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Biodiversity Journal 2011, 2 (2): 51-104

  • Biodiversity Journal, 2 (2): 051-052
    Pietro Lo Cascio
    Reptiles of Socotra
  • Biodiversity Journal, 2 (2): 053-058

    A. Ignacio Agudo-Padrón
    Exotic molluscs in Santa Catarina’s State, Southern Brazil region (Mollusca, Gastropoda et Bivalvia): check list and regional spatial distribution knowledge

    ABSTRACT
    A total of twenty-one exotic mollusc taxa were assessed for Santa Catarina State (SC), fifteen Gastropoda and six Bivalvia (twelve terrestrial, five limnic/freshwater - three gastropods and two bivalves, and four marine bivalves). Of these, fourteen are confirmed as invasive species (nine terrestrial, three limnic/freshwater, and two marine).

  • Biodiversity Journal, 2 (2): 059-066

    A. Ignacio Agudo-Padrón
    Threatened freshwater and terrestrial molluscs of Santa Catarina State, Southern Brazil (Mollusca, Gastropoda et Bivalvia): check list and evaluation of regional threats

    ABSTRACT
    A total of nineteen continental native mollusc species are confirmed for the Santa Catarina State (SC) (organized in ten Genera and seven Families), one aquatic Prosobranchia/Caenogastropoda (Ampullariidae), six Pulmonata terrestrial gastropods (one Ellobiidae, three Megalobulimidae and two micro-snails – Charopidae and Streptaxidae) and twelve freshwater mussels (eight Mycetopodidae and four Hyriidae). These species are designated by the International Union for Conservation of the Nature – IUCN as follows: seven as "Vulnerable", six "In Danger" and six “Without Category Established”. The general regional threats that these species are subjected to are briefly analyzed.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 2 (2): 067-072

    Vladimir Sakalian & Georgi Georgiev
    Contribution to the Knowledge of longhorn beetles (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) from Kenya

    ABSTRACT
    As a result of expeditions of the first author in Kenya during the period 2003-2006, 40 species and subspecies of longhorn beetles were collected and later determined by Dr. Karl Adlbauer. The faunistic list reports on recent nomenclature, localities of collection as well as geographical distribution of established taxa.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 2 (2): 073-084

    Maria Stella Colomba & Armando Gregorini
    Genetic diversity analysis of the durum wheat Graziella Ra, Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum (Desf.) Husn. (Poales, Poaceae)

    ABSTRACT
    For the first time, the durum wheat Graziella Ra was compared to four Italian durum wheat varieties (Cappelli, Grazia, Flaminio and Svevo) and to Kamut in order to preliminary characterize its genome and to investigate genetic diversity among and within the accessions by Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms (AFLPs), Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs) and α-gliadin gene sequence analysis. The main aim of the study was an attempt to determine the relationship between the historic accession Graziella Ra and Kamut which is considered an ancient relative of the durum subspecies. In addition, nutritional factors of Graziella Ra were reported. Obtained results showed that (i) both AFLP and SSR molecular markers detected highly congruent patterns of genetic diversity among the accessions showing nearly similar efficiency; (ii) for AFLPs, percentage of polymorphic loci within accession ranged from 6.57% to 19.71% (mean 12.77%) and, for SSRs, from 0% to 57.14% (mean 28.57%); (iii) principal component analysis (PCA) of genetic distance among accessions showed the first two axes accounting for 58.03% (for AFLPs) and 61.60% (for SSRs) of the total variability; (iv) for AFLPs, molecular variance was partitioned into 80% (variance among accessions) and 20% (within accession) and, for SSRs, into 73% (variance among accessions) and 27% (within accession); (v) cluster analysis of AFLP and SSR datasets displayed Graziella Ra and Kamut into the same cluster; and (vi) molecular comparison of α-gliadin gene sequences showed Graziella Ra and Kamut in separate clusters. All these findings indicate that Graziella Ra, although being very similar to Kamut, at least in the little part of the genome herein investigated by molecular markers, may be considered a distinct accession showing appreciable levels of genetic diversity and medium-high nutritional qualities.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 2 (2): 085-088

    Gianfranco Sama & Pierpaolo Rapuzzi
    Description of three new species of Cerambycidae (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) from Turkey and Syria

    ABSTRACT
    The following new taxa are described and illustrated: Chlorophorus grosseri n. sp. from Southern and Eastern Turkey, close to C. adelii Holzschuh, 1974 from Western Iran; Chlorophorus oezdikmeni n. sp. from Turkey compared to C. hungaricus Seidlitz, 1891 and Leiopus wrzecionkoi n. sp. from North-Eastern Syria, compared to L. syriacus (Ganglbauer, 1884).

  • Biodiversity Journal, 2 (2): 089-096

    Pietro Lo Cascio & Massimo Capula
    Does diet in lacertid lizards reflect prey availability? Evidence for selective predation in the Aeolian wall lizard, Podarcis raffonei (Mertens, 1952) (Reptilia, Lacertidae)

    ABSTRACT
    In this paper the invertebrate fauna occurring on Scoglio Faraglione, a tiny Aeolian island (Aeolian Archipelago, NE Sicily) inhabited by a population of the critically endangered lacertid lizard Podarcis raffonei (Mertens, 1952), was censused at different seasons and the resulting data were then compared with data obtained analysing prey composition and prey abundance in the diet of the lizards occurring on the same islet. The diet of Podarcis raffonei was mainly based on insects and other arthropods. The results indicate that diet composition is not directly influenced by prey availability and temporal prey abundance, and that there is strong evidence indicating selective predation. Lizards prey upon a number of arthropod categories fewer than that recorded in field. Some invertebrate taxa (e.g. Diptera and Gastropoda) are really less attractive for lizards and are rarely preyed or not preyed at all despite their spatial and/or temporal abundance. This suggests that Podarcis raffonei is able to operate a hierarchical choice within the range of prey items constituting its prey spectrum, probably through the ability to discriminate between prey chemicals or visually oriented predation.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 2 (2): 097-102

    Roberto Vinciguerra
    Observations on the genus Athis Hübner, [1819] and description of a new species from Peru (Lepidoptera, Castniidae)

    ABSTRACT
    One new species of the genus Athis Hübner, [1819] from Peru (Athis pirrelloi n. sp.) is described and illustrated. The male, the preimaginal stages and the host plant are still unknown. Some additional informations about the genus Athis Hübner, [1819] and the congeneric species/subspecies are given.