- Wilderness studi ambientali, via cruillas 27, 90146 Palermo, Italy
- C. S. Rafinesque, History of Science, Marine Biology and Fisheries, Ichthyology, Bats (Mammalogy), Herpetology, and 18 moreMalacology, Museology, Museum Collection history, Exhibition, Museum, Expositions and Worlds Fairs, Speleobiology, Biogeography, Fisheries, Fishes, Artisanal Fisheries, Marine Biology, Zooarchaeology, Archaeozoology, Sharks, Elasmobranchs, Skates, Identification Guide, Exotic Species, and Hystrix cristataedit
A recently discovered fish specimen representing the family Diodontidae has been documented in the waters off Mazara del Vallo in southwest Sicily, Italy. A detailed description of the morphological and meristic characteristics of the... more
A recently discovered fish specimen representing the family Diodontidae has been documented in the waters off Mazara del Vallo in southwest Sicily, Italy. A detailed description of the morphological and meristic characteristics of the specimen is reported. Molecular identification was performed through sequence analysis of the Cytochrome Oxidase subunit I (COI). The specimen was identified as Chilomycterus reticulatus (Linnaeus, 1758) both morphologically and genetically. The finding marks the third confirmed record of Chilomycterus reticulatus in the Mediterranean Sea and Italian waters. The significance of the presence of this uncommon fish in the basin is briefly discussed, shedding light on its occurrence and potential implications.
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This study investigates the distribution and morphometrics of the little sleeper shark, Somniosus rostratus (Risso, 1827), in the Mediterranean Sea. Ten sharks caught as bycatch between 2009 and 2019 in the northern sectors of the Strait... more
This study investigates the distribution and morphometrics of the little sleeper shark, Somniosus rostratus (Risso, 1827), in the Mediterranean Sea. Ten sharks caught as bycatch between 2009 and 2019 in the northern sectors of the Strait of Sicily, the south Tyrrhenian Sea, the northwestern Ionian Sea, and the south Adriatic Sea using drifting longlines, as well as five retrieved from the Tripoli (Libya) marketplace, were morphologically confirmed to represent S. rostratus. The sharks exhibited typical characteristics for this species and were all caught from deep waters, indicating a potential mesopelagic habit. The study also utilized literature reviews and global databases for a comprehensive mapping of S. rostratus distribution in the Mediterranean Sea, which revealed sporadic occurrences in the eastern Mediterranean and an absence in the north Adriatic Sea. Morphometric data provided insights into the reproductive characteristics of S. rostratus. The study highlights the ecological significance of the Strait of Sicily (Central Mediterranean Sea) for the species, indicating it as a likely spawning area, and underscores the impact of the interactions between sharks and pelagic drifting swordfish fisheries in the Mediterranean, which result in increased mortality rates for threatened shark and ray species. Prioritizing conservation measures for endangered elasmobranch populations is crucial for maintaining marine ecosystem balance and ensuring fishery resource sustainability.
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... Citazione: LILLO F, MARRONE F, SICILIA A, CASTELLI G., & ZAVA B (2005). An invasive population of Xenopus laevis (Daudin, 1802) in Italy. HERPETOZOA, 18(1/2), 63-64. Autori: LILLO F; MARRONE F; SICILIA A; CASTELLI G; ZAVA B. ...
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Research Interests: Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Cytotoxicity, and 15 moreDNA damage, Bivalvia, Applied, Organotin Compounds, Animals, Male, In Vivo, Chromosome, Amoxicillin, Solutions, Ampicillin, Inorganic Biochemistry, Structure activity Relationship, Rutilus, and Chromosomes
The three sympatric angel shark species occurring in the Mediterranean – Squatina squatina (the angelshark), Squatina aculeata (the sawback angelshark), and Squatina oculata (the smoothback angelshark) – are all classed as Critically... more
The three sympatric angel shark species occurring in the Mediterranean – Squatina squatina (the angelshark), Squatina aculeata (the sawback angelshark), and Squatina oculata (the smoothback angelshark) – are all classed as Critically Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. There is a clear need to better quantify their current status, using appropriate non‐destructive methods, to help inform future conservation measures. This study introduces an environmental DNA (eDNA) assay able to detect and distinguish S. aculeata, S. oculata, and S. squatina in the Mediterranean Sea by combining probe‐based quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technology and Sanger sequencing. The assay targets a 173‐bp barcode in the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene. It was tested in silico, in vitro on tissue‐extracted DNA, and on eDNA extracted from filtration samples. This genus‐specific assay was applied to detect the presence of S. squatina...
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The findings of Notospermus geniculatus from Sicily in 2019 and 2020 and from Rhodes Island in 2008 are documented, extending knowledge concerning the distribution of this ribbon worm in the Mediterranean basin. Key words: Nemertea,... more
The findings of Notospermus geniculatus from Sicily in 2019 and 2020 and from Rhodes Island in 2008 are documented, extending knowledge concerning the distribution of this ribbon worm in the Mediterranean basin. Key words: Nemertea, Notospermus geniculatus, Distribution, Sicily, Rhodes, Mediterranean Sea
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The introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS) has been pointed out as a major threat to biodiversity. NIS may in time become invasive (i.e. invasive alien species \u201cIAS\u201d) and may cause biodiversity loss and ecosystem service... more
The introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS) has been pointed out as a major threat to biodiversity. NIS may in time become invasive (i.e. invasive alien species \u201cIAS\u201d) and may cause biodiversity loss and ecosystem service changes. In the Mediterranean Sea, due to multiple human-borne stressors, the number of recorded NIS has currently reached a number around 1000 NIS. Sicily and its surrounding islands, also including a high number of Marine Protected Area (MPAs), as a consequence of their geographic position and the intense maritime traffic volumes, including fisheries and recreational \ufb02eets that foster the introduction of marine alien species, is a region particularly vulnerable and prone to NIS invasions. Since frontiers do not exist in the sea, biological invasions may severely a\ufb00ect MPAs, whose major aim is biodiversity conservation, because they are also located in proximity to ports and marinas or are frequently used by small recreational or fishing boats as well as tourists. Assessing e\ufb00ects that IAS have on MPAs is crucial for planning suitable management activities which also require sound knowledge of the pathways of introduction, the impact and current distribution of IAS. Therefore, the distribution, pathways and spread dynamics of invasive taxa recorded till now in Sicilian MPAs, based on relevant publications, grey literature, unpublished data and in situ observations, is presented here and discussed. Altogether, 18 alien and 3 cryptogenic species have been recorded from Sicilian MPAs. Unexpectedly, even though in the southern coast of Sicily the maritime traffic is more intense, the MPAs located in the north-western coast of Sicily (Egadi Islands MPA with 19 species and Ustica Island with 7 species) are the most affected by this phenomenon. The creation of permanent observatories and alarm systems might be an effective tool in the management of present and future introductions of NIS in MPAs
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Research Interests: Geography and Humanities
In November 2015 an immature male individual of great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias (Linnaeus 1758), was caught as by-catch by a bottom trawler in the Strait of Sicily, in the Central Mediterranean Sea. The shark, reaching 266 cm in... more
In November 2015 an immature male individual of great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias (Linnaeus 1758), was caught as by-catch by a bottom trawler in the Strait of Sicily, in the Central Mediterranean Sea. The shark, reaching 266 cm in length and weighing 290 Kg, was identified and measured by means of a video provided by fishers. This record is discussed considering the available information on the presence of the great white shark in the area and confirms the importance of the Strait of Sicily for the conservation of this vulnerable species.
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Two specimens of the uncommon calappid crab Calappa tuerkayana Pastore, 1995 are reported from the central Mediterranean. One juvenile individual was caught in a trawl net at about 105 m depth on a detritus bottom, and one adult male was... more
Two specimens of the uncommon calappid crab Calappa tuerkayana Pastore, 1995 are reported from the central Mediterranean. One juvenile individual was caught in a trawl net at about 105 m depth on a detritus bottom, and one adult male was caught in a trammel net at 50 m depth in a similar habitat. Details about carapace ornamentation and fresh color of the adult, which complement previous descriptions are provided. Family Calappidae includes four species in the Mediterranean Sea. C. tuerkayana has been recorded a few times from its known geographic range. These are the southernmost records to date.
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Research Interests: Geography and Supermatrix
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All three species of angelsharks that inhabit the Mediterranean Sea, Squatina aculeata Cuvier, 1829; Squatina oculata Bonaparte, 1840; and Squatina squatina (Linnaeus, 1758), are classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of... more
All three species of angelsharks that inhabit the Mediterranean Sea, Squatina aculeata Cuvier, 1829; Squatina oculata Bonaparte, 1840; and Squatina squatina (Linnaeus, 1758), are classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, since their populations have suffered severe decline and range reduction, mainly due to fishing pressure. The presently reported study aims to further update records of S. aculeata and S. oculata in the basin in order to achieve a clearer picture of their current status and geographical distribution. In this way, we were able to add a contribution to our knowledge about their biological characteristics. Records on the incidental capture and observation of specimens of S. aculeata and S. oculata between 2005 and 2022 were collected through the input of alerted professional fishermen, fisher amateurs, and specialist observers on fishery landings or on board in the context of specific surveying programs as well as of citizens’ scie...
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On March 25, 2022, one specimen of the Sohal surgeonfish Acanthurus sohal and one of the Violet-eyed swimming crab Carupa tenuipes were collected for the first time off the north coastline of Egypt and Libya, respectively. The native... more
On March 25, 2022, one specimen of the Sohal surgeonfish Acanthurus sohal and one of the Violet-eyed swimming crab Carupa tenuipes were collected for the first time off the north coastline of Egypt and Libya, respectively. The native range of both species includes the Red Sea, and here, they are reported for the first time from the southern Mediterranean Sea. The second record of the Lessepsian migrant Pteragogus trispilus from Libyan waters, also caught on March 25, 2022, is furthermore included.
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Here, we report the recent capture (October, November 2021) of the following three non-indigenous species (NIS) from the Indo-Pacific in the Mediterranean Sea: the fishes Naso annulatus and Scatophagus argus and the brachyuran Charybdis... more
Here, we report the recent capture (October, November 2021) of the following three non-indigenous species (NIS) from the Indo-Pacific in the Mediterranean Sea: the fishes Naso annulatus and Scatophagus argus and the brachyuran Charybdis (Charybdis) natator. The record of the white margin unicorn fish N. annulatus from the island of Malta represents the first for this species from the basin. Both the spotted scat S. argus and the ridged swimming crab C. natator were found in Egyptian waters, in localities significantly far from ones previously reported. Possible vectors of introduction for these three NIS to the Mediterranean locations in question include Lessepsian migration, ship-mediated transport, aquarium release, and are briefly discussed.
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Four juveniles of Squatina oculata, ranging between 291 and 564 mm total length, were caught on September 2007 by a bottom trawler in the coastal waters of the Strait of Sicily. Due to the rarity of such species, main biometrics are... more
Four juveniles of Squatina oculata, ranging between 291 and 564 mm total length, were caught on September 2007 by a bottom trawler in the coastal waters of the Strait of Sicily. Due to the rarity of such species, main biometrics are given. The size of the specimens suggests that all fish are juveniles, with one of them having size close to that at birth. These findings suggested that this "critically endangered" species is still able to reproduce off the southern coast of Sicily.
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All three species of angelsharks that inhabit the Mediterranean Sea, Squatina aculeata Cuvier, 1829; Squatina oculata Bonaparte, 1840; and Squatina squatina (Linnaeus, 1758), are classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of... more
All three species of angelsharks that inhabit the Mediterranean Sea, Squatina aculeata Cuvier, 1829; Squatina oculata Bonaparte, 1840; and Squatina squatina (Linnaeus, 1758), are classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, since their populations have suffered severe decline and range reduction, mainly due to fishing pressure. The presently reported study aims to further update records of S. aculeata and S. oculata in the basin in order to achieve a clearer picture of their current status and geographical distribution. In this way, we were able to add a contribution to our knowledge about their biological characteristics. Records on the incidental capture and observation of specimens of S. aculeata and S. oculata between 2005 and 2022 were collected through the input of alerted professional fishermen, fisher amateurs, and specialist observers on fishery landings or on board in the context of specific surveying programs as well as of citizens' science initiatives. Biological characters such as total length, total weight, sex, and maturity were determined whenever possible. A total of 18 S. aculeata and 34 S. oculata specimens were recorded. Data corroborate the current occurrence, which is almost rare, of these two Critically Endangered elasmobranchs from the central to the east part of the basin, revealing furthermore the presence of S. aculeata in Sardinian waters, in the western part of the basin. Data document the important habitats for both species existing in the Strait of Sicily, especially in the area around Malta, and confirm the occurrence of S. aculeata in the southern Aegean Sea. The current presence of both species is also established in Mediterranean Egyptian waters. Our study suggests the urgent need for a wider application and/or reinforcement of existing protection measures for these angelshark species and their habitat, including populations of the southern Mediterranean waters.
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The invasive portunid species Callinectes sapidus is hereby recorded for the first time from Maltese waters, thus updating the known distribution of this decapod of Atlantic origin within the Mediterranean. Potential introduction pathways... more
The invasive portunid species Callinectes sapidus is hereby recorded for the first time from Maltese waters, thus updating the known distribution of this decapod of Atlantic origin within the Mediterranean. Potential introduction pathways of the species to Maltese waters are discussed.
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an evaluation of the coastal fish assemblages present in sicilian waters colonized by the alienaulerpa taxifolia, �. racemosa and the authoctonous �. prolifera was carried out in late summer 2004. a total of 28 species, representing 8... more
an evaluation of the coastal fish assemblages present in sicilian waters colonized by the alienaulerpa taxifolia, �. racemosa and the authoctonous �. prolifera was carried out in late summer 2004. a total of 28 species, representing 8 families, for a total of 1298 individuals, were recorded. results demonstrated that the fish assemblage of the location colonized by �. taxfiolia significantly differed from those covered by �. racemosa and �. prolifera.
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The first occurrence of Diadema setosum in the southern Mediterranean waters is recorded from the shores of Libya and Egypt, through the input by citizens' science. The expansion of this invasive sea urchin in the Mediterranean... more
The first occurrence of Diadema setosum in the southern Mediterranean waters is recorded from the shores of Libya and Egypt, through the input by citizens' science. The expansion of this invasive sea urchin in the Mediterranean basin is briefly discussed.
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The occurrence of the pharaoh cardinalfish, Apogonichthyoides pharaonis (Bellotti, 1874), is documented for the first time from the Libyan waters, after two subsequent findings reported in September and November 2020 in the far eastern... more
The occurrence of the pharaoh cardinalfish, Apogonichthyoides pharaonis (Bellotti, 1874), is documented for the first time from the Libyan waters, after two subsequent findings reported in September and November 2020 in the far eastern region of the country. The location of these findings represents the westernmost area of distribution in the southern Mediterranean for this species, which has the western Indian Ocean and Red Sea origin and which entered into the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal.
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The first finding of Halyomorpha halys in the island of Rhodes, Greece, is reported and the fast range expansion of this invasive species over the Aegean region is briefly discussed.
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An adult of Acanthurus xanthopterus Valenciennes, 1835 was caught in the waters off Alexandria, Egypt, in August 2021, through spearfishing. This finding documents the first occurrence of the species in the Mediterranean basin.... more
An adult of Acanthurus xanthopterus Valenciennes, 1835 was caught in the waters off Alexandria, Egypt, in August 2021, through spearfishing. This finding documents the first occurrence of the species in the Mediterranean basin. Description of the specimen, morphometric measurements and meristic characters are given. The yellowfin surgeonfish is widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific region, absent in the Red Sea and it is a popular aquarium fish. Potential routes of introduction of the species into the Mediterranean are briefly discussed.
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Carolus Linnaeus was totally unacquainted with the Edible Dormouse Myoxus glis (L.), a species not found in Sweden: while describing Mus Rattus in the 10th Edition of the "Systema Naturae" (1758), the Swedish naturalist... more
Carolus Linnaeus was totally unacquainted with the Edible Dormouse Myoxus glis (L.), a species not found in Sweden: while describing Mus Rattus in the 10th Edition of the "Systema Naturae" (1758), the Swedish naturalist confessed his ignorance concerning the " Glis " of the ancients and suggested that it might have been the marmot or the hamster. Thanks to written information received from his correspondent in Slovenia, Giovanni Antonio Scopoli, Linnaeus was able to include the new species Sciurus Glis in his 12th Edition of the "Systema Naturae" (1766), reporting almost verbatim a summary of Scopoli's description of the rodent. Scopoli's letter is still preserved in the Library of the Linnean Society of London. The Linnean type locality " Habitat in Europa australi " for the Edible Dormouse Myoxus glis glis must therefore be restricted to "Southern Carniola, Slovenia", contra "Germany" as stated, for instance, by M...
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Two juveniles Luvarus imperialis, astrodermella stage, 97.4 mm and 90.6 mm in total length, were recorded on September 2016 and August 2017 respectively, the first caught by a bottom trawler off the south-eastern coast of Sicily, Strait... more
Two juveniles Luvarus imperialis, astrodermella stage, 97.4 mm and 90.6 mm in total length, were recorded on September 2016 and August 2017 respectively, the first caught by a bottom trawler off the south-eastern coast of Sicily, Strait of Sicily, Italy, the second found stranded on the beach in the nearby region. Biometrics data of this uncommon species are given and the occurrence of juvenile stages in the Mediterranean area is briefly discussed.
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The second record of the Queen angelfish, Holacanthus ciliaris (Linnaeus, 1758), is hereby documented for the Mediterranean, through a single individual spearfished within Maltese coastal waters. Considerations on the potential... more
The second record of the Queen angelfish, Holacanthus ciliaris (Linnaeus, 1758), is hereby documented for the Mediterranean, through a single individual spearfished within Maltese coastal waters. Considerations on the potential introduction pathway for the species, which is popular in the aquarium trade, are made.
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The scarid fish Chlorurus rhakoura Randall & Anderson, 1997, of eastern Indo-Pacific origin, is recorded for the first time from the Mediterranean Sea. A small school of six individuals of this species were caught off Portopalo, Sicily,... more
The scarid fish Chlorurus rhakoura Randall & Anderson, 1997, of eastern Indo-Pacific origin, is recorded for the first time from the Mediterranean Sea. A small school of six individuals of this species were caught off Portopalo, Sicily, Italy in February 2017. Morphometric measurements and meristic traits are provided based on four specimens, and the possible vector of introduction of the species into the Mediterranean is briefly discussed.