Ferruccio Maltagliati

University of Pisa | UNIPI · Department of Biology

The early stages of fouling development on artificial substrates were examined for spatial-temporal variation in the commercial and touristic harbours (use destinations) of the port of Livorno (Tuscany, Italy). The experiment was carried out by submerging two types of experimental ropes with different surface textures, considering three times of su...

The influence of substrate morphology on early stages of fouling development was assessed through submerged experimental substrates with different morphological complexity. The experiment was carried out within commercial and touristic harbours of the port of Livorno (Italy), analysing the communities at three steps of colonization (14, 28, 42 days...

Factors that promote the introduction and establishment of non-indigenous species (NIS) within port environments are not completely understood. In the present work the structure of fouling community was studied in three Northern Tyrrhenian port systems (Western Mediterranean), focusing on the relationships between fouling structure components and t...

To assess the exposure of beachgoers to viruses, a study on seawater, sand, and beach-stranded material was carried out, searching for human viruses, fecal indicator organisms, and total fungi. Moreover, for the first time, the genome persistence and infectivity of two model viruses was studied in laboratory-spiked sand and seawater samples during...

Individuals identified as Aricidea assimilis Tebble, 1959 were collected from ten localities across the Mediterranean Sea from 0.5 to 225 m depth in order to have a wide coverage of the species habitats and geographic range and to assess the effects of environmental factors and biogeographical barriers on molecular and morphological diversity. Two...

Beaches are affected by the accumulation of natural and anthropogenic material; however, this environmental issue has not yet been explored from a One Health perspective. In this paper, the conceptual framework of DPSIR (Drivers-Pressures-State-Impact-Response) was used to understand the beach-stranded material issue in a sys-temic way and a data-b...

The phylogenetic relationships among black-tailed rattlesnakes remain poorly understood and some authors indicated that the diversity of this group has been underestimated and additional analyses are required to clarify the biogeographic patterns throughout its distribution in Mexico. Therefore, the aim of this study was to elucidate the phylogenet...

Beach litter can affect public health and economic activities worldwide forcing local authorities to expensive beach cleaning. Understanding the key mechanisms affecting the accumulation of this waste on beaches, such as sea state and proximity to entry points, is critical to plan effective management strategies. In this one-year study, we estimate...

Fouling communities were studied in three port systems of Northern Tyrrhenian Sea (Western Mediterranean), focusing on the occurrence of non-indigenous species (NIS). For each port system two harbour types (large port and recreational marina) were sampled and, within each large port, fouling samples were collected considering two use destinations (...

Environmental changes and the reduction of habitat can threaten populations of mudskippers, which have a distinct life cycle compared with other fish species. Genetic diversity and structure are crucial information for the conservation plan of this species. The genetic diversity was investigated on the blue-spotted mudskipper, Boleophtalmus boddart...

Aphanius fasciatus is a small fish occurring in Mediterranean brackish environments. In Cyprus it is known from three localities separated by long stretches of coast. The genetic diversity of these populations was evaluated using fragments of two mitochondrial genes. A comparison with the other available data showed that Cyprus populations represen...

Recent research hypothesised that the Siculo-Tunisian Strait might fit, at least for some species, the picture of a genetic transitional zone instead of a sharp genetic break between the Western and Eastern Mediterranean basins. The present study aimed at using the common Octopus, Octopus vulgaris as an empirical test-case to evaluate this hypothes...

Perna viridis is a mussel commonly distributed along the Asian Indo-Pacific coasts. It is one of the main cultured species of that region. Previous studies focused mostly on the native populations within single countries; with the present study we analyzed the genetic diversity of P. viridis in a large study area, spanning from Oman to southern Chi...

Port areas have been considered bioinvasion hotspots due to the concentration of several invasion vectors. However, the actual distribution of non-indigenous species (NIS) in Mediterranean ports is still poorly understood. Here we conducted a literature review with the aim to provide a knowledge baseline about NIS distribution in Mediterranean port...

Macrozoobenthic fouling assemblages were studied in the port area of Livorno, focusing on the occurrence of non-indigenous species (NIS). Sampling was carried out at ten sites characterised by different anthropic impacts related to their use destination. Among the 262 species identified, twenty-six were alien or cryptogenic, seventeen of which were...

The cryptic diversity in the polychaete Syllis gracilis Grube, 1840, in the Mediterranean Sea was examined with an integrative morpho‐molecular approach. Individuals of S. gracilis were collected at eleven Mediterranean localities to provide an insight into the role of brackish environments in inducing cryptic speciation. The examination of morphol...

The amphinomid fireworm Hermodice carunculata is a potentially invasive species reported throughout the subtropical Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, which is known as a generalist predator and opportunistic feeder. The ongoing climate changes and seawater warming may favour fireworm poleward range expansions and density increases. Our resu...

A brief review of case studies on integrative taxonomy applied to the study of polychaete worms highlights how this approach can help to understand the effects of different evolutionary drivers on population structure and speciation processes. This kind of studies is aimed at assessing the actual diversity of groups characterised by uncertain taxon...

A molecular phylogeny of the family Paraonidae was reconstructed on the basis of 16S rDNA, COI and 18S rDNA sequences obtained from 66 individuals belonging to 38 nominal species and subspecies. In agreement with previous findings, Paraonidae represent a monophyletic group, closely related to Sternaspidae. The topology obtained by the Bayesian and...

The biogeography of marine species along the African coast line is one of the least known in the world. In order to understand the genetic structure and quantify levels of population divergence of benthic populations along these coasts, we used species of broadcast-spawning intertidal barnacles of the genus Chthamalus as models. We studied the popu...

Ruditapes decussatus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Veneridae) is an Atlanto-Mediterranean bivalve whose populations have experienced reductions and, in some instances, hybridisation with allochthonous R. philippinarum. Acquisition of additional genetic knowledge concerning the present R. decussatus populations is essential to address adequate conservation plan...

Cirrophorus nikebianchii sp. nov. is described from brackish-water and organically enriched marine environments of the Mediterranean Sea. The new species is characterized by a very small prostomial antenna and a high number of branchiae pairs. A phylogenetic analysis carried out through the use of three molecular markers (16S rRNA, 18S rRNA and COI...

It is a poster that was presented by Federica Squarcia at the XLVIII Congress of the Italian Society of Marine Biology in Rome on 8th of June 2017.

The model marine broadcast-spawner barnacle Chthamalus montagui was investigated to understand its genetic structure and quantify levels of population divergence, and to make inference on historical demography in terms of time of divergence and changes in population size. We collected specimens from rocky shores of the north-east Atlantic Ocean (4...

COI haplotypes found in Chthamalus montagui. Distribution of the 130 haplotypes across locations and biogeographical areas. (PDF)

The family Paraonidae includes polychaete worms that typically occur on soft bottoms, where they gave rise to a wide adaptive radiation. Despite the high number of taxonomic works on Paraonidae, phylogenetic relationships as well as reproductive and ecological features within this family are poorly known. In polychaetes the occurrence of cryptic sp...

1 - Harbours and ports, especially if located in the nearby of brackish-water environments, can provide a significant chance to biological invasions. To date, in the Livorno port, twenty alien species have been recorded, fifteen of which are established. 2 - Presence, abundance, size and sex ratio of the mud crab Rhithropanopeus harrisii, a newly i...

With this work we addressed some molecular systematic issues within the Mugil cephalus species complex. Particular attention was paid to the debated situations of (i) M. liza, occurring in partial sympatry with M. cephalus in the northwestern Atlantic, and (ii) M. platanus, considered by some authors a synonymy of the former species and distributed...

Pinctada imbricata radiata (Leach, 1814) was the first Lessepsian bivalve reported in the Mediterranean Sea where it is progressively expanding westward. Its native range includes the Indian Ocean and western Atlantic. The present study provides the first insight into the species’ phylogeographic structure, by analysing sequences of a 385bp region...

Patterns of genetic variation in marine species reflect the interplay of species-specific traits, oceanographic features, historical processes and selection. In the Atlantic–Mediterranean regions, Patella ulyssiponensis (Mollusca: Gastropoda) was previously used as a model to investigate these patterns. Our study gained insight into the genetic pat...

The census of natural populations provides relevant information for both conservation purposes and environmental monitoring. In the present work, natural populations of the killifish Aphanius fasciatus (Teleostei: Cyprinodontidae) were censused in the Italian territory. The historical distribution of the species was reconstructed with the aid of bi...

The pleated ascidian Styela plicata (Lesueur, 1823) is a solitary species commonly found in ports and marinas around the world, that was recorded in the Mediterranean region since half of the nineteenth century. In the present work, the species’ genetic diversity was analysed employing a 613bp portion of the mitochondrial COI gene on 149 individual...

Il censimento delle popolazioni animali naturali può fornire informazioni importanti per finalità sia di conservazione che di monitoraggio ambientale. Con il presente lavoro sono state censite le popolazioni del ciprinodontide Aphanius fasciatus (Valenciennes, 1821) presenti nel territorio italiano. Al fine di ricostruire e valutare le variazioni n...

Species of the genus Ophryotrocha are a well-studied group of organisms but, despite the relatively large body of biological studies, little is known about the intra-specific patterns of genetic diversity. In the present study, we analysed the patterns of genetic variation in samples of Ophryotrocha labronica (Polychaeta, Dorvilleidae) collected al...

The small-spotted catshark Scyliorhinus canicula is a small demersal chondrychtian distributed on continental shelf and uppermost slope waters of the Mediterranean Sea and north eastern Atlantic Ocean. It has commercial value in some European regions, whereas in other it is considered a bycatch species. Species’ genetic structure was analysed by me...

This study gives a first molecular insight into the genetic structure of Pinctada radiata by analysing a mitochondrial DNA marker in four South-Central Mediterranean populations of this lessepsian bivalve. Specimens were collected from four central Mediterranean locations. Six polymorphic sites were found, defining seven haplotypes. Haplotype and n...

Pinna nobilis is the largest endemic Mediterranean marine bivalve. During past centuries, various human activities have promoted the regression of its populations. As a consequence of stringent standards of protection, demographic expansions are currently reported in many sites. The aim of this study was to provide the first large broad-scale insig...

COI-16S dataset: network analysis. Median-joining network showing the haplotypes relationships among Pinna nobilis populations. Small red plots on the nodes, labelled as “mv”, show median vectors, representing hypothetic connecting sequences, calculated with a maximum parsimony method. Haplotypes diverge each other for a single mutation except wher...

COI, COI-16S, 16S datasets: genetic divergence estimates. Sample sizes and genetic diversity estimates obtained for the mitochondrial regions analysed in Pinna nobilis. N: sample sizes; S: number of polymorphic sites; H: number of haplotypes; h: haplotype diversity; π: nucleotide diversity; d: mean of pairwise nucleotide differences. Populations ar...

COI dataset: Bayesian COI haplogroup frequencies. N: absolute frequency; %: relative frequency within Mediterranean populations of Pinna nobilis. Populations are labelled as in Table 1. (DOC)

COI dataset: network analysis. Median-joining network showing the haplotypes relationships among Pinna nobilis populations. Small red plots on the nodes, labelled as “mv”, show median vectors, representing hypothetic connecting sequences, calculated with a maximum parsimony method. Haplotypes diverge each other for a single mutation except where Ar...

COI dataset: pairwise ΦST values among sampling localities. Pairwise ΦST values between Pinna nobilis populations with at least five individuals. Significance was assessed by permutation test. Significant values after correction for multiple testing are reported in bold. Populations are labelled as in Table 1. (DOC)

COI-16S dataset: haplotype frequencies. Frequency distribution of mitochondrial haplotypes in 244 individuals from 29 populations of Pinna nobilis. N: absolute frequency; %: relative frequency within Mediterranean populations. Populations are labelled as in Table 1. (DOC)

16S dataset: haplotype frequencies. Frequency distribution of haplotypes in 251 individuals from 29 populations of Pinna nobilis. N: absolute frequency; %: relative frequency within Mediterranean populations. Populations are labelled as in Table 1. (DOC)

COI-16S dataset: Bayesian COI-16S mitochondrial region haplogroup frequencies. N: absolute frequency; %: relative frequency within Mediterranean populations of Pinna nobilis. Populations are labelled as in Table 1. (DOC)

COI-16S dataset: pairwise ΦST values among samples localities. Pairwise ΦST values between Pinna nobilis populations with at least five individuals. Significance was assessed by permutation test. Significant values after correction for multiple testing are reported in bold. Populations are labelled as in Table 1. (DOC)

COI dataset: haplotype frequencies. Frequency distribution of COI haplotypes in 311 individuals from 34 populations of Pinna nobilis. N: absolute frequency; %: relative frequency within Mediterranean populations. Populations are labelled as in Table 1. (DOC)

Phylogeographical studies can reveal hidden patterns in the evolutionary history of species. Comparative analyses of closely related species can further help disentangle the relative contributions of processes responsible for such patterns. In this work, the phylogeography of two aristeid species, Aristeus antennatus and Aristaeomorpha foliacea, wa...

Comparison of COI genetic diversity estimates detected in the present and previous works. Haplotype diversity (h), nucleotide diversity (π), standard deviation (S.D.). ALB: Alborán Sea, WM: Western Mediterranean, EM: Eastern Mediterranean, AO: Atlantic Ocean, MOZ: Mozambique Channel, AUS: North-Western Australia. (DOC)

Matrix of Tamura-Nei genetic distances calculated for COI dataset (514 bp) between all lineages (below diagonal) and estimated times (Mya) since divergence (above diagonal), using 0.83–1.2% evolutionary rate (reviewed in Ketmaier et al. [51]). (DOC)

GenBank accession numbers for each individual analyzed. COI haplotype number (ch), PEPCK (ph) and NaK (nh) genotype number and allele number. Empty rows correspond to individuals with unsuccessful amplification. The individuals used in phylogenetic analyses are in bold. Location codes are as in Table 1. (DOC)

Allele-frequencies homogeneity test for nuclear loci (NaK and PEPCK) between regions for both species. Contingency chi-squared value (χ2), degrees of freedom (df), p-value (P). (DOC)

Matrix of Tamura-Nei genetic distance measures for concatenated data (1 548 bp) for species and lineages detected in Figure 1. (DOC)

Matrix of genetic distances between all lineages for nuclear genes. Below diagonal, genetic distances for NaK following Tamura-Nei, and genetic distances for PEPCK are given above diagonal following K2P. (DOC)

This study provides data on the genetic structuring of the pipefish Syngnathus abaster in the western Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas. A total of 109 specimens were collected in brackish-water biotopes. The control region and three other regions of the mitochondrial genome were analysed. The most relevant result was the high genetic structuring fou...

The giant red shrimp, Aristaeomorpha foliacea, is a commercially important species in the Mediterranean Sea (MED), Mozambique Channel (MOZ), and north western Australia (AUS). 685 bp of the mitochondrial COI gene was sequenced in 317 individuals from six Mediterranean and two Indian Ocean localities. Genetic diversity estimates of Indian Ocean samp...

The polymorphism of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase III was studied in the Mediterranean octopus, Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797. A total of 202 specimens from seven sampling sites were analysed with the aim of elucidating patterns of genetic structure in the central Mediterranean Sea and to give an insight into the phylogeny of the Octopu...

The polychaete Hediste diversicolor is characterised by a high degree of genetic structure among populations. The genetic differentiation has been related to the presence of cryptic species, corresponding to Atlantic and Mediterranean lineages whose divergence may have been driven by vicariance and/or selection. In the present study we used DNA int...

Two species of spurdog of the genus Squalus occur in the Gulf of Gabes (southern Tunisia, central Mediterranean): the longnose spurdog Squalus blainvillei (Risso, 1827) and a short-snout spurdog of the Squall's megalopscubensis group. Morphometric and meristic data as well as a genetic analyses (DNA inter-simple sequence repeat markers and molecula...

The measurement of genetic variability and assessment of population genetic losses are important components of environmental management programs. Twenty-three natural populations of the Mediterranean brackish-water toothcarp Aphanius fasciatus were investigated using different statistical approaches based on genetic data at 13 polymorphic allozyme...

The present study reports new records of the invasive pygmy mussel Xenostrobus securis in six brackish-water localities in the western Mediterranean. Until now X. securis, whose native range includes southern Australia and New Zealand, was also known from the northern Adriatic Sea and southern France. Along the coast of northern Tuscany (Italy) X....

This work reports the first genetic data of Aristaeomorpha foliacea, a marine decapod of high commercial value, from six Mediterranean localities and one new fishing ground in the Mozambique Channel. The use of five Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) primers provided 150 polymorphic loci. Average estimates of genetic diversity did not significantl...

The spatial scale of life-history and demographic variation was investigated in the opportunistic polychaete Ophryotrocha labronica La Greca and Bacci. Individuals were collected along the Italian coasts from three thermally different biogeographical regions of the Mediterranean Sea. For each region, populations from four harbours were considered,...