Museo delle Scienze

African Vine Snakes of the genus Thelotornis are highly specialised arboreal colubrids distributed across sub-Saharan Africa. Despite pronounced morphological conservatism, the genus occupies diverse forest, woodland and savanna-associated habitats. The genus has long been characterised by unresolved species boundaries and taxonomic uncertainty, particularly regarding the placement of the monotypic Xyelodontophis uluguruensis. We investigated phylogenetic relationships and species boundaries within Thelotornis using an integrative framework with broad geographic and ecological sampling. Phylogenetic inference was based on two mitochondrial (cyt b and ND4) and two nuclear (c-mos and NT3) markers analysed under maximum-likelihood (IQ-TREE2) and multispecies coalescent (Species Tree And Classification Estimation, Yarely [STACEY]) frameworks. Species boundaries were further assessed using haplotype networks, mitochondrial divergence, single-locus barcoding (Assemble Species by Automatic Partitioning [ASAP]) and unsupervised machine learning (UML) clustering (super self-organising map [SuperSOM]) integrating genetic, morphological, ecological and spatial data. Seven independently evolving lineages are supported, with Thelotornis monophyletic only when Xyelodontophis uluguruensis is included. Thelotornis capensis subspecies are recognised as distinct species, and an undescribed lineage from Vamizi Island, Mozambique, has been identified. Emergence of the genus trace to the Mid-Miocene (ca. 16.6 Mya), with Late-Miocene diversification giving rise to a West-East African forest lineage (T. kirtlandii and T. uluguruensis comb. nov.) and an East-Southern African lineage comprising habitat generalists (T. usambaricus, T. sp., T. mossambicanus and T. capensis) alongside the savanna specialist T. oatesi stat. nov. Morphological, ecological and genetic evidence support the distinctiveness of all seven lineages, informing a revised diagnosis of Thelotornis. These results indicate a recent ecological radiation shaped by historical habitat dynamics, facilitating forest niche conservatism while ecological opportunity enabled savanna diversification, resolving taxonomic ambiguity and revealing hidden diversity.

The Ypresian (lower Eocene) fish-bearing site of Monte Solane (Verona province, northern Italy) was discovered in the early 2000s, and its stratigraphy was thoroughly investigated more than a decade ago. However, its ichthyofauna, largely dominated by mesopelagic bony fishes, remained largely unstudied, even though it represents the second richest assemblage in the Verona province, ranking immediately after the Bolca Lagerstätten, which are globally renowned for their exceptionally abundant and diverse reef-associated fish assemblages. The scientific relevance of Monte Solane resides in being, along with the Solteri Lagerstätte (Trento province, northern Italy), the nearly coeval bathyal equivalent of Bolca. The Monte Solane ichthyofauna, represented by almost 200 collected specimens, comprises what reflects a mesopelagic assemblage including stomiiforms (Gonostomatidae and Phosichthyidae), myctophiforms (Myctophidae), and various percomorphs (Euzaphlegidae, Gempylidae, and Trichiuridae), plus a few more groups usually linked to the coastal epipelagic or benthic habitats (e.g., Clupeiformes and Apogonidae). Several new taxa are established herein: Acanthophleges lessiniae n. gen. et n. sp., Bolcaichthys solanensis n. sp., Contemptor mastinoi n. gen. et n. sp., Eomastix zabimaru n. gen. et n. sp., Lepidoclupea renga n. gen. et n. sp., Sabbathichthys osbournei n. gen. et n. sp., Thyrsitoides cangrandei n. sp., and Veronaphleges ambrosii n. sp. The stratigraphic relationships of the Monte Solane and Solteri sections are also investigated, and their assemblages are compared to better understand the main features of the Eocene mesopelagic environments of the western part of the Tethys. Exploring these sites can help to unveil the paleontological characters of the most ancient known Cenozoic deep-water Lagerstätten known, and also to better define the structure of the pelagic fish communities during the demise of the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (EECO; ~ 53.2-49.1 Ma), the interval of the Cenozoic with the warmest long-term global average temperature and highest CO2 levels.

Austrian dragonhead (Dracocephalum austriacum), a rare species of steppe and mountain steppe habitats, has a highly fragmented distribution across its entire range. Due to its narrow ecological requirements, it inhabits relict habitats that are increasingly threatened by climate change, human disturbance, and ongoing succession. Across Europe, the species persists in fewer than 90 small and spatially isolated populations. Despite legal protection, the species is threatened by habitat fragmentation and environmental change. We genotyped nearly all known populations across the species′ range using the DArTseq method to provide a genomic basis for conservation planning. We analysed key indices of genetic diversity, their spatial patterns, and phylogenetic relationships using genome-wide SNP data. To reconstruct the species’ phylogeographical history, we also conducted ecological niche modelling, demographic history inference and divergence time estimation. Our results reveal five geographically restricted genetic lineages that can be regarded as evolutionarily significant units. The most distinct lineage in the eastern Pyrenees exhibits signatures of long-term isolation and retention of ancestral polymorphism. In contrast, the remaining four lineages are of more recent origin and reflect a phylogeographic pattern consistent with gradual lineage diversification associated with Pleistocene habitat dynamics. The divergence between the two most distinct genetic lineages likely began during the Early Pleistocene, while a subsequent phase of range expansion and lineage diversification occurred during the Middle to Late Pleistocene. This pattern suggests that intraspecific differentiation was strongly influenced by Pleistocene climatic oscillations. Overall, genomic diversity is low and relatively uniform across the species′ range. Estimates of effective population size indicate that most populations are likely viable only in the short term, underscoring the need for coordinated conservation efforts across the species′ distribution.

The genus Dipsadoboa (Colubridae) is a widely distributed group of arboreal snakes encompassing 13 recognized species across sub-Saharan Africa. Despite its ecological significance and the availability of specimens, its phylogenetic relationships and biogeographic history remain poorly resolved. This study presents the most comprehensive phylogenetic and biogeographic analysis of Dipsadoboa to date, using mitochondrial data (16S, Cyt-b, and ND4) representing all recognized taxa. Species delimitation analyses reveal cryptic genetic diversity and highlight taxa requiring further investigation. Divergence time estimates suggest that Dipsadoboa originated in East Africa during the early Miocene (~22 Mya), with subsequent radiations across forested regions of sub-Saharan Africa. Biogeographic reconstructions support founder-event speciation combined with vicariance driven by forest fluctuations and Rift Valley formation. This resulted in multiple independent colonizations of Upper Guinean Forests and structured genetic lineages across the range of the genus. The results identify the Guineo-Congolian forest region as a major diversity hotspot, while East Africa likely served as the center of origin. Altogether, this study provides a robust framework for future integrative taxonomic, evolutionary, and conservation research on Dipsadoboa, facilitating accurate species delimitation, improved assessments of species distributions, and a better understanding of evolutionary history, all of which are essential for informing conservation priorities and management strategies in understudied regions of Africa. Highlights The first comprehensive phylogenetic framework for the African snake genus Dipsadoboa. Species delimitation analyses suggest substantial cryptic diversity across the genus. Dipsadoboa most likely originated in East Africa during the early Miocene. The Lower Guinean Forest in the Congo Basin represents the main diversity hotspot. Dispersal, climatic refugia, and Rift Valley formation jointly shaped diversification of the genus.

The Basura Cave (Toirano, NW Italy) is one of the most important caves in northern Italy conserving the fossilised footprints of a walking trail left by a small group of humans accompanied by a canid dating to the Epigravettian and an impressive cave bear bone deposit of the middle Pleistocene. In 2016 a new research project entitled "The Ba`sura Revisited", returned to fieldwork through a multidisciplinary approach, with the aim of understanding the nature of the human and animal presence in the cave. In this paper we present the results of a multidisciplinary investigation of archaeobotanical remains, stratigraphic sequences, and experimental reconstructions relating to Late Upper Palaeolithic human activity in the Ba`sura Cave. The study is centered on the anthracological and palynological remains which led to the identification and interpretation of cave lighting system based on controlled experiments. The study provides new insights into the patterns of human exploration in Palaeolithic cave systems, highlighting the reliance on smalldiameter pine twigs as a source of light. The interpretation of the local vegetation environment has been inferred from palynological evidence. The palynological analysis conducted on samples from the innermost space of the cave ("Hall of Mysteries") suggests that the landscape around the cave consisted of a sparse pine forest of Pinus sylvestris/mugo-type interspersed with steppe herbaceous formations. In the upper level, this is enriched with modest amounts of mesophilous broadleaved trees and thermophilic species. The pollen input likely derived from particles adhering to the fur of bears and infiltrations from the external environment of the cave. Finally, we performed an experimental study aimed at understanding the cave's lighting systems adopted at Ba`sura Cave, reconstructing the nature of the lighting instruments and the way the prehistoric explorers moved in the cave. The test confirmed the burning of small twigs rather than the use of torches. The use of twigs is inferred by the traces of small-diameter branches obtained from Pinus sylvestris-type, used individually or tied in small bunches. The experiment revealed that, despite the small size, burning twigs produces enough light to ensure a longer permanence in the cave depth and a safe pathway back, and at the same time minimises dazzling and fast consumption of wood fuel.