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Biodiversity Journal 2015, Monograph: 415-490

  • Biodiversity Journal, 6 (1): 415-430 - MONOGRAPH

    Pasquale Micali, Italo Nofroni, Riccardo Giannuzzi Savelli, Francesco Pusateri & Stefano Bartolini
    Coen’s Pyramidellidae (Gastropoda, Heterobranchia): a revision of types
    Proceedings of the Eighth Malacological Pontine Meeting, October 4th-5th, 2014 - San Felice Circeo, Italy

    ABSTRACT
    Coen introduced several new nominal taxa in the Pyramidellidae and in most Mollusca families. The Coen types, now at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, have been examined; most of them are holotypes or lectotypes. Some lectotypes were already selected by van Aartsen, as stated in the label, therefore we have not done any further selection of types. The new pyramidellid species have been practically identified and named by Monterosato, and were all found in shell grit collected on the beach of Lido (a small island in front of Venice). None of the Coen’s new species seems to be valid.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 6 (1): 431-440 - MONOGRAPH

    Paolo Mariottini, Andrea Di Giulio, Carlo Smriglio & Marco Oliverio
    Additional notes on the systematics and new records of East Atlantic species of the genus Sorgenfreispira Moroni, 1979 (Gastropoda Mangeliidae)
    Proceedings of the Eighth Malacological Pontine Meeting, October 4th-5th, 2014 - San Felice Circeo, Italy

    ABSTRACT
    The Recent species currently ascribed to the Bela brachystoma-complex, Gastropoda Mangeliidae, (i.e.: Bela brachystoma (Philippi, 1844); Bela africana Ardovini, 2004; Bela ardovinii Mariottini et Oliverio, 2008; Bela exilis (Ardovini, 2004) should better be allocated in the genus Sorgenfreispira Moroni, 1979. Based on numerous samples, the distribution of the Recent species is summarised. Sorgenfreispira brachystoma (Philippi, 1844) comb. nov. ranges from Scandinavia to southern Morocco. Sorgenfreispira africana (Ardovini, 2004) comb. nov. is first recorded from Western Sahara, Ivory Coast, Angola and Ghana; Sorgenfreispira ardovinii (Mariottini et Oliverio, 2008) comb. nov. is first recorded from Ivory Coast; S. exilis (Ardovini, 2004) comb. nov. is first recorded from Mauritania, Western Sahara, Ivory Coast, Angola. Based on the study of the type material, Bela brachystoma apicalis Nordsieck, 1977, was actually based on specimens of B. taprurensis Pallary, 1904. Bela taprurensis is here first recorded from Libya.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 6 (1): 441-448 - MONOGRAPH

    Carlo Smriglio, Paolo Mariottini & Andrea Di Giulio
    Description of a new species of the genus Trophonopsis Bucquoy et Dautzenberg, 1882 (Gastropoda Muricidae Pagodulinae) from the Mediterranean Sea
    Proceedings of the Eighth Malacological Pontine Meeting, October 4th-5th, 2014 - San Felice Circeo, Italy

    ABSTRACT
    Based on shell characters, a new species of the gastropod family Muricidae, Trophonopsis sparacioi n. sp., from Mediterranean Sea is described. Shells of the new taxon were collected from bathyal bottoms, in the Tyrrhenian Sea. The new taxon is compared with others species of the genus Trophonopsis Bucquoy et Dautzenberg, 1882, occurring in northeastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 6 (1): 449-466 - MONOGRAPH

    Marco Passamonti
    The family Cypraeaidae (Gastropoda Cypraeoidea): an unexpected case of neglected animals
    Proceedings of the Eighth Malacological Pontine Meeting, October 4th-5th, 2014 - San Felice Circeo, Italy

    ABSTRACT
    The family Cypraeidae Rafinesque, 1815 (Gastropoda Cypraeoidea), commonly called Cowries, are particularly well-known among shell collectors, because of their beauty and relative availability. While most species are common in shallow reef environments, some other are quite hard to find, because they may come from remote or hardly accessible habitats, or they are in fact just rarely found. Because of this rarity and beauty, several cowries get high market values among collectable shells. This relevant economic interest produced two kind of outcomes: a proliferation of taxonomic complexity, and a very detailed knowledge of every variation of a given species, making cowries collection one of the most specialized ones. Notwithstanding this, it is quite remarkable that cowries had attracted very little interest by biologists and professional malacologists. Few scientific studies are available to date. This review attempts to overview some of the major biological highlights of the Family, to promote future researches in this diverse group of gastropods.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 6 (1): 467-480 - MONOGRAPH

    Bruno Amati & Italo Nofroni
    The Recent Rissoidae of the Mediterranean Sea. Notes on the genus Onoba s.s. H. Adams et A. Adams, 1852 (Gastropoda Prosobranchia)
    Proceedings of the Eighth Malacological Pontine Meeting, October 4th-5th, 2014 - San Felice Circeo, Italy

    ABSTRACT
    The Mediterranean species belonging to the genus Onoba H. Adams et A. Adams, 1852 as currently conceived, are reviewed. With the exception of O. semicostata (Montagu, 1803) and O. aculeus (Gould, 1841) that range mostly in the European North-Eastern Atlantic and are rarely found in the Western Mediterranean, this genus is represented by six species with rather limited ranges: O. dimassai Amati et Nofroni, 1991; O. josae Moolenbeek et Hoenselaar, 1987; O. guzmani Hoenselaar et Moolenbeek, 1987; O. tarifensis Hoenselaar et Moolenbeek, 1987; O. gianninii (Nordsieck, 1974) and O. oliverioi Smriglio et Mariottini, 2000. A further possibly undescribed species is figured. For all species comparative morphometrics are provided. Onoba josae Moolenbeek et Hoenselaar, 1987 is here recorded for the first time in Italy, with the easternmost locality in this range.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 6 (1): 481-490 - MONOGRAPH

    Fabio Liberto, Maria Stella Colomba, Agatino Reitano, Salvatore Giglio & Ignazio Sparacio
    The endemic door snail of Marettimo (Egadi Islands, Sicily, Italy): Siciliaria (Siciliaria) scarificata (Pfeiffer, 1857) (Pulmonata, Clausiliidae)
    Proceedings of the Eighth Malacological Pontine Meeting, October 4th-5th, 2014 - San Felice Circeo, Italy

    ABSTRACT
    The door snail Siciliaria (Siciliaria) scarificata (L. Pfeiffer, 1856) (Pulmonata Clausiliidae) is redescribed. The species is endemic to Marettimo (Egadi Islands, Sicily, Italy) and it is the only one of the genus Siciliaria Vest, 1867 living in this island. Siciliaria scarificata can be morphologically identified by the presence of a high columellar lamella, ascending in a double “S” curve, a wide anterior upper palatal plica, long basal plica, sulcalis present; clausilium plate distally less narrowed; genitalia are characterized by very short bursa copulatrix duct; short diverticulum of bursa copulatrix; penial papilla conic and short. Notes about its taxonomy, biology and conservation status are also provided.