- Evolutionary Biology, Biodiversity, Marine biodiversity, Climate Change and Biodiversity, Marine invertebrates, Placozoa, and 15 moreMeiofauna Biodiversity and Ecology, Conservation Biology, Ecology, Science Communication, Environmental Education, Human-wildlife conflicts, Taxonomy, Systematics, Biology, Phylogeny of Gastrotricha, Marine Conservation Planning, Marine Protected Areas, Marine Ecology, Coral Reefs, and Meiofaunaedit
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Artificial reefs (ARs) are the most common man-made constructions adopted to prevent coastal erosion from wave actions and currents. Despite their worldwide application in coastal management and the documented chemical and physical... more
Artificial reefs (ARs) are the most common man-made constructions adopted to prevent coastal erosion from wave actions and currents. Despite their worldwide application in coastal management and the documented chemical and physical alterations on surrounding seabeds that they may cause, few studies have been carried out on their impact upon meiofauna. The aim of this survey was to evaluate the potential effects of ARs on the seabed using various meiofaunal descriptors such as the structure of the entire assemblage and of rare taxa, the richness, the diversity indices and the Nematode:Copepod (Ne:Co) ratio. We investigated meiofaunal assemblages of some exposed areas on the Adriatic coast that are protected by ARs and subject to different levels of anthropogenic impact. This last issue was fundamental to examining possible interactions between AR presence and riverine discharges. The results of this study showed that the most efficient meiofaunal descriptors were diversity indices and the Ne:Co ratio, and suggested that the existence of ARs along with uncontrolled riverine discharges may increase anthropogenic impacts upon coastlines. This point is crucial for the conservation and monitoring of beaches because coastal management should be focused on preventing not only coastal erosion, but also possible impacts on marine ecosystem and human health.
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SUMMARY Fresh waters, in which elvers or juvenile eels have been kept for a long time, attract other elvers or juvenile eels. In fact, it was possible to demonstrate a clear-cut preference for these waters compared to waters where other... more
SUMMARY Fresh waters, in which elvers or juvenile eels have been kept for a long time, attract other elvers or juvenile eels. In fact, it was possible to demonstrate a clear-cut preference for these waters compared to waters where other fishes have been kept. If some elvers or juvenile eels have been kept for few hours in the water (three individuals per litre for 24 hr), the effect persists, but it is less marked. The behaviour seems to depend on species-specific substances present in the mucus or in the catabolic products. Effect of social facilitation occurred in the experiments, as suggested by shorter reaction times at higher concentrations of animals (20 instead of 10). Behavioural differences among elvers and juvenile eels indicate a higher rheotactic response by the former.
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The effect of temperature on the migratory behaviour of European glass‐eels, Anguilla anguilla, during the first stages of their ascent into inland waters has been investigated. Very little research has documented the thermal preferences... more
The effect of temperature on the migratory behaviour of European glass‐eels, Anguilla anguilla, during the first stages of their ascent into inland waters has been investigated. Very little research has documented the thermal preferences of glass‐eels, most being directed instead to the study of their thermal resistance and survival. The experimental method adopted aimed at acquiring information on short‐ and long‐term thermal choices and sought to provide evidence of the influence of preceding experiences on choices made during the tests. The results obtained in short‐term choices (acute preferendum tests) show a clear preference for flows of water at temperature equal to acclimation temperature rather than for flows at temperatures lower or higher by 3° C. It is sufficient for the glass‐eels to remain for about 1 h at a different temperature (acclimation temperature ± 3–4°C) for their subsequent choices to be influenced. When choosing between flows warmer or colder than acclimation water, glass‐eels prefer the lower temperature. When the temperature presented is very low (about 3° C) the preference is inverted. There is evidence that the temperature gradient represents one of the main orienting cues. In long‐term choices (final preference tests) the experimental apparatus allowed prolonged observation (from 24 to 52 h) of the choices between three shelters, the only difference between these being their internal temperatures. In this situation the glass‐eels show a clear preference for temperatures higher than that of the environment. For both intervals of environmental temperature considered (11.0–12.6°C and 14.3–17.3° C) a linear correlation exists between temperature difference and number of choices made for the shelters at higher temperatures. The number of glass‐eels choosing a higher temperature is greater in the case of lower environmental temperature. In acute preference tests the thermal stimulation is added to a rheotactic response. The glass‐eels find themselves in an analogous situation to that during the ascent. On the other hand, in the second experimental situation the choices are an expression of a pure thermal preference.
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Aspidiophorus, Chaetonotus, Haltidytes, Heterolepidoderma, Ichthydium and Polymerurus. All these species, except for Ichthydium podura (Müller, 1773), are new records for Denmark. Both cosmopolitan species and rare species have been... more
Aspidiophorus, Chaetonotus, Haltidytes, Heterolepidoderma, Ichthydium and Polymerurus. All these species, except for Ichthydium podura (Müller, 1773), are new records for Denmark. Both cosmopolitan species and rare species have been found. The most ...
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A wide research project on marine gastrotrichs of the Italian coasts was begun by the working group on gastrotrichs of the University of Modena (Italy), in collaboration with Prof. W.D Hummon of the University of Athens (Ohio, U.S.A). The... more
A wide research project on marine gastrotrichs of the Italian coasts was begun by the working group on gastrotrichs of the University of Modena (Italy), in collaboration with Prof. W.D Hummon of the University of Athens (Ohio, U.S.A). The researchi aims at an exaustve knowledge of the Italian fauna, which allows the writing of a volume of Fauna d'Italia on the phylum Gastrotricha. Studies were begun in the North Tyrrhenian Sea and recently integrated and extended to numerous sites along the Italian coasts. The number of species known for Italy has been increased from 92 to more than 140: as a result of these efforts, the Italian fauna is today the best known of the Mediterranean are
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Gastrotricha Macrodasyida, aquatic worms, are primarily hermaphrodites with internal cross-fertilization and indirect sperm transfer. Insightful information on this matter dates to 1978 and derives from an illuminating work focused on two... more
Gastrotricha Macrodasyida, aquatic worms, are primarily hermaphrodites with internal cross-fertilization and indirect sperm transfer. Insightful information on this matter dates to 1978 and derives from an illuminating work focused on two Macrodasys species. The role as a “model” of this taxon clashes, however, with the relative paucity of data concerning the ultrastructure of the accessory organs involved in the sperm transfer. Therefore, we have undertaken a new study on three additional species of Macrodasys focusing on the frontal and caudal organs and also on the spermatozoa. Our observations confirmed the structural plan of the reproductive system reported for the genus, but found some differences concerning the accessory reproductive organs. Most importantly, we found spermatozoa inside the caudal organ of several single specimens, suggestive of a more plausible hypothesis about sperm transfer modality in Macrodasys. In the spermatozoa, the position of the mitochondrion outsi...
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The intensification of dredging and infilling activities in lagoons and on coral reefs are common practices in the Maldivian archipelago, and these activities alter the biodiversity of the bioconstructors and the functioning of the... more
The intensification of dredging and infilling activities in lagoons and on coral reefs are common practices in the Maldivian archipelago, and these activities alter the biodiversity of the bioconstructors and the functioning of the ecosystem. The alteration of environmental factors can also affect inconspicuous fauna, such as free-living nematodes. The implications of a reduction in biodiversity may transcend decreased taxonomic diversity, resulting in changes in functional diversity and redundancy; however, how the environmental conditions and human pressure affects the functionality of nematodes in Maldivian coral degradation zones (CDZs) remain poorly understood. In this paper, we examined changes in the taxonomic and functional diversity and the functional redundancy in nematode communities regarding the geographic location (atolls with various levels of human pressure), the exposure and topography of the reef (lagoon and ocean), the slope of the reef, and the depth. The functio...
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The reproductive system and the spermatozoon of Megadasys sterreri from Lanzarote (Canary Islands, Spain) were studied at structural and ultrastructural levels. The species is a simultaneous hermaphrodite with cross-fertilization and... more
The reproductive system and the spermatozoon of Megadasys sterreri from Lanzarote (Canary Islands, Spain) were studied at structural and ultrastructural levels. The species is a simultaneous hermaphrodite with cross-fertilization and shows paired gonads, the male anterior and the female posterior, and both gametes mature in a caudo-cephalic direction. Sperm ducts converge on the midline and open into a ventral common pore. Two sexual accessory organs are present in the caudal trunk. A pipe-like frontal organ lies between the ovaries and the caudal organ, and is composed of a long, thin region connected to a large zone containing mature and degenerating spermatozoa. The cigar-like caudal organ is elongate, bulky and is made of an anterior glandulo-muscular region and a posterior muscular one. Spermatozoa are long, filiform cells formed by an acrosome, a nucleus-mitochondrial complex, and a flagellum. The long acrosome is composed of an apical twisted region and a basal straight regio...
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Research Interests: Evolutionary Biology, Zoology, Phylogenetics, Molecular Systematics, Biology, and 13 moreSystematics, Meiofauna, Biological Sciences, Phylogeny, Mitochondrial DNA, Filogenia, Sistemática Molecular, Genus, nuclear DNA, Freshwater invertebrates, Phylogenetic Tree, Biogeografía de América Latina y el Caribe, and Inland Waters
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... F. LE MOLI, A. MORI Parentela e convivenza nel contesto sociobiologico della selezione di gruppo in insetti eusociali * Istituto di Zoologia, Università di Parma Primaria esigenza del fondamento ... Istituto di Fisiologia Generale e... more
... F. LE MOLI, A. MORI Parentela e convivenza nel contesto sociobiologico della selezione di gruppo in insetti eusociali * Istituto di Zoologia, Università di Parma Primaria esigenza del fondamento ... Istituto di Fisiologia Generale e Speciale Veterinaria e Chi-mica Biologica, Torino. ...
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Tardigrada and Gatrotricha from the Lake Tovel (Trentino, Italy) have been considered. The most interesting finding is represented by the finding of Isohypsibius baldii a species endemic from that lake. Some taxonomic details previously... more
Tardigrada and Gatrotricha from the Lake Tovel (Trentino, Italy) have been considered. The most interesting finding is represented by the finding of Isohypsibius baldii a species endemic from that lake. Some taxonomic details previously not described have been referred
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The effects of the human impact on the coastal environments and relative biota can be different and even greater than those derived by natural fluctuations. The major disturbance causes in the coastal systems are rivers that may be... more
The effects of the human impact on the coastal environments and relative biota can be different and even greater than those derived by natural fluctuations. The major disturbance causes in the coastal systems are rivers that may be important sources of nutrients and pollutants, particularly in a semi-closed basin such as the Adriatic Sea. In this context, we investigated the distribution of both meiobenthic and nematode assemblages in the Central Adriatic Sea to evaluate whether and how they are influenced by riverine discharges and which faunal descriptors are the most effective in detecting this type of stress. On the basis of our results, the disturbance effects in the studied area might be caused by both local streams and Po plume, and even if the latter might be considered of lesser extent, it is worthy to note its real impact at a short distance from the coastline. Meiobenthic assemblage structure appears as a good tool for detecting short-term responses of the benthic domain,...
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The Antarctic region is usually considered a pristine area. Nevertheless, regional warming effects and increasing human activities, including the presence of several research stations, are inducing considerable environmental changes that... more
The Antarctic region is usually considered a pristine area. Nevertheless, regional warming effects and increasing human activities, including the presence of several research stations, are inducing considerable environmental changes that may affect the ecosystem’s functions. Therefore, during the XXXIII Antarctic expedition, we carried out an investigation in Terra Nova bay (Ross Sea), close to the Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) n.161. In particular, we compared the effects of two different types of impacts on the meiobenthic assemblages: anthropogenic impact (AI), associated with the activity of Mario Zucchelli Research Station (MZS), and natural impact (NI) attributable to a large colony of Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) in Adelie Cove. For each impacted site, a respective control site and two sampling depths (20 and 50 m) were selected. Several environmental variables (pH, dissolved oxygen, major and minor ions, heavy metals, organic load, and sediment grain size...
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Figure 1. Growth of the European taxonomic inventory. Cumulative number of valid species of European terrestrial and freshwater multicellular species since Linnaeus. A: All species. B: Birds, a virtually completely inventoried compartment... more
Figure 1. Growth of the European taxonomic inventory. Cumulative number of valid species of European terrestrial and freshwater multicellular species since Linnaeus. A: All species. B: Birds, a virtually completely inventoried compartment of European biodiversity. C: Coleoptera, where the number of valid species has steadily increased and shows no sign of levelling. D: Acari, which remained neglected for two centuries, and are now exhibiting a high discovery rate. E: Platyhelminthes, where the impression of a saturated inventory could be due to a current lack of taxonomic workforce. F: Neuropterida orders, for which the rate of description is erratic and reflects bursts of activity by a handful of taxonomists. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0036881.g001
FIGURE 7. Scanning electron microscopy images of Acineta sp. adhering to the nematode Croconema cinctum: a) attached specimen; b) magnification of the specimen.
An updated classification of the two orders of the phylum is provided up to family level, and numbers of genera and species described so far are specified. The phylum is composed of two orders: Macrodasyida, with, 9 families, 33 genera... more
An updated classification of the two orders of the phylum is provided up to family level, and numbers of genera and species described so far are specified. The phylum is composed of two orders: Macrodasyida, with, 9 families, 33 genera (+1 genus incertae sedis) and 338 species (+1 species incertae sedis), and Chaetonotida, with 8 families, 30 genera and 454 species. Current taxonomy is relatively stable for the order Macrodasyida, except for the presence of a monotypic genus which cannot yet be assigned with certainty to any of the existing families. On the contrary, the taxonomy of the order Chaetonotida has been repeatedly revised in the last decades and is still unstable. An integrate taxonomical approach on morphological and molecular bases appears necessary in order to revise the current classification according to phylogenetic relationships.
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An alternative approach to notice changes of the nematode community structure was evaluated in five study cases in the Mediterranean Sea. In detail, we suggested a combination of morpho-functional traits (i.e., amphid, cuticle, buccal... more
An alternative approach to notice changes of the nematode community structure was evaluated in five study cases in the Mediterranean Sea. In detail, we suggested a combination of morpho-functional traits (i.e., amphid, cuticle, buccal cavity, and tail shape) as an alternative to the taxonomic identification of nematodes. The results clearly demonstrated that the matrixes made using the trait code numbers perfectly mirror the changes of the nematode community structure at the genus level. The combination of the morpho-functional traits more frequently observed in areas under human pressure were ascribable to genera belonging to Xyalidae, Linhomoeidae and Chromadoridae families. This approach might greatly speed the analyses of nematode fauna in biomonitoring programs and might also be adopted for other meiobenthic organisms that may be categorized in functional groups opening new perspectives in the ecological assessment of meiofauna.
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FIGURE 3. Longicyatholaimus maldivarum Gerlach, 1964. Drawings of the female. a) Habitus; b) Amphideal fovea; c) Buccal cavity. Scale bars: a = 100 µm; b- = 30 µm.
FIGURE 1. Map of the central part of the Maldivian archipelago including the sites in which Longicyatholaimus maldivarum Gerlach, 1964 was collected in the 2005 and 2007.
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FIGURE 2. Heterolepidoderma caudosquamatum, n. sp.: A. Dorsal view; B. Details of dorsal scales from the head, neck and trunk; C. Ventral view; D. Cephalic plates.
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In this research, we report the presence of two ciliate protozoans of the subclass Peritrichia, Cothurnia amphicteis and C. peloscolicis, as epibionts on the chaetae of scaled polychaetes Malmgrenia lilianae, M. andreapolis (fam.... more
In this research, we report the presence of two ciliate protozoans of the subclass Peritrichia, Cothurnia amphicteis and C. peloscolicis, as epibionts on the chaetae of scaled polychaetes Malmgrenia lilianae, M. andreapolis (fam. Polynoidae) and Sthenelais boa (fam. Sigalionidae), from the north Adriatic (Mediterranean Sea). Both ciliate species are herein found for the first time after their original description and are redescribed, based on light and scanning electron microscopy analyses. This is the first record of an association between ciliates and polychaetes of the family Sigalionidae. Our results suggest that these host–epibiont relationships might be highly specific. We also present the first review of epibiosis between polychaetes and peritrich ciliates, indicating that this relationship is more diverse than previously thought. Forty taxa of peritrich ciliates from 12 genera and seven families are recorded as epibionts on polychaetes, while 48 polychaete taxa are known as ...
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Free-living marine nematodes are microinvertebrates composing one of the most diversified groups of the marine biota, with more than 7000 species. This means that only the 20% of the species is currently known. Several morphological... more
Free-living marine nematodes are microinvertebrates composing one of the most diversified groups of the marine biota, with more than 7000 species. This means that only the 20% of the species is currently known. Several morphological features can help their taxonomical identification such as cephalic, cervical and body setae, amphids, cuticle, spicules and tail that may also have a functional role. Given the small size of these organisms, they differ in minute characters that can be detected more effectively by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This study presents an overview of the use of SEM on some nematode species collected in the Maldivian archipelago, and highlights the importance of this technique in the taxonomical study of nematodes as well as its potentialities in the functional investigation of some of their structures.
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Abstract Numerous anthropogenic activities take place within or nearby ports, thereby increasing environmental pressure in coastal zone that become the final destination of many environmental contaminants. Thus, port areas are crucial to... more
Abstract Numerous anthropogenic activities take place within or nearby ports, thereby increasing environmental pressure in coastal zone that become the final destination of many environmental contaminants. Thus, port areas are crucial to understand the possible long-term effects of contaminants on metazoans that are at the base of the food webs. The port of Vado Ligure is the outlet to the sea of one of the largest industrial areas of the West Liguria (NW Mediterranean). Sediment quality was evaluated in twenty-eight stations at increasing distance from the port. The nematode fauna was characterised (i.e., assemblage composition, taxonomic diversity and functional traits) and organic matter quantity and composition and contaminant concentrations (heavy-metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy, long-chain hydrocarbons) were measured. The area resulted mainly polluted by mercury, followed by arsenic, zinc, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The faunal distribution (both from a taxonomical and functional point of view) appeared influenced by the contamination, as well as by sediment granulometry and organic matter content and composition. According to nematode assemblages and environmental variables, two groups of stations showed the most marked differences: one located in front of the Vado Ligure port, characterised by the most contaminated stations, the highest organic matter content, and fine sediments, and the other one, close to Bergeggi Marine Protected Area, characterised by more pristine stations, low organic matter content and coarser sediments. A suite of nematode genera that may be considered as bioindicators of pollution and organic enrichment was selected. Maturity index (MI) resulted negatively affected by contamination, suggesting that the different proportion of the nematode life-strategies is useful in assessing the environmental quality of sediments. The ecological quality status of the sampled stations obtained using abiotic and biotic descriptors (i.e., contamination level, organic matter content and nematode diversity and maturity index) was compared. Both the abiotic and nematode variables showed a general consistency for the stations of the two groups characterised by the highest and the lowest levels of contamination and organic enrichment.
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Fauna Europaea provides a public web-service with an index of scientific names (including important synonyms) of all living European land and freshwater animals, their geographical distribution at country level (up to the Urals, excluding... more
Fauna Europaea provides a public web-service with an index of scientific names (including important synonyms) of all living European land and freshwater animals, their geographical distribution at country level (up to the Urals, excluding the Caucasus region), and some additional information. The Fauna Europaea project covers about 230,000 taxonomic names, including 130,000 accepted species and 14,000 accepted subspecies, which is much more than the originally projected number of 100,000 species. This represents a huge effort by more than 400 contributing specialists throughout Europe and is a unique (standard) reference suitable for many users in science, government, industry, nature conservation and education. Gastrotricha are a meiobenthic phylum composed of 813 species known so far (2 orders, 17 families) of free-living microinvertebrates commonly present and actively moving on and into sediments of aquatic ecosystems, 339 of which live in fresh and brackish waters. The Fauna Eu...
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Abstract Indonesia is biologically one of the most diverse areas in the world. Nevertheless, its biodiversity is underestimated, and this is particularly evident for meiobenthic assemblages. Seagrass meadows are known to be ecosystem... more
Abstract Indonesia is biologically one of the most diverse areas in the world. Nevertheless, its biodiversity is underestimated, and this is particularly evident for meiobenthic assemblages. Seagrass meadows are known to be ecosystem engineers that can significantly modify the habitat heterogeneity and, thereby, increase the meiobenthic diversity. Therefore, a study on the meiobenthic distribution and biodiversity was conducted in two seagrass meadows around Siladen Island (Bunaken Marine National Park): Barat and Lagoon, characterized by different sedimentary regimes, as well as by different anthropogenic impact. An overall high level of diversity indices and richness were recorded (H ′ : 1.19–1.69; J: 0.46–0.67; number of taxa: 9–14), with meiobenthic abundances ranging between 770 and 2529 ind. 10 cm −2. The lowest meiobenthic abundance and diversity (i.e. Shannon-diversity, number of taxa) were reported at Barat meadow, probably in response to sedimentological modifications and higher anthropogenic pressure at this site. Differences in meiobenthic assemblage structures were particularly evident when only rare taxa were considered (i.e taxa found in low abundances and characterized by a sporadic distribution in the study area). This result underlines the role of rare species as possible indicators of spatial variability generated by engineer species and different environmental conditions.
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An updated classification of the two orders of the phylum is provided up to family level, and numbers of genera and species described so far are specified. The phylum is composed of two orders: Macrodasyida, with, 9 families, 33 genera... more
An updated classification of the two orders of the phylum is provided up to family level, and numbers of genera and species described so far are specified. The phylum is composed of two orders: Macrodasyida, with, 9 families, 33 genera (+1 genus incertae sedis) and 338 species (+1 species incertae sedis), and Chaetonotida, with 8 families, 30 genera and 454 species. Current taxonomy is relatively stable for the order Macrodasyida, except for the presence of a monotypic genus which cannot yet be assigned with certainty to any of the existing families. On the contrary, the taxonomy of the order Chaetonotida has been repeatedly revised in the last decades and is still unstable. An integrate taxonomical approach on morphological and molecular bases appears necessary in order to revise the current classification according to phylogenetic relationships.
In rocky shore systems, sessile macrobenthic assemblages may act as “ecosystem engineers” for many smaller benthic organisms. Thus, the influence of macrobenthic coverage on the diversity and assemblage structure of the harpacticoid... more
In rocky shore systems, sessile macrobenthic assemblages may act as “ecosystem engineers” for many smaller benthic organisms. Thus, the influence of macrobenthic coverage on the diversity and assemblage structure of the harpacticoid copepod fauna was investigated in the rocky shores of a Marine Protect Area (MPA) in the Ligurian Sea (NW, Mediterranean Sea). Two sampling sites were investigated in two seasons at three different depths on both sub-vertical and inclined reefs. A total of 61 species of copepods mainly represented by Miraciidae, Laophontidae, Longipediidae and Thalestridae were found. The complex micro-topography of these substrata provided a wide variety of niches for many species with different lifestyles that suggests the important role of rocky shores to ensure the functioning of coastal ecosystems. The harpacticoid assemblage structure seemed mainly influenced by season and depth. The temporal spread observed is likely one of the underlying mechanisms of niche segre...