A. Vigna Taglianti

Cranial morphometrics of the Apennine brown bear (Ursus arctos marsicanus) and preliminary notes on the relationships with other southern European populations

The geographic variation of seven southern European populations of Ursus arctos was investigated through multivariate morphometrics of the skull. Univariate and multivariate analyses were run on 63 cranial and dental measurements recorded on 50 specimens from the Apennines, the Alps, and the Transcaucasus, and on 14 specimens of the fossil Ursus spelaeus. Detailed analyses of sexual dimorphism, age structure, and ranges of variation have been carried out on the Apennines population, which morphological variation has been little explored. Subsets of characters were selected to allow comparison with data derived from literature for populations from the Pyrenees, the Rhodopi‐Rila‐Pirin, the Balkans, and the Caucasus. Analyses clearly indicate that the Apennine bear is morphologically distinct from both a western (Alps, Pyrenees, Balkans, and Rhodopi) and an eastern contingent (Caucasus and Transcaucasus), therefore suggesting that the Apennine population should be reconsidered as a separate taxon, namely Ursus arctos marsicanus. These preliminary results suggest caution in restocking conservation actions.

Biological observations on Pachyteles larvae(Coleoptera Carabidae Paussinae)

Larvae of Paussinae are poorly known. They are characterised by a hyperprognathous head, a U-shaped body and the end of the abdomen (and the urogomphi) transformed into a 6-lobed terminal disk. Most of them are myrmecophilous and live in ant nests; others, such as those of the genus Pachyteles Perty 1830, are non-parasitic and live in burrows in sandy banks or rotten wood. on the basis of field and laboratory observations, we describe defensive and predatory behaviours of larvae of two species of Pachyteles, which use their terminal disk as both a phragmotic and trapping organ. These larvae attract small invertebrates by secreting certain substances and catch their prey by an ambush strategy. This is interpreted as a primitive predation strategy in larvae of Paussinae. In the laboratory, we observed that ants and termites are strongly attracted by substances covering the terminal disk. This behaviour could have played an important role in the origin of symphily, also suggesting the possibility of a multiple, independent evolution of myrmecophily in pre-adapted Paussine tribes like ozaenini, Protopaussini and Paussini.

Phoretic association of some African Cyaneolytta Péringuey 1909 with carabids, and morphology of first instar larvae in Meloini (Coleoptera Meloidae).

The phoretic association between larvae of the genus Cyaneolytta Peringuey 1909, and those of another unclassified meloine with Coleoptera Carabidae of the Anthiini tribe is discussed. So far these associations have been considered to be only by chance, but probably they are connected with as yet unknown aspects of the larval biology. Some hypotheses about the possible hosts of Cyaneolytta, with particular attention to the Isoptera and to the Coleoptera Carabidae, are presented. However, it is possible that some species are parasitic on other orders of insects. The strong morphological differences of the first instar larvae are emphasized, and the larvae of three species are described. Perhaps the larva of an unclassified meloine can also be placed in this genus. On the basis of the morphology of the first instar larvae the genera and subgenera of the Meloini tribe are discussed, and a new key for their classification is proposed.

Definition and description of larval types of Cyaneolytta (Coleoptera Meloidae) and new records of their phoretic association with Carabidae (Coleoptera)

The hypothesis of a general phoretic association of Cyaneolytta Péringuey 1909 triungulins (Meloidae) with Anthiini (Carabidae) is supported by many new records from several regions of Africa and India. Four morphological larval types of Cyaneolytta are described and some morpho-species belonging to different morphotypes are identified and illustrated.

Ground beetle communities in Central Apennines beech woods

Samples of ground beetle coenoses from 24 sites referrable to Fagetalia from subcoastal tyrrhenian chains to Molise have been examined.