Pojava parazita Otodistomum veliporum u štrcalu morskog psa drkovne (Dalatias licha)

The presence of the digenean Otodistomum veliporum is reported here for the first time as a parasite in the spiracle of a Mediterranean specimen of the kitefin shark Dalatias licha.Prvi put je zabilježena u znanstvenoj literaturi prisutnost parazita Otodistomum veliporum u štrcalu morskog psa drkovne Dalatias licha

High levels of prevalence related to age and body condition: host-parasite interactions in a water frog Pelophylax kl. hispanicus

Host traits can significantly influence patterns of infection and disease. Here, we studied the helminths parasitizing the Italian edible frog Pelophylax kl. hispanicus, giving special attention to the relationship between parasites and host traits such as sex, snout vent length, weight and body condition. The helminth community was composed of seven species: three trematode species (Diplodiscus subclavatus, Gorgodera cygnoides, Pleurogenes claviger), three nematode species (Icosiella neglecta, Oswaldocruzia filiformis, Rhabdias sp.) and one acanthocephalan species (Pomphorhychus laevis ). We found that prevalence was positively correlated with snout-vent length and weight, but did not differ with body condition or sex. We found that prevalence and mean species richness increased with age. Our results show that abundance of Icosiella neglecta was positively correlated with higher values for host body condition. In fact, we found that high prevalence and mean species richness do not necessarily imply poorer body condition in the parasitized host. In conclusion, our results show that the helminth community in this taxon has great diversity, and this host-parasite system seems to be evolved to low levels of virulence, helminths maintaining a commensal relationship with this frog.his research was carried out with the approval of the “Ministero dell’Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio (Direzione per la Protezione della Natura)”, permit number 2004/30911

Helminth communities of wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) on the river Avena (Calabria, southern Italy)

Helminth parasites of woodmouse Apodemus sylvaticus were studied from May 1993 through to June 1994 on the River Avena (Calabria, southern Italy), which, as other Mediterranenan rivers, is dry for most of the year. Trapping sites were located in three different habitats of the river: slopes, shores and the riverbed. A total of 106 animals was captured and screened for the presence of helminths. Five endoparasitic species were detected: Corrigia vitta, Rictularia proni, Heligmosomoides polygyrus, Syphacia stroma and S. frederici. Four helminth species were recorded from the riverbed and shore sections, whereas only H. polygyrus and S. frederici were found on the slopes. Syphacia frederici occurred at every trapping site. The total prevalence was 25.5% and total mean intensity was 27.2 parasites/mouse. No statistical significant difference was found for both the prevalence and mean intensity of infection between either habitats or sexes, suggesting that, from the point of view of the helminth community, the study area should be considered as a single habitat

Prvi dokumentirani zapis o Tetragonurus cuvieri Risso, 1810. (Perciformes, Stromatoidea) duž kalabrijskih obala (Južna Italija, Središnji Mediteran)

The first record of Tetragonurus cuvieri Risso, 1810 off Calabrian coast (Southern Italy, Central Mediterranean) is reported. The specimen, a male of 361 mm total length, was found at a depth of 7 m during a scientific visual census research activity, in March 2017. The sighting was located off the Tyrrhenian coast of Calabria (Paola: 39.355453N, 16.029192E). The present finding represents the 1st documented record for the Tyrrhenian coast of the Calabria region.Objavljen je prvi podatak o Tetragonurus cuvieri Risso, 1810. godine u blizini kalabrijske obale (Južna Italija, Središnji Mediteran). Primjerak mužjaka ukupne dužine 361 mm, pronađen je na dubini od 7 m, u ožujku 2017. godine u blizini Tirenske obale Calabrie (Paola: 39.355453N, 16.029192E). Ovaj nalaz predstavlja prvi dokumentirani zapis za Tirensku obalu pokrajine Calabria

Spatiotemporal patterns of distribution of large predatory sharks in Calabria (central Mediterranean, southern Italy)

During the 2000-2009, a survey study on the spatiotemporal patterns of distribution of large predatory sharks was carried out in the Calabria region. A total of 12 species were recorded and among them the blue shark Prionace glauca and the bluntnose sixgill shark Hexanchus griseus were the most common ones. Also of interest was the frequency of species such as Carcharodon carcharias, Sphyrna zygaena and Cetorhinus maximus. 57% of all reported records derived from the Tyrrhenian side of the region and 43% on the Ionian side. A significant relationship between season of the year versus number of records was found, but this could be related to the small number of observers that were active during the winter months. The presence of Sphyrna lewini is reported for the study area; this species was previously recorded only in the western part of the Mediterranean Sea. This paper also provides evidence of the second and first documented accounts of white shark predation upon Tursiops truncatus and Stenella coeruleoalba, respectively, in the Mediterranean Sea. The recover ing of Ionian Sphyrna zygaena populations and the declining of Lamna nasus populations were also noted

An updated checklist of chondrichthyans of Calabria (Central Mediterranean, southern Italy), with emphasis on rare species

In this contribution the checklist of chondrichthyans of Calabria (Central Mediterranean, southern Italy) is reported. Data presented is derived from twenty years of opportunistic and active surveys from 2000 to 2020. A total of 55 species of chondrichthyans is present in Calabrian seas: 33 sharks, 20 rays, and 2 chimaeras. These species represent approximately 62% of the total reported for the Mediterranean. Approximately 71% of Calabrian species have been reported in the Tyrrhenian Sea, 49% in the Ionian Sea, and 33% in the Strait of Messina. According to IUCN criteria, new records of Endangered and Critically Endangered species (i.e., Carcahrodon carcharias [Linnaeus, 1758], Lamna nasus [Bonnaterre, 1788], Cetorhinus maximus [Gunnerus, 1765], Mobula mobular [Bonnaterre, 1788], Sphyrna zygaena [Linnaeus, 1758]) are reported, together with the first record of Raya brachyura Lafont, 1873 for the Ionian coasts and probably third confirmed record of the rare chimaera Hydrolagus mirabilis (Collett, 1904) for the Mediterranean

Lo stato delle conoscenze su Insettivori e Roditori della Basilicata

I pochi dati disponibili per ristrette aree o desumibili da lavori di sintesi e/o su singole specie, fanno della Basilicata una delle regioni con maggiori carenze di informazioni sulla teriofauna. È stata intrapresa una indagine, ancora in corso, volta ad ampliare le conoscenze sulla distribuzione di Insettivori e Roditori nella regione. I metodi utilizzati comprendono l'analisi del contenuto delle borre di rapaci, trappolamenti, avvistamenti e tracce. I dati sono inseriti nella ?Banca dati per la mammalofauna della Calabria e della Lucania? che consente la restituzione cartografica su una maglia U.T.M. di 10 x10 Km. In base ai dati attualmente disponibili (N= 2154, da 0 e 1300 m s.l.m.), il grado di esplorazione della regione appare molto basso, infatti, solo il 24% circa dei quadranti che compongono la regione presentano almeno un dato. Le specie di Insettivori e Roditori sino ad ora rinvenute sono: <em>Erinaceus europaeus</em>, <em>Sorex minutus</em>, <em>S. antinorii</em>, <em>S. samniticus</em>, <em>Neomys anomalus</em>, <em>Suncus etruscus</em>, <em>Crocidura leucodon</em>, <em>C. suaveolens</em>, <em>Talpa romana</em>, <em>T. caeca</em>, <em>Sciurus vulgaris</em>, <em>Eliomys quercinus</em>, <em>Dryomys nitedula</em>, <em>Glis glis</em>, <em>Muscardinus avellanarius</em>, <em>Clethrionomys glareolus</em>, <em>Microtus savii</em>, <em>Apodemus flavicollis</em>, <em>A. sylvaticus</em>, <em>Mus domesticus</em>, <em>Rattus rattus</em>, <em>R. norvegicus</em>, <em>Hystrix cristata</em>. Tra quelle note per il sud Italia mancano dati concreti solo di <em>Arvicola terrestris</em> (da attribuire, però, certamente solo a carenza di dati, essendo accertata la sua presenza nelle aree limitrofe e data l?ecologia della specie) e non si conoscono popolazioni stabili di <em>Myocastor coypus</em> (per la tipologia dei corsi d?acqua della regione che, come in tutto il meridione d?Italia, non ne favorisce l?insediamento se non in maniera puntiforme e in aree di estensione limitata). Di grande interesse, per le notevoli implicazioni ambientali che ne potrebbero derivare, è la presenza di una popolazione di <em>Callosciurus</em> sp. (Aloise <em>et. al.</em>, questo convegno) presente sul tratto di costa di Maratea (PZ)

Helminth communities of wood mouse (<em>Apodemus sylvaticus</em>) on the river Avena (Calabria, southern Italy)

Helminth parasites of woodmouse <em>Apodemus sylvaticus</em> were studied from May 1993 through to June 1994 on the River Avena (Calabria, southern Italy), which, as other Mediterranenan rivers, is dry for most of the year. Trapping sites were located in three different habitats of the river: slopes, shores and the riverbed. A total of 106 animals was captured and screened for the presence of helminths. Five endoparasitic species were detected: <em>Corrigia vitta</em>, <em>Rictularia proni</em>, <em>Heligmosomoides polygyrus</em>, <em>Syphacia stroma</em> and <em>S. frederici</em>. Four helminth species were recorded from the riverbed and shore sections, whereas only <em>H. polygyrus</em> and <em>S. frederici</em> were found on the slopes. <em>Syphacia frederici</em> occurred at every trapping site. The total prevalence was 25.5% and total mean intensity was 27.2 parasites/mouse. No statistical significant difference was found for both the prevalence and mean intensity of infection between either habitats or sexes, suggesting that, from the point of view of the helminth community, the study area should be considered as a single habitat

Is trace element concentration correlated to parasite abundance? A case study in a population of the green frog Pelophylax synkl. hispanicus from the Neto River (Calabria, southern Italy)

Bioaccumulation of 13 trace elements in the livers of 38 Pelophylax sinkl. hispanicus (Ranidae) and its helminth communities were studied and compared among three sites, each with a different degree of pollution along River Neto (south Italy) during September, 2014. Trace element concentrations in water and liver were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. For most elements, the highest concentration was recorded in the frogs inhabiting the third site, the one with the highest degree of pollution. The trend of trace element concentration in the liver can be represented as follows: Cu > Zn > Mn > Se > Cr. Concentrations of some elements in water and liver samples were significantly different among the three sites and this is evidenced by the bioaccumulation in the frogs. Four species of helminths, all belonging to Nematoda, were found: Rhabdias sp., Oswaldocruzia filiformis (Goeze, 1782), Cosmocerca ornata (Dujarden, 1845), Seuratascaris numidica (Seurat, 1917). The parasite survey presents an important difference of prevalence and average number of helminths in frogs between the three sites. Correlating parasitological and ecotoxicological data showed a strong positive correlation between prevalence and number of parasites with some trace elements such as Mn, Co, Ni, As, Se, and Cd

Helminth communities of wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) on the river Avena (Calabria, southern Italy)

Helminth parasites of woodmouse Apodemus sylvaticus were studied from May 1993 through to June 1994 on the River Avena (Calabria, southern Italy), which, as other Mediterranenan rivers, is dry for most of the year. Trapping sites were located in three different habitats of the river: slopes, shores and the riverbed. A total of 106 animals was captured and screened for the presence of helminths. Five endoparasitic species were detected: Corrigia vitta, Rictularia proni, Heligmosomoides polygyrus, Syphacia stroma and S. frederici. Four helminth species were recorded from the riverbed and shore sections, whereas only H. polygyrus and S. frederici were found on the slopes. Syphacia frederici occurred at every trapping site. The total prevalence was 25.5% and total mean intensity was 27.2 parasites/mouse. No statistical significant difference was found for both the prevalence and mean intensity of infection between either habitats or sexes, suggesting that, from the point of view of the helminth community, the study area should be considered as a single habitat