Mammal endemism In Italy: A review

Amori, Giovanni; Castiglia, Riccardo

doi:10.21426/b633035335

Cited by 13 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 47 publications

(62 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Our analyses suggest that the Italian hare seems to be an adaptable species, able to exploit a wide range of ecological resources in different environmental contexts and, often, in sympatry with populations of the European hare. Taking these considerations into account, we speculate that the threats to the status of the species are probably not linked to the lack of habitat, but more likely to ecological competition combined with anthropogenic landscape fragmentation 1 , 5 , 19 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Contribution to the ecology of the Italian hare (Lepus corsicanus)

Buglione

Petrelli

Filippo³

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Italian hare ( Lepus corsicanus ) is endemic to Central-Southern Italy and Sicily, classified as vulnerable due to habitat alterations, low density and fragmented populations and ecological competition with the sympatric European hare ( Lepus europaeus ). Despite this status , only few and local studies have explored its ecological features. We provided some key traits of the ecological niche of the Italian hare as well as its potential distribution in the Italian peninsula. All data derived from genetically validated presences. We generated a habitat suitability model using maximum entropy distribution model for the Italian hare and its main competitor, the European hare. The dietary habits were obtained for the Italian hare with DNA metabarcoding and High-Throughput Sequencing on faecal pellets. The most relevant environmental variables affecting the potential distribution of the Italian hare are shared with the European hare, suggesting a potential competition. The variation in the observed altitudinal distribution is statistically significant between the two species.The diet of the Italian hare all year around includes 344 plant taxa accounted by 62 families. The Fagaceae , Fabaceae , Poaceae , Rosaceae and Solanaceae (counts > 20,000) represented the 90.22% of the total diet. Fabaceae (60.70%) and Fagaceae (67.47%) were the most abundant plant items occurring in the Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter diets, respectively. The Spring/Summer diet showed richness (N = 266) and diversity index values (Shannon: 2.329, Evenness: 0.03858, Equitability: 0.4169) higher than the Autumn/Winter diet (N = 199, Shannon: 1.818, Evenness: 0.03096, Equitability: 0.3435). Our contribution adds important information to broaden the knowledge on the environmental (spatial and trophic) requirements of the Italian hare, representing effective support for fitting management actions in conservation planning.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Italian hare ( Lepus corsicanus ) is an endemism of Central-Southern Italy and Sicily 1 – 5 , and shows a controversial but intriguing evolutionary history. The species was firstly stated as true by 6 , but later it was reconsidered to be a subspecies of the European hare ( L. europaeus ) 7 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contribution to the ecology of the Italian hare (Lepus corsicanus)

Buglione

Petrelli

Filippo³

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Finally, our study further emphasizes the importance of the Mediterranean basin and of Italy in particular as biodiversity hotspots. Accordingly, several other vertebrate taxa show similar high speciation rates in the region, occur in sympatry or in close proximity in Italy [56][57][58][59], and thus deserve further research efforts in the future to properly assess their distribution and conservation status.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In or Out of the Checklist? DNA Barcoding and Distribution Modelling Unveil a New Species of Crocidura Shrew for Italy

et al. 2020

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The genus Crocidura (Eulipotyphla, Soricidae) is the most speciose genus amongst mammals, i.e., it includes the highest number of species. Different species are distinguished by skull morphology, which often prevents the identification of individuals in the field and limits research on these species’ ecology and biology. We combined species distribution models and molecular analyses to assess the distribution of cryptic Crocidura shrews in Italy, confirming the occurrence of the greater white-toothed shrew Crocidura russula in the northwest of the country. The molecular identification ascertained the species’ presence in two distinct Italian regions. Accordingly, species distribution modelling highlighted the occurrence of areas suitable for C. russula in the westernmost part of northern Italy. Our results confirm the role of Italy as a mammal hotspot in the Mediterranean; additionally, they also show the need to include C. russula in Italian faunal checklists. To conclude, we highlight the usefulness of combining different approaches to explore the presence of cryptic species outside their known ranges. Since the similar, smaller C. suaveolens may be displaced by the larger C. russula through competitive exclusion, the latter might be the species actually present where C. suaveolens had been reported previously. A comprehensive and detailed survey is therefore required to assess the current distribution of these species.

show abstract

“…M. savii is distributed throughout continental Italy, whereas M. nebrodensis is reported from Sicily. Amori and Castiglia [2] include M. nebrodensis in the list of Italian endemic species, considering it a separate species, distributed throughout Sicily, with the exclusion of the Etna's slope [3]. M. s. brachycercus, from Calabria (Southern Italy) was at first described as a new subspecies of M. savii and lately considered a valid species based at first on karyological differences and later with an integrative taxonomy approach [4][5][6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long Eared Owls (Asio otus Linnaeus, 1758) as Field-Assistants in an Integrative Taxonomy Survey of a Peculiar Microtus savii (Rodentia, Cricetidae) Population

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Voles from the Genus Microtus are rodents with a subterranean lifestyle. Central Italy is populated by two species of the Genus, the North-Western Microtus savii and the South-Eastern endemic Microtus brachycercus. Although morphometric features able to help distinguish M. savii from M. brachycercus are lacking, a peculiar morphology of the anterior end of the first lower molar is typical, but not exclusive, of M. brachycercus. Since some skulls with a compatible dental morphology were collected from Long-eared owl pellets in Umbria (Central Italy), a genetic assessment was deemed necessary to verify the possible presence of M. brachycercus outside of its known distribution range. Hemimandibles were isolated and used for both genetic and morphometric dental analyses. Despite the fact that this could suggest the presence of a M. brachycercus population, genetic analyses confirmed the species attribution to the M. savii complex, showing peculiar genetic polymorphisms that can either be due to the wide sampling area, represented by the owls’ hunting grounds, or to the recent evolutive history of the analysed population. This study, once again, underlines the importance of integrative taxonomy, suggesting the key role of predators as field-assistants to minimize the impact of sampling campaign on natural populations.

show abstract

Mammal endemism In Italy: A review

Cited by 13 publications

References 47 publications

Contribution to the ecology of the Italian hare (Lepus corsicanus)

Contribution to the ecology of the Italian hare (Lepus corsicanus)

In or Out of the Checklist? DNA Barcoding and Distribution Modelling Unveil a New Species of Crocidura Shrew for Italy

Long Eared Owls (Asio otus Linnaeus, 1758) as Field-Assistants in an Integrative Taxonomy Survey of a Peculiar Microtus savii (Rodentia, Cricetidae) Population

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About