BackgroundStag beetles are saproxylic species that are associated with deadwood in the larval stageand play an important role in forest ecosystem dynamics. In Italy, Platycerus caprea andPlatycerus caraboides are two small, elusive stag beetle species, whose known distributionis often limited or referring to old records.New informationThe present contribution increases the knowledge on the Italian distribution of P. capreaand P. caraboides, adding 70% more sites when compared to previously publishedrecords. Ecological traits, especially related to the altitude-elevation distribution in Italy, arealso described for these saproxylic beetles.

Cyclommatus stag beetles (Coleoptera, Lucanidae) are very interesting insects, because of their striking allometry (mandibles can be longer that the whole body in large males of some species) and sexual dimorphism. They mainly inhabit tropical and subtropical forests in Asia. To date, there has been no molecular phylogenetic research on how these stag beetles evolved and diversified. In this study, we constructed the first phylogenetic relationship for Cyclommatus using multi-locus datasets. Analyses showed that Cyclommatus is monophyletic, being subdivided into two well-supported clades (A and B). The clade A includes the island species from Southeast Asia, and the clade B is formed by the continental species. The divergent time estimates showed these beetles split from the outgroup around 43.10 million years ago (Mya) in the late Eocene, divided during the late Oligocene (around 24.90 Mya) and diversified further during the early and middle Miocene (around 18.19 Mya, around 15.17 Mya). RASP analysis suggested that these beetles likely originated in the Philippine archipelago, then dispersed to the other Southeast Asian archipelagoes, Indochina Peninsula, Southeast Himalayas, and Southern China. Moreover, relatively large genetic distance and stable morphological variations signified that the two clades reach the level of inter-generic differences, i.e., the current Cyclommatus should be separated in two genera: Cyclommatus Parry, 1863 including the clade A species, and Cyclommatinus Didier, 1927 covering the clade B species. In addition, the evidence we generated indicated these beetles’ diversification was promoted probably by both long-distance dispersal and colonization, supporting an “Upstream” colonization hypothesis. Our study provides insights into the classification, genetics and evolution of stag beetles in the Oriental region.

Mordellistena semiferruginea Reitter, 1911, despite its wide distributional range that spans Europe and Central Asia, is a rarely encountered member of the family Mordellidae. In this paper, we present the first record of this species in Italy based on 15 individuals captured in Malaise traps. We have compared these individuals with type specimens and provided a differential diagnosis of the species together with high-resolution photographs of the habitus and male genitalia. Additionally, we generated 14 sequences of the standard DNA barcoding fragment of the mitochondrial gene coding for cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI). The analyses of COI sequences showed a relatively high intraspecific divergence reaching 3.65% (p-distance), which is the highest within-species genetic variation documented so far in Mordellidae. Of the total number of 30 nucleotide polymorphisms, only one led to a divergence in the amino acid sequences. The predicted 3D structure of the encoded proteins showed that the variation occurred in Loop 1–2, far from the active site of the protein.

Fernando Angelini nasce a Terni il 26 agosto 1948 da padre umbro e madre pugliese; all’età di cinque anni si trasferisce con i genitori da Terni a Francavilla Fontana ove andrà a vivere in campagna.

Piero Abbazzi nasce a Firenze il 21 febbraio1928. Effettua studi classici preso l’Istituto degli Scolopie si laurea in Farmacia presso l’Università degliStudi di Firenze il 21 novembre 1957. Trova presto impiegonella propaganda medica per l’industria farmaceuticaRichter, impiego che manterrà fino alpensionamento. Il 2 agosto 1959 convola a nozze conMaria Scarselli e la coppia avrà tre figli: Alessandra,Giovanni e Laura. Piero Abbazzi si spegne a 92 anni l’8marzo 2020 in ospedale a Firenze, dove era stato ricoveratoper l’aggravarsi delle sue precarie condizioni disalute, circondato dall’affetto della sua famiglia[...]

Morphological characters of value in distinguishing Melitaea phoebe from M. ornata are exemplified from photographs of specimens from sympatric and partially synchronic populations in North Macedonia and Italy. Subspecies described as belonging to M. phoebe by several authors from specimens taken in Spain and other Western European countries are examined and their identities reviewed. Those which are shown to be subspecies of M. ornata are figured together with identification labels attached to the specimens. Where syntypes have been identified, lectotypes and paralectotypes are designated where appropriate. Some subspecies which are genuinely M. phoebe are commented upon. Eleven syntypes of M. phoebe occitanica are examined and found to comprise both M. phoebe and M. ornata; a phoebe lectotype is designated and its Type Locality is restricted to Barcelona, Spain. Lectotypes are also designated for the names bethunebakeri, ornatiformis, emipunica and punicata. Original identifications predate the separation of these two species and exemplify difficulties previous researchers had in separating them. M. ornata pseudornata is sunk in synomymy with M. ornata bethunebakeri. It is noted that some historic and often worn specimens are extremely difficult to identify with certainty.

The two syntypes of Melitaea phoebe nigrogygia Verity, 1939 present in the Florence University Natural History Museum are examined from high quality photographs of both sides. It is concluded that there is a high probability that they represent two different species: M. phoebe ([Denis Schiffermüller], 1775) and M. ornata Christoph, 1898. Alternatively one or both could be hybrids between the two species; hybrids have been encountered nearby in Slovenia. In order to solve the nomenclatural problem, a Lectotype has been chosen, which fixes the name nigrogygia Verity, 1939 to be associated with Melitaea ornata.

The Afrotropical genus Opisthozemius Kolbe, 1916 is revised. The genus now includes four species, one of which is described as new: Opisthozemius naamae sp. nov., from Tanzania and Zambia. Opisthozemius sulcithorax Damoiseau, 1967, from Java, is removed from the genus Opisthozemius and included in Euparagogus gen. nov. Opisthozemius honestus is placed in synonymy with Opisthozemius vittatus (new synonymy). A key for the identification of the species of Opisthozemius and some distributional data are also given. O. appendiculatus is quoted for the first time from Ghana; O. vittatus for the first time from Central African Republic, Ghana and Uganda.

IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations.It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world's largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of 1,300 Member organisations and some 10,000 experts.It is a leading provider of conservation data, assessments and analysis.Its broad membership enables IUCN to fill the role of incubator and trusted repository of best practices, tools and international standards.IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders including governments, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local communities, indigenous peoples organisations and others can work together to forge and implement solutions to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development.Working with many partners and supporters, IUCN implements a large and diverse portfolio of conservation projects worldwide.Combining the latest science with the traditional knowledge of local communities, these projects work to reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems and improve people's well-being.www.iucn.

Background The stag beetle Lucanus cervus (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) is widely distributed in Europe. Habitat loss and fragmentation has led to significant reductions in numbers of this species. In this study, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome of L. cervus and reconstructed phylogenetic relationships among Lucanidae using complete mitochondrial genome sequences. Methods Raw data sequences were generated by the next generation sequencing using Illumina platform from genomic DNA of L. cervus. The mitochondrial genome was assembled by IDBA and annotated by MITOS. The aligned sequences of mitochondrial genes were partitioned using PartitionFinder 2. Phylogenetic relationships among 19 stag beetle species were constructed using Maximum Likelihood (ML) method implemented in IQ-TREE web server and Bayesian method implemented in PhyloBayes MPI 1.5a. Three scarab beetles were used as outgroups. Results The complete mitochondrial genome of L. cervus is 20,109 bp in length, comprising 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNAs and a control region. The A + T content is 69.93% for the majority strand. All protein-coding genes start with the typical ATN initiation codons except for cox1, which uses AAT. Phylogenetic analyses based on ML and Bayesian methods shown consistent topologies among Lucanidae.

The female of Xiphodontus endroedyi Bartolozzi, 2005 is described for the first time. The new locality record for this species shows that it actually has a wide distribution range across the Cape Floral Region, in the Fynbos Biome. Both larvae and adults were found boring into dead wood at the base of senescent trunks of a variety of Proteaceae species, including the alien invasive Hakea sericea.

Calodromus mantillerii n. sp. and Calodromus goosseni n. sp. from Perak (Malaysia) are described on two single male specimens. The new taxa are closely related to Calodromus insignis (Senna, 1895) but can be easily distinguished by the very different shape of the first tarsal article of the male hind legs. A key for the identification of the males of the three known species of the Calodromus insignis group is provided. A new locality record of Calodromus insignis from Malaysia is also given.

By using the Life Watch database a European e-science infrastructure on native and alien plant occurrence collected from a wide set of Italian terrestrial sites we estimated the occurrence of alien species in a cross habitat framework in relation to propagule pressure (P), abiotic (A) and biotic (B) conditions. The research represents an example of macro-ecological assessment of invasion risk at national scale claimed by the recent European regulation (EU 1143/2014) on invasive alien species. Based on a large vegetation dataset, we estimated alien and native species richness across a set of 19 Italian terrestrial sites. By using a Generalized Linear Mixed Model, we investigated the relationship between the proportion of alien occurrence across sites and habitat types (EUNIS) at family level with PAB putative drivers derived from Life Watch and other open access geographic databases. Our results support the full model as the best-fitting option, highlighting that plant invasion in the Italian terrestrial ecosystems is a function of the combination of PAB conditions. In the first step of the invasion process, the accessibility time from towns plays a major role. By contrast, the abiotic filter imposed by environmental condition (high temperatures and low precipitations) as well the competition with the native community (high species richness) may pose a limit to the settlement and spread of alien species. Because of the high availability of similar data on PAB conditions worldwide, this study represents an effective and easy tool to design appropriate biodiversity conservation policies focused on the prevention of alien spread.

Eighty-four species of Brentidae (not including Apioninae) are listed from Peru, 13 presently only known from this country. Stereodermus platycornis Mantilleri, sp. nov. and Teramocerus spathulifer Mantilleri, sp. nov., are described from Tambopata Province. A micropterous species, Stereodermus micropterus Mantilleri, sp. nov., is described from Alto Madre de Dios River. Stereodermus barbirostris Sharp, 1895, S. breviceps Sharp, 1895, S. nigriceps Sharp, 1895, Pertusius errabundus (Kleine, 1927), Rugosacratus punctirostris (Boheman, 1840), Teramocerus appendiculatus (Soares & Scivittaro, 1972), T. eletus Kleine, 1927, and T. suturalis (Lund, 1800), are newly recorded from Peru.

Hugues Eli Bomans was born in Sclessin (Belgium) on 4 May 1928. Hugo (as he was commonly called by friends and relatives) followed humanistic studies at a Jesuit College, then did his military service in 1947. After that he attended the School of Tropical Medicine in Anvers (Belgium) and finally he was hired by the Medical Services of the Government of the Belgian Congo [...]

The relative role of propagule pressure, abiotic and biotic variables as determinants of alien species occurrence differs among studies.This limits the synthesis of emergent patterns in invasion ecology and generalisations for conservation actions.In order to produce a broad and general assessment of the invasion pattern in aquatic habitats we here propose a macroecological approach to assess the drivers of occurrence of alien species within the whole biota (microorganisms, plants and animals) across several natural freshwater ecosystems of Italy.We simultaneously tested three groups of variables (propagule pressure, abiotic and biotic characteristics), selected as putative predictors of invasibility of a site.Propagule pressure, expressed as proximity to larger inhabited areas, and differences in the native species richness of the receiving community, had a significant role in determining the number of alien species occurrences.Furthermore, body size influenced the occurrence and colonization processes of alien species.Finally, climatic characteristics were relevant in determining the chances that a site was invaded, confirming the role of these abiotic filters in the invasion process.

We present a data set on the biodiversity of Italian freshwaters, including lakeshores and riverbanks of natural (N=379: springs, streams and lakes) and artificial (N=11: fountains) sites. The data set belongs partly to the Italian Long Term Ecological Research network (LTER-Italy) and partly to LifeWatch, the European e-Science infrastructure for biodiversity and ecosystem research. The data included cover a time period corresponding to the last fifty years (1962-2014). They span a large number of taxa from prokaryotes and unicellular eukaryotes to vertebrates and plants, including taxa linked to the aquatic habitat in at least part of their life cycles (like immature stages of insects, amphibians, birds and vascular plants). The data set consists of 6463 occurrence data and distribution records for 1738 species. The complete data set is available in csv file format via the LifeWatch Service Centre.

A list of recent records of stag beetles (Coleoptera Lucanidae) species occurring in Mediterranean countries is given to improve the current knowledge on their geographic distribution. The saproxylic larvae of the stag beetles are very important for forest ecosystems, and some lucanid species are included in the IUCN Red List and in several national protection lists. However, the knowledge on their distribution is rather heterogeneous for several countries and taxa because the distribution records are scattered in poorly known papers or hidden in Museum or private collections. This paper is an attempt to better understanding the distribution of the stag beetle species across the Mediterranean region, to facilitate research and conservation efforts.