P . mi r.» - T ^ w>r7iT ■ * ■"-T-l J I / J Z SiS5i?-if] MARCH 2011, 2 (1): 1-50 vww.biodiversityiournal.com FOR NATURALISTIC RESEARCH ISSN 2039-0394 (Print Edition) ISSN 2039-0408 (Online Edition) AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES i*.i fJOrv P .* fftjraSS Dei cty/o turn bicolor hi color Charpender, 1843 - Mexico 2 Cover: Adult male of Dactylotum bicolor bicolor on an Agave sp, leaf. Mexico, Hidalgo, Tecomatlan, 2205 m, 27 XII 2010. 1) Adult male of Melanoplus solitarius: Mexico, Queretaro, Sierra Gorda, carr. 120, km 131, 8 km S of Pinal de Amoles, 2624 m, 24.XI.2008. 2) Mating Cephalotettix pilosus: Mexico, Veracruz, Riserva Natural Barranca el Corazon (Fortin de las Flores) 810 m, 6.XII.2010, (photos by Paolo Fontana). MEXICAN MELANOPLINAE. Mexico is an extraordinary country with unique history, culture and nature. In terms of natural history this country, which has an almost continental extension (1,972,550 km 2 ), has a huge biodiversity. The fauna and flora of Mexico are made up of both Nearctic and Neotropical elements, with many endemic taxa. Nearctic taxa decrease southwards while, at the opposite, neotropical ones increase getting to central America. Mexican diversity is really huge in all organisms, from plants, to mammals but insects are so particularly abundant, diverse and peculiar. Orthoptera are very common insects in Mexico and they are represented by almost one thousand species. Orthoptera in Mexican culture are often considered as food, especially in some states like Oaxaca, where they are normally consumed. The species used as food are members of the genus Sphenarium (Pyrgomorphidae), the so called Chapulines. One of the most interesting and well distributed group is that of the Melanoplinae, a subfamily of grasshoppers (Caelifera), family Acrididae. The type genus Melanoplus contains many species common in North America toward central Mexico with one holarctic species, Melanoplus frigidus frigidus (Boheman, 1846). The subfamily Melanoplinae, called sometime “spur- throated grasshoppers”, is widespread, occurring for example almost anywhere in the holarctic region. Some Melanoplinae (especially within the genus Melanoplus ), are considered pest, although they have not a really locust behavior. Mexican Melanoplinae are represented by many species of the genus Melanoplus'. many are distributed from USA to Mexico but a great number are endemic. Most of the Mexican endemic Melanoplus are short-winged to brachypterous as well as other Mexican Melanoplinae, more or less brachypterous to apterous. Dactylotum bicolor bicolor Charpentier, 1 843 (called the Painted Grasshopper) is a common but astonishing species living in dry habitats in northern Mexico. It is characterized by bright colors, constant within local populations but also quite variable in distinct population also from closed localities. The meaning of this bright colour is not yet known but commonly this species is not considered toxic. In this case its colour pattern could be considered a Batesian mimicry. Since 2004 I had the chance to organize many entomological expeditions all around Mexico, with Italian and Mexican colleagues. During these trips we collected, photographed and bioacustically recorded many species. An aspect of Mexican entomofauna we soon understood is the abundance of undescribed taxa. In the last years many new species and even genera have been collected and described and many of them were Melanoplinae. Is the case of Melanoplus solitarius (Buzzetti, Barrientos- Lozano & Fontana, 2010), collected on Sierra Gorda (Queretaro) in 2007 or of the recently collected new species of the genus Pedies, from Puebla. Most of these new taxa have a distribution restricted to mountains, but also tropical forests are extremely rich in Melanoplinae, with many peculiar species like Cephalotettix pilosus (Stal, 1878), a quite rare but locally abundant species. Paolo Fontana, Fondazione Edmund Mach - 1st. Agrario S. Michele all’ Adige Centro Trasferimento Tecnologico - Fitoiatria Via E. Mach 1 - 38010 San Michele all’Adige (TN) ITALY - paolo_api.fontana@iasma.it Biodiversity Journal, 2011 , 2 (1 ): 3-8 Mollusca and environmental conservation in Santa Catarina State (SC, Southern Brazil): current situation A. Ignacio Agudo-Padron Project “Avulsos Malacologicos - AM”, P.O. Box 010 - 88010-970, Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, SC, Brasil; ignacioagudo@gmail.com; http://noticias-malacologicas-am.webnode.pt ABSTRACT Available knowledge of malacofauna (mollusc species) conservation in the territory of Santa Catarina State, SC, central Southern Brazil region, is shortly analyzed and discussed herein. Present data originate from the author's active participation in three recent regional unpublished events dealing with biodiversity conservation in the State, carried out to cope the sensitive lack of population studies which is the main difficulty to face in order to provide accurate and detailed evaluations on biodiversity and its conservation status. KEY WORDS Biodiversity, Conservation status, Mollusc fauna, Santa Catarina State, Southern Brazil region. Received 08.01.2011; accepted 13.02.2011; printed 30.03.2011 INTRODUCTION After fourteen years of pioneering systematic work spanning from 1996 to 2010, carried out in the territory of Santa Catarina State, SC, within the Brazilian Southern region, framed in the so- called Atlantic Slope of the Southern Cone of South America (Agudo-Padron, 2008a), a basic list of continental (land and freshwater) and marine mollusc species was compiled. Besides constant interactions and consultations with numerous national and international specialists, such a list was mostly based on available literature and/or analyses of voucher specimens deposited in collections belonging to research centers or environmental education institutes. To date (up to the first semester of 2010), this list comprises a total of 878 taxa (species and subspecies, including 695 marine and 183 continental forms), and these numbers are likely to increase as field surveys ensue. In the present study, results obtained from the author’s active participation in three recent regional field sampling expeditions dealing with marine and continental mollusc taxa, are reported. I. Official State program for listing and control of invasive exotic species Starting from November 2009, and for the first time in the history of Santa Catarina State, the presence of invasive allochthonous mollusc species in Santa Catarina State was studied and discussed through the organisation of seminars by the Official Foundation for the Environment of the State of Santa Catarina (Funda^ao do Meio Ambiente - FATMA) jointly with the Horns Institute for Development and Environmental Conservation (Instituto Horns de Desen volvimento e Conserva^ao Ambiental), with the main goal to compile the Official State Fist of Species. To date, the occurrence of a total of twenty allochthonous (exotic) forms of mollusc species has been confirmed, 14 Gastropoda and 6 Bivalvia [namely, 11 terrestrial gastropods, 5 freshwater taxa (3 gastropods and 2 bivalves) and 4 marine bivalves] . Taking into account the contributions of Agudo & Bleicker (2006a), Agudo-Padron (2008b) and Agudo-Padron & Fenhard (2010), the slug Pallifera sp. - the taxonomic determination of which is still in process (Thome et al., 2006) - was included within such a list. Of these twenty 4 A. Ignacio Agudo-Padron allochthonous species, 14 are invasive forms involving 10 Gastropoda (5 slugs and 5 snails, 1 of which is freshwater) and 4 Bivalvia (2 freshwater and 2 marine). Notably, the Asian golden mussel, Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker, 1857), a highly invasive species, which up to now fortunately only shows a moderate presence in SC territory (Agudo-Padron, 2007; 2008c; Agudo- Padron & Lenhard, 2010), received particular attention in the course of the event. On the other hand, the marine cultivated mussel Perna perna (Linnaeus, 1758), interpreted as invasive exotic species (Junqueira et al., 2009; Agudo & Lenhard, 2010), was definitely deleted from the list based on extensive analyses and conclusive technical discussions that confirmed it to be a native species for Brazil and Santa Catarina State (Magalhaes et al., 2007; Schaefer et al., 2009). II. Construction of the official list of species threatened with extinction in Santa Catarina Similarly, for the first time in the history of the State, the presence and the conservation status of the native molluscan fauna in SC State was examined and discussed. Sponsored, organized and driven by the Official Foundation for the Environment of the State of Santa Catarina (Funda^ao do Meio Ambiente - FATMA) jointly with the IGNIS - Planejamento e In-forma^ao Ambiental (IGNIS - Planning and Environmental In-formation), works dealing with these regional invertebrate animals officially began in October 2009 (IGNIS online published informations are available via http://www.ignis.org.br). The event, denominated as “IV Forum IGNIS of Discussion”, was celebrated in March 2010, even if works were extended until April of the same year. In the mollusc specialist group, out of seven participant researchers, only two focus on continental (terrestrial and freshwater) species. This is in line with the fact that most scientists working in Santa Catarina have to date focused primarily on marine taxa, as clearly deducible from regional literature (e.g. Agudo, 2004; Agudo & Bleicker, 2005a, b; 2006a; Agudo- Padron, 2008a, b; 2010; Agudo-Padron et al., 2009). A total of 675 marine and 82 continental molluscan forms were officially considered and recognized for area under review within the IGNIS database. In particular, 156 marine taxa (21 Cephalopoda, 89 Gastropoda and 46 Bivalvia) were included in the list, along with 17 new registrations of marine species (11 Cephalopoda and 6 Gastropoda) (Agudo-Padron & Bleicker, 2011). Moreover, another three species of marine bivalves were incorporated to the malacological inventory, on the basis of the record in Caregnato et al. (2009). As for continental taxa, taking into account available information (Agudo-Padron, 2008b; 2009a, b; 2010) we strongly believe they have been under- appraised in this first census, probably due to the lack of information on their population structure and distribution. At the moment, out of 82 forms of continental molluscs, only 18 were included in the IGNIS list and just 14 (9 Bivalvia and 5 Gastropoda) were considered as valid species. Moreover, four freshwater bivalves (3 Mycetopodidae and 1 Hyriidae) were added to the list, based on the hypothesis of their “evident occurrence by zoogeographical reasons”. In fact, the presence of these taxa has not yet been confirmed by any official sources such as: (1) bibliographic references, (2) specimens collected in the field, (3) voucher material, coming from the State, deposited in naturalistic collections. Class BIVALVIA Order UNIONOIDA Family MYCETOPODIDAE Anodontites trapezeus (Spix, 1827) Anodontites trigonus (Spix, 1827) Fossula fossiculifera (d’Orbigny, 1835) Family HYRIIDAE Castalia undosa Martens, 1885 On the other hand, three of the confirmed gastropod species underwent “interpretation conflicts” being considered, in the same way, as marine or continental forms due to their high ecological tolerance. Mollusca and environmental conser\>ation in Santa Catarina State (SC, Southern Brazil): current situation 5 Class GASTROPODA Subclass PROSOBRANCHIA Order CAENOGASTROPODA Family HYDROBIIDAE Littoridina (= Heleobia) australis (d’Orbigny, 1835) Within the continental forms, Simone (2006) recognized Littoridina (= Heleobia ) australis (d’Orbigny, 1835) - already reported by Rios (2009) - and Littoridina (= Heleobia ) piscium (d’Orbigny, 1835) - as two separate species, with the occurrence of these two species being definitely confirmed in the territory of Santa Catarina (Agudo & Bleicker, 2005a, c; Agudo-Padron, 2008b; 2009a). Subclass PULMONATA Family ELLOBIIDAE Melampus coffeus (Linnaeus, 1758) Pedipes mirabilis (Muhlefeld, 1816) These species - already reported for SC State (Agudo & Bleicker, 2005a, c; Agudo-Padron, 2009a)- were included in the list of continental molluscs. III. Malacological field research in the Itajai- Agu river basin valley, SC State In March 2010, the “Environmental Impact Study” (Estudo de Impacto Ambiental - EIA) was initiated by a private company in the medium valley of the Itajaf-Agu river basin [the largest Atlantic drainage-basin of the State (Siebert, 1997; Agudo-Padron, 2008c)] (Figs. 1-3). Emerging results (still unpublished) revealed a total of eight species of continental molluscs, 6 freshwater and 2 terrestrial. Notably, within these taxa, two freshwater forms, encountered inside bivalve shells deposits, are new records for the State: Fig. 2 6 A. Ignacio Agudo-Padron Class GASTROPODA Subclass PROSOBRANCHIA Order CAENOGASTROPODA Family HELICINIDAE Helicina angulata Sowerby, 1873 The occurrence of this tree snail was confirmed in the field survey. Family AMPULL ARIID AE Pomacea sordida Swainson, 1823 (Fig. 4) Family THIARIDAE Aylacostoma sp. (Fig. 5) This freshwater gastropod (river snail) genus was a new record for the area under review (Agudo-Padron & Bleicker, 2011). Family HYDROBIIDAE Potamolithus catharinae Pilsbry, 1911 (Fig. 6) Subclass PULMONATA Family CHILINIDAE Chilina globosa Frauenfeld, 1881 Family AGRIOLIMACIDAE Deroceras laeve (Muller, 1774) Class BIVALVIA Order UNIONOIDA Family HYRIIDAE Diplodon aethiops (Lea, 1860) (Fig. 7) This species was considered by Simone (2006) as one of the synonymous forms of the still contentious species Rhipidodonta charruana (d’Orbigny, 1835) (Agudo-Padron, 2008b; 2009a). Figure 4. Pomacea sordida - Figure 5. Aylacostoma sp. - Figure 6. Potamolithus catharinae - Figure 7. Diplodon aethiops - Figure 8. Corbicula largillierti. Mollusca and environmental conser\>ation in Santa Catarina State (SC, Southern Brazil): current situation 7 Order VENEROIDA Family CORBICULIDAE Corbicula largillierti (Philippi, 1844) (Fig. 8) The whole malacological material presented herein has been deposited at the “Augusto Ruschi Zoobotanical Museum” (Museu Zoobotanico Augusto Ruschi - MUZAR), Passo Fundo University - UPF, Rio Grande do Sul State - RS, Southern Brazil region. Present results, although still preliminary, constitute the first known effort at achieving a general knowledge on Mollusca distribution in the medium basin of the Itajai- Agu river, since previous available data on this group, at regional level, is extremely scarce and fragmented (Agudo-Padron, 2008b; 2009a). As far as data on molluscan species in the region of Blumenau Municipal District and the Itajai river valley are concerned, a few other previous studies have been conducted, including those by Morretes (1949; 1953), Prando & Bachia (1995), Silva & Veitenheimer-Mendes (2004), Agudo (2002), AA.VV. (2005), Agudo & Bleicker (2006a), Simone (2006), Molozzi et al. (2007) and Agudo-Padron (2008b, c). CONCLUSIONS Generally speaking, molluscan fauna can be investigated from several perspectives, i.e. zoological diversity, biogeographical distribution, palaeontology, veterinary, agricultural plagues, invasive exotic species, conservation, as an alimentary resource (fishing and malacoculture), as bio-indicators of environmental quality and, last but not least, as a health hazard (as vectors or transmitters of human parasitic diseases) (Agudo 2004, 2007; Agudo & Bleicker, 2006b; Agudo- Padron 2008a, 2010). In the course of this study, it emerged that the lack of population studies is the main difficulty thwarting detailed evaluation of the conservation status of molluscan species already recorded in the State. In particular, for terrestrial taxa, the dearth of information is even more dire since the largest part of active limnologists in the area work on marine species. Hence, to overcome such a lack of information on mollusc fauna of the State of Santa Catarina (Agudo & Bleicker, 2006b), a lot of work has still to be done, focusing exclusively on continental and allochthonous species. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This study is dedicated to all friends that during these last fourteen years helped in many ways and supported the construction and consolidation of this modest research project. Special thanks to Dra. Silvia R. Sziller, executive director and researcher of the Instituto Horns de Desenvolvimento e Conservagao Ambiental (Florianopolis, SC), and Dra. Roberta Aguiar dos Santos, official researcher of the CEPSUL - ICMBio (Itajai, SC), for suggestions, critical observations, bibliographic material, and for providing opportune help and information on (unpublished) regional marine molluscs. REFERENCES AA.VV., 2005. Moluscos gastropodes em arroz irrigado, no sistema pre-germinado, pp. 92-93. In\ Arroz irrigado: recomendacoes tecnicas de pesquisa para o Sul do Brasil. Santa Marta, RS: Sociedade Sul-Brasileira de Arroz Irrigado, IV Congresso Brasileiro de Arroz Irrigado & XXVI Reuniao da Cultura do Arroz Irrigado: 1-159. Available online at: http://www.agencia.cnptia. embrapa. br/Repositorio/Recomendacoes_Tecnicas_Arroz_2007_0 00fzrbdd8b02wx5ok0cpoo6adaexge2.pdf. Agudo A.I., 2002. Preliminary report about the freshwater mussels/clams (Bivalvia: Unionoida & Veneroida) of Santa Catarina State, Southern Brazil. Ellipsaria, 4: 10-11. Agudo A.I., 2004. Os moluscos continentals do Estado de Santa Catarina SC: uma sintese do seu atual conhecimento. Informativo SBMa, Rio de Janeiro, 35: 3-4. Agudo A.I., 2007. Biogeografia das doencas transmissiveis por moluscos vetores no Estado de Santa Catarina, com enfase na “Angiostrongiliase abdominal”. Revista Discente Expressoes Geograficas, 3: 104-105. Available online at: http :7www. geograficas. cfh.ufsc.br/arquivo/ ed03/0 ltcc.pdf. Agudo-Padron A.I., 2007. Diagnostico sobre a potencial ocorrencia do mexilhao-dourado asiatico, Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker, 1857), no Estado de Santa Catarina, Brasil. Informativo SBMa, Rio de Janeiro, 38: 4-5. Agudo-Padron A.I., 2008a. Levantamento biogeografico de moluscos no Estado de Santa Catarina, SC, regiao Sul do Brasil, Vertente Atlantica do Cone Meridional da America do Sul. Caminhos de Geografia, 9: 126-133. Available online at: http://www.caminhosdegeografia. ig.ufu.br/viewarticle.php?id=664&layout=abstract. 8 A. Ignacio Agudo-Padron Agudo-Padron A. I., 2008b. Listagem sistematica dos moluscos continentais ocorrentes no Estado de Santa Catarina, Brasil. Comunicaciones de la Sociedad Malacologica del Uruguay, 9: 147-179. Available online at: http://redalyc.uaemex.mx/redalyc/pdf/524/ 52412049003.pdf. Agudo-Padron A.I., 2008c. Vulnerabilidade da rede hidrografica do Estado de Santa Catarina, SC, ante o a van go invasor do mexilhao-dourado, Limnoperna fortunei (Dunlcer, 1857). Revista Discente Expressoes Geograficas, 4: 75-103. Available online at: http://www.geograficas.cfh.ufsc.br/arquivo/ed04/artigo0 4.pdf Agudo-Padron A.I., 2009a. Recent terrestrial and freshwater molluscs of Santa Catarina State, SC, Southern Brazil region: a comprehensive synthesis and check list. VISAYA, Cebu - Philippines (April 20, 2009): 1-12. http://www.conchology.be/?t=4 1 . Agudo-Padron A. I., 2009b. Endangered continental mollusks of Santa Catarina State, Southern Brazil: an brief overview. Ellipsaria, 11: 7-8. Agudo-Padron A.I., 2010. The mollusc fauna of Santa Catarina State, Southern Brasil: knowledge gained from 13 years of research. Tentacle, 18: 32-37. Available online at: http://www.hawaii.edu/cowielab/ tentacle/ Tentaclel 8.pdf. Agudo A.I. & Bleicker M.S., 2005a. Malacofauna marinha catarinense: uma aproximagao ao estado atual do conhecimento dos moluscos marinhos. E Gastropoda. Informativo SBMa, Rio de Janeiro, 36 (151): 3-7. Agudo AT. & Bleicker M.S., 2005b. Malacofauna marinha catarinense: uma aproximagao ao estado atual do conhecimento dos moluscos mari nh os. IE Bivalvia. Informativo SBMa, Rio de Janeiro, 36 (152): 4-7. Agudo A.I. & Bleicker M.S., 2005c. Malacofauna marinha catarinense: uma aproximagao ao estado atual do conhecimento dos moluscos marinhos. IV: Adenda: registros adicionais. Informativo SBMa, Rio de Janeiro, 36 (154): 4-6. Agudo A.I. & Bleicker M.S., 2006a. Moluscos exoticos no Estado de Santa Catarina. Informativo SBMa, Rio de Janeiro, 37: 6-8. Agudo A.I. & Bleicker M.S., 2006b. First general inventory of the malacological fauna of Santa Catarina State, Southern Brasil. Tentacle, 14: 8-10. Available online at: http://www.hawaii.edu/cowielab/ tentacle/ tentacle_ 14.pdf. Agudo-Padron A.I. & Bleicker M.S., 2011. Additional new records on recent marine and continental molluscs of Santa Catarina State, SC, Southern Brazil region: synthesis and check list. Ellipsaria, 13: 20-26. Agudo-Padron A.I., Bleicker M.S. & Saalfeld K., 2009. Recent marine molluscs of Santa Catarina State, SC, Southern Brazil region: a comprehensive synthesis and check list. VISAYA, Cebu - Philippines (April 20, 2009): 1-17. Available online at: http://www. conchology. be/?t=41. Agudo-Padron A.I. & Lenhard P. 2010. Introduced and invasive exotic molluscs in Brazil: an brief overview. Tentacle, 18: 37-41. Available online at: http://www. hawaii.edu/cowielab/tentacle/Tentacle_18.pdf. Caregnato F.F., Wiggers F., Tarasconi J.C. & Veitenheimer- Mendes I.L., 2009. Taxonomic composition of mollusks collected from the stomach content of Astropecten brasiliensis (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) in Santa Catarina, Brazil. Revista Brasileira de Biociencias, 7: 252-259. Available online at: http://www6.ufrgs. br/seerbio/ojs/index.php/rbb/ article/view/ 1 1 82/870. Junqueira A.O.R., Tavares M.D.S., Schaeffer-Novelli Y., Radashevsky V.I., Cirelli, J.O., Julio L.M., Romagnoli F.C., Santos K.C. dos & Ferreira-Silva M.A.G., 2009. Zoobentos, Cap. 6, pp. 145-371. In: Lopes, R.M. (Editor). In forme sobre as especies exoticas invasoras marinhas no Brasil. Brasilia, DF: MMA/SBF, Serie Biodiversidade, 33, 440 pp. Magalhaes A.R.M., Schaefer A.L.C. & Fossari T., 2007. Mexilhao Perna pern a (Linnaeus, 1758): nativo sim do Brasil. Rio de Janeiro, RJ: Resumos XX Encontro Brasileiro de Malacologia, Biogeografia: 237. Molozzi J., Hepp L.U. & Dias A. da S., 2007. Influence of rice crop on the benthic community in Itajai Valley (Santa Catarina, Brazil). Acta Limnologica Brasiliensia, 19: 383-392. Available online at: http://www.sblimno.org. br/pdf/acta 1 9_vol4_02.pdf. Morretes F.L., 1949. Ensaio de Catalogo dos Moluscos do Brasil. Curitiba: Arquivos do Museu Paranaense, 7: 5- 216. Morretes F.L., 1953. Addenda e Corrigenda ao Ensaio de Catalogo dos Moluscos do Brasil. Curitiba: Arquivos do Museu Paranaense, 10: 37-76. Prando H.F. & Bachia R.E., 1995. Ocorrencia e controle de moluscos gastropodes em arroz irrigado no sistema pre- germinado, em Santa Catarina. Porto Alegre, RS: 1RGA, Anais XXI Reuniao da Cultura do Arroz Irrigado: 229- 231. Rios E. de C., 2009. Compendium of Brazilian Sea Shells. Rio Grande, RS: Evangraf, 668 pp. Schaefer A.L.C. , Magalhaes A.R.M. & Fossari T.D., 2009. Evidencias da presenga do mexilhao Perna perna em Sambaquis pre-coloniais brasileiros. Rio de Janeiro, RJ: Resumos XXI Encontro Brasileiro de Malacologia, Arqueologia: 432. Siebert C.F., 1997. Rede urbana do Vale do Itajai. Blumenau, SC: Editora da FURB, 118 pp. Silva M.C.P. da & Veitenheimer-Mendes I.L., 2004. Redescrigao de “ Potamolithus catharinae’’ ’ com base em topotipos (Gastropoda, Hydrobiidae), rio Hercilio, Santa Catarina, Brasil. Iheringia, Serie Zoologia., Porto Alegre, 94: 83-88. Available online at: http://www.scielo.br/pdf/ isz/v94nl/20466.pdf. Simone, L.R.L., 2006. Land and freshwater molluscs of Brazil. Sao Paulo, SP: FAPESP, 390 pp. Thome J.W., Gomes S.R. & Picango J.B., 2006. Os caracois e as lesmas dos nossos bosques e jardins. Pelotas, RS: USEB, 123 pp. Biodiversity Journal, 2011 , 2 (1): 9-12 Current knowledge on population studies on five continental molluscs (Mollusca, Gastropoda et Bivalvia) of Santa Catarina State (SC, Central Southern Brazil region) A. Ignacio Agudo-Padron Project “Avulsos Malacologicos - AM”, P.O. Box 010 - 88010-970, Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, SC, Brasil; ignacioagudo@gmail.com; http://noticias-malacologicas-am.webnode.pt ABSTRACT Although still very scarce, available knowledge on population studies on continental (land and freshwater) molluscs in the territory of Santa Catarina State is shortly analyzed and discussed. Based on the IUCN “Restricted Distribution” criterion, a total of 54 nominal species, including 31 terrestrial gastropods, 15 freshwater gastropods and 8 limnic bivalves, were considered strong candidates as threatened taxa. Out of all these endangered species, only 5 limnic forms (2 gastropods and 3 bivalves) were previously analysed, in some way, at population level. KEY WORDS Biodiversity, Conservation status, Continental mollusc populations, Santa Catarina State, Southern Brazil region. Received 08.01.2011; accepted 13.02.2011; printed 30.03.2011 INTRODUCTION As already reported in Moraes (2006), all Brazilian autochthonous continental mollusc species are seriously threatened with extinction. Moreover, there are presumably a high number of taxa still awaiting discovery and numerous others that, as a first step for their conservation, need to be investigated and inventoried with alacricity. Considering the rapid rate of current anthropic environmental degradation, several species will surely become extinct before the scientific community gets to know them all (Simone, 2006). Besides the environmental degradation (including deforestation for agricultural aims or forest exploitation, mining, pollution of the river basins with dejections and several pollutants, indiscriminate use of agricultural poisons and chemical fertilizers, proliferation of the construction of hydroelectric mills, invasions of natural spaces by town planning enterprises), the Brazilian species face considerable competition with invading forms that, among others, are also responsible for serious sanitary and agronomic problems (Agudo & Bleicker, 2006a; Agudo- Padron, 2008; Agudo-Padron & Lenhard, 2010). Introduced willfully or accidentally, allochthonous invading species are novel to local ecosystems and, for this reason, lack any natural predators, thus achieving an uncontrolled growth of populations with, consequently, extinction of native species and an indiscriminate occupation of native (often under-exploited) niches. Taking into account that molluscs found in rivers and lakes show extinction rates ranging from four to six times higher than their counterparts in marine or terrestrial habitats, these species are the most threatened globally due to the widespread collapse of such fluvial ecosystems. In particular, freshwater bivalves are very sensitive to trampling, organic and chemical pollution and other different types of environment degradation. Moreover, they show a relatively slow growth rate and don’t usually re- settle in previously abandoned/discarded areas. There a few endemic species for each basin and many of them inhabit restricted and seriously 10 A. Ignacio Agudo-Padron threatened areas suffering from countless environment alterations recently elicited by human activities. This scenario worsened still by the absence of these species from “red lists” provided by ecology centers or units. Nearly nobody wants to preserve a natural area just because of a snail; unfortunately, molluscs, although being fundamental for ecological balance (Moraes, 2006), have a very smaller appeal when compared to any vertebrate species and are considered as non-charismatic species. In the present work, current knowledge on native continental molluscs of Santa Catarina State is reported by publishing information available from past population studies. As far as available data on autochthonous malacofauna in Santa Catarina State is concerned, reference should be made to Agudo-Padron (2011). As already underlined in the above mentioned paper, continental forms are currently sub-appraised due to a sensitive lack of population studies coupled with a traditional and historical chronic lack, in the State, of specialists working on continental forms. In this paper, 54 continental native species - 46 Gastropoda (31 land and 15 freshwater taxa) and 8 limnic Bivalvia (Agudo-Padron, 2010), along with two recent new registrations for the Extreme Western area of the State, Macrodontes thielei Pilsbry, 1930 (Odontostomidae) and Streptaxis pfeifferi (Pilsbry, 1930) (Streptaxidae) (Agudo-Padron & Bleicker, 2011), were considered for inclusion in IUCN categories of specific status of threat and conservation, based on the specific Restricted Distribution Criterion. Out of these taxa only the following five species have been studied, somehow, at population level in Santa Catarina State: Class GASTROPODA Prosobranchia/Caenogastropoda Family AMPULLARIIDAE Gray, 1824 Genus Pomacea Perry, 1811 Pomacea lineata (Spix, 1827) Available preliminary population studies were reported a few years ago (Santos et al., 2005; Quadros et ah, 2007). This taxon was included in the specific IUCN category ENDANGERED (EN). Pomacea lineata (Spix, 1827), also known as apple snail, is a native taxon the rank of which is still contentious. In fact, it was considered by several authors an essential element of the canaliculata complex, but, on the other hand, recognized as a valid species by local specialists (Thiengo, 1987; Cowie & Thiengo, 2003; Simone, 2006). In our opinion, this is a sterile discussion, since, whatever its taxonomic rank might be, we really need to evaluate the conservation status of this taxon in the State, since it inahibits a restricted area (Salto do Rio Caveiras, Santa Catarina plateau) under strong regional thread from hydroelectric development (Santos et ah, 2005; Agudo-Padron, 2008, 2010). Family HYDROBIIDAE Stimpson, 1865 Genus Potamolithus Pilsbry, 1896 Potamolithus kusteri (Ihering, 1893) For preliminary population studies see Santos et ah (2005) and Quadros et ah (2007). This taxon was included in the specific IUCN category VULNERABLE (VU). It occurs in a restricted area (Salto do Rio Caveiras, Santa Catarina plateau) under strong regional thread from hydroelectric development (Santos et ah, 2005; Agudo-Padron, 2008, 2010). Class BIVALVIA UNIONOIDA (freshwater mussels/naiads) Family HYRIIDAE Swainson, 1840 Genus Diplodon , Spix, 1827 Diplodon parallelipipedon (Lea, 1834) Preliminary population studies were previously reported (Santos et ah, 2005; Quadros et ah, 2007). This taxon was included in the specific IUCN category ENDANGERED (EN). It occurs in a restricted area (Salto do Rio Caveiras, Santa Catarina plateau) under strong regional thread from hydroelectric development (Santos et ah, 2005; Agudo-Padron, 2008, 2010). VENEROIDA (freshwater clams) Family SPHAERIIDAE Deshayes, 1854 Genus Pisidium Pfeiffer, 1821 Pisidium pipoense (Ituarte, 2000) Preliminary population studies were carried out by Perizzolo (2003) and Agudo-Padron (2008, 2010). This taxon was included in the Current biowledge on population studies on five continental molluscs of Santa Catarina State (SC, Central Southern Brazil region) 1 1 specific IUCN category ENDANGERED (EN). It occurs in a restricted area (Lageado Sao Jose, Chapeco municipal district, Uruguay River valley) under severe human influence (water reservoir). Pisidium taraguyense (Ituarte, 2000) Preliminary population studies were carried out by Perizzolo (2003) and Agudo-Padron (2008, 2010). This taxon was included in the specific IUCN category ENDANGERED (EN). It occurs in a restricted area (Lageado Sao Jose, Chapeco municipal district, Uruguay River valley) under severe human influence (water reservoir). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Out of 54 continental species, only 5 limnic forms (2 gastropods and 3 bivalves) have been preliminarily studied at population level, with none of these studies ever being formally published. Hence, at present, in spite of burgeoning scientific and technological progress, we still have a lot of difficulty in evaluating threats menacing continental mollusc species within the territory of Santa Catarina State, SC, the smallest portion of the Southern Brazil mosaic (Agudo & Bleicker, 2006b; Agudo, 2007). The main reasons for this are, among others, the lack of concrete population data and the extremely small amount of taxonomic specialists on these species living and working in the State. Personally, during 14 years of work in the field, the author has witnessed the decrease and even the extirpation of certain species from several places and specific areas of the SC State. One example is the native giant snail Megalobulimus gummatus (Hidalgo, 1870), a magnificent representative of the family Megalobulimidae in the valley of the Uruguay river basin which was abundant until a few years ago; currently this species is difficult to locate in such an area, probably due to the consequences of the increase of regional agricultural activities (use of pesticides, mainly). Meanwhile, invading exotic species proliferate and colonize larger areas. Endemic species, such as the small aquatic snail Potamolithus catharinae Pilsbry, 1911, representative of the family Hydrobiidae, and the tiny freshwater limpets Burnupia ingae Lanzer, 1991 and Ferrissia gentdis Lanzer, 1991, family Ancylidae (Agudo-Padron, 2008), are particularly vulnerable since their fragile natural habitat is easily altered by a multitude of human activities. In general, for Brazilian fluvial habitats there is a regrettable lack of basic conservation and management information, particularly dealing with the spatio-temporal dynamics of populations and communities, as well as with the impact of several human activities. Hence, for this reason, it is extremely important to pay great attention to the conservation status of continental molluscs, including those occurring in Santa Catarina State. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Very thanks to Dra. Roberta Aguiar dos Santos, Official researcher of the CEPSUL - ICMBio (Itajai, SC), for critical observations, suggestions and useful information. REFERENCES Agudo A.I., 2007. Continental land and freshwater molluscs in Santa Catarina State, Southern Brasil: a general review of current knowledge. Tentacle, 15: 11-14. Available online at: http://www.hawaii.edu/cowielab/ tentacle/tentaclel 5 .pdf. Agudo-Padron A.I., 2008. Listagem sistematica dos moluscos continentais ocorrentes no Estado de Santa Catarina, Brasil. Comunicaciones de la Sociedad Malacologica del Uruguay, 9: 147-179. Available online at: http://redalyc.uaemex.mx/redalyc/pdf/524/524120 49003.pdf. Agudo-Padron, A.I., 2010. The mollusc fauna of Santa Catarina State, Southern Brasil: knowledge gained from 13 years of research. Tentacle, 18: 32-37. Available online at: http://www.hawaii.edu/cowielab/tentacle/ Tentacle_18.pdf. Agudo-Padron, A.I., 2011. Mollusca and environmental conservation in Santa Catarina State (SC, Southern Brazil) : current situation. Biodiversity Journal, 2 (1): 3-8. Agudo A.I. & Bleicker M.S., 2006a. Moluscos exoticos no Estado de Santa Catarina. Informativo SBMa, Rio de Janeiro, 37: 6-8. 12 A. Ignacio Agudo-Padron Agudo A.I. & Bleicker M.S., 2006b. First general inventory of the malacological fauna of Santa Catarina State, Southern Brasil. Tentacle, 14: 8-10. Available online at: http://www.hawaii.edu/cowielab/tentacle/ tentacle_14.pdf. Agudo-Padron, A.I. & Bleicker, M.S. 2011. Additional new records on recent marine and continental molluscs of Santa Catarina State, SC, Southern Brazil region: synthesis and check list. Ellipsaria. 13: 20-26. Agudo-Padron A.I. & Lenhard P., 2010. Introduced and invasive exotic molluscs in Brazil: an brief overview. Tentacle, 18: 37-41. Available online at: http://www. hawaii.edu/cowielab/tentacle/Tentacle_ 1 8 .pdf. Cowie R.H. & Thiengo, S.C., 2003. The apple snails of the Americas (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Ampullariidae: Asolene, Felipponea, Marisa, Pomacea, Pomella ): a nomenclatural and type catalog. Malacologia, 45: 41-100. Moraes M.S., 2006. O manual dos moluscos do Brasil. Sao Paulo, SP: Jomal da USP, 22: 7. Perizzolo R., 2003. Distribuigao longitudinal de Mollusca (Bivalvia) no rio Lajeado Sao Jose, Chapeco - SC. Chapeco, SC: UNOCHAPECO, Dissertaijao Bacharel em Ciencias Biologicas, 25 pp. Quadros R.M., Gamba G.A., Santos D.B., Peruzzolo G., Lima L.C. & Marques S.M.T., 2007. A ecologia da malacofauna dulcicola do alagado do Salto do rio Caveiras na serra catarinense, Brasil. Rio de Janeiro, RJ: Resumos XX Encontro Brasileiro de Malacologia: 304. Santos D.B. Dos, Peruzzolo G. & Gamba G.A., 2005. O levantamento e a ecologia da malacofauna dulcicola do Alagado do Salto do Rio Caveiras na Serra Catarinense. Lages, SC: UNIPLAC, Relatorio de Estagio (Licenciatura Plena em Ciencias Biologicas), 157 pp. Simone L.R.L., 2006. Land and freshwater molluscs of Brazil. Sao Paulo, SP: FAPESP, 390 pp. Thiengo S. C., 1987. Observations on the morphology of Pomacea lineata (Spix, 1827) (Mollusca, Ampullariidae). Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, 82: 563-570. Biodiversity Journal, 2011, 2 (1): 13-17 New corological and biological data of the Red Gum Lerp Psyllid, Glycaspis brimblecombei Moore, 1964 in Italy (Hemiptera, Psyllidae) Francisco Javier Peris-Felipo 1 , Gianpiera Mancusi 2 , Giuseppe Fabrizio Turrisi 3 & Ricardo Jimenez-Peydro 1 1 Laboratorio de Entomologia y Control de Plagas, Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biologla Evolutiva, Universidad de Valencia, Apartado Oficial 22085 - 46071 Valencia, Spain. 2 Via Italia 3 - 85021, Avigliano, Potenza, Italy. 3 University of Catania, Cutgana, Nature Reserve Management, Via Terzora 8 - 95027, San Gregorio di Catania, Catania, Italy. Corresponding author: F.J. Peris-Felipo, e-mail: francisco.peris@uv.es. ABSTRACT Glycaspis brimblecombei Moore, 1964 is a psyllid (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) pest of Eucalyptus, native to Australia and first recorded in Europe: Spain in 2008 and more recently (2010) in Italy. The present paper deals with recent research, carried out in central Italy, with new data on the distribution and biology of this species. KEY WORDS Hemiptera, Psyllidae, new records, Italy. Received 02.03.2011; accepted 03.03.2011; printed 30.03.2011 INTRODUCTION The red gum lerp psyllid, Glycaspis brimblecombei Moore, 1964, is a sap-sucking insect of Australian origin (Moore, 1964) which currently shows a widespread distribution outside its native range due to frequent introductions. It was detected in California, U.S.A. in 1998 (Brennan et al., 1999), in Mexico in 2000 (Castillo, 2003), in the Hawaiian Islands in 2001 (Nagamine & Heu, 2001), in Chile in 2002 (Sandoval & Rothmann, 2003), in Brazil (Santana et ah, 2003) and Mauritius (Sookar et ah, 2003) in 2003, in Madagascar in 2004 (Hollis, 2004), in Argentina in 2005 (Bouvet et ah, 2005), in Ecuador in 2007 (Onore & Gara, 2007), in Venezuela (Rosales et ah, 2008), Peru (Burckhardt et ah, 2008) and Iberian Peninsula (Hurtado & Reina, 2008; Valente & Hoodlcinson, 2009; Prieto-Lillo et ah, 2009) in 2008, and finally in Italy in 2010 (Laudonia & Garonna, 2010). Within Spain, it was only recorded at first in the provinces of Caceres, Cadiz, Huelva and Seville, but has subsequently also been recorded along the Mediterranean coast and in central regions (Peris-Felipo et ah, 2009). G. brimblecombei is associated with a variety of species of Eucalyptus (Dahlsten & Rowney, 2000; Diodato & Venturini, 2007), but in the Mediterranean basin it associates mainly with red eucalyptus ( E . camaldulensis), frequently used in urban and rural forestry programmes (Peris-Felipo et ah, 2009). This psyllid can be distinguished from other species thanks to the length of the cephalic projections below the eyes, indicated as genal processes (Fig. 1) (Faudonia & Garonna, 2010). The adults of this species show a degree of sexual dimorphism based mainly on body size, with females slightly larger than males (size varying between 2.5 and 3.1 mm). The body colour is light green, sometimes with yellow spots. During oviposition, females lay eggs, ovoid in shape and yellow in colour, individually or in groups and without any protection (Fig. 2). Nymphs are yellowish orange with grey wing 14 F.J. Peris-Felipo, G. Mancusi, G.F. Turrisi & R. Jimenez-Peydro Figures 1-4. Glycaspis brimblecombei\ 1, adult; 2, eggs; 3, nymphs; 4, shields. rudiments (Fig. 3). Nymphs secrete honeydew, which builds a white cover for protection until the adult stage is reached. This cover, also called a shield, is conic in shape and is built by several layers linked to each other. The nymph and the protective shield, which reaches a maximum size of 3.0 x 2.0 mm (Ide et al., 2006) (Fig. 4), grow at the same rate. After oviposition, which takes place on leaves, in the event of adverse weather, eggs enter a period of quiescence until conditions become favourable. After hatching, nymphs rapidly develop into pupal instars, producing the protective shield and readying the insect for final development into adulthood (Laudonia & Garonna, 2010). Once the adult stage is reached reproductive activity swiftly takes place, fertilized females oviposit and nymphs hatch a few days later, starting another cycle. G. brimblecombei may undergo a multivoltine cycle, but variations of the life cycle have been observed in different geographical contexts. For instance, in Australia and California there are two to four generations per year, while in Chile the life cycle is postponed for about one month during the spring- summer period (Hidalgo, 2005). The present paper deals with new chorological and biological data on this species, based on recent research carried out in central Italy (Latium). New corological and biological data of the Red Gum Lerp Psyllid, Glycaspis brimblecombei Moore, 1964 in Italy 15 itSHt*. /WZERWXO AUSTRIA HUNGARY CROATIA - TUNISIA ■Vatic an oj Fiumicino; U\V\ / n • L T *> 1\ , » f 5 Ji r€\ , _ L. % ■ ; BOSNIA 1 . \ c ? *>. ** V Figure 5. Distribution of Glycaspis brimblecombei in Italy. MATERIAL AND METHODS During investigations carried out between May and July 2010 in the city of Rome and its surroundings for the identification of possible pests in E. camaldulensis, most specimens were found to be infested with G. brimblecombei. The trees were checked weekly to ascertain the presence of the psyllid. Eucalyptus-trees showing positive presence were sampled, and leaves and insects collected. The samples were either hand-picked or collected with ento- mological nets. Leaves were taken to the laboratory for observation under light stereomicroscope. Additionally, local climatic data, specifically maximum-minimum temperatures, was also recorded for correlation with the life cycle of G. brimblecombei. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The new record of G. brimblecombei increases our knowledge of its distribution in Italy co nfir ming that this psyllid species is well established in Rome and its environs (Fig. 5; Table 1). Despite reported damage caused by the species on eucalyptuses around the world, our observations have not revealed any negative effects so far, though it should be noted that further research is required. Although our research has not identified any significant effect on the trees’ health-status, the attack of this sucking insect can indeed leave large quantities of honeydew on leaves, facilitating subsequent attacks by fungi resulting in fumagina syndromes. Moreover, when trees support high population levels, some discoloration of leaves or, at least, the adoption of a yellowish green colour has been detected. In fact, as time progresses, these fungi attacks produce leaf discoloration, falling, stunted growth and general abatement of plant vigour. This general deterioration could facilitate further attacks by other insect pests or the death of branches or even whole trees, as shown by some published examples (Bouvert et al., 2005; Ide et al., 2006; Hurtado & Reina, 2008). The maximum and minimum temperatures recorded in Rome during the sampling period have permitted us to ascertain the values at which G. brimblecombei starts its activity. In May, specifically at the end of the month, with 16 F.J. Peris-Felipo, G. Mancusi, G.F. Turrisi & R. Jimenez-Peydro Locality UTM coordinates Altitude (m) Fiumicino 33T 272804, 4629886 3 Magliana 33T 282693, 4633479 14 Magliana 337 285797,4634282 22 Magliana 33T 287568, 4634537 17 Parco Leonardo 337 276695,4632179 6 Parco Leonardo 337 277329,4632195 2 Ponte Galeria 337 277836,4632459 4 Ponte Galeria 337 279158,4632909 8 Ponte Galeria 337 279658,4633035 13 Ponte Galeria 337 280747,4633003 41 Rome 337 289229,4638359 22 Rome 337 289317,4638487 26 Rome 337 289467,4637794 16 Rome 337 289859,4638735 19 Rome 337 291485,4638662 28 Rome 337 292361,4640575 30 Rome 337 292400,4640830 49 Rome 337 292489,4640895 53 Rome 337 293071,4638438 23 Rome 337 293813,4641575 49 Rome 337 294106,4641852 39 Rome 337 294425, 4639343 37 Table 1. Localities, UTM and altitude of Glycaspis brimblecombei findings in Italy. Glycaspis Appearance Data a> o c a> (/> a> i— a. a \ “small sea urchin”. Few shells of Ersilia mediterranea (Monterosato 1869) (Fig. 18) were hand collected by D.S. at S. Giovanni Li Cuti associated to Ophioderma longicauda (Bmzelius, 1805), which lives under stones in shallow waters. • Systematics Triphoridae The teleoconch of Monophorus thiriotae Bouchet, 1984 (Fig. 10) resembles that of Similiphora similior (Bouchet & Guillemot, 1978) from which is distinguishable by the sculpture of the protoconch and the fourth beaded spiral cord of the teleoconch (Fig. 10a). The colour of the external soft parts of this latter species is described by Bouchet & Guillemot (1978). Specimens of Monophorus erythrosoma (Bouchet & Guillemot, 1978) (Fig. 11) were found by D.S. in Acitrezza, among material collected by fishing nets at depths of 80-100 m. New ecological and taxonomical data on some Ptenoglossa from the Gulf of Catania (Ionian Sea) 43 Figures 12, 12a. Melanella lubrica , Aci Castello, 6.2 mm, male; Fig. 12a, 6 mm, female. - Figures 13, 13a, 13b. Melanella alba (da Costa, 1778), Aci Castello, 9.5 mm; Fig. 13a, detail of sculpture of the last whorl; Fig. 13b, living specimens on Pseudothyone raphanus. - Figure 14. Melanella polita, Catania “Plaja”, 7.2 mm. - Figures 15, 15a. M. petitiana, Acitrezza, 3.8 and 3.5 mm. - Figure 16. Melanella sp., Aci Castello, 4 mm. Figure 17. Pelseneeria minor, Acitrezza, 2.3 mm. - Figure 18. Ersilia mediterranea, S. Giovanni Li Cuti, 1.5 mm. - Figures 1 9, 1 9a. Vitreolina philippi, S. Giovanni Li Cuti (CT, Sicily), 3 mm; Fig. 1 9a, detail of the last whorl seen from the base. - Figures 20, 20a. Crinophtheiros comatulicola, Acitrezza , 3 mm; Fig. 20a, detail of the last whorl seen from the base. - Figures 21 , 21 a. Epitonium dendrophylliae, 1986, Acitrezza, 7 mm; Fig. 21a, living specimen. - Figure 22. Epitonium pulchellum, Acitrezza, 11.3 mm. 44 D. Scuderi & F. Criscione The head-foot of M. metaxa was almost white, with marbleized pale greyish areas on the opercular region and just behind the head; no microstructures were present on the cephalic tentacles. The presence of S. similior and Pogonodon pseudocanarica (Bouchet, 1985) (collected by D.S. in Acitrezza, among residuals of fishing nets at depths of 80-100 m) in our samples represents the first record for these species in the Ionian Sea, and their distribution is thus extended to this area. Cerithiopsidae Species of Cerithiopsis Forbes & Hanley, 1850 share similar teleoconch features and can often be distinguished only by slight differences in protoconch size and micro sculpture. This has been source of several taxonomical debates (van Aartsen et al., 1984; Palazzi & Villari, 2001; Bouchet et ah, 2010). Cecalupo & Robba (2010) described two new genera including species formerly attributed to Cerithiopsis based exclusively on differences in protoconch microsculpture. According to them, species of Prolixodens Marshall, 1978 have multispiral cylindrical protoconchs with prosocline riblets, protoconchs of species of Nanopsis Cecalupo & Robba 2010 have subsutural axial riblets, whereas species of Cerithiopsis s.s. have smooth protoconchs. Many other species of Cerithiopsis , however, show different protoconchs from those of the genera listed by these authors (see for instance that of C. ladae Buzzurro & Prkic, 2007, C. diadema Monterosato, 1874 ex Watson ms., C. atalaya Watson, 1874, C. pulchraesculpta Cachia, Mifsud & Sammut, 2004, and the closely related C. iudithae Reitano & Buzzurro, 2006). If the approach of Cecalupo & Robba 2010 was extended to all Cerithiopsis species, several new genera should be described. In our opinion such a complex systematic problem would require a more modem approach and more characters (e.g. from the anatomy) should be examined in order to assess generic distinctions. We here prefer to maintain the former interpretation of Cerithiopsis until this issue will be more adequately studied. Five shells of C. buzzurroi (Cecalupo & Robba, 2010) (Figs. 4, 4a) and 11 of C. denticulata (Cecalupo & Robba, 2010) (Figs. 3, 3a) were collected by D.S. both in shell grit at S. Giovanni Li Cuti, at depths of 15-22 m at the base of rocks. Along with the specimens collected during the BCGC campaign, several living specimens of Cerithiopsis diadema (Monterosato, 1874 ex Watson ms.) were found by D.S. in material collected by fishing nets at depths of 80-100 m at Ognina. Description of the external soft-body parts are lacking in the literature. The head-foot was whitish, with long, evident and opaque granular material, arranged in two longitudinal rows in the propodium; punctations were present behind the eyes; micro stmctures were present at the tips of the cephalic tentacles. Two living specimens of C. ladae (Figs. 7, 7a) were hand-collected by D.S. at S. Giovanni Li Cuti, by SCUBA diving in a little and shallow semi- submerged cave at a depth of 2 m. The original description (Prkic & Buzzurro, 2007) contains no data on the colour pattern of the external soft body parts which we here provide. The body was white, translucent, with paler punctuations near the operculum; punctuations were also present behind the eyes; long, evident and opaque granular material, arranged in two longitudinal rows, was present on the propodium; no microstructures were visible on the tentacles. Our record is the first for the Ionian Sea, therefore the distribution of this species is extended to this area. Part of the material examined for the institution of Cerithiopsis micalii (Cecalupo & Villari, 1997) (Figs. 6, 6a) was collected by D.S. and the data on these specimens are reported in Cecalupo & Villari (1997). We here report the collection of further three specimens at Capo Molini and Acitrezza in the same conditions. Based on the presence of a third granulated spiral cord, Bouchet et al. (2010) suggested the unsuitable position of this species in Dizoniopsis. We agree with their idea and provide details on the external soft-body parts: body almost white, with long, evident and opaque granular material, arranged in two longitudinal rows in the propodium; microstructures were present at the tips of the cephalic tentacles. The general shell shape of C. minima recalled that of the other pupoid closely related species, from which Cerithiopsis minima is readily distinguished by its smooth and almost white protoconch. The head-foot was entirely white, with yellow lines under the suspensor of the New ecological and taxonomical data on some Ptenoglossa from the Gulf of Catania (Ionian Sea) 45 operculum; no microstructures were visible at the tips of the cephalic tentacles. As shown by our data, Cerithiopsis tubercularis (Montagu, 1803) is particularly common and widespread in the studied area. Prkic & Mariottini (2009), based on observation of living specimens of C. tubercularis indistinguishable by shell characters, found three forms distinct by relevant differences in the head-foot colour pattern. These forms were given species rank viz. C. tubercularis , C. oculisfictis and C. petanii. Cecalupo & Robba (2010) did not see any ground for the separation of these two latter species from C. tubercularis. Their approach to the taxonomy of C. tubercularis , based on a neotype designation, provided better nomenclatural stability. Among our material, we observed not only the same three forms described by these authors but also intermediate forms connecting to each other. We consider the presence of these intermediates as the evidence of the expression of an intraspecific variability in the colour pattern of the head-foot of C. tubercularis. Some specimens of Cerithiopsis pulchresculpta Cachia, Mifsud & Sammut, 2004 (Figs. 5, 5a) were collected by D.S. in Acitrezza, among material collected by fishing nets at depths of 80-100 m. Although previously reported for Italian waters (Reitano & Buzzurro, 2006), this species has not been included in the Italian checklist (Oliverio, 2008). Some taxonomical controversies also characterize the genus Dizoniopsis Sacco, 1895, for which we refer to a recent review (Bouchet et al., 2010). We follow these last authors in considering inappropriate the recent designation of a lectotype of D. concatenata by Landau et al. (2006), being not based on type materials. Here, however, we want to make a taxonomical remark about the correct diagnosis of D. concatenata (Conti, 1864), of which species we collected fresh material. This issue (discussed in Bouchet et al., 2010) was previously solved by Palazzi & Villari (2001), who pointed out that the original description (Conti, 1864) was based on a shell with the apex positioned downwards this reflecting on the numbering order of the spiral chords. Specimens of Dizoniopsis coppolae (Aradas, 1870) were found in BCGC samples (Figs. 8, 8a, 8b). The species was dedicated to the Sicilian musician Antonio Pietro Coppola (Fig. 23), who reached a worldwide notoriety. Both D. coppolae and D. concatenata have a characteristic “bilineated” sculpture (visible on Figure 23. Statue of Antonio Coppola, Villa Bellini (Catania). the body whorl) that is the result of the fusion of two spiral rows. According to Bouchet et al. (2010) inD. concatenata the adapical row splits into two rows (Fig. 8c) and this is a feature distinguishing this species from the congeneric D. coppolae. We sometimes observed the same phenomenon also on shells of this latter species, with the exception that is the abapical row that splits (Fig. 8b). The record of one specimen of Seila trilineata (Philippi, 1836) and the illustration here proposed (Figs. 9, 9a) are of remarkable importance due to the rarity of this species. Epitoniidae Shells of Epitonium pseudonanum Bouchet & Waren, 1986 were collected by D.S. in shell grit at Catania “Cajto” (at depths of 25-30 m). As this represents the first record of this species in the Ionian Sea its distribution is extended to this area. No accounts have been published on the soft- body part colour pattern of E. pulchellum , which we here report to be entirely white. As for the other species live-collected in this study we confirm the consistency of our observations with those reported in the literature. 46 D. Scuderi & F. Criscione Eulimidae Before the redescription and the illustration of the most representative species of Melanella (Waren, 1988), there was a considerable confusion in the taxonomy of this genus. Waren (1988) identified two main groups of Melanella species: one, with a more slender shell shape, resembling M. alba sensu A. A., and another, with more inflated and solid shells, resembling M. boscii and including also M. petitiana (Brusina, 1869), M. praecurta (Pallary, 1904) M. stalioi (Brusina, 1869) and M. doederleini (Brusina, 18 86). M. alba (Figs. 13, 13a, 13b), is representative of the former group of species. The taxonomical interpretation of this species has been controversial until the designation of a neotype, the publication of a more detailed redescription and a new iconography (Waren, 1989). It is easily distinguishable from the closely related Melanella lubrica (Monterosato, 1890) (Figs. 12, 12a), here found sympatrically, by the larger shell, size and the more conical shape of the teleoconch. A microscopic net of spiral and axial lines (Fig. 13 a) was also present on the shell surface of M. alba. This is not a true sculpture, but only a product of light refraction. This species shares with its congeneric ones the colour pattern of the external soft parts: head and foot were yellowish and the cephalic tentacles orange; orange and red stripes crossed spirally the animal at the base and just below the suture (Fig. 13b). Many eulimid species have red stains (Monterosato, 1890) whose pattern and shape seem to differ among species (Scuderi, in press). Fiving specimens of Crinophtheiros comatulicola (Graff, 1875) (Figs. 20, 20a) were found on Antedon mediterranea Famarck, 1816 in BCGC samples and by D.S. in Acitrezza among material collected by fishing nets at - 50/60 m, as the host association confirmed that reported in the description of the genus (Bouchet & Waren, 1986) and the species. The young specimens of C. comatulicola we collected were morphologically similar to V. philippi but the shell of the former ones (Fig. 20) were more slender and showed a more elongated mouth; the inner lip (Fig. 20a) was straight and more prominent than in the shells of the latter (Fig. 19a). The two species shared similar head-foot colour pattern: the body was yellow with red spots limited to the cephalic tentacles in C. comatulicola and extend beyond the eyes and on the foot in V. philippi. They also differed in their host preference. A single specimen of Melanella sp. (Fig. 16), belonging to the latter group of species of Melanella , was found in Aci Castello at a depth of 30 m in SGCF/DC. First morphological observations (Scuderi et al., 2005) suggested that this could be a morphological variation of Melanella petitiana (Brusina, 1869) (Figs. 15, 15a), which is relatively common on hard substrata along the shores of E Sicily. A detailed description of the shell is here reported: “shell glossy, very short, inflated; 5 'A rounded teleoconch whorls of which the last is 0.62 of the total height of the shell. Basal outline very rounded, suture thin but clearly appreciable. Colour white, with a grayish subsutural area. Protoconch blunt, dagger-like, short, constituted by 3 A whorls, 0.4 mm high, 0.25 large. Size: 4 mm high, 1.7 large”. Compared to the sympatric typical M. petitiana , this morph is more solid, less slender, shorter and with whorls more rounded; with a higher shell body- whorl/total height ratio (0.55 in petitiana). While the suture is indistinguishable in M. petitiana , it is well-marked in M. sp. and this latter species has an additional protoconch whorl. In order to assess whether these differences are enough to justify a new species description or simply are the evidence of the intraspecific variability of M. petitiana , more material and observations on the external soft- body parts characters are required. M. lubrica and P. minor are here reported for the first time for the Ionian Sea, and therefore their distribution is extended to this area. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We would like to express gratitude to Stefano Palazzi (Modena, Italy) for having provided literature and for his precious advice. We would also thank Prof. Grazia Cantone (University of Catania, Italy) for having given the chance to study BCGC material and data. We are also grateful to anonymous referees for their comments and suggestions to the improvement of the text. 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