Paolo Audisio

• Full Professor of Zoology
• Professor (Full) at Sapienza University of Rome

Soil represents a fundamental yet delicate ecosystem susceptible to threats and alterations that can significantly impact its biota, especially in urban areas. Soil microarthropods may serve as bioindicators of soil quality. The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive investigation of the response of soil microarthropod communities to anth...

Defining species boundaries may result challenging and has been a widely debated issue in the last decades. In cases of cryptic or "pseudocryptic" species, molecular approaches can be a valuable tool to provide taxonomic hypotheses and significantly complement morphological taxonomy. Here, two mitochondrial and one nuclear markers were used to stud...

An unexpected new species of the genus Aristogethes Audisio & Cline, 2009, A. pelikani sp. nov., is described from southern Oman (Arabian Peninsula). This new species appears to be morphologically rather closely related to a couple of species known from southern Africa (northern South Africa, Botswana and southern Namibia): A. eremita (Audisio, Kir...

Kateretidae have been considered a family of generalist (as a whole) fossil pollinator beetles after the description of many fossil species in this taxon from the Upper Cretaceous Kachin amber together with pollen grains from their host plant. But the placement of this group of fossils in Kateretidae remained tentative because some definite charact...

In highly specialised phytophagous insects, important insights on phylogeny of the involved insect group can be often inferred from the evolutionary history of their host plants, and vice-versa, as in the case for a new, peculiar species of pollen beetles, recently discovered in Central China (Hubei Province). This new species is described herein a...

Here we describe Cretabaltoraea volsella Peris, Jelínek & Audisio gen. et sp. nov. of the family Nitidulidae (Coleoptera). As implied by its generic name, the new species is described after a fossil specimen preserved in the Upper Cretaceous Kachin amber from northern Myanmar. This new species is rather similar to the two fossil nitidulid species o...

Here we report the presence of Cybocephalus nipponicus Endrödy-Younga, 1971 from Iran, which has been collected on mulberry in Gilan province, as well as on bitter orange and Japanese spindle in Mazandaran province, northern Iran. The specimens were collected while feeding on scale insects, Pseudaulacaspis pentagona (Targioni Tozzetti, 1886), Unasp...

Le coléoptère Anister raffrayi Grouvelle 1901, une espèce de Nitidulidae très rarement observée, est découvert au Maroc (Sahara atlantique) dans le massif de l'Adrar Souttouf, sur une plante hôte non encore signalée, l'espèce saharo-arabique Morettia canescens Boiss. (Brassicaceae). Anister raffrayi est une espèce afrotropicale-maghrébine représent...

A peculiar new species of the genus Cyclogethes Kirejtshuk, 1979, C. tibialis sp. nov., is described from Southwestern China (Yunnan). The new species appears to be morphologically rather isolated from the other known members of this essentially Oriental genus (including half a dozen species from Northern Indian subcontinent, Northern Indochina, an...

Simple Summary: The phylogenetic status of the family Nitidulidae and its sister group relationship remain controversial. Also, the phylogenetic status of the subfamily Meligethinae and its phylogenetic relationships with other subfamilies of Nitidulidae are not fully understood. Mitochondrial genome sequences can be used to study species identific...

Here we describe a new species of Ochthebius (Cobalius) from marine rockpools of NW Sicily: O. (C.) senczuki sp. n. This species was first discovered on the basis of molecular evidence, but its taxonomic distinction has been subsequently supported by morphological characters. Ochthebius (C.) senczuki sp. n. shows a clear genetic diversity from the...

I Cani da Ricerca per la Conservazione (CRC = cani con target biologico) sono utili strumenti nella ricerca di specie a rischio di piccole dimensioni, con abitudini criptiche e/o elusive come gli insetti. Proprio a causa della natura elusiva delle specie target e della conseguente difficoltà di verifica della veridicità delle segnalazioni (Mosconi...

Clypeogethes elongatus (Rosenhauer, 1856) is a pollen-beetle occurring in SW Mediterranean areas, from Southern Iberian Peninsula to most of the North Africa; in Italy, this uncommon species was thus far known only from the Island of Pantelleria (southern Sicily). Recent researches in S Sardinia allowed to find a small relic population of this spec...

Osmoderma eremita and Cerambyx cerdo are saproxylic beetle species, included in the IUCN Red List and in the EU/92 Habitats Directive. Their occurrence has been recorded, through appropriate traps, in several localities in Italy, including urban and peri-urban parks, mostly associated with veteran trees. In this study, traps were tested over 17 vet...

La Riserva Naturale Orientata Bosco della Ficuzza, Rocca Busambra, Bosco del Cappelliere e Gorgo del Drago si estende per 7.399 ettari nei comuni di Corleone, Mezzojuso, Godrano, Marineo e Monreale, in provincia di Palermo (Sicilia nord-occidentale). Il territorio dell’area protetta comprende l’intera dorsale della Rocca Busambra e le estese aree f...

Meligethes (Odonthogethes) chinensis is a highly specialized species of Nitidulidae in China that takes pollen as its main food source, and its main host plant is Rubus idaeus L. (Rosaceae). In this study, the structural morphology of the alimentary canal and Malpighian tubules of adult M. (O.) chinensis was observed under light, fluorescence, and...

Pollinators are key ecosystem components and their conservation represents a critical tar- get for both nature and human health. In a world of increasing urbanisation, cities and peri-urban areas have to be active players in addressing this target, and in-depth knowledge of the effects of the urbanisation gradient and related landscape features on...

The sap beetle, Phenolia (Lasiodites) picta (Macleay) (Coleoptera, Nitidulidae), is the first record of this genus and species for the Iranian fauna. The larvae and adults were collected inside ripe fruits of Citrus aurantium, Citrus sinensis var. valencia, Diospyros kaki, Pyrus communis, Prunus persica and P. persica var. nucipersica in the garden...

The rare South-European beetle Cisarthron laevicolle Reitter, 1885 is here reported for the first time from Italy and Greece. The currently known distribution, ecology and phenology of this species are briefly discussed.

In 2019, in southern Italy (Campania) there was an outbreak of a sap beetle infesting stored walnut fruits. A monitoring activity started to assess the spread and impact of the pest in walnut orchards and in warehouses, and an integrative characterization led to identify the beetle as Carpophilus truncatus. This species has been in Europe for a lon...

The present study aims to resolve the taxonomic confusion involving several taxa within Mycetophagidae Leach, 1815, originating from the introduction of the genus Atritomus Reitter, 1877, and then by its subsequent controversial interpretation. A detailed overview of the taxonomic and nomenclatural history of the taxa previously linked to Atritomus...

Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus is the only snake eagle that nests in the Palearctic. Its diet has been studied in several European countries and it is essentially based on reptiles. The aims of this work were to characterise the feeding habits of Short-toed Eagle breeding in the Tolfa Mountains (Central Italy) including a comparison of the die...

Microbial symbionts enable many phytophagous insects to specialize on plant-based diets through a range of metabolic services. Pollen comprises one-plant tissue consumed by such herbivores. While rich in lipids and proteins, its nutrient content is often imbalanced and difficult-to-access due to a digestibly recalcitrant cell wall. Pollen quality c...

Abstract: The subfamily Lamiinae is the most taxonomically diverse subfamily of Cerambycidae, but relationships between tribes of Lamiinae are still unresolved. In order to study the characteristics of the mitogenomes of Lamiinae and the tribal-level phylogenetic relationships, we sequenced the mitogenomes of two species representing two tribes, Ag...

Meligethes (Odonthogethes) chinensis is a common Chinese phytophagous species in the family Nitidulidae. Its main larval host plant is Rubus idaeus L. (Rosaceae), and adults feed on pollen and other floral parts. In this study, we used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to observe and study the fine morphology of sensilla on the antennae and outhpa...

Microbial symbionts enable many phytophagous insects to specialize on plant-based diets through a range of metabolic services. Pollen comprises one plant tissue consumed by such herbivores. While rich in lipids and protein, its nutrient content is often imbalanced and difficult-to-access due to a digestibly recalcitrant cell wall. Pollen quality ca...

Marine rockpools are isolated patches of habitat in the supratidal environment (the so-called splash zone), at the transition between sea and land, found along the rocky shores worldwide and characterized by harsh conditions for life. Nonetheless, few specialized invertebrates successfully colonized this peculiar environment. Among them several mem...

The morphology of larval instars I, II and III of the water beetle Ochthebius (Cobalius) balfourbrownei Jäch, 1989 from Cape Verde Islands is described and illustrated for the first time, by scanning electron microscopy, with a special emphasis on their chaetotaxy and porotaxy. Specimens used in this study were collected with adults of the same spe...

The Oriental and Eastern Palaearctic species Phenolia picta, recently introduced into some countries of the Mediterranean Basin, including S France and S Italy (Sicily), is here reported for the first time from Sardinia.

Background Meligethes are pollen-beetles associated with flowers of Rosaceae as larvae. This genus currently consists of 63 known species in two subgenera, Meligethes and Odonthogethes, predominantly occurring in the eastern Palaearctic. We analyzed 74 morphological and ecological characters (169 states) of all species, as well as of 11 outgroup sp...

In this paper we present the description of male genitalia and additional information on taxonomy of three recently described and poorly known Chinese endemic members of the genus Meligethes Stephens, 1830, Meligethes (Odonthogethes) brassicogethoides Audisio, Sabatelli & Jelínek, 2015, M. (O.) inexpectatus Liu, Huang, Cline, Sabatelli & Audisio, 2...

Invasive alien species (IAS) are considered one of the largest drivers of biodiversity loss worldwide and the negative impacts of IAS can also affect human health and economy. More than 12,000 alien species occur in Europe. Terrestrial invertebrate species are the largest proportion of alien animal species and represents one of the most impacting g...

Beetles (Coleoptera) are the most diverse and species-rich insect order in saproxylic communities, and play a key role in forest dynamics. To prioritize conservation measures, a clear understanding is needed of what habitat features are the most important for beetles that depend on deadwood. Here, we investigate (i) how the assemblages of saproxyli...

Background: Meligethes are pollen-beetles associated with flowers of Rosaceae as larvae. This genus, in its present-day concept, consists of 63 known species in two subgenera, Meligethes and Odonthogethes, predominantly occurring in the eastern Palaearctic. We analyzed 61 morphological and ecological characters (128 states) of all species, as well...

Meligethes are pollen-beetles associated with flowers of Rosaceae as larvae. This genus, in its present-day concept, consists of 63 known species in two subgenera, Meligethes and Odonthogethes, predominantly occurring in the eastern Palaearctic. We analyzed 74 morphological and ecological characters (169 states) of all species, as well as of 11 out...

Background: Meligethes are pollen-beetles associated with flowers of Rosaceae as larvae. This genus currently consists of 63 known species in two subgenera, Meligethes and Odonthogethes, predominantly occurring in the eastern Palaearctic. We analyzed 74 morphological and ecological characters (169 states) of all species, as well as of 11 outgroup s...

The genus Meligethinus Grouvelle, 1906 represents a small group of pollen beetles, including some twenty species distributed from southern Palaearctic areas to northern Oriental and Afrotropical regions. All constituent species appear to be strictly associated as larvae and adults to male inflorescences of palms (Monocots: Arecaceae). Two new speci...

Recent molecular and morphological data derived from members of the pollen-beetle subfamily Meligethinae suggest the need to separate the genus Sagittogethes Audisio and Cline, 2009, including species mostly distributed in Western Palaearctic areas, into two distinct (although related) genera, Sagittogethes and Teucriogethes gen. n. This new genus,...

Five new species of the genus Lamiogethes Audisio & Cline are described from western, central and southern China: L. falcatus sp. n. (Sichuan), L. hastipenis sp. n. (Hubei), L. sagittalis sp. n. (Shaanxi), L. unditibiis sp. n. (Chongqing), and L. limaelytralis sp. n. (Sichuan). The first four new species appear to be morphologically related to Lami...

On the evening of June 7th, 2019, Augusto Vigna Taglianti died in Rome at the age of almost 76 years, after a long illness, tenderly assisted by his wife Giuliana. Formerly a Professor of Entomology at the Sapienza University of Rome, he was a Full Member of the Italian National Academy of Entomology and of the National Academy of Sciences (the “Ac...

The 24 members of the Euro‐Asiatic genus Thymogethes are highly specialized pollen beetles associated as larvae with flowers of Lamiaceae Nepetoideae. All members of the genus were analysed in within the framework of an integrative taxonomy approach, which was aimed to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships, as well as the possible pattern of e...

Phenolia (Lasiodites) tibialis (Boheman, 1851) (Coleoptera Nitidulidae) is for the first time recorded from France, Bordeaux, district of Gironde. This species, originating from Tropical Africa, seems to be actively spreading in most recent years throughout Southern Europe. The new French record represents the 8th European known locality for the sp...

The distribution of the three Italian species of Rhysodidae was reviewed by re-examining published data, museum conserved and newly collected specimens. Rhysodes sulcatus chronogeonemy encloses a large majority of old findings and only two recently confirmed active populations are recorded after the year 2000. Omoglymmius germari shows a similar pi...

The flea beetle, Psylliodes chalcomera, was previously permitted as a biological control agent of Carduus nutans (musk thistle) in the USA. However, during subsequent exploration for prospective biological control agents of Centaurea solstitialis (yellow starthistle), we observed individuals attacking this plant in southern Russia. We also observed...

• Levels of endemism are usually expressed as percentage of endemics among all species recorded in a given area. Endemism levels also vary among taxa, yet inter‐taxon variation in endemism levels has received much less attention. • We used the Italian tenebrionids to investigate how endemism levels vary among different but related lineages. We eva...

Ochthebius (Cobalius) biltoni Jäch & Delgado, 2017 is the most recently described species of Italian water beetles of the family Hydraenidae (Jäch & Delgado 2017). Most of the new hydraenid species recently discovered from southern Europe were found in two quite different aquatic habitats, as small streams in mountain areas, and hypersaline coastal...

The Mediterranean Red List assessment is a review of the conservation status at regional level of approximately 6,000 species of animals and plants. This report summarizes the results for a key group of Mediterranean biodiversity: saproxylic beetles. Despite their key role in the ecosystem´s health and food chain, saproxylic beetles are still large...

The Mediterranean Red List assessment is a review of the conservation status at regional level of approximately 6,000 species of animals and plants. This report summarizes the results for a key group of Mediterranean biodiversity: saproxylic beetles. Despite their key role in the ecosystem´s health and food chain, saproxylic beetles are still large...

A new Italian locality (North-Adriatic coast, E Veneto) of the rare and poorly-known sap beetle Amphotis orientalis Reiche, 1861 is here recorded. This E Mediterranean species, of considerable biogeographic interest, was previously known only from two other localities in NE Italy. Some aspects of the habitat and ecology of the species in Veneto are...

The book is a collection of scientific articles written by many authors and edited by Carpaneto GM, Audisio PA, Bologna MB, Roversi FP and Mason F. Published by Pensoft (Sofia), the volume contents are the main results of the Life Project MIPP (Monitoring Insects with Public Participation). It includes single articles on the most important saproxy...

Edizione italiana del libro intitolato "Guidelines for the monitoring of the saproxylic beetles protected in Europe", curato da GM Carpaneto, PA Audisio, MA Bologna, PF Roversi e F Mason. Il volume è una sintesi dei risultati scientifici del Progetto Life MIPP (Monitoring Insects with Public Participation) e consiste in una raccolta di articoli scr...

Two Cordulegaster dragonflies present in Italy, the Palaearctic and northern distributed Cordulegaster boltonii and the endemic to the south of the peninsula Cordulegaster trinacriae, meet in central Italy and give rise to individuals of intermediate morphology. By means of mitochondrial and nuclear markers and of Geometric Morphometrics applied to...

• Brassicogethes salvan (Audisio et al. 2003 Insect Systematics and Evolution, 34, 121) is certainly among the most important and unexpected recent discoveries in the European beetle fauna. The species was initially described from a couple of unidentified specimens collected in 1912 on the Maritime Alps (NW Italy). • Despite a long series of attemp...

In this paper we present additional information on taxonomy, ecological preferences and conservation biology of the rare and poorly known Sicilian endemic Ochthebius biltoni Jäch & Delgado, 2017. It represents one of the most outstanding endemic elements of the Sicilian and Italian water beetle fauna.

Saproxylic beetles are insects that depend on dead and decaying wood for at least part of their lifecycle, and play important ecological roles in European habitats (Speight 1989, Alexander 2008, Stokland et al. 2012). Together with fungi, they contribute to the break-down of deadwood and are involved in decomposition processes and the recycling of...

This document provides the Red List Category and Criteria for all the saproxylic beetle species assessed on the IUCN European Red List, as part of the LIFE funded project ‘Establishing a European Red List of Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, Saproxylic Beetles, Terrestrial Molluscs and Vascular Plants (LIFE European Red Lists; LIFE14 PRE/BE/000001)

Meligethes (Odonthogethes) trapezithorax sp. n., M. (O.) tricuspidatus sp. n., and M. (O.) luteomaculatus sp. n. are described from Hubei Province, China, based on a series of recently collected specimens. The new species appear morphologically closely related to M. (O.) brassicogethoides Audisio, Sabatelli & Jelínek, 2015 from Yunnan [M. (O.) trap...

The Rosalia longicorn (Rosalia alpina) is a strictly protected saproxylic beetle, widely distributed in Central and Southern Europe and mainly associated with ancient beech forests. To improve knowledge about the conservation status of R. alpina in Italy, available molecular markers (microsatellites and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I(COI)) we...

Two new species of the genus Lamiogethes Audisio & Cline, 2009 are described from China (Sichuan): L. forcipenis sp. n., and L. convexistrigosus sp. n., based on a series of recently collected specimens. The new species are both likely morphologically related to L. potanini (Kirejtshuk, 1979) from Sichuan and to L. conjungens (Grouvelle, 1910) from...

The study of behavioural ecology of rare and elusive species can be challenging, but it is an important issue for monitoring populations in planning conservation actions. This is especially true for arboreal insects inhabiting old-growth forests, whose habits are scarcely known and rely on many anecdotal data, such as the stag beetle Lucanus cervus...

Mycetochara jonica is a Greek endemic species and is only known from the type specimens collected in the Ionian Islands about 100 years ago. This species is assessed as Data Deficient due to the lack of data on its population size and trend, ecology and threats. Further research is needed in order to determine whether the species is still extant an...

Allecula suberina is endemic to Italy, where it is presently only known from two sites in the Lazio Province. This species is assessed as Endangered since it has a restricted geographic range (its extent of occurrence (EOO) is ca 118 km², and its area of occupancy (AOO) is 16 km²), it occurs at only two locations and there is an observed and projec...

Mycetochara cretica is a Greek endemic species, only known from a single female specimen from the island of Crete. This species is assessed as Data Deficient due to the lack of data on its distribution, population size and trend, ecology and threats. Even though searches have been conducted recently and no specimens were found, this species may be...

Mycetochara flavicornis is a Greek endemic species, and is known from a few subpopulations on mainland Greece. This species is assessed as Data Deficient due to the lack of data on its distribution, population size and trend, ecology and threats. Further research is needed in order to determine its extinction risk.

Mycetochara flavipennis is endemic to the Italian Peninsula. This species is assessed as Endangered since it has a restricted geographic range (its known area of occupancy (AOO) is 24 km², certainly smaller than 500 km²), it occurs at fewer than five locations, and a continuing decline is projected in the AOO, extent and quality of the habitat and...

Absolute values of homing procedures for each activity for the 24h and single time slots. Values for Unknown are due to lack of visual contacts. Table B. Absolute values of homing procedures in each position (AG: above ground; OG: on ground; UG: underground; UVP: unknown vertical position; on Deadwood; Over 2 m: Over 2 metres high on trees) for the...

A stag beetle male equipped with radio transmitter (LB-2X, 0.31 g; Holohil Systems Ltd., Carp, Ontario, Canada) and marked with a numbered sticker on the right elytron, walking on a tree trunk in the evening.

The stag beetle, Lucanus cervus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Lucanidae), is a flagship species for the conservation of European old‐growth forests. Despite its popularity and many studies conducted, the lack of knowledge of its habits and ecological requirements leads to difficulties in locating the species in the field and to provide information...

Lucanus cervus is one of the most charismatic saproxylic beetles, widely distributed in Europe. The species is typical of mature deciduous forests, especially oak woodlands. Loss and fragmentation of suitable habitats is one of the major threats for this species which is included in Annex II of the Habitats Directive. Despite several studies carrie...

One aim of the MIPP Project (http://www.lifemipp.eu) was to develop non-invasive monitoring methods for selected saproxylic beetles. In this paper, a method is proposed for monitoring the larvae of Osmoderma eremita in their natural habitat (i.e. hollow trees), using a conservation detection dog (CDD). Wood mould sampling (WMS), the standard method...

Osmoderma eremita (Scopoli, 1763) is a saproxylic scarab beetle protected by the Habitats Directive in the European Union. The present paper is part of a special issue on monitoring of saproxylic beetles protected in Europe and starts with a revision of the current knowledge on systematics, ecology, ethology and conservation of O. eremita and its a...

The Life Project “Monitoring of insects with public participation” (LIFE11 NAT/IT/000252) had as the main objective to develop and test methods for the monitoring of five beetle species listed in the Annexes of the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC): Osmodermaeremita (hermit beetle, Scarabaeidae), Lucanuscervus (European stag beetle, Lucanidae), Ceramb...

The Life Project “Monitoring of insects with public participation” (LIFE11 NAT/IT/000252) had as the main objective to develop and test methods for the monitoring of five beetle species listed in the Annexes of the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC): Osmoderma eremita (hermit beetle, Scarabaeidae), Lucanus cervus (European stag beetle, Lucanidae), Cera...

The European stag beetle, Lucanus cervus, is a flagship species for biodiversity conservation of old-growth forests and is protected under the Habitats Directive. Although it has been the focus of active research in the last two decades, many aspects of its ecology and habitat requirements for the larvae remain poorly known, particularly to what ex...

As predator and parasitoid insects depend on multiple resources for adult feeding and reproduction, environmental heterogeneity (EH) is expected to be a key driver of their species diversity. In temperate regions, the benefits of EH are expected to vary across spatial scales and seasons, depending on species life‐history traits and temporal fluctua...

em>Meligethes ( Odontogethes ) inexpectatus sp. n. is described from China, Sichuan Province. The new species is based on a female specimen previously incorrectly referred to as Meligethes scrobescens Chen, Lin, Huang & Yang, 2015, which was recently described from a series of male specimens collected in the same area. Both species belong to the ta...