A5032972803- Hymenoptera taxonomy and phylogeny
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Research on scale insects
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Hemiptera Insect Studies
- Plant and animal studies
- Coleoptera Taxonomy and Distribution
- Date Palm Research Studies
- Phytoplasmas and Hemiptera pathogens
- Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies
- Ichthyology and Marine Biology
- Fish Biology and Ecology Studies
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions
- Diverse academic and cultural studies
- Historical and Environmental Studies
- Invertebrate Taxonomy and Ecology
- Lepidoptera: Biology and Taxonomy
- Coleoptera: Cerambycidae studies
- Botany and Geology in Latin America and Caribbean
University of Palermo
2015-2025
Organizzazione per la Tutela Forestale, Ambientale e Agroalimentare
2011-2014
A new species, Dryocosmus destefanii Cerasa Melika n. sp. associated with a Cerris section oak, Quercus suber L., is described from Italy. Description, diagnosis, host associations and biology for the species an illustrated identification key to Western Palaearctic are given. The description supported by morphological molecular data.
The sexual generation of Dryocosmus destefanii Cerasa & Melika, 2018 that emerges from galls on Q. suber L. in Italy is described for the first time, establishing its heterogonic life cycle. We provide observations distribution, illustration adults and information biology as supported by morphological molecular data. An illustrated identification key to Western Palaearctic species also given.
Neuroterus apenninus Trotter, 1923 associated with a Cerris section oak, Quercus cerris L., was rediscovered in Italy 2017. Alessandro Trotter (1903) described leaf gall collected on Q. from the Italian Apennines; he did not obtain inductor and ascribed galls to genus Neuroterus, based morphological similarity other galls. We have found same obtained inducer. Detailed study of characters adults revealed that species belongs Cerroneuroterus Melika & Pujade-Villar, 2010. The asexual...
Encarsia protransvena (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) is recorded here for the first time in Italy as a parasitoid of whitefly Singhiella simplex (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), one most invasive alien pests exotic Ficus species. simplex, originating from Oriental region, has established global presence. Monitoring and its parasitoids was conducted southern areas Italy, providing crucial insights into their distribution interactions. The taxonomic identity E. protransvena, confirmed by scrutiny...
An examination of type and non-type material deposited in various European scientific collections concludes that the sexual generation Andricus truncicolus (Giraud, 1859), recently discovered through laboratory experiments herein confirmed by molecular data, is synonymous with multiplicatus Giraud, 1859; latter name becomes a junior synonym. We demonstrate previously published phylogenetic analyses did not group these two taxa together due to morphological misidentification form. show...
The life cycle of Cerroneuroterus minutulus (Giraud, 1859), a species previously known only from its asexual generation, is closed. Our study demonstrates that C. exhibits the heterogony typical Cynipini species, with alternating sexual and generations. identity generation demonstrated by laboratory experiments confirmed molecular data, aggregatus (Wachtl, 1880) determined to be junior synonym, 1859). Illustrations diagnoses for adults galls, observations on biology distribution information...
(Marshall, 1888) is redescribed and illustrated based on the holotype of
We demonstrated the life cycle closure of Cynips conifica Hartig, 1843 (presently Andricus conificus), previously supposed on basis molecular data, and identity sexual generation, through laboratory experiments. As a consequence, cydoniae Giraud, 1859 became junior synonym A. conificus (Hartig, 1843). provide illustrations diagnosis for adults galls, observations biology, information distribution. Moreover, as galls cannot be distinguished from those multiplicatus, detailed comparison...
The life cycle of Andricus truncicolus (Giraud, 1869), a species previously known only from its asexual generation, is closed. Laboratory rearing and field sampling have revealed the sexual generation this species, which develops in hypertrophic degeneration terminal or lateral shoot buds appearing as muddled agglomerate leaves on Quercus, section Cerris oaks. We describe for first time newly discovered A. provide illustrations diagnosis adults galls both generations, further observations...
spongy-woody galls induced by Cynipidae were collected (Fig. 1E) over a period of two years.Overall, ca.1000 collected.These kept at room temperature in laboratory the University Palermo and parasitoids other insects that emerged collected.Most preserved mounted, but Orthoptera transferred to small plastic containers covered tulle 1A andC).A plug wet cotton wool was glued inside top container provide with water; water added when necessary means syringe 1B andD).Food provided young chestnut...
Abstract Ozognathus cornutus (LeConte, 1859) (Coleoptera: Ptinidae: Ernobiinae), species native to North America, is a saproxylophagous and known feed on decaying tissues within conspicuous galls vegetal organic material such as dried fruits or small wood shavings insect excrements in galleries made by other woodboring species. A few years after the first record 2011, its naturalization Italy here reported. The was found successor of Psectrosema tamaricis (Diptera Cecidomyiidae),...
During the editing of paper “In memory Pietro Doderlein” (Massa et al. 2018), consulting Doderlein’s bibliography, and highlighting some interesting documents material preserved in Museum Zoology University Palermo (MZPA) (today named after Doderlein), a taxonomic anomaly was noticed about grouper collected more than one hundred years ago. The aim present statement is to prove that name Cerna sicana Doderlein, 1882 (presently as Epinephelus sicanus [Doderlein, 1882]) should be considered...
SummaryNew records of Cynipid gall wasps and inquilines for the Italian peninsula Sicily their new host plants Palaearctic Region are listed commented on. Among them we find: Cerroneuroterus cerrifloralis (Müllner 1901) as Italy region on Quercus suber; Andricus multiplicatus Giraud 1859 Q. suber, region; Aylax papaveris (Perris 1839), reported in over a century ago, but later overlooked; minutulus (Giraud 1859), also more than ago from Sicily, overlooked. here listed: Synergus variabilis...
A population of the gall midge Pumilomyia protrahenda De Stefani, 1919 causing galls on Artemisia arborescens (Asteraceae) was discovered near Palermo (Sicily) in 2008. This species had not been found since 1918. Detailed study morphological characters adults, larvae and pupae revealed that P. belongs to genus Rhopalomyia Rübsaamen, 1892, tribe Rhopalomyiini. The monotypic is therefore synonymized under 1892. comb. n. redescribed, with important illustrated. Adults have one-segmented palpi,...