In this work, we report the results of some movies regarding the predation of N. milleri on A. pallipes. It was a useful opportunity to observe some behavioral strategies. Skillful maneuvers by N. milleri, combined with toxic saliva, allow it to attack a large prey in relation to its size.

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.

The Sele Plain was once a marshy area that has recently been reclaimed. The analysis of skull and dental remains of small mammals, collected during the restoration of the Temple of Neptune, testifies the ancient existence of ecosystems that have now been greatly reduced in this area. In particular, the high percentage of remains of Arvicola italicus, a rodent that is now very rare throughout Italy, confirms the presence of aquatic environments.

The presence of Crocidura suaveolens (Pallas, 1811) (Mammalia Soricomorpha Soricidae) is reported for the first time on the island of Kasos (Aegean Sea). The distribution of shrews on the islands raises interesting biogeographical questions. On the basis of a recent research carried out by analysing mitochondrial cytochrome b gene, around the Mediterranean basin, the insular occurrence of C. suaveolens is a result of Pleistocene survivors as well as human introduc-

Crocidura suaveolens was identified amongst skull remains from raptor pellets on Karpathos and in a discarded bottle on Saria. There are no data for this species in these two islands. In the Mediterranean basin, the insular presence of C. suaveolens is a result of Pleistocene survivors as well as human introductions. An investigation into the origin of Karpathos and Saria shrews would be interesting. Due to the finding in raptor pellets on Karpathos, the presence of a stable population of C. suaveolens must be confirmed here.

New data about biogeography, ecology, morphology and biometry of Talpa caeca, T. europaea and T. romana in central Italy are reported based on the analysis of 64 specimens of the three Italian species preserved in mammal collection "Angela Gaggi-Andrea Maria Paci". This collection began in 1985 in northern Umbria accumulating during the years a corpus of +3.100 specimens belonging to 53 European mammal species (mostly small mammals), contributing to provide in the proposed study case further information on the genus Talpa.

Checklists represent a basic tool for conservation and management of regional faunas. However, our knowledge on species composition in a territory changes over time due to species movements across borders, extinctions, introductions, as well as to new taxonomic evidence. We aimed to provide the most updated data on native and non-native species of mammals occurring, or that used to occur until recently, on the Italian political territory and seas. The checklist only includes species whose taxonomic status was explicitly agreed in the most recent peer-reviewed literature and based on the most updated taxonomic approaches. For each species, we provided the following information: scientific and common name, global and Italian range, relevant information for management and conservation (e.g. whether it is endemic, allochthonous, or listed in international regulations and red list assessments), as well as remarks on taxonomy and distribution. This new check list of Italian mammal fauna includes nine marine and 114 terrestrial species, belonging to seven orders (Erin-aceomorpha, Soricomorpha, Chiroptera, Carnivora, Cetartiodactyla, Rodentia, Lagomorpha), and 28 families. Vespertilionidae represents the richest family (n=27 species), followed by Cricetidae (n=12) and Soricidae (n=11). The list includes 15-16 allocthonous species. Considering the relative small size of the country, Italy is confirmed as a hotspot of mammal diversity in Europe, hosting the highest species richness in relation to the total area.

The morphology of the first lower molar ofMicrotus saviigroup (M. brachycercus, M. nebrodensis, M. savii) is complex and highly variable. A morphometrical analysis done by grouping the samples into large geographical sets reveals the differentiation between northern, central and southern populations. The specific status ofM. nebrodensisis confirmed while it is not possible to separateM. brachycercus. The subspeciesM. savii tolfetanusandM. brachycercus niethammericusare, respectively, not well and moderate distinguished from the other populations. Finally, the distinction ofM. saviigroup from other species of European voles is also confirmed.

The morphology of the first lower molar of Microtus savii group (M. brachycercus, M. nebrodensis, M. savii) is complex and highly variable. A morphometrical analysis done by grouping the samples into large geographical sets reveals the differentiation between northern, central and southern populations. The specific status of M. nebrodensis is confirmed while it is not possible to separate M. brachycercus. The subspecies M. savii tolfetanus and M. brachycercus niethammericus are, respectively, not well and moderate distinguished from the other populations. Finally, the distinction of M. savii group from other species of European voles is also confirmed.

In this paper, some data about the presence of Apodemus sylvaticus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Mammalia Rodentia Muridae) in rocky environments of the National Park of the Sibillini Mountains are provided.Considering the available data on the distribution of A. sylvaticus in Italy, this appears to be an unusual finding, which can be explained considering the strong reduction that the preferred environment by this species, the wooded areas, has suffered in the past by man and possible competitions with other forest rodents.

The distribution of the snow vole Chionomys nivalis along the Apennines needs updates and detailed studies. In particular, the presence on some mountains should be confirmed with more recent objective findings. In the present work, a revision is made of the snow vole’s presences on the Sibillini Mountains, considering bibliographic records and a museum specimen. Then details are given about the capture of an individual in 2014. This specimen allows to confirm in an objective way the presence of the species on the Sibillini Mountains in recent times and the genetic analysis allowed the comparison with other European specimens.

P. sicula is a widespread species and a huge number of subspecies have been described (Henle K. and Klaver C.J.J. 1986, in Böhme W., Handbuch der Reptilien und Amphibien Europas, Band 2/II Echsen trI Podarcis, AULA-Verlag) One of the most famous and the first that has been described is P. s. coerulea (Eimer, 1872) of the Faraglioni di Capri, just outside the Gulf of Naples. Since the last works on this population date back to the the 50s, it is interesting to reexamine these populations studing their morphological traits with modern multivariate statistical analysis. A total of I77 specimens were measured (89 males, 88 females). The samples came from the two Faraglioni rocks (Faraglione Estemo and Faraglione di Mezzo), Naples and other three islands of the Gulf of Naples (Ischia, Vivara, Capri), for a total of 6 localities. Eleven pholidotic and 3 morphometric characters were studied: dorsal (DORS), ventral (VENT), collar (COLL), gular (GUL), supraciliar (SCS), supratemporal and supralabial scales (SL), femoral pores (FPOR), scales under the fV toe (4TOE), supraciliar granules (SCG), scales between the masseteric shield and the supratemporal scales (SM), snout-to-vent (SVL), trunk (TRL) and head length from the tip of the snout to the posterior margin of the collar (HL). The pholidotic characters have been analysed (separately for males and females) with Mahalanobis Distances analyses and with AN(C)OVA (morphometric characters were eventually used as covariates). The Mahalanobis Distances analysis has shown a clear differentiation of the two Faraglioni rocks. The total percentages of correct classification keeping the 6 localities separated was 66Vo for males and 65Vo for females, showing a low capacity of discriminating among populations. When considering two groups (the first with the two Faraglioni rocks' populations and the second with the other localities), the above mentioned total values rose up to 98Vo for males and 97Vo for females. More in detail, the Faraglioni rocks showed l00%o of correct classification for both sexes, while the other localities 97 Vo for males and 82Vo for females. Many subsequent ANOVAs have shown that the following variables were significantly different in both sexes between the two groups: DORS, VENT, COLL (significant only in males), GUL, SCG and SM (see table). Correlations have been detected (between populations) between the following couples^of pholidotic and morphometric variables: DORS and SVL (males *=0.92, p=0.02;females R2=0.096, p=0.28),-VENI and TRL (males R2=0.59, p=0.047;females R2=0.82, p=0.008)r GUL and HL (males R1=0.75, p=0.02; females R2=0.61, p=0.04), scG and svl(males R2=0.73, p=0.02: females R2=0.57, i=0.0aD. Consequentty, 4NCOVAs of the polidotic variables using the relative morphometric variable as covariate have been calculated, but the pholidotic variables still showed significant differences between the two groups (Tab. 1). The analysis showed a clear differentiation between the two Faraglioni rocks and the other islets, with the two Faraglioni rocks' populations which resulted almost identical. As shown by the ANOVAs, the populations of P. s. coerulea have more dorsal, ventral and gular scales, more scales between the masseteric shield and the supratemporal scales, less supraciliar granules and less collar scales (this last only in males). These differences are probably partly due to differences in size and relative lentgh ofbody parts, but also to phylogeny: this has been proved by the facts that ANOVAs and ANCOVAs gave the same results, and that the number of

The presence of Crocidura sp. on Astipalaia Island was shown, for the first time, in the nineties of the twentieth century. After the re-examination of the already available specimens and the analysis of the more recent material, it emerged that this insular shrew population refers to Crocidura suaveolens group. The presence of this taxon is also reported for the neighboring island of Amorgos. The presence of Crocidura suaveolens group in the Mediterranean islands is a result of Pleistocene survivors as well as human introductions, a both morphometric and genetics investigation on these specimens is deserving of further insights.

The presence of Chionomys nivalis (Martins, 1842) (Mammalia Rodentia Cricetidae) in Calabria, the southern tip of the Italian peninsula, is reported in different literature sources, but the only Calabrian specimen, from Lago Cecita, Cosenza district, is preserved into Museo Zoologico “La Specola”, Firenze. A recent examination of this specimen, moreover, has shown that it is an Arvicola amphibius (Linnaeus, 1758) juvenile. The distribution of C. nivalis along the Apennines, requires adequate insights and critical reviews.

The morphology of the first lower molar (M 1 ) of Microtus (Terricola) multiplex (Fatio, 1905) was compared amongst 15 populations from the Alps (Switzerland, Italy, France). M. multiplex orientalis from Trentino Alto Adige is close to the nominative subspecies M. multiplex multiplex from Ticino characterised by a great size, a not tilted pitymyan rhombus and an important development of the anterior part of the M 1 . M. multiplex druentius from Ubaye mainly differs from the nominative subspecies by a smaller tooth size. Populations from Valle d’Aosta and Piemonte show on the whole a morphology intermediate between M. m. multiplex and M. m. druentius subspecies, however, the pitymyan rhombus is more tilted and the development of the anterior part more reduced in populations from Eastern and Central Piemonte. The Western populations (from Trièvès, Vercors, Royans and Chambaran) belonging to the subspecies M. m. niethammeri are the most differentiated with a small or median size of the M1, a reduced development of the anterior part and a very tilted pitymyan rhombus, particularly in the population from Chambaran. The populations from Matheysine and Grésivaudan are morphologically a link between M. m. druentius and M. m. niethammeri subspecies.

Present knowledge on mammals of small Italian islands consists mainly of episodic records. In this paper we collect all available information about the distribution of wild mammals on 47 small Italian islands. A total of 37-38 species was found, including: 1 Erinaceomorpha, 4 Soricomorpha, 16-17 Chiroptera, 3 Lagomorpha, 7 Rodentia, 2 Carnivora and 4 Artiodactyla. The subspecific level has been identified whenever possible. The mammal fauna of the Isle of Elba (Tuscan Archipelago) is the richest, with 24 species, while the most common species are Rattus rattus present on 47 islands Oryctolagus cuniculus (34), and Mus musculus (33). With the exception of Crocidura sicula, the current mammal fauna on small Italian islands originated from introductions.

The Italian wall lizard, Podarcis sicula (RafinesqueSchmaltz, 1810), is a morphologically variable species, widespread in Italy (Sardinia, Sicily and most of the Tyrrhenian and Italian Ionian and Adriatic islands included), Corsica and the northern part of the east Adriatic coast (Slovenia, Croatia and many Dalmatian islands and part of Montenegro). Naturalized populations are found in Spain, Portugal, France, Turkey and USA (1). It is found on multiple small islands throughout its range, most of which contain morphologically distinctive populations. This has led to many subspecies being described. HENLE & KLAVER (2) reviewed 91 described subspecies and accepted 52, of which 47 were single island endemics. Assessment of the genetic distinctiveness of these subspecies is essential, since although the peninsular populations are generally not threatened, island populations may be vulnerable (1). Some microinsular populations may have gone extinct through environmental degradation, while a distinct subspecies, P. s. sanctistephani of Santo Stefano Island (Arcipelago delle Pontine), appears to have been replaced after the nominal subspecies was introduced to the island (3; 4). PODNAR et al. (5) identified six main haploclades within P. sicula. One of these, the “Monasterace group” is known from only one locality on the Ionian coast, indicating that extensive sampling is needed to fully determine genetic diversity. However, little diversity was found between some Adriatic island subspecies and mainland forms, corroborating doubts of the validity of several subspecies. Our aim was to examine genetic diversity of P. sicula from various Campanian islands and the South-eastern Pontian Archipelago islands, some of which have been described as island endemic subspecies. This area lies on the border of the area where the “campestris-sicula” haplogroup was found (5), but no previous information was available regarding the majority of these island populations, only one individual from one island, Ischia, had previously been determined. We examined diversity by sequencing part of the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b, so that our results could be compared to previously published data on P. sicula (5), but also so that levels of diversity could be compared to other insular Podarcis subspecies, such as those from the Balearics (6).

Biogeographia vol. XX VIII - 2007 (Pubb/icato il 30 dicembre 2007) Biogeografia del/'Appennino centra/e e settentrionale: trenfanni dopo Dati sulla diffusione dei rappresentanti del genere Rupicapm de Blainville, 1816, ne1l’Italia centro—meridionale in eta storica recente MARCO MASSETI, ARMANDO NAPPP‘ Dipzzrtimento 5/2' Biologizz Animzzle e Geneticzz, L(zl70rzzt0rz' di A72t7*0‘/Jologizz, Universitiz degli Studi dz‘ Firenze, vizz del Procomolo 12, 50122 Firenze ( I tally); e-mzzils mzzrm. mzzsseti it *Assocz'zzzz'o7ze Viwlrzl, piazza Rizzrio Sfirza 159, 80139 Nzzpoli (fmly); e—mzzz'/: zz77mmppi@z‘z'n. it Key words: Ru}:/czzpn1, chamois. Apennines, peninsular Italy. biogeography SUMMARY The genus Rupirzzpr/z is represented in Italy by two species: the Alpine Chamois, R. rt/pimpm (Linnaeus, 1758), and the Apennine chamois, R. pyrezzzrirrt 01‘/lzltzl (Neumann, 1899). The Former taxon is distributed on the Alps. whereas R. pgirezzzzic/z armztzz occurs at present in the central Apennines. Literary references report the presence of the latter species in the Apennines since the 16th century. Some stock ofchamoises may also have been present in hunting reserves and controlled areas ofthe district ofNaples, as well as northern Italy. The possible anthropochorous origin of the extant chamois populations of the Apennines is discussed on the basis of the data obtained from a research carried out at the Archivio di Stato oFNaples, compared with the information available in literature, and the results of recent genetic analyses. INTRODUZIONE I1 genere Rupiczzpm de Blainville, 1816, e rappresentato in Itaiia da due spe- cie. R. rupiczzpnz (Linnaeus, 1758) e distribuita sulle Alpi, mentre R. pyremzzl ca (Bonaparte, 1845) trova invece il suo ultimo areale italiano di diffusione su alcuni rilievi del1’Abruzzo e del Molise, Con la sottospecie R. p. omzzm (Neurnann, 1899). I carnosci fossili e Jsubfossili rinvenuti nell’Ita1ia centto— meridionale, per le cronologie comprese tra i1Tardig1aciale e il primo Olocene sembrano appartenere a R. pyremziczz (cfr. Masini, 1985; Masini e Lovari, 1988; Masini e Abbazzi, 1997). Successivamente a questi periodi, le dinamiche di popolazione dei camosci ne1l’Italia centro—meridionale sono ancora imperfet— tamente conosciute, data la scarsa disponibilita di notizie al riguardo. Oronzio