades, many of these areas were severely altered and/or even obviated; nevertheless, at the same time, new stations harbouring a rich biodiversity were discovered. This paper provides data on ecology and fauna composition of some “fontanili” of Lombardia Region, (Italy), focusing on new or rare taxa of molluscs and crustaceans found in a “fontanile” of Arzago d'Adda (Bergamo).