A5037938413- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Plant and animal studies
- Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Fossil Insects in Amber
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Legume Nitrogen Fixing Symbiosis
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research
- Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology and Behavior
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Plant Virus Research Studies
- RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
- Insect Resistance and Genetics
- Plant Disease Resistance and Genetics
- Lepidoptera: Biology and Taxonomy
- Spider Taxonomy and Behavior Studies
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Hemiptera Insect Studies
University of Bologna
2016-2025
National University of the Littoral
2019-2021
Bologna Research Area
2018
University of Rome Tor Vergata
2012-2016
Abstract The West-Palaearctic Colobopsis ant populations have long been considered a single species (Colobopsis truncata). We studied the diversity of this by employing multidisciplinary approach and combining data from our surveys, museum private collections, citizen science platforms. As result, we revealed existence second species, which describe as imitans sp. nov., distributed allopatrically Co. truncata living in Maghreb, Sicily southern Iberia. While pigmentation is reminiscent...
Abstract. Tungiasis is a parasitic disease of humans and animals caused by fleas (Siphonaptera) belonging to the genus Tunga . Two species, penetrans (L.) trimamillata , out 10 described date, are known affect man or domestic animals; other eight exclusive few species wild mammals. T. originated from Latin America, although first also found in sub‐Saharan Africa (between 20° N 25° S). Hundreds millions people at risk infection more than 70 nations, mostly developing countries. The second has...
Satellite DNA (satDNA) sequences are typically arranged as arrays of tandemly repeated monomers. Due to the similarity among monomers, their organizational pattern and abundance, satDNAs hardly accessible structural functional studies still represent most obscure genome component. Although many satDNA diverse length even single monomers exist in genome, surprisingly little is known about transition from other sequences. Studying at junctions identifying adjacent them can help understand...
Abstract The concept that complex ancestral traits can never be recovered after their loss is still widely accepted, despite phylogenetic and molecular approaches suggest instances where phenotypes may have been lost throughout the evolutionary history of a clade subsequently reverted back in derived lineages. One first most notable examples such process wing evolution phasmids; this polyneopteran order insects, which comprises stick leaf has played central role initiating long-standing...
Abstract The molecular basis of sex determination (SD), while being extensively studied in model organisms, remains poorly understood many animal groups. Bivalves, a diverse class molluscs with variety reproductive modes, represent an ideal yet challenging clade for investigating SD and the evolution sexual systems. However, absence comprehensive framework has limited progress this field, particularly regarding study sex-determination related genes (SRGs). In study, we performed genome-wide...
Notwithstanding the initial claims of general conservation, mitochondrial genomes are a largely heterogeneous set organellar chromosomes which displays bewildering diversity in terms structure, architecture, gene content, and functionality. The genome is typically described as single chromosome, yet many examples multipartite have been found (for example, among sponges diplonemeans); depicted circular, linear known jellyfish, alveolates, apicomplexans); chromosome normally said to be...
Abstract Background Transposable elements (TEs) can represent one of the major sources genomic variation across eukaryotes, providing novel raw materials for species diversification and innovation. While considerable effort has been made to study their evolutionary dynamics multiple animal clades, molluscs a substantially understudied phylum. Here, we take advantage recent increase in mollusc resources adopt an automated TE annotation pipeline combined with phylogenetic tree-based...
Abstract Thousands of eukaryotes transcriptomes have been generated, mainly to investigate nuclear genes expression, and the amount available data is constantly increasing. A neglected but promising use this large assemble organelle genomes. To assess reliability approach, we attempted reconstruct complete mitochondrial genomes from RNA-Seq experiments Reticulitermes termite species, for which conspecific mitogenomes are available. We successfully assembled molecules, although a few gaps...
Abstract Reproduction is a key feature of all organisms, yet the way in which it achieved varies greatly across tree life. One striking example this variation stick insect genus Bacillus, five different reproductive modes have been described: sex, facultative and obligate parthenogenesis, two highly unusual modes: hybridogenesis androgenesis. Under hybridogenesis, entire genome from paternal species eliminated replaced each generation by mating with corresponding species. androgenesis, an...
The class Branchiopoda, whose origin dates back to Cambrian, includes ~ 1200 species which mainly occupy freshwater habitats. phylogeny and systematics of the have been debated for long time, until recent phylogenomic analyses allowed better clarify relationships among major clades. Based on these data, clade Anostraca (fairy brine shrimps) is sister all other branchiopods, Notostraca (tadpole results as group Diplostraca, Laevicaudata + Spinicaudata (clam Cladoceromorpha (water fleas...
Mastigusa is a genus of small palearctic spiders that has recently been moved to the family Cybaeidae after first inclusion in phylogenetic matrix. Three species are currently recognised: M. arietina, lucifuga and macrophthalma. The status delimitation, though, always problematic due inconsistency characters used discriminate between these, leading great confusion identity distribution. We present detailed morphological redescription taxonomic revision included by combined use data molecular...
After the loss of a trait, theory predicts that molecular machinery underlying its phenotypic expression should decay. Yet, empirical evidence is contrasting. Here, we test hypotheses (i) ground plan lost trait could persist due to pleiotropic effects on other traits and (ii) gene co-expression network architecture constrain individual expression. Our testing has been Bacillus stick insect species complex, which contains close relatives are either bisexual or parthenogenetic. identification...
Meiosis is the biological process that, after a cycle of DNA replication, halves cellular chromosome complement, leading to formation haploid gametes. Haploidization achieved via two successive rounds segregation, meiosis I and II. In mammals, during prophase I, homologous chromosomes align synapse through recombination-mediated mechanism initiated by introduction double-strand breaks (DSBs) SPO11 protein. male mice, if expression DSB number are reduced below heterozygosity levels, synapsis...
Transposable elements (TEs) are common and often present with high copy numbers in cellular genomes. Unlike organisms, TEs were previously thought to be either rare or absent viruses. Almost all reported display only one two copies per viral genome. In addition, the discovery of pandoraviruses genomes up 2.5-Mb emphasizes need for biologists rethink fundamental nature relationship between viruses life. Herein, we performed first comprehensive analysis miniature inverted-repeat transposable...
The crustacean class Branchiopoda includes fairy shrimps, clam tadpole and water fleas. Branchiopods, which are well known for their great variety of reproductive strategies, date back to the Cambrian extant taxa can be mainly found in freshwater habitats, also including ephemeral ponds. Mitochondrial genomes notostracan Lepidurus apus lubbocki (Italy), L. arcticus (Iceland) Triops cancriformis (an Italian a Spanish population) here characterized first time analyzed together with available...
The palearctic spider genus Mastigusa Menge, 1854 is characterized by a remarkable morphology and wide ecological variability, with free-living, cave dwelling myrmecophile populations known. This has long tangled taxonomic history was placed in different families the past, all belonging to "marronoid clade", an informal grouping of lack strong synapomorphies. Three species are currently recognized, but their identity circumscription been debated. A molecular approach never applied for trying...
Bivalves are a diverse group of molluscs that have recently attained central role in plenty biological research fields, thanks to their peculiar life history traits. Here, we propose bivalves should be considered as emerging model systems also sex-determination (SD) studies, since they would allow investigate: 1) the transition between environmental and genetic SD, with respect different reproductive backgrounds sexual (from species strict gonochorism various forms hermaphroditism); 2)...