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We analysed variation in 10 polymorphic microsatellites and a variable portion of control region of mtDNA in 24 specimens from 3 populations of European Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus feldeggii living in Sicily, continental Italy and the Balkan area to assess species' genetic diversity and population structure in the poorly investigated range of this threatened subspecies. We considered also a dataset of previously published mtDNA sequences of the other Lanner Falcon subspecies and of Hierofalco subgenus members (F. cherrug, F. rusticolus and F. jugger) to outline the genetic variation in the region on a wide-ranging basis. Regard with mtDNA we identified 6 haplotypes from our 24 European Lanner Falcon specimens, 3 of which were new and unique (1 Sicilian, 2 Balkans) and the 3 others already known and shared with other Hierofalcons. The 62.5% of our sample, including 14 of Sicilians and one Apulia specimen, belonged to haplotype H_24 shared with F. c. cherrug, F. rusticolus and F. jugger. MtDNA analyses of European Lanner Falcons showed a dispersed pattern of our specimens inside the main Hierofalco clades and haplo-groups in a way congruent to what found in recent literature. These analyses confirmed that none of the Hierofalcons form a monophyletic group, nonetheless the Lanner Falcons can be subdivided in two major Palaearctic (F. b. feldeggii, F. b. erlangeri and F. b. tanypterus) and sub-Sahara African (F. b. biarmicus and F. b. abyssinicus) clades. Microsatellites analysis yielded a first outline of population genetic structure, with genetic identity between continental Italy and Sicily and a moderate degree of differentiation of the Balkan area with Sicily and continental Italy. The 3 populations did not show significant departure from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, with low values of the inbreeding coefficients and had allele richness and haplotype diversity consistent with literature. Microsatellites analysis (Nm, frequency of private alleles) suggests a gene flow among the three examined populations and the connection of Sicilian population to those of mainland.

The correct affiliation of Sabrina Lo Brutto is shown in this paper. © 2019, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

The correct affiliation of Sabrina Lo Brutto is shown in this paper.

No Abstract

Implementing efforts to understand biogeographic distribution patterns and taxonomic limits within animal groups is crucial for addressing several challenges of modern zoology. Although avian phylogeography has been extensively investigated within the Western Palearctic, several families, such as shrikes, still display unresolved or neglected biogeographic patterns both between and within species, thus requiring further investigations. The Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator) is a long-distance migratory species that exhibits three morphologically well-recognizable subspecies, whose boundaries have never been phylogenetically investigated. Here, we aimed to define the phylogeographic structure of Lanius senator throughout its breeding range and assess the genetic coherence with respect to the phenotypically described subspecies. We assembled a collection of 34 samples mainly from breeding populations of each subspecies and analysed them using four mtDNA and two nuDNA markers. We did not find clear phylogenetic structure in nuclear Ornithine Decarboxylase (ODC) and Myoglobin intron 2 (MYO), but all the four mtDNA loci (i.e., ND2, COI, cytb and CR) highlighted two main haplogroups: one including both the nominate subspecies L. s. senator and L. s. badius and a second one consisting of L. s. niloticus (the easternmost part of its range). Surprisingly, individuals phenotypically assigned to L. s. niloticus from Israel were genetically assigned to the senator/badius haplogroup. Moreover, genetic distances between haplogroups showed intermediate values between inter-intraspecies diversity usually reported for Passerines. We estimated a divergence time at ca. 890 kya (554–1.259 kya HPD). Our findings showed a mismatch in subspecies assignment using morphology and genetic information and a marked differentiation between the eastern L. s. niloticus and all other L. senator populations sampled.

Analysis of mitochondrial DNA from reed warblers sampled in Italy reveals that they are most similar to the nominate race of European Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus scirpaceus. To fill gaps in our knowledge of the distribution of European/African Reed Warblers Acrocephalus scirpaceus/baeticatus in the Mediterranean region through genetic analysis of populations from the key biogeographic areas of Sicily, Sardinia and mainland Italy. We assessed the genetic placement of Italian reed warbler populations within a comprehensive dataset of this species complex, by sampling these birds from principal peninsular and insular breeding populations (for a total of 17 samples) and by comparing their mitochondrial cyt b sequences with those available in GenBank-NCBI. The final dataset included 171 cyt b sequences (763 base pair long). The analysis showed samples from Italy had a high similarity with the European Reed Warbler A. s. scirpaceus subspecies. This fills an important information gap in the phylogeography of the group. The genetic cohesion shown between Italian and other European populations may denote a structuring in at least three distinct refugia in the Western Palearctic: Iberia for A. baeticatus ambiguus, the Caucasus Mountains for A. s. fuscus, and both Italy and the Balkans for A. s. scirpaceus.

Capsule: Individual Eurasian Teal Anas crecca with white neck-rings have been found in Italy and an extensive museum survey found this plumage character occurring with a low frequency, although no genetic difference was observed with respect to the normal phenotype. Aims: To estimate the relative frequency and distribution of this plumage variation and to provide a first genetic assessment to verify if this character could have a taxonomic basis or if it occurs by chance among populations. Methods: An extensive museum survey was conducted to check for the occurrence of white neck-ringed Eurasian Teals in preserved specimens from its distributional range. A genetic analysis was conducted at standard mitochondrial loci (D-loop and COI) of ten white neck-ringed Eurasian Teals from Venice lagoon, Italy. Haplotypes were compared with genetic data from Holarctic populations. Results: The museum survey uncovered additional cases of white neck-ringed Eurasian Teals in Italy and Europe. Moreover, this mutation has also been documented for the first time in the North American Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis. The white neck-ring was found to be variable in size and occurred in both sexes and in different age classes in about 1.5% of examined individuals. The genetic analysis did not show any significant lineage differentiation between them and the normal phenotype, but the Italian samples showed high values of haplotype diversity indicating a key role of northeast Italy in attracting different migratory populations in winter. Conclusions: While the same variation occurs in many other species of the tribe Anatini, none of these cases clearly suggested the occurrence of hybridization, progressive greying, environmental causation or another kind of locally frequent mutation. It is most likely this plumage trait is a form of leucism or the expression of an ancestral phenotype, possibly occurring in different populations within the species’ range

Paola Movalli et al., European Raptor Biomonitoring Facility COST Action (CA16224) is supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) and funded by the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of the European Union. Life APEX is financed by the European Union through the program LIFE17ENV/SK/000355‘Systematic use ofcontaminant data from apex predators and their prey in chemicals management’.

Light-level geolocators are currently widely used to track the migration of small-sized birds, but their potentially detrimental effects on survival of highly aerial species have been poorly investigated so far. We recorded capture–recapture histories of 283 common swifts Apus apus and 107 pallid swifts Apus pallidus breeding in 14 colonies in Italy, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland that were equipped with 10 different types of geolocators (‘geolocator birds’), and compared their survival with that of, respectively, 215 common and 101 pallid swifts not equipped with geolocators (‘control birds’). Data were analysed using both GLMMs with return rate as a proxy for survival and mark–recapture models to estimate survival while accounting for recapture probability. In all the analyses, geolocator birds showed reduced apparent survival compared to controls. Geolocator weight was always lower than 3% of body mass, and did not affect survival per se. Geolocators with a light-stalk, which is used in some geolocator models to reduce light sensor shading by feathers, decreased apparent survival more than models without light-stalk. Apparent survival of geolocator birds significantly varied among sites, being much higher in northern Europe. Despite in our analyses we could only partly account for variable recapture probabilities among sites and for inter-annual variability in survival, our results generally showed that equipping swifts with geolocators decreased their survival prospects, but also that the magnitude of this effect may depend on species-specific traits. These conclusions are in line with those of other studies on aerial foragers. We suggest that future studies tracking the movements of aerial insectivorous birds should use devices designed to minimize drag.

The Italian natural history museums are facing a critical situation, due to the progressive loss of scientific relevance, decreasing economic investments, and scarcity of personnel. This is extremely alarming, especially for ensuring the long-term preservation of the precious collections they host. Moreover, a commitment in fieldwork to increase scientific collections and concurrent taxonomic research are rarely considered priorities, while most of the activities are addressed to public events with political payoffs, such as exhibits, didactic meetings, expositions, and talks. This is possibly due to the absence of a national museum that would have better steered research activities and overall concepts for collection management. We here propose that Italian natural history museums collaborate to instate a “metamuseum”, by establishing a reciprocal interaction network aimed at sharing budgetary and technical resources, which would assure better coordination of common long-term goals and scientific activities.

We analyzed variation in ten polymorphic microsatellites and a portion of cytochrome b mitochondrial DNA in 4 populations of the Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus). living in northern and southern Italy. Spain and Czech Republic to assess species diversity in the poorly investigated Western Palearctic region. The Spanish population lives in the contact zone between F. peregrinus peregrinus and F. p. brookei. both the northern Italian and the Czech populations live within the range of F. p. peregrinus and the southern Italian is within the F. p. brookei. We added to our cytochrome b sequence dataset comprising 81 samples. previously published mitochondrial DNA sequences (n = 31) of English F. p. peregrinus. Spanish F. p. brookei and 8 Peregrine falcon subspecies to outline genetic variation in the region on a worldwide basis. Genetic differentiation in nuclear STR loci was almost absent and it is not possible to distinguish geographical groupings. Regarding mtDNA we identified 17 haplotypes from the 112 Peregrine Falcon samples. of which 11 were unique and 6 were shared among two or more subspecies. The 68% of sample belonged to 2 shared haplotypes. Overwintering of F. p. calidus in Italy was confirmed on a genetic basis. The Spanish and Sicilian brookei peregrines split up among haplotypes. but the 35% of Sicilian falcon shared a new haplotype unique for the island. There was neither concordance between cytochrome b variation and taxonomic designation at the subspecies level. nor any phylogeographic pattern in the genetic data. Our analysis. regarding the investigated European region. supported that historical and recent dispersal. combined with rapid morphological evolution. may have originated such a lack of concordance between genetic variation (cytochrome b mtDNA sequences and nuclear STR loci) and phylogeography in the Peregrine falcon.

The correct affiliation of Sabrina Lo Brutto is shown in this paper.