Natural History Sciences

Erratum. First documented observation of differential dorsoventral coat colouration in wild boar Sus scrofa (Artyodactyla: Suidae) in Italy

Francesco Gallozzi — 2024-05-07

This erratum corrects the article published in Natural History Sciences, 11 (1): 71-72, 2024 (DOI: 10.4081/nhs.2024.721).

[On the origin of the name Girifalco, an Italian town in a hotspot of the autumn migration of soaring raptors]

Nicolantonio Agostini — 2024-06-27

In this article, a hypothesis is suggested on the origin of the name Girifalco, a small town in the Calabrian Apennines (southern continental Italy), located along an important flyway of raptors migrating through the Central Mediterranean. In particular, the name could derive from the late ancient/medieval Latin terms gyro and falco, the circling hawk, which perfectly describes the flight of migrating birds of prey passing in late summer over the town, during the exploitation of thermal currents. There, large groups of migrating birds of prey can be observed circling right above "Pietra dei Monaci", the place where the first nucleus of the modern Calabrian town arose.

[Article in Italian]

Farther inland invasion of Finlayson’s squirrel Callosciurus finlaysonii (Horsfield 1823) poses a new conservation challenge for the endemic near threatened Calabrian black squirrel Sciurus meridionalis Lucifero 1907 (Rodentia: Sciuridae)

Orlando Gallo — 2024-06-27

Understanding both native and non-native species ecology, including their distribution and interaction, is crucial for making informed decisions on conservation and management strategies, particularly for endemic threatened species. In this study, we report an update on the non-native Finlayson’s squirrel Callosciurus finlaysonii invasion of southernmost Campania (Italy), where the species is rapidly expanding its range towards inland areas. Our observational data confirmed the pattern of invasion for the Finlayson’s squirrel, extending the species presence ten kilometres furtherly inland than what it was reported before. Here, we also collected the first evidence of black morph squirrels’ occurrence potentially attributable to the Calabrian black squirrel Sciurus meridionalis, a near threatened and little studied tree squirrel endemic of southern Italy. As a habitat of good quality, the area of potential new presence for this endemic squirrel represents an ecological corridor possibly enhancing individual dispersal from the neighbouring region into new suitable areas. However, due to the invasion of Finlayson’s squirrel, the two species likely became sympatric here, with endemic squirrels possibly suffering the competing effect of the alien species. We highlighted the importance of in-depth studies, including genetic surveys, to better understand the occurrence and ecology of the Calabrian black squirrel outside its historical range, and to plan effective control actions to prevent further expansion of the Finlayson’s squirrels.

Camera traps equipped with macro lenses as a tool for monitoring arboreal small mammals: a case study in an agroecosystem (NE Italy)

Alessandro Nardotto — 2024-06-26

Despite their increasing use, camera traps as a monitoring tool for arboreal small mammals leave room for further improvements to increase their effectiveness. In the summer of 2023, we conducted a small mammal survey in a wooded area of a lowland agroecosystem in the Veneto region, using standard camera traps equipped with macro lenses for close-up shooting. This camera trap technique made it possible to contact three species of small mammals in the tree-shrub layer: Eurasian red squirrel Sciurus vulgaris, wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus, and black rat Rattus rattus. The use of macro lenses combined with the standard camera trapping technique made it possible to obtain better quality images and more information even on smaller species compared to more traditional camera traps.

Three new species for the odonatofauna of Piedmont (NW Italy)

Lorenza Piretta — 2024-06-26

Between 2020 and 2023, three new species of Odonates were recorded in Piedmont (NW Italy). Lestes barbarus was observed at an artificial wetland in the Turin Plain in 2021. Even though at least one individual was fresh, we cannot conclude that the species developed at the site. Subsequent visits did not permit to confirm the species. Coenagrion hastulatum was discovered at a peat bog in the NW Alps (Lac Falin, Valle di Viù) in 2023 and here reproduction was confirmed. This population is the fifth to be recorded for the central and western Italian Alps. Trithemis annulata was first recorded in Piedmont in July 2020, and subsequently, the observations of the species in the region rapidly increased, with a total of 66 records relative to 29 sites up to the end of 2023. These are distributed in most of the low-altitude areas of the region. The species was reported mostly in late summer, with only one site where the early spring records suggest successful overwintering. However, this needs further confirmation. The odonate list of Piedmont now accounts for 70 species, representing 73.6% of the taxa reported for Italy, and this makes Piedmont, along with Lombardy, the most odonate-rich region of Italy.

Found but lost? The short-lived success of Crataegus coccinea L. (Rosales: Rosaceae) in north-eastern Sicily (Italy)

Salvatore Pasta — 2024-06-24

Two exsiccata sampled at the end of the 19th century, and wrongly identified as Pyrus torminalis or Sorbus torminalis in the herbarium of Francesco Tornabene at Catania, belonged to a woody species never reported to occur in Sicily, Crataegus coccinea. This hawthorn, native to eastern North America, grew in two different sites located on the foothills of Mt. Etna. These records are of interest because they represent the first and only ones concerning the occurrence of this species outside botanic gardens in southern Europe. Never observed by the botanists who explored Sicily over the following 130 years, C. coccinea has probably experienced a short period of success as an ornamental plant cultivated in public and private gardens. The available information does not allow us to establish with certainty whether this species was fully naturalised in the Etnean territory in the past or not. C. coccinea should therefore be regarded as a dubious alien plant for Sicily. In the following decades this hawthorn was unable to become established, probably because of the severe constraints of fully Mediterranean climatic conditions.

A new record of the rare Hypleurochilus bananensis (Poll 1959) (Actinopterygii: Blenniidae) with a review of its distribution and ecology in Italian seas

Francesco Tiralongo — 2024-04-17

This study documents the presence of Hypleurochilus bananensis in a new area within the Tyrrhenian Sea, located about 30 km south of the closest occurrence locality known to date. Providing novel insights into its habitat, the observations here reported, at “Caterina Beach” (Sant’Agnello) on 29th and 30th December 2023, revealed the presence of four individuals close to a port beach area, in an artificial habitat represented by rusted iron pipes. These findings contribute valuable data to the limited knowledge on this rare species, providing new distributional and habitat notes.

A Eurasian otter Lutra lutra (Linnaeus 1758) (Carnivora: Mustelidae) in the Tiber basin near Rome: relict or range expansion?

Francesco Cervoni — 2024-06-25

The Eurasian otter Lutra lutra faced a significant decline in Italy during the 20th century, leading to local extinctions. After fifty years of otter disappearance from the Tiber basin, this study documents a sighting near Rome, obtained during a long-term trail camera monitoring. The study area, Rio Moscio, offers a habitat rich in hygrophilous vegetation and diverse fauna, including other protected species such as the Italian wolf, the European wildcat, and the European polecat. The observed otter could either mark a potential range expansion or could challenge the presumed extinctions in this region, since it could be in dispersal from the closer known populations or an individual from a Tiber basin relict population. The study emphasises the need for continued monitoring and prompt future genetic analyses to obtain necessary insights for conserving otters in Central Italy.

Antecedent description and depiction of the recently described cetacean behaviour of trap/tread-water feeding inferred from a nineteenth-century sighting of a ‘sea monster’ in the Gulf of Suez, Egypt

Robert L. France — 2024-04-17

In 2017 and 2018, two groups of biologists published papers in which they independently described what was referred to as a ‘novel’ or ‘new’ feeding behaviour for cetaceans. Called ‘trap’ or ‘tread-water’ feeding, the behaviour was of interest as it was the first time that passive or stationary in contrast to lunge, and vertical as opposed to horizontal position, feeding had been observed by whales. A subsequent historical ecology paper suggested that the recently described behaviour had in fact been previously observed and documented by illustrators and writers in Classical Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Because yesterday’s ‘sea monsters’ are today’s megafauna, recounted sightings of the former can provide early insight into whale behaviour. One such example is an 19th century sighting of a ‘sea monster’ in the Gulf of Suez, whose description and illustration are nearly identical to modern scientific reporting of whales engaged in trap/tread-water feeding. Such concordance is further evidence in support of a historical precedence with respect to observing and documenting this behaviour.

Gone with the wind? Condica capensis (Guenée 1852), a migrant species new for Italy (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Giuseppe Rijllo — 2024-04-17

Pushed by southern winds, many Lepidoptera can fly from the sub-Saharan region to Sicily or Calabria in a short time. Thanks to a long-term monitoring program, we found for the first time in Italy a migrating specimen of Condica capensis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). This finding is likely linked to the strong winds blowing from North Africa just before the collection of the specimen. Condica capensis is considered to be a migrant to the European continent except for Spain, where it is resident. It is found across Africa, the Indian subcontinent, South-East Asia, and Australia.