Explore the vast range of titles available.

The Monte Albo cave salamander, Speleomantes flavus , is the species endemic to the namesake massif located in the northeastern part of Sardegna, Italy. Speleomantes are the only plethodontid species in Europe, a genus composed of eight troglophilic species living in epigean and subterranean environments. Most ecological studies on these species deal with species occupancy (i.e., presence/absence), while studies aiming to identify drivers for their abundance are lacking. Here, we present the first study aiming to determine which ecological factors influence the abundance of S. flavus . We identified three main hypotheses: (1) salamanders are more abundant where microclimatic conditions are the most suitable for their physiological requirements; (2) Speleomantes are more abundant where prey richness is the highest; and (3) salamanders tend to avoid potential predators. Our results suggested that cave air temperature, humidity, and illuminance are strongly affected by season, and individuals of S. flavus tended to aggregate in relatively cold and humid areas not far from the cave entrance. For most Speleomantes , there was a significant correlation between their abundance and the presence of the considered invertebrate species. This study produced the first information on which ecological features affect the abundance of S. flavus individuals. Additional studies extending to further Speleomantes populations and species may support our hypotheses, including factors not considered here.

Cave crickets of the genus Dolichopoda (Orthoptera; Rhaphidophoridae) represent a key component of cave ecosystems. In Italy, nine species are currently known, distributed from the northwestern regions to the southernmost Apennines, with occurrences also along various Tyrrhenian coastal areas and islands, including Sardinia. In this study, we focus on the Apennine region, where we sampled 18 populations of Dolichopoda spp. and sequenced mitochondrial markers (cox1 and 16S) from newly collected individuals to investigate their distribution and genetic diversity. Our analyses identified two previously unrecognized lineages within D. geniculata. Moreover, the sampled caves in the northern Apennines allowed us to refine the distributional ranges of D. geniculata, D. letitiae, and D. schiavazzii. Finally, we provide comments to support a future taxonomic revision of the group.

Species monitoring is a key activity for conservation studies. Some of the monitoring methods require individual handling, which may provoke negative effects on animal fitness. We here present a new non-invasive method that allows to estimate the body condition of the European cave salamanders (genus Speleomantes) using the tail area as a proxy, since these species usually accumulate fat tissue in their tail. We selected 915 high-quality images of individuals belonging to the eight Speleomantes species. Using the ImageJ program we calculated the tail measurements (length and area) from which we obtained the Fat Tail Index (FTI). The FTI was then correlated with the Scaled Mass Index (SMI) of individuals. We used GLMM to assess whether SMI is correlated to FTI, individual sex, species identity and the type of inhabited environment. We observed a significant correlation between SMI and FTI (R2 = 0.62). The GLMM analysis showed a significant effect on SMI due to sex, species and the type of environment. Females and individuals from surface environments showed the highest SMI. Among species, we observed a significant variability in their body condition and in the correlation between SMI and FTI. This study provided a reliable and non-invasive method that allows to estimate the body condition for terrestrial salamanders of the genus Speleomantes.

Subterranean environments are often characterized by a natural gradient of microclimatic conditions and trophic resources, showing a higher trophic availability and a lower microclimatic stability in the shallowest area (close to the cave entrance), while the opposite occurs in the deepest sections. The shallowest areas of subterranean environments (e.g., the entrance and twilight zone, Mesovoid Shallow Substratum) act as ecotones between the surface habitats and the deep areas, creating a particular habitat which can be exploited by numerous species with different degrees of adaptation to subterranean environments. Species living in these ecotones may hold a key role in sustaining the entire ecosystem, as they are likely one of the major drivers of allochthonous organic matter. Indeed, these species are usually facultative cave-dwellers, meaning that they are able to exit and forage on the surface. Once these species are back inside the cave, they provide the local community with different typologies of organic matter (e.g., feces, eggs), which represent one of the most important sources of organic carbon. Therefore, studying which ecological features may exert significant effects on the abundance of these species may be of great help in understanding the ecosystem dynamics and the functional role of each species. In this study we analyzed the data collected through a year-round monitoring program, aiming to assess the potential effects that both abiotic and biotic features may have on the abundance of three facultative cave species. We focused on seven caves located in Monte Albo (Sardinia, Italy). The cave environments were divided into 3-meter sectors, and within each cave sector, microclimatic and biological data were seasonally recorded. We focused on the following facultative cave species: the spiders Metellina merianae and Tegenaria sp. and the snail Oxychilus oppressus. Different relationships were observed between the ecological features and the abundance of the three species. The two spiders were more abundant in warmer cave sectors closer to the cave entrance, especially the M. merianae. On the other hand, the snail tended to be more abundant farther from the cave entrance and in more illuminated cave sectors, probably because sunlight promotes the abundance of some of its trophic resources (e.g., lichens, vegetation). Furthermore, O. oppressus was the only species whose abundance and cave distribution was significantly affected by seasonality. This study provides useful and novel information to understand the population dynamics of facultative cave species and their role in subterranean ecosystems.

Validation of the post-hoc method to estimate snout-vent length in the order Caudata Abstract. Amphibians are the most endangered class of vertebrates, with a high rate of decline recorded since the 20th century. Even activities related to the study of these animals for informing conservation actions, for instance by handling them to collect biometric individual parameters, can have negative effects on the amphibians’ health. A post-hoc method that estimates snout-vent length from dorsal photographs has been developed to reduce handling time and stress to individuals, providing additional advantages in precision and repeatability of measurements taken. However, at present, this methodology has been tested only on approximately 1% of the known salamanders, thereby limiting its broad application. Here, we tested this method on a diverse sample of Caudata that includes 25 species across 5 families and characterized by different morphologies. The correlation between predicted SVL (estimated from dorsal photographs) and observed SVL (measured directly from ventral photographs) values was assessed using Linear Mixed Models. The results showed a significant correlation between observed and predicted SVL, with an average and constant discrepancy of about 1.6 mm. When considering the increase of SVL, there was a slight tendency to underestimate SVLe in newts, plethodontids, and proteids. Estimation errors slightly increased with the SVL. The error increased in larger newts, while decreased in larger plethodontids. Our study highlighted the reliability and applicability of adopting this methodology for data collection in all Caudata species.   Keywords. SVL, measure, post-hoc method, salamander, Urodela, photograph, dorsal.

The ongoing biodiversity crisis is strongly threatening amphibians, mostly because of their peculiar physiology, their sensitivity to climate change and the spread of diseases. Effective monitoring involving assessments of pressure effects across time and estimation of population trends play a key role in mitigating amphibian decline. To improve implementation of standardized protocols and conservation efforts, we present here a dataset related to one of the amphibian genera whose onservation status is considered the most declining according to the IUCN. We report information on 66 populations of the endangered European cave salamanders, genus Speleomantes , that was collected through a standardized monitoring along a four-year period (2021–2024). Demographics data of the populations and fitness-related data of single individuals are reported. Furthermore, we include 3,836 high quality images of individuals that can allow to perform studies aiming to assess the phenotypic variability within the genus, and to perform long-term capture-mark-recaptured studies.

In Central Italy Rana temporaria is only known to occur as a glacial relict on the eastern side of Monti della Laga (Lazio). In this study we report the presence of the species in other areas of the mountain chain, with documented sightings in five distinct localities in Marche and Abruzzo. We use these new records, together with other occurrence data from the Apennine chain, to generate a species distribution model and perform an analysis of the geological preference of the species in Central Italy. Although the model indicates a wide area of Marche and Abruzzo as suitable for R. temporaria, the actual distribution of the species in northern and central Apennine appears strongly associated with sandstones. Therefore, we argue that the presence of this geological substrate on Monti della Laga, but not in surrounding karst uplands, could be among the factors explaining its isolation. Our study aims at paving the way for future surveys and measures to protect these isolated populations from the threat posed by climate change.

Ophidiomyces ophidiicola (Oo) is one of the most relevant fungal pathogens for snakes. It is the etiological agent of ophidiomycosis, an emerging disease causing dysecdysis, skin abnormalities, crusting cutaneous lesions, and ulcerations. Despite this major tegumentary “tropism”, Oo infection can be systemic and it is capable of inducing visceral lesions. Moreover, ophidiomycosis may lead to abnormalities of reproductive physiology, hunting behavior, and thermoregulation, thus increasing the risks of sublethal effects and predation on affected snakes. Oo seems horizontally transmitted and can induce postnatal mortality. This article reviews published data on Oo detection and infection in all snake species in countries around the world and categorizes these data using new classification parameters. The presence of this fungus has been recorded in 11 states (considering the USA as a whole); however, in four states, the mycosis has only been reported in snakes held in captivity. Detection and/or infection of Oo has been ascertained in 62 snake species, divided into nine families. The taxa have been categorized with diagnostic criteria in order to report, for each species, the highest rank of categorization resulting from all cases. Therefore, 20 species have been included within the class “Ophidiomycosis and Oo shedder”, 11 within “Ophidiomycosis”, 16 in “Apparent ophidiomycosis”, and 15 within “Ophidiomyces ophidiicola present”. We also discuss the significance and limits of case classifications and Oo’s impact on wild populations, and we suggest methods for preliminary surveillance. Standardized methods, interdisciplinary studies, and cooperation between various research institutions may facilitate further Oo screening studies, elucidate the unclear aspects of the disease, and protect ophidiofauna from this emerging threat at the global level.

Ophidiomycosis is an emerging infectious disease caused by the fungus Ophidiomyces ophidiicola (Oo). To date, Oo presence or associated disease condition has been recorded in wild and/or captive snakes from North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, but the data is still scarce outside the Nearctic. Although Italy is a country with a high snake biodiversity in the European panorama, and animals with clinical signs compatible with Oo infection have been documented, to date no investigations have reported the disease in the wild. Therefore, a pilot survey for the Italian territory was performed in conjunction with setting up a complete diagnostic workflow including SYBR Green-based real-time PCR assay for the detection of Oo genomic and mitochondrial DNA combined with histopathology of scale clips. Oo presence was investigated in 17 wild snake specimens from four different species. Four snakes were sampled in a targeted location where the mycosis was suspected via citizen science communications (i.e. North of the Lake Garda), whereas other ophidians were collected following opportunistic sampling. Oo genomic and mitochondrial DNA were detected and sequenced from all four Lake Garda Natrix tessellata, including three juveniles with macroscopic signs such as discolouration and skin crusts. From histopathological examination of scale clips, the three young positive individuals exhibited ulceration, inflammation and intralesional hyphae consistent with Oo infection, and two of them also showed the presence of arthroconidial tufts and solitary cylindrical arthrospores, allowing “Ophidiomycosis and Oo shedder” categorisation. For the remaining snake samples, the real-time PCR tested negative for Oo. This pilot survey permitted to localise for the first time Oo infection in free-ranging ophidians from Italy. Ophidiomycosis from Lake Garda highlights the need to increase sampling efforts in this area as well as in other northern Italian lakes to assess the occurrence of the pathogen, possible risk factors of the infection, its impact on host population fitness and the disease ecology of Oo in European snakes.

Prunus spinosa fruits (PSF) contain different phenolic compounds showing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Innovative drug delivery systems such as biomimetic nanoparticles could improve the activity of PSF extract by promoting (i) the protection of payload into the lipidic bilayer, (ii) increased accumulation to the diseased tissue due to specific targeting properties, (iii) improved biocompatibility, (iv) low toxicity and increased bioavailability. Using membrane proteins extracted from human monocyte cell line THP-1 cells and a mixture of phospholipids, we formulated two types of PSF-extract-loaded biomimetic vesicles differing from each other for the presence of either 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) or 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1′-rac-glycerol) (DOPG). The biological activity of free extract (PSF), compared to both types of extract-loaded vesicles (PSF-DOPCs and PSF-DOPGs) and empty vesicles (DOPCs and DOPGs), was evaluated in vitro on HUVEC cells. PSF-DOPCs showed preferential incorporation of the extract. When enriched into the nanovesicles, the extract showed a significantly increased anti-inflammatory activity, and a pronounced wound-healing effect (with PSF-DOPCs more efficient than PSF-DOPGs) compared to free PSF. This innovative drug delivery system, combining nutraceutical active ingredients into a biomimetic formulation, represents a possible adjuvant therapy for the treatment of wound healing. This nanoplatform could be useful for the encapsulation/enrichment of other nutraceutical products with short stability and low bioavailability.