Pietro Brandmayr | University of Calabria (original) (raw)

Papers by Pietro Brandmayr

Durante gli anni 1983 e 1986~87 è stata studiata, con trappole a caduta e raccolte dirette, la po... more Durante gli anni 1983 e 1986~87 è stata studiata, con trappole a caduta e raccolte dirette, la popolazione del Coleottero Carabide troglobio Typhlotrechus bilimeki tergestinus Millier della Grotta delle Torri di Slivia. Per avere un quadro migliore della variazione annuale dell'entità della popolazione sulla cima del cono detritico, essa è stata studiata ancne in modo relativo esprimendola in numero di catture/h.; la dissezione di circa lO ~ 20 individui ogni mese ha permesso di valutare lo stato di maturazione delle gonadi.

"Form and function in Zoology",U.Z.I. selected Symp. and Monographs, 5, G. Lanzavecchia & V. Valvassori eds., pp. 363 378.

Citation: Bonacci T, Mazzei A, Horák J, Brandmayr P (2012) Cucujus tulliae sp. n. -an endemic Med... more Citation: Bonacci T, Mazzei A, Horák J, Brandmayr P (2012) Cucujus tulliae sp. n. -an endemic Mediterranean saproxylic beetle from genus Cucujus Fabricius, 1775 (Coleoptera, Cucujidae), and keys for identification of adults and larvae native to Europe.

The larval stages of Epomis circumscriptus (Duftschmid 1812) and the first instar of Epomis dejea... more The larval stages of Epomis circumscriptus (Duftschmid 1812) and the first instar of Epomis dejeani Dejean, 1831, are described and illustrated for the first time. Epomis adults were collected in Israel and larvae obtained ex ovo under laboratory conditions. The larvae have an unusual mandibular morphology, with a long-hooked retinaculum in the first instar. This character is probably linked to the predatory habits of these carabids, which feed on body fluids and inner tissues of amphibians. The genus Epomis deserves an isolated position within Chlaeniini, and a new diagnosis for the larvae of this tribe is proposed. The life form of Epomis larvae seems intermediate between "surface runners" and "walkers". (a rainpool near the city of Netanya). Two larval individuals (L1) of Epomis dejeani were obtained ex ovo in captivity (in April-May 2009) from individuals collected at Berekhat Ya'ar site, 32° 24' 16'' N 34° 54' 61'' E (a rainpool near the city of Hadera). All the specimens, including one pupa for each species, are now preserved in 70% alcohol in the Brandmayr-Zetto collection, Department of Ecology, University of Calabria. The live adult individuals of the two Epomis species were kept at Tel Aviv University and fed once a week with house crickets (Acheta domestica).

Dopo la pubblicazione di un primo tentativo di· sintesi dei comportamenti parentali noti nei Cara... more Dopo la pubblicazione di un primo tentativo di· sintesi dei comportamenti parentali noti nei Carabi di, che riguardava soprattutto la scoperta dei nidi pedotrofici di Carterus calydonius, , abbiamo concentrato le indagini sulla vasta tribù dei Pterostichini ('). All'interno di questo gruppo sono infatti note ben tre diverse modalità di ovodeposizione, e precisamente: 1) Interramento diretto delle uova nel substrato, in una piccola cavità scavata mediante l'apparato ovopositore, in particolare con le appendici biarticolate del IX urite (stili). È una modalità primitiva, certamente la più diffusa, e non implica ulteriore contatto tra madre e prole. È nota dei generi più vari, Abax, Pterostichus, Poecilus, Bothriopterus, Steropus, Calathus, Platynus, ecc. (risultati di allevamento di AA. vari).

Very little is known about the changes of ground beetle assemblages in the last few decades in th... more Very little is known about the changes of ground beetle assemblages in the last few decades in the Alps, and different responses to climate change of animal populations living above and below the treeline have not been estimated yet. This study focuses on an altitudinal habitat sequence from subalpine spruce forest to alpine grassland in a low disturbance area of the southeastern Dolomites in Italy, the Paneveggio Regional Park. We compared the ground beetle (Carabidae) populations sampled in 1980 in six stands below and above the treeline (1650-2250 m a.s.l.) with those sampled in the same sites almost 30 years later (2008/9). Quantitative data (species richness and abundance) have been compared by means of several diversity indexes and with a new index, the Index of Rank-abundance Change (IRC). Our work shows that species richness and abundance have changed after almost 30 years as a consequence of local extinctions, uphill increment of abundance and uphill shift of distribution range. The overall species number dropped from 36 to 27, while in the sites above the treeline, species richness and abundance changed more than in the forest sites. Two microtherm characteristic species of the pioneer cushion grass mats, Nebria germari and Trechus dolomitanus, became extinct or showed strong abundance reduction. In Nardetum pastures, several hygrophilic species disappeared, and xerophilic zoophytophagous elements raised their population density. In forest ecosystems, the precipitation reduction caused deep soil texture and watering changes, driving a transformation from Sphagnum-rich (peaty) to humus-rich soil, and as a consequence, soil invertebrate biomass strongly increased and thermophilic carabids enriched the species structure. In three decades, Carabid assemblages changed consistently with the hypothesis that climate change is one of the main factors triggering natural environment modifications. Furthermore, the level of human disturbance could enhance the sensitivity of mountain ecosystems to climate change.

Climate change has been shown to impact the geographical and altitudinal distribution of animals ... more Climate change has been shown to impact the geographical and altitudinal distribution of animals and plants, and to especially affect range-restricted polar and mountaintop species. However, little is known about the impact on the relict lineages of cave animals. Ground beetles (carabids) show a wide variety of evolutionary pathways, from soil-surface (epigean) predatory habits to life in caves and in other subterranean (hypogean) compartments. We reconstructed an unprecedented set of species/time accumulation curves of the largest carabid genera in Europe, selected by their degree of 'underground' adaptation, from true epigean predators to eyeless highly specialized hypogean beetles. The data show that in recent periods an unexpectedly large number of new cave species were found lying in well established European hotspots; the first peak of new species, especially in the most evolved underground taxa, occurred in the 1920-30s and a second burst after the 70s. Temperature data show large warming rates in both periods, suggesting that the temperature increase in the past century might have induced cave species to expand their habitats into large well-aired cavities and superficial underground compartments, where they can be easily sampled. An alternative hypothesis, based on increased sampling intensity, is less supported by available datasets.

Orophilous species are often unable to escape the consequences of climate change because mountain... more Orophilous species are often unable to escape the consequences of climate change because mountains are surrounded by unsuitable habitats. Among them, several endemic species belonging to the genus Erebia Dalman (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Satyrinae) can be considered as key species to assess the risk of biodiversity loss of mountain habitats. The aim of this paper is to measure changes that have occurred in the altitudinal distribution of Erebia cassioides on the Pollino Massif (Southern Italy) during the last 37 years. Sixteen sites sampled in 1975 have been resampled after about three decades (2004, 2012). In 1975 56 % of the sampled population inhabited sites above and 44 % sites below the treeline, while in 2004 and 2012 99 % of the population were observed above the treeline. Furthermore, we observed an uphill shift of 180 m in the barycentre altitude of the species distribution and an unexpected increased density of the population above the treeline which led to a range reduction coupled to population increase of E. cassioides. This pattern contrasts with the usually observed one that couples habitat reduction to population decreasing. The reason for the observed pattern is unclear, but the implication for conservation strategies could be important if confirmed for other species. In fact, during coming decades local extinctions as a consequence of climate change might be fewer and more delayed than expected, and relict populations of cold adapted species could be preserved for a longer time span within optimal habitat refugia.

Helminthologia, 2009

Charaxicephaloides polyorchis Groschaft and Tenora, 1978 is redescribed on the basis of specimens... more Charaxicephaloides polyorchis Groschaft and Tenora, 1978 is redescribed on the basis of specimens collected from the stomach of green turtles Chelonia mydas in Costa Rica. Our specimens are consistent with the original description which was based on four flukes from the same host species from the northwest coast of Cuba. Our redescription provides a new range of variations and adds new information on this species. This represents only the second record of C. polyorchis in green turtles.

Entomological News, 2008

Bombardier beetles of the genus Brachinus (Carabidae) are disagreeable prey because they discharg... more Bombardier beetles of the genus Brachinus (Carabidae) are disagreeable prey because they discharge irritating quinones. Brachinus beetles live in aggregations and display warning colours. Like Brachinus beetles, Anchomenus dorsalis beetles produce methylsalicylate, and present a similar colour pattern. Anchomenus dorsalis beetles are usually found within Brachinus aggregations. Our aim was to investigate the similarity of cuticular chemical profiles of these two species to test the hypothesis of interspecific chemical mimicry. We investigated the cuticular composition of A. dorsalis, B. sclopeta, and Poecilus cupreus. Poecilus cupreus, a non-aposematic carabid commonly found in Brachinus spp and Anchonemus dorsalis aggregations, was used as a control. The cuticular profiles of the three species include 48 different hydrocarbons. The cuticular hydrocarbon profiles of the three species of carabids were different, but individuals of Brachinus were chemically more similar to those of Anchomenus than to those of Poecilus; in turn, individuals of Poecilus were more similar to Anchomenus than to Brachinus. We suggest that A. dorsalis is possibly mimicking the cuticular profile of B. sclopeta as an effective antipredator strategy. Brachinus sclopeta may benefit from a reduction of individual predation risk due to an increased number of aggregated preys (dilution effect), while A. dorsalis may increase the benefit both from the dilution effect and from the greater chemical defense of B. sclopeta.

Entomological News, 2006

We studied the prey preference and feeding behaviour of adult males of Ocypus olens (Müller) (Col... more We studied the prey preference and feeding behaviour of adult males of Ocypus olens (Müller) (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), an active predator of many insects, under laboratory conditions. Tests were carried out individually on eight types of carabid beetles: three species with chemical defences and aposematic colours, Brachinus sclopeta (Fabricius, 1792), Anchomenus dorsalis (Pontoppidan, 1763) and Chlaenius velutinus (Duftschmid, 1812), and five species without these characteristics, Pseudophonus rufipes (De Geer, 1774), Steropus melas italicus (Dejean, 1828), Amara anthobia Villa & Villa, 1833, Poecilus cupreus (Linné, 1758 and Calathus fuscipes (Goeze, 1777). Ocypus olens preferred to attack prey without chemical defences and aposematic colour patterns, possibly stimulated by the prey's type of movement.

Italian Journal of Zoology, 2005

Ethology Ecology & Evolution, 2004

Cannibalism reduces the number of competitors and provides high-quality food, but it may have cos... more Cannibalism reduces the number of competitors and provides high-quality food, but it may have costs related to the risk of injury, disease/parasite transmission and reduction of inclusive fitness. Carabid larvae are usually very aggressive, with very low tolerance of conspecifics. Thus cannibalism is common. We investigated aggressive and cannibalistic behaviour in the larvae of eight ground beetle species, especially Chlaenius velutinus and Chlaenius spoliatus whose larvae have long articulated cerci. Chlaenius species live in dense populations with frequent intra-specific encounters, whereas encounters are rare in the other species. Dyads of conspecific larvae of the eight ground beetles species were tested for aggressive and cannibalistic behaviour. Unlike the other six species, larvae of the two Chlaenius species avoid cannibalism, possibly as a consequence of a behavioural display involving cerci interactions. This display was never recorded in conspecific larval interactions of the other species. Instead, cannibalism consistently occurred (20 to 50%) following aggressive interactions (1.2 to 2.6 attacks/event). The non-aggressive outcome in Chlaenius larval interactions contrasts with the high aggressiveness (35 to 85% of trials) shown by the other species. This suggests the presence of an inhibitory mechanism in the Chlaenius species. The cerci interaction probably inhibits cannibalism via intra-specific recognition; this behaviour may have evolved under the pressure of ecological factors (resource abundance and dispersion, larvae density, frequency of encounters). In Chlaenius spp. ecological constraints may have led to an inconvenient costs/benefits trade-off, while in other species they did not exert negative pressure on the occurrence of cannibalism.

In an organic farm on the Ionian Coast of Calabria Region, southern Italy, Lepidoptera were month... more In an organic farm on the Ionian Coast of Calabria Region, southern Italy, Lepidoptera were monthly surveyed in order to contribute to the knowledge of the olive orchard butterflies and moths communities, and investigate the role assumed by patches at different seral stages in sustaining lepidopteran diversity and abundance. The sampling sessions were conducted in four contiguous stands representing a gradient of land use running from relatively undisturbed to highly modified vegetation cover. Diversity values, larval feeding preferences, adult dispersal abilities and biogeographical range of species assemblage were analysed to identify the main features of the community. Quantitative and qualitative similarities of species assemblages were computed. 1,371 individuals belonging to 195 species were collected. Although contiguous, species assemblages have attained lower similarity values than expected. The highest diversity values were recorded in semi-natural patches. Migrant species were more abundant in semi-natural and abandoned patches, and sedentary species were more abundant in olive orchard. The most represented species in the farm were those which are largely distributed through the Palaearctic; the farm also hosts species assemblages having strong larval feeding preferences for herbaceous plants. Species feeding on trees were very scarce. No significant correspondences were found between vegetation cover and distribution of feeding preferences. Although very important for the increase of agricultural landscape species richness, semi-natural and abandoned vegetation patches inhabit few habitat specialists, proving themselves stepping stones and/or corridors only, because of their reduced dimensions that enhance the border effect. Thanks to the favourable microclimate and the low pressure of human activities semi-natural and abandoned vegetation patches inhabit more species than crop areas, but many of these are highly mobile and widespread. The sheltering capacity of biotopes and behavioural features of species are probably the most important factors affecting composition and diversity of communities at the farm scale.

Ethology Ecology & Evolution, 2010

In the present study, electrophysiological and behavioural tests were performed on Siagona europa... more In the present study, electrophysiological and behavioural tests were performed on Siagona europaea Dejean 1826 adults to investigate the importance of chemical cues in ant location. Olfactory responses of labial palp to terpenoids (citral, limonene and geraniol), carboxylic acids (acetic and formic acids), aliphatic ketones (heptanone) and aldehydes (hexanal) were tested by means of an electropalpogram (EPG) bioassay. Our electrophysiological results showed that only acetic and formic acids evoked EPG responses. Y-shape olfactometer bioassays showed that adults were attracted by acetic and formic acids. The role of these chemicals on prey detection is discussed.

Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, 2007

Morphological features of three common European olfactory hunting carabid beetles, Carabus coriac... more Morphological features of three common European olfactory hunting carabid beetles, Carabus coriaceus mediterraneus Born, 1906, Carabus lefebvrei Dejean, 1826 and Carabus preslii neumeyeri Schaum, 1856, were compared. According to eye measurements, the three species are nocturnal and/or twilight hunters. They differ, however, in relative length of the antennae, relative surface area of the compound eyes, density of ommatidia and relative head width. These differences can be correlated with the species-specific habitat demands (light intensity, open land or shaded places). In particular, the greater lateral eye protrusion in C. lefebvrei corresponds to its tree-climbing habits, while the larger relative eye surface area and ommatidia density in C. coriaceus correspond to its choice of open habitats.Sono state investigate le caratteristiche morfometriche e dei componenti degli occhi di tre specie di coleotteri carabidi predatori olfattivi, Carabus coriaceus mediterraneus Born (1906), C. lefebvrei Dejean (1826) e C. presliineumeyeri Schaum (1856). Le differenze dei parametri considerati, nelle tre specie in esame, sono riconducibili con le diverse caratteristiche dei diversi habitat sfruttati. In particolare, sono state riscontrate differenze nella protrusione laterale degli occhi, che è maggiore in C. lefebvrei, probabilmente perchéè l'unica delle tre specie che si arrampica sugli alberi, e nell'area delle cornee e numero di ommatidi, maggiore in C. coriaceus, specie che predilige habitat aperti.