Biodiversity Journal - For wildlife research and environmental studies

Biodiversity Journal 2024, 15 (1): 1-110

Biodiversity Journal, 15 (1): 001-002

Beppe Di Gregorio
Linum punctatum C. Presl subsp. punctatum (Linaceae, Malpighiales)
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2024.15.1.I.II
Biodiversity Journal, 15 (1): 003-018

Ceren Nur Özgül & Çiğdem Gül
Mapping of Amphibian and Reptile species living in Bozcaada (Tenedos) Island, Türkiye, according to habitat and environmental changes
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2024.15.1.3.18

ABSTRACT
Bozcaada (Tenedos) Island, Türkiye, is a naturalistic biotope very important in terms of biological diversity as it has an isolated ecosystem. A total of 14 amphibian and reptile species were identified in previous studies in Bozcaada. In this study, two amphibians (Lissotriton schmidtleri, Bufotes sitibundus) and 10 reptiles (Mauremys rivulata, Testudo graeca, Hemidactylus turcicus, Mediodactylus kotschyi, Ophisops elegans, Ablepharus kitaibelii, Dolichophis caspius, Malpolon insignitus, Natrix natrix, Xerotyphlops vermicularis) species were observed. Distribution maps of amphibian and reptile species in Bozcaada were created using ArcGIS 10.8 package program according to seven different habitat types (agricultural habitat, shrubby area, settlements area, stony-hilly area, wetland habitat, dune habitat, woodland habitat). Consequently, with previous studies and current field surveys, distribution maps of amphibian and reptile species in Bozcaada according to environmental variables such as habitat, density, temperature, and elevation were created for the first time and the distribution of herpetofauna were compared between ten years ago and present. According to the data, it was determined that the distribution of amphibian and reptile species was limited in certain areas and the species preferred to live especially in the high elevation areas of the island. The dryness of seasonal puddles due to higher temperatures and climate change in Bozcaada, poses a threat especially to aquatic amphibians and reptile species on the island.
Biodiversity Journal, 15 (1): 019-026

Mauro Grano
The non-indigenous freshwater molluscs of Lake Monterosi (Latium, central Italy)
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2024.15.1.19.26

ABSTRACT
In this work, the freshwater molluscs of Lake Monterosi (Latium, central Italy) are examined with the first report of the allochthonous bivalve Sinanodonta woodiana (Lea, 1834) from the province of Viterbo (Latium, central Italy). Particular attention is paid to the problem of the introduction of alien organisms due to fish restocking for sporting purposes.
Biodiversity Journal, 15 (1): 027-032

Bruno Amati
A new species of Alvania Risso, 1826 from the Western Indian Ocean (Gastropoda Rissoidae)
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2024.15.1.27.32
https://www.zoobank.org/B11BE582-5147-47F2-B20F-58B7A874A4F6

ABSTRACT
A new species of the rissoid genus Alvania Risso, 1826 (Gastropoda Rissoidae) is described based on shells sorted out of a bioclastic sand sample collected with a trap box for Marginella species in Manda Toto Island (Lamu Archipelago, Kenya). It is compared with the most similar congeners.
Biodiversity Journal, 15 (1): 033-036

Divya Pangtey & Himanshu Pande
Spiders Assemblage (Arachnida Araneae) in Apple Orchard, Mukteshwar, District Nainital, Uttarakhand, India
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2024.15.1.33.36

ABSTRACT
A preliminary investigation was carried out to determine the variety of spiders (Arachnida Araneae) in an apple orchard selected randomly in the area of Mukteshwar, District Nainital, Uttarakhand, India. The spider sampling was accomplished by using visual searching and handpicking methods. They were also released back into their natural environments after being classified and photographed. A total of 21 spider species from 9 different spider families were identified from the research area. The Araneidae family held the most dominance over the other families i.e. Linyphiidae, Lycosidae, Oxyopidae, Philodromidae, Pholcidae, Salticidae, Sparassidae, Theridiidae, Thomisidae. Six feeding guilds, comprising Orb Weavers, Sheet Web, Wandering-Ambush, Wandering-Active, Web-Matrix, and Jumping Spiders, were found during guild structure analysis of the collected spiders.
Biodiversity Journal, 15 (1): 037-040

Pierpaolo Rapuzzi & Farhad A. Khudhur
Contribution to the knowledge of the Iraqi fauna of Longhorn beetles (Coleoptera Cerambycidae)
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2024.15.1.37.40

ABSTRACT
The Iraqi fauna of Cerambycidae is still under-researched. This article contributes to the knowledge of the Cerambycidae fauna of Iraq by reviewing the updated literature, and reporting Phytoecia (Paracoptosia) urartica Kasatkin, 2015, as a new record for the Iraqi fauna. Furthermore, this article also includes an additional Southern distributional range and interesting localities of the recently described species, Dorcadion (Cribridorcadion) ringenbachi Rapuzzi et Sama, 2018, and the Middle East widespread Purpuricenus wachanrui Levrat, 1858.
Biodiversity Journal, 15 (1): 041-052

Danniella Sherwood, Luis F. de Armas, Adam Sharp, Liza Fowler & Vicky Wilkins
Scorpions (Arachnida Scorpiones) of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories: current knowledge and future directions
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2024.15.1.41.52

ABSTRACT
Current knowledge on the diversity, distribution, ecology and medical importance of the scorpions from the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs) is synthesised and discussed. Scorpions are absent from British Antarctic and British Indian Ocean territories, the Falkland Islands, the Pitcairn Islands, and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. No scorpions are native to Bermuda, but a single stowaway buthid has previously been detected and successfully intercepted. The remaining territories all contain endemic or long-term established introduced species, which is discussed in detail for each territory. Maps of the distribution of endemic and non-endemic taxa are presented, alongside photographs of specimens in life. Future research directions, particularly the need for additional research in biodiversity hotspots of the Caribbean, are discussed.
Biodiversity Journal, 15 (1): 053-057

Emiliano Mori, Raffaella Scotti & Mauro Grano
First record of the hammer-headed garden worm Bipalium kewense Moseley, 1878 (Tricladida Geoplanidae) in Ischia (Campania, Italy)
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2024.15.1.53.57

ABSTRACT
The land planarian Bipalium kewense Moseley, 1878 (Tricladida Geoplanidae) is a native flatworm species from Southeast Asia, but it has been introduced to about 50 countries, where it represents a dangerous alien organism. In this note, we report the first record of this species for the island of Ischia (Campania, Italy).
Biodiversity Journal, 15 (1): 059-062

Calogero Muscarella & Carlo Monari
First report of the Curtonotidae Enderlein, 1914 family and the Curtonotum anus (Meigen, 1830) species (Diptera Ephydroidea) from the Sicilian fauna (Italy)
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2024.15.1.59.62

ABSTRACT
The authors, on the basis of recent research on the pollinators of Galium litorale Gussone, 1827 (Gentianales Rubiaceae), carried out in western Sicily (Italy), report Curtonotum anus (Meigen, 1830) for the first time in this island. This species belongs to the Curtonotidae Enderlein, 1914 family, which is also new to the island. With this report, there are 3 families of Ephydroidea known for Sicily. In this work, some ecological considerations on C. anus are also reported.
Biodiversity Journal, 15 (1): 063-070

Agatino Reitano
Rediscovery of “Stylotrochus” gemmula Seguenza, 1876 from the Early Pleistocene of Italy with notes on the genus Calliotropis Seguenza, 1902 (Gastropoda Seguenzioidea)
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2024.15.1.63.70

ABSTRACT
Recent field research in the Pleistocene marine sedimentary layers, exposed near Forte dei Centri, Salice (Messina, Sicily), has allowed to identify six shells, wich could be attribuited to “Stylotrochus” gemmula Seguenza, 1876 due to their peculiar morphological features. This species is here placed in the genus Calliotropis Seguenza L., 1902 (Gastropoda Seguenzioidea) and re-described according to a modern taxonomical approach. A specimen previously reported as Turcicula distincta Seguenza, 1879 for the Gelasian of Emilia-Romagna is here attributed to Calliotropis gemmula comb. nov., thus extending its distribution through the Early Pleistocene of the Mediterranean. Furthermore, the distribution of Calliotropis species in the Mediterranean Plio-Pleistocene is here briefly discussed.
Biodiversity Journal, 15 (1): 071-078

Massimo Appolloni & Carlo Smriglio
A new species of Babelomurex Coen, 1922 (Gastropoda Muricidae) for the Italian Pliocene: Babelomurex brugnonei n. sp.
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2024.15.1.71.78
https://zoobank.org/4A7D8F79-671A-49E7-B0F7-3259C1937A7C

ABSTRACT
A new fossil species of Coralliophilinae Chenu, 1859 (Gastropoda Muricidae), in the genus Babelomurex Coen, 1922, is here described and illustrated as Babelomurex brugnonei n. sp., found in Altavilla Milicia, Sicilian locality known for the Pliocene-Pleistocene siliciclastic succession exposed in this geographical area. The new species is compared with Latiaxis janianus (Cocconi, 1873) and Latiaxis dellabellai Brunetti, 2004, the other two morphologically close fossil species reported in the Pliocene of the Mediterranean Basin. A taxonomic update is suggested for these fossil species of Coralliophilinae, all belonging to the genus Babelomurex.
Biodiversity Journal, 15 (1): 079-084

Roberto Viviano
On the presence of two tropical butterflies (Lepidoptera Nymphalidae) in the city of Palermo (Italy)
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2024.15.1.79.84

ABSTRACT
Two species of showy diurnal butterflies of tropical origin were recently found in the city of Palermo (Italy). These are: Amauris hecate hecate (Butler, 1866) (Nymphalidae Danainae) endemic to the Central Africa from Guinea to South Sudan up to Angola, Tanzania and Ethiopia and Siproeta epaphus (Latreille, [1813]) (Nymphalinae) native to Central America from Texas to Brazil and Peru. The reporting of these findings and the hypotheses on the presence of these species outside their natural range is the subject of this work.
Biodiversity Journal, 15 (1): 085-103

Bilal Öztürk & Panayotis Ovalis
Bela Leach, 1847 (Gastropoda Conoidea) species distributed along the Turkish coasts and in the Saronic Gulf (Greece) with description of Bela filioae n. sp.
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2024.15.1.85.103
https://www.zoobank.org/32FAD8D0-6840-4E16-8A45-69F352608F75

ABSTRACT
The present study includes the distribution of Bela Leach, 1847 (Gastropoda Conoidea) species along the Turkish coasts and in the Saronic Gulf, Aegean coast of Greece. The materials were collected between 1995 and 2023 and were taken from different habitats (soft and hard bottoms, and macrophyte beds) at depths ranging from intertidal zone up to 1000 m. As result of an analysed material of 266 live collected specimens and 14 shells belonging to genus Bela, 11 species were recognised. Bela filioae is described as a new species. Of the identified species, Bela zonata (Locard, 1891) was the most abundant and widely distributed species, especially on the Levantine coast of Türkiye, following by Bela menkhorsti van Aartsen, 1988 and Bela nebula (Montagu, 1803) mostly encountered in the Aegean Sea, while Bela cf. ginnania (Risso, 1826) was the rarest one. Bela menkhorsti was found to be significant as the deepest living species, sampled from depths up to 196 m. In the present study, along with the description of a new species, some ecological and distributional characteristics of the investigated species and their figures are also provided.
Biodiversity Journal, 15 (1): 105-110

Zulfiyya Jalal Mammadova
Flora conspectus of Fabales order spread in the territory of the Azerbaijan Republic
https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2024.15.1.105.110

ABSTRACT
Flora conspectus of Fabales and “Ecological-geobotanical map of some phytocenoses formed by legumes in the natural vegetation of Azerbaijan” was prepared on the basis of the collected herbarium samples, literary sources, systematic, biomorphological, geographical, ecological and endemic analysis of the Fabales orders distributed in the flora of Azerbaijan during the researches carried out in 2007–2021. Order is represented by a Fabaceae family and 70 genus and 460 species was determined. According to this research, 7 genus (10%) and 13 species (2.83%) belong to the Caesalpinioideae subfamily, 1 genus (1.4%) and 1 species (0.22%) to Cercidoideae subfamily, 62 genus (88.6 %) and 446 species (96.95%) belong to the Faboideae subfamilies It became clear during the research that species composition of the Fabales order in the flora of Azerbaijan consists mainly of plants belonging to the Fabaceae family. The compilation of the flora conspectus of the Fabales order has scientific and practical importance in terms of preserving and increasing the number of species belonging to the order in the flora of Azerbaijan, especially its endangered representatives.

Main Index

Biodiversity Journal 2024, 15 (1): 1-110