Naturalization and spread of the alien species Ozognathus cornutus (LeConte, 1859) (Coleoptera: Ptinidae: Ernobiinae) in Italy

Ozognathus cornutus (LeConte, 1859) (Coleoptera: Ptinidae: Ernobiinae), species native to North America, is a saproxylophagous species and is known to feed on decaying tissues within conspicuous galls and on vegetal decaying organic material such as dried fruits or small wood shavings and insect excrements in galleries made by other woodboring species. A few years after the first record in 2011, its naturalization in Italy is here reported. The insect was found as successor in galls of Psectrosema tamaricis (Diptera Cecidomyiidae), Plagiotrochus gallaeramulorum, Andricus multiplicatus and Synophrus politus (Hymenoptera Cynipidae). The galls seem to have played an important ecological role in speeding up the naturalization process. The lowest proportion of galls used by O. cornutus was recorded for P. tamaricis (23%), the only host belonging to Cecidomyiidae, while the percentages recorded for the other host species, all Cynipidae forming galls on oaks, were higher: 43.6%, 61.1% and 76.9% in A multiplicatus, S. politus and P. gallaeramulorum, respectively. Although O. cornutus is able to exploit other substrates like dried fruits and vegetables, for which it could represent a potential pest, it prefers to live as a successor in woody and conspicuous galls, which thus can represent a sort of natural barrier limiting the possible damages to other substrates

FIRST RECORD IN EUROPE OF SEEDLINGS OF FICUS MACROPHYLLA F. COLUMNARIS (Moraceae) AND OF ITS POLLINATING WASP PLEISTODONTES CF. IMPERIALIS (Chalcidoidea Agaonidae)

Since the first half of the nineteenth century, several Ficus species have been introduced into Italy as ornamental trees throughout urban gardens and along urban roads. Because a relationship with an agaonid wasp is essential for the pollination and consequently for the production of fertile seeds of Ficus spp., the seedlings of other introduced fig species (Ficus microcarpa L. f., Ficus rubiginosa Desf. ex Vent. and Ficus watkinsiana F.M. Bailey) weren’t found in Europe in conjunction with their pollinating wasps until more than a century after the figs’ introduction. This study presents the first recorded observation of Ficus macrophylla f. columnaris (C. Moore) D. J. Dixon seedlings in Europe. The seedlings grew from fertile seeds pollinated by the Agaonid Pleistodontes cf. imperialis. As no other F. macrophylla seedlings have been found in any of the other historical gardens of Palermo where this species is present in spite of the occurrence of mature figs fruits, it is possible that the cracks of the terrace filled with soil and organic material where the plantlets were found could have created favorable microclimatic conditions quite similar to those that characterize the native distri- bution areas of this species

Importance of millipedes (Diplopoda) in the autumn-winter diet of Scolopax rusticola

Authors examined the autumn-winter diet of the woodcock Scolopax rusticola from 407 gizzard samples originating from Crimea and Italy, resulting in a high number of millipedes (Diplopoda) in all the samples; this prey item was particularly important in terms of weight percentage. The authors consider that calcium, highly present in millipedes, should be an important source for the woodcocks\u2019 metabolism during the autumn-winter seasons

Andricus cydoniae Giraud, 1859 Junior Synonym of Cynips coni-fica Hartig, 1843, as Experimentally Demonstrated (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini)

We demonstrated the life cycle closure of Cynips conifica Hartig, 1843 (presently Andricus conifi-cus), previously supposed on the basis of molecular data, and the identity of the sexual genera-tion, through laboratory experiments. As a consequence, Andricus cydoniae Giraud, 1859 became a junior synonym of A. conificus (Hartig, 1843). We provide illustrations and a diagnosis for adults and galls, observations on biology, and information on distribution. Moreover, as sexual galls of A. conificus cannot be distinguished from those of Andricus multiplicatus, a detailed com-parison between sexual galls and adults of these two species is reported

First Record of Leptocybe invasa and Ophelimus maskelli Eucalyptus Gall Wasps in Tunisia

Two Australian gall wasps were detected for the first time in Tunisia on the foliage of Eucalyptus camaldulensis trees. Leptocybe invasa was detected in 2004, while Ophelimus maskelli in 2006. L. invasa makes galls on petioles, leaf midribs and young branches whereas O. maskelli induces galls on limbs. Vigilance is recommended when seedlings are carried to plantation

New records of springtails (Collembola) from Sicily, Italy

Along with some studies on soil fauna in various Sicilian sites, both agricultural lands and typical Mediterranean habitats, particular attention was paid to the Collembolan. Specifc identifcation allowed to assess the occurrence in Sicily of 39 species not previously recorded, belonging to 10 families: Hypogastruridae (six species), Brachystomellidae (one species), Neanuridae (fve species), Onychiuridae (three species), Tullbergiidae (seven species), Isotomidae (nine species), Entomobryidae (three species), Cyphoderidae (one species), Dicyrtomidae (one species), and Katiannidae (one species). Of these 39 species, 21 are new also for Italy. Furthermore, this is the frst record of the genus Doutnatcia Rusek, 1974 for the fauna of Italy. The discovery of such a number of new species for Sicily (i.e. 35 % of those known) and Italy by sampling a limited number of habitats, shows that the knowledge relating to this group of arthropods in Sicily is still very scarce

Melitta schmiedeknechti (Hymenoptera Apoidea, Melittidae), a new species for the fauna of Italy

Melitta schmiedeknechti Friese 1899 is reported for the first time in Italy. The species was collected in two different localities, mainland Sicily and Lampedusa, expanding its known range. Localities and flora visited are reported and, in addition, barcoding of two specimens was carried out

The Embioptera from the Strait of Sicily Islands: first records from Pantelleria and Lampedusa and new data from Lampione (Sicily, Italy)

The occurrence of Embioptera in the Strait of Sicily islands was up to date known only from Lampione (the smallest of the Pelagie islands), where the only species reported was provisionally assigned to Embia ramburi Rimski-Korsakow, 1905. Based on material recently collected by the authors, the presence of Embioptera is here reported for the first time in the Islands of Pantelleria (Sicily, Trapani) and Lampedusa (Sicily, Agrigento). In the Island of Pantelleria the occurrence of the typical small silky tunnels produced by Embioptera has been verified in many sites, from sea level to Montagna Grande (836 m). In many of these sites, several juveniles and some adult or subadult specimens were collected and reared, obtaining an adult male belonging to Cleomia guareschii Stefani, 1953. Moreover, a single adult male of E. ramburi was collected in Lampedusa, the largest of the Pelagian Islands. Finally, the fauna of Embioptera from Lampione remains still poorly known, as it was possible to examine only two females recently collected in the island, and identified as Embia sp

Drammaturgia musicale e altri studi

Numero monografico che raccoglie contributi di neolaureati e giovani studiosi dedicati all'attivit\ue0 musicale a Palermo tra Cinque e Settecento, con notizie inedite ricavate da fonti archivistiche

Do Grapholita funebrana Infestation Rely on Specific Plum Fruit Features?

The effective control of the plum fruit moth, Grapholita funebrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) still represents a difficult challenge for organic plum farming. Little information is available on the susceptibility of plum cultivars to this moth pest. We investigated the roles of several fruit parameters (i.e., shape, volume, hardness, fruit colour, and physiochemical properties) on the susceptibility of four different plum cultivars (Angeleno, Friar, President and Stanley) to G. funebrana attack. Field data demonstrated the importance of some fruit parameters (i.e., elongation index, sugar degree, titratable acidity, cover colour percentage) on susceptibility to G. funebrana infestation. Under laboratory conditions, colour and shape had a significant role in determining the time spent on false fruits, i.e., female moths preferred yellow and rounded fruits over elongated red or green fruits. Angeleno (yellow and rounded fruits) and Stanley (green and elongated fruits) were the most and least susceptible cultivars, respectively. Overall, this study adds useful knowledge about plum cultivar susceptibility to G. funebrana. Information reported here may be useful to improve integrated pest management strategies both in conventional and organic orchards because the use of less susceptible cultivars may reduce insecticidal treatments, limiting the development of resistance in target insects and the harmful side effects on beneficial species