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Tires are essential to our societies as transportation of people and goods are keys to our economies and social interactions. They need to provide satisfying performances in terms of safety, service life and fuel consumption simultaneously. The famous “magic triangle of tire tread” is constituted of the three main parameters that define a tire tread performance level: wet traction, abrasion resistance and rolling resistance. To overcome the boundaries of this triangle requires constant research and engineering work, as these properties work against one another. For instance, lowering the rolling resistance allows to reduce fuel consumption, but also reduces wet grip performances and therefore compromises safety. The introduction of silica fillers in combination with silane coupling agents is the major innovation that helped to mitigate this issue. It provides better wet traction as well as rolling resistance compared to regular carbon black compounds. The drawback of silica is its tendency to form aggregates in rubber via its polar hydrophilic groups: silanols. They prevent silica particles from interacting with non-polar hydrophobic polymers commonly used in tires. The effectiveness of a reinforcing filler arises from its ability to create a percolating network and to interact with the polymer chains of the matrix. Therefore, silanes are essential to silica for rubber reinforcement. They chemically react with both the silica particles and the polymer chains and grant silica a great dispersibility by converting polar silanols to non-polar organic moieties. They also enable silica particles to become crosslink points in the rubber composites through the reaction of the silane with the polymer chains. Currently, state of the art silanesilica filler systems consist in 10-50 nm silica particles. Upon mixing in rubber matrix, they form a fractal percolating network. The silane carries a sulfide moiety that allow the silica-rubber crosslinking reaction. The limitation of such system resides in two aspects. First, the use of a single silane providing simultaneously coupling and dispersion of the filler prevents to optimize both of these parameters. Secondly, the constitutive aggregates of the percolating network may be subjected to dislocation under stress. This causes unnecessary energy dissipation and irreversible weakening of the material over time. Addressing these two problematics is of great interest for the improvement of tire rubber performances. For this reason, the present doctoral thesis aims to study and understand the influence of silica surface modification and morphology over mechanical properties of a tire tread rubber compound and more specifically its wet grip, abrasion and rolling resistance indicator. Firstly, we investigated the activation potential of two strong bases, namely sodium hydride and DBU, on silica surface reactivity toward silanization. Then, we studied the effect of coupling and dispersion role dissociation as well as silane length on rubber mechanical properties by synthesizing new dual-silane pre-treated silica fillers. Finally, we present the synthesis of a unique regio-selectively modified dendritic silica and studied the behavior of the subsequent composite materials by assessing the effect of particle porosity and chemical modification. Our findings show that the dissociation of coupling and dispersive silane greatly impact rubber properties. The combination of short mercapto and alkylsilane has proven to improve wet grip of composite with a stable rolling resistance indicator. On the other side, the use of longer alkylsilane completely changed the polymer-filler dynamic and resulted in phase segregation around fillers and poor reinforcement. Finally, the spatial segregation of coupling and dispersive function with the newly synthesized regio-selective modified dendritic silica particles induced remarkable changes in the reinforcing behavior. When compared to equivalent non-porous and non-modified silica particle, the permeation of polymer chains in the porous structure and their crosslinking with the coupling silane enable reinforcement while near-perfect dispersion is ensured by the dispersive silane on the outer surface. Unfortunately, this reduces the filler-filler interaction and consequently limit the reinforcement of the rubber. The introduction of a small amount of the fractal filler allowed to fill the gaps between the bigger porous particles. It proved to drastically improved the inter-particles interactions, and thus the reinforcement and dynamic properties of the material beyond previous levels. This work puts light on the potential of porous silica and dual-fillers systems as potent filler for tire tread rubber. The outcomes of this doctoral thesis participate to better understand the impact of chemical and morphological modifications of silica filler surface, and how it can serve the improvement of the filler technology for the tire industry. It develops the use of porous silica particles as potent fillers for tire tread rubber and brings new insights on reinforcement mechanisms as well as new possibilities in filler architecture and chemistry.

Octodrilus tergestinus (Michaelsen, 1910) (Figure 4A,B) Octolasium mima vAr. tergestina MIchAELsEn, 1910 MITT. MUs. HAMbUrg, 27: 73. Octolasium (Octodrilus) mima: OModEo 1956 Arch. ZooL. ITAL., 41: 177 (pArT). Octolasium mima vAr tergestina: KArAMAn 1972 BIoL. VEsTn., 20: 102. Octodrilus rucneri (PLIsko & ZIcsI, 1970): ZIcsI 1981 OpUsc. ZooL. (BUdApEsT), 27–28: 66 (MIsIdEnTIfIcATIon). Octodrilus tergestina: ZIcsI 1982 AcTA ZooL. HUng., 28: 439. Octodrilus tergestinus: ZIcsI 1986 OpUsc. ZooL. (BUdApEsT), 22: 108. Octodrilus tergestinus: MršIć 1991 Monogr. EArThw. BALkAns: 417. Material examined. Cerreto 1 (MH 032866), 2 (MH 032867): Cerreto, Grimalda, Croatia, 15/05/2016, leg. Maurizio G. Paoletti. Judrio 2 (MH 032874): Judrio river, Medea, Udine, Italy, 18/02/2016, leg. Maurizio G. Paoletti. Medea 3 (MH 032876), 6 (MH 032878): Colle di Medea, Medea, Udine, Italy, 18/02/2016, leg. Maurizio G. Paoletti. Moruzzo 1 (EWITA361-15): Moruzzo, Udine, Italy, 11/11/2015, leg. Luca Dorigo. Muzzana 5 (MH 032880): Coda Manin woodland, Muzzana del Turgnano, Udine, Italy, 22/11/2014, leg. Luca Dorigo. Ospo 4 (EWITA348-15): Ospo river at Muggia, Trieste, Italy, 06/02/2015, leg. Maurizio G. Paoletti. Podlaka 1 (MH 032881), 2 (MH 032882): Banjšice-Podlaka, Slovenia, 09/04/2016, leg. Tommaso Barcaro, Angelo L. Dreon & Maurizio G. Paoletti. (Altogether ten specimens). Diagnosis. Large worms, 200–500 mm by 10–15 mm. Colour brown on dorsum with darker midsegment stripes and pale on ventrum (much darker than Oc. mimus). Male pores on 15 small. Clitellum on ½29, 30–½44, 44, ½45; tubercles on 30–44, ½45. Nephridiopores irregularly alternate between b and above d. Two pairs of testes enclosed in perioesophageal testis sacs in 10, 11. Vesicles in 9–12, those in 11 sometimes smaller. Spermathecae seven or eight pairs, in 5/6, 6/7–12/13. Remarks. Oc. tergestinus clearly differs from Oc. mimus by its much darker pigmentation, longer clitellum and tubercles. However, the clitellar organs are definite only in completely adult specimens (Zicsi 1981) and examining preadult or subadult worms might lead to incorrect identification. It is also worth noting that the number of spermathecae shows some variation as well. In our specimens it is usually 7 pairs in 6/7–12/13, however, sometimes an extra pair also appears in 5/6. In this respect Oc. tergestinus clearly differs from Oc. rucneri which has the eighth pair of spermathecae in 13/14. Zicsi (1981) reported Oc. rucneri from Italy, Versa. Unfortunately we were not able to find the specimen reported in this paper (Z/6851) but found a later collection from the very same place. This material (HNHM /12809) was identified by Zicsi as Oc. tergestinus which is the correct identification. On our molecular tree Oc. tergestinus is represented by four unresolved subclades including Oc. istrianus which shows an intermediate clitellar position between Oc. mimus and Oc. tergestinus (½29–42, ½28, 29–40, 41 and ½29, 30–44, ½45 respectively). The status of these subclades needs further investigations., Published as part of Csuzdi, Csaba, Szederjesi, Tímea, Marchán, Daniel Fernández, Sosa, Irene De, Gavinelli, Federico, Dorigo, Luca, Pamio, Alberto, Dreon, Angelo Leandro, Fusaro, Silvia, Moretto, Enzo & Paoletti, Maurizio Guido, 2018, DNA barcoding of the Italian anecic Octodrilus species in rural (vineyard) and forested areas with description of Octodrilus zicsiniello sp. nov. (Clitellata, Megadrili), pp. 43-64 in Zootaxa 4496 (1) on page 50, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4496.1.5, http://zenodo.org/record/1447039

Octodrilus pseudocomplanatus (Omodeo, 1962) Octolasium kamnense f. pseudocomplanatum OModEo, 1962 MEM. MUs. CIv. ST. NAT. VEronA, 10: 82. Octodrilus pseudocomplanatus: ZIcsI 1981 OpUsc. ZooL. (BUdApEsT), 27–28: 159. Octodrilus pseudocomplanatus: ZIcsI 1986 OpUsc. ZooL. (BUdApEsT), 22: 108. Octodrilus pseudocomplanatus: MršIć 1991 Monogr. EArThw. BALkAns: 424. Material examined. Ekar 9 (EWITA302-15): Ekar Mount, Asiago, Vicenza, Italy, 10/11/2014, leg. Maurizio G. Paoletti. Ruio 1 (EWITA304-15), 2 (EWITA305-15): Ruio Vallalta, Follina, Treviso, Italy, 27/04/2013, leg. Maurizio G, Paoletti. Cristoferi 36 (EWITA058-14), 38 (EWITA060-14), 39 (EWITA061-14), 139: Alonte, Vicenza, Italy, 01/02/2014 leg. Federico Gavinelli. (Altogether seven specimens). Diagnosis. Medium sized worms, 100–180 mm by 6–10 mm. Colour reddish on dorsum and paler on ventrum. Male pores on 15 or 16 small. Clitellum on 1/n 29, 30–37, ½38; tubercles on 1/n 29, 30–39, 40. Nephridiopores aligned just above b. Two pairs of testes enclosed in perioesophageal testis sacs in 10, 11. Vesicles in 9–12, those in 11 sometimes smaller. Spermathecae seven pairs, in 6/7–12/13. Remarks. Morphologically this species is close to Oc. complanatus but differs from it in the aligned nephridial pores (irregular in complanatus), smaller dd setal distance and presence of red-violet pigments. Furthermore, Oc. pseudocomplanatus possesses perioesophageal testis sacs unlike complanatus which has suboesophageal testis sacs. According to our molecular results, Oc. pseudocomplanatus is not closely related to Oc. complanatus., Published as part of Csuzdi, Csaba, Szederjesi, Tímea, Marchán, Daniel Fernández, Sosa, Irene De, Gavinelli, Federico, Dorigo, Luca, Pamio, Alberto, Dreon, Angelo Leandro, Fusaro, Silvia, Moretto, Enzo & Paoletti, Maurizio Guido, 2018, DNA barcoding of the Italian anecic Octodrilus species in rural (vineyard) and forested areas with description of Octodrilus zicsiniello sp. nov. (Clitellata, Megadrili), pp. 43-64 in Zootaxa 4496 (1) on page 49, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4496.1.5, http://zenodo.org/record/1447039

Octodrilus zicsiniello Csuzdi, Fernández Marchán & Paoletti, sp. nov. (Figure 3) Holotype. HNHM /16263 Roncavezzai 5 (EWITA312-15), Roncavezzai, Follina, Treviso, Italy, 23/10/2014, leg. Maurizio G. Paoletti. Paratypes: HNHM /16264, 1 ex. Roncavezzai 8 (EWITA315-15), Roncavezzai 11 (EWITA318-15), 12 (EWITA319-15), 13 (EWITA320-15): Roncavezzai, Follina, Treviso, Italy, 23/10/2014, leg. Maurizio G. Paoletti. HNHM /16264, 1 ex. (Crevada 6), Crevada 5, 7, 8, 9: Crevada, Treviso, Italy, 03/04/2016, leg. Vladimiro Toniello & Maurizio G. Paoletti. Cavalier 1 (EWITA325-15): Gorgo al Monticano, Treviso, Italy, 08/ 10/2011, leg. Maurizio G. Paoletti. (Altogether ten specimens). Other material. Ruio 5: Ruio Vallalta, Follina, Treviso, Italy, 27/04/201, leg. Maurizio G, Paoletti. Cesen 1 (EWITA257-15), 3 (EWITA259-15), 5 (EWITA261-15), 7: Cesen Mount, Treviso, Italy, 14/09/2014, Maurizio G. Paoletti. (Altogether five praeadult specimens). Derivatio nominis. The new species is named in honour of the late Professor András Zicsi, the renowned earthworm taxonomist, and in honour of the geomorphologist Vladimiro Toniello who collected several specimens of this new species. Noun in apposition. Diagnosis. Length 135–220 mm, diameter 10–12 mm, setae distant. Colour reddish brown with darker midsegments. First dorsal pore in 12/13. Clitellum on ½29, 29 – 38, ¼39, tubercles on ½29, 29 – ½40, 40. Male pores on 15 or 16, small. Nephridial pores irregularly alternate between b and above d. Three pairs of vesicles in 9, 10, 12. Spermathecae seven pairs in 6/7–12/13, open near c. Calciferous glands in 10–12 with large posteriolateral diverticula in 10. Hearts in segments 6–11. Nephridial bladders ocarina-shaped. External characters. Holotype 220 mm long and 12 mm wide. Number of segments 168. Several tail segments were cut for DNA analysis. Paratypes 135–220 mm long and 10–12 mm wide. Number of segments 160–232 (intact specimens). Colour conserved reddish-brown with darker midsegments. Prostomium slightly epilobous. First dorsal pore at intersegmental furrow 12/13. Setae widely paired. Setal arrangement at segment 43: aa: ab: bc: cd: dd = 3.2:1.4:1.7:1:9 (Fig. 3B). Female pores on segment 14, just above seta b. Male pores small on segment 15, in the population from Crevada on segment 16 between setae b–c. Nephridial pores irregularly alternate between setal line b and above d. Clitellum on ½29, 29 – 38, if strongly developed occupying ¼39 as well. Tubercula pubertatis on ½29, 29 – ½40, 40. Glandular tumescences most frequently on 32, 40 ab (Fig. 3A). Internal characters. Septa 6/7–8/9 slightly, 9/10–11/12 moderately thickened, 12/13–14/15 strongly strengthened. Testes and funnels paired in 10–11 enclosed in suboesophageal testis sacs. Three pairs of seminal vesicles in 9, 10 and 12.Vesicles in 9, 10 pear-shaped with mulberry-shaped apex, those in 12 sac-shaped (Fig. 3C). Spermathecae seven pairs in 6/7–12/13 with external openings near the setal line c. Calciferous glands in 10–12 with large postero-lateral diverticula in 10. Heart in segment 6–11, with a pair of extraoesophageal vessels in 12. Nephridial bladders ocarina-shaped. Crop large in 15–16, and gizzard in 17–18. Intestine between 21–28 possesses large lateral outcrops which abruptly ends at the beginning of the clitellum. Typhlosolis moderate, ribbed tubeshaped. Longitudinal musculature is of pinnate type. Remarks. The new species with seven pairs of spermathecae and its clitellar data is most close to Oc. complanatus (Dugès, 1828) and Oc. pseudocomplanatus (Omodeo, 1962). However, it differs from both in the lack of vesicles in 11 (Table 1). This character is quite peculiar among the holandric Octodrilus species. The new species is clearly distinguishable also by its barcode sequences (Fig 1).

Octodrilus cf. slovenicus Karaman, 1972 Octolasium mima vAr. slovenica KArAMAn, 1972 BIoL. VEsTn., 20: 102. Octodrilus slovenicus: ZIcsI 1986 OpUsc. ZooL. (BUdApEsT), 22: 108. Octodrilus slovenicus: Mr��Ić 1991 Monogr. EArThw. BALkAns: 428. Material examined. Ekar 1 (EWITA 205-15), 2 ( EWITA 206-15), 3 (EWITA 207-15), 4 (EWITA 208-15), 8 (EWITA 301-15): Ekar Mount, on the Asiago plateau, Vicenza, Italy, 10/11/2014, leg. Maurizio G. Paoletti & Enzo Moretto. (Altogether five specimens). Diagnosis. Medium sized worms, 250���350 mm by 15���18 mm. Colour grey on dorsum and paler on ventrum. Male pores on 15 small. Clitellum on ��28, 29���39, 1/n 40; tubercles on 29���39, 40. Nephridiopores aligned just above b. Two pairs of testes enclosed in perioesophageal testis sacs in 10, 11. Vesicles in 9���12, those in 11 sometimes smaller. Spermathecae five pairs, in 6/7���10/11. Remarks. Oc. slovenicus was described from Slovenia from three localities (Sevnica, Brežice and Krka in Dolenjska) and is characterized by clitellar organs similar to that of Oc. mimus but differing from that species in possessing only five pairs of spermathecae in 6/7���10/11. In Ekar Mount some 300 km W of Doljenska we found five specimens of earthworms exhibiting the same morphological characteristics as Oc. slovenicus (i.e. cl. 1/2 28 ��� 1/2 40, spermathecae five pairs in 6/7���10/11). These specimens, contrary to the very same clitellar position, differed from Oc. mimus not only in the number of spermathecae (5 pairs vs. 6���7 pairs) but in the arrangement of the nephridiopores which are aligned in these specimens, unlike Oc. mimus, where they are irregular. Unfortunately in the original description of Karaman (1972) and later by Mr��ić (1991) nephridial pores are not mentioned. It is worth noting, that in our molecular tree (Fig. 1) the Ekar specimens form a derived subclade inside the Oc. pseudocomplanatus clade. Both species have aligned nephridial pores. To solve the status of this subclade, DNA material from the type locality and multigene phylogenetic investigations are needed., Published as part of Csuzdi, Csaba, Szederjesi, T��mea, March��n, Daniel Fern��ndez, Sosa, Irene De, Gavinelli, Federico, Dorigo, Luca, Pamio, Alberto, Dreon, Angelo Leandro, Fusaro, Silvia, Moretto, Enzo & Paoletti, Maurizio Guido, 2018, DNA barcoding of the Italian anecic Octodrilus species in rural (vineyard) and forested areas with description of Octodrilus zicsiniello sp. nov. (Clitellata, Megadrili), pp. 43-64 in Zootaxa 4496 (1) on pages 49-50, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4496.1.5, http://zenodo.org/record/1447039

Octodrilus hemiandrus (Cognetti, 1901) Octolasium hemiandrum CognETTI, 1901 BoLL. MUs. TorIno, 16(383): 3. Octolasium (Octodrilus) hemiandrum: OModEo 1956 Arc. ZooL. ITAL., 41: 177. Octodrilus hemiandrus: ZIcsI 1981 OpUsc. ZooL. (BUdApEsT), 17–18: 163. Octodrilus hemiander: ZIcsI 1986 OpUsc. ZooL. (BUdApEsT), 22: 108. Octodrilus hemiandrus: MršIć 1991 Monogr. EArThw. BALkAns: 410. Material examined. OrtoBot Roma 1 (EWITA307-15): Botanical garden of Rome, Italy, 30/10/2011, leg. Maurizio G. Paoletti. (One specimen). Diagnosis. Small sized worms, 60–100 mm by 5–6 mm. Colour reddish on dorsum and paler on ventrum. Male pores on 15 small. Clitellum on 1/n 28, 29–37; tubercles on 1/n 28, 29–39. Nephridiopores irregularly alternate between b and above d. One pair of testes enclosed in suboesophageal testis sacs in 11. Vesicles in 10, 12 of more or less equal size. Spermathecae seven pairs, constant in 6/7–12/13. Remarks. Externally this species is also similar to the smaller exemplars of Oc. complanatus, however, the reddish hints seen frequently on dorsum can distinguish it from complanatus. As regards the internal anatomical structure, the metandric male condition is clearly differentiating it from the congeners with similar clitellar position., Published as part of Csuzdi, Csaba, Szederjesi, Tímea, Marchán, Daniel Fernández, Sosa, Irene De, Gavinelli, Federico, Dorigo, Luca, Pamio, Alberto, Dreon, Angelo Leandro, Fusaro, Silvia, Moretto, Enzo & Paoletti, Maurizio Guido, 2018, DNA barcoding of the Italian anecic Octodrilus species in rural (vineyard) and forested areas with description of Octodrilus zicsiniello sp. nov. (Clitellata, Megadrili), pp. 43-64 in Zootaxa 4496 (1) on page 47, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4496.1.5, http://zenodo.org/record/1447039

Octodrilus complanatus (Dugès, 1828) (Figure 4E) Lumbricus complanatus DUgès, 1828 Ann. ScI. NAT. PArIs, 15: 289. Octolasium complanatum: MIchAELsEn 1900 TIErrEIch, 10: 508. Octolasium (Octodrilus) complanatus: OModEo 1956 Arc. ZooL. ITAL., 41: 177. Octodrilus complanatus: ZIcsI 1986 OpUsc. ZooL. (BUdApEsT), 22: 108. Octodrilus complanatus: MršIć 1991 Monogr. EArThw. BALkAns: 398. Material examined. Euganei 142: Vò Euganeo, Padova, Italy, 12/10/2014, leg. Federico Gavinelli. Roncavezzai 16: Roncavezzai, Follina, Treviso, Italy, 23/10/2014, leg. Maurizio G. Paoletti. Villadose 2: collected at Villadose, Rovigo, Italy, 12/10/2014, leg. Maurizio G. Paoletti. Brioni 1 (EWITA195-15): Brijuni Island, Pula, Croatia, 30/ 11/2014, leg. Enzo Moretto. SanZeno 3 (EWITA335-15): San Zeno di Colognola ai Colli, Verona, Italy, 22/10/ 2014, leg. Maurizio G. Paoletti. Zlepcari 7–8: Zlepcari, Pican, Croatia on 15/05/2016, leg. Maurizio G. Paoletti. Ospo 3 (EWITA347-15): Ospo river at Muggia, Trieste, Italy, 06/02/2015, leg. Maurizio G. Paoletti. Velebit 1 (EWITA269-15): Trnovac-Velebit, Croatia on 05/09/2014, leg. Angelo L. Dreon. (Altogether nine specimens). Diagnosis. Medium sized worms, 100–200 mm by 10–12 mm. Colour dark grey on dorsum and paler on ventrum. Male pores on 15 small. Clitellum on 1/n 28, 29–37, 38; tubercles on 1/n 28, 29, 30 – 39, 40. Nephridiopores irregularly alternate between b and above d. Two pairs of testes enclosed in suboesophageal testis sacs in 10, 11. Vesicles in 9–12 of more or less equal size. Spermathecae seven pairs, constant in 6/7–12/13. Remarks. Oc. complanatus is morphologically similar to Oc. pseudocomplanatus however, pseudocomplanatus is a more slender worm and its nephridiopores are aligned constantly in the setal line b. Another useful character for distinguishing externally the two species is the dd setal distance relative to cd; it is 3– 5 in pseudocomplanatus and 7–10 in complanatus. The two species differ also in the form of testis sacs; they are suboesophageal in complanatus but perioesophageal in pseudocomplanatus. However, the testis sacs are developed only in completely adult specimens, therefore they can be misleading in subadult exemplars. Another useful character for alive identification is the colour; Oc. complanatus has more or less intensive grey colour while Oc. pseudocomplanatus possesses always more or less intense reddish, reddish-grey colour., Published as part of Csuzdi, Csaba, Szederjesi, Tímea, Marchán, Daniel Fernández, Sosa, Irene De, Gavinelli, Federico, Dorigo, Luca, Pamio, Alberto, Dreon, Angelo Leandro, Fusaro, Silvia, Moretto, Enzo & Paoletti, Maurizio Guido, 2018, DNA barcoding of the Italian anecic Octodrilus species in rural (vineyard) and forested areas with description of Octodrilus zicsiniello sp. nov. (Clitellata, Megadrili), pp. 43-64 in Zootaxa 4496 (1) on pages 46-47, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4496.1.5, http://zenodo.org/record/1447039

Octodrilus mimus (Rosa, 1889) (Figure 4 C,D) Allolobophora mima RosA, 1889 BoLL. MUs. TorIno, 4 (60): 1. Octolasium mima f. marenzelleri MIchAELsEn, 1910 Ann. MUs. ST.-PETErsb., 15: 1. Octolasium mima f. marenzelleri: OModEo 1954 ATTI MUs. CIv. ST. NAT. TrIEsTE, 19: 131. Octolasium (Octodrilus) mima: OModEo 1956 Arch. ZooL. ITAL., 41: 177 (pArT). Octolasium mima TypIcUM: OModEo 1962 MEM. MUs. CIv. ST. NAT. VEronA, 10: 79. Octolasium mima marenzelleri: OModEo 1962 MEM. MUs. CIv. ST. NAT. VEronA, 10: 80. Octolasium mima mima: KArAMAn 1972 BIoL. VEsTn. 20: 102 (pArT. EXcL. vAr. tergestina MIchAELsEn, 1910, vAr. rucneri PLIsko & ZIcsI, 1970, vAr. nov. slovenica). Octodrilus mima: ZIcsI 1981 OpUsc. ZooL. (BUdApEsT), 27–28: 166. Octodrilus mima: ZIcsI 1986 OpUsc. ZooL. (BUdApEsT), 22: 108. Octodrilus marenzelleri: ZIcsI 1986 OpUsc. ZooL. (BUdApEsT), 22: 108. Octodrilus mimus: MršIć 1991 Monogr. EArThw. BALkAns: 411. Material examined. Medea 2 (MH 032875), 4: Colle di Medea, Gorizia, Italy, 18/02/2016, leg. Maurizio G. Paoletti. Velika 1 (EWITA271-15): Velika Gorica, Croatia, 04/09/2014, leg. Enzo Moretto. Velebit 2 (EWITA270- 15): Trnovac-Velebit, Croatia, 05/09/2014, leg. Angelo L. Dreon. Groinizza 1 (MH 032871), 2 (MH 032872): Groinizza, Gorizia, Italy, 23/11/2016, leg. Luca Dorigo. (Altogether six specimens). Diagnosis. Medium to large sized worms, 120–400 mm by 10–15 mm. Colour brown on dorsum with darker midsegment stripes and pale on ventrum. Male pores on 15 small. Clitellum on 1/n 28, 28–40, 41; tubercles on 1/n 28, 29–40, 41. Nephridiopores irregularly alternate between b and above d. Two pairs of testes enclosed in perioesophageal testis sacs in 10, 11. Vesicles in 9–12, those in 11 sometimes smaller. Spermathecae six to seven pairs, in 6/7–11/12, 12/13. Remarks. The taxonomy of Oc. mimus is quite controversial. The different varieties and forms described (tergestina, marenzelleri, vallorum, slovenicus) have later been treated differently. Omodeo (1954) regarded both marenzelleri and vallorum as forms of Octolasium mima, but later marenzelleri was treated as a subspecies (Omodeo 1962). Karaman (1972) regarded vallorum as a subspecies of mima, marenzelleri as a synonym and tergestina, rucneri and the newly described slovenica as forms. Zicsi (1982) elevated all forms, varieties and subspecies to species rank. Mršić (1991) thoroughly analyzed the literature data and his own large collection and concluded that marenzelleri is a synonym of Oc. mimus, while Oc. tergestinus, Oc. rucneri, Oc. vallorus and Oc. slovenicus represent independent species. Our molecular analysis confirmed the distinctness of Oc. slovenicus, which forms a distinct, highly supported clade together with the Oc. pseudocomplanatus specimens. Oc. mimus is sister to a clade composed of Oc. complanatus and Oc. zicsiniello sp. nov. and seemingly not closely related to Oc. tergestinus. The Oc. mimus clade consists of specimens with typical mimus characters (cl. 28–40, spermathecae 6/7–11/12) and also with marenzelleri characters (cl. 29–41, spermathecae 6/7–12/13) therefore their synonymy is maintained., Published as part of Csuzdi, Csaba, Szederjesi, Tímea, Marchán, Daniel Fernández, Sosa, Irene De, Gavinelli, Federico, Dorigo, Luca, Pamio, Alberto, Dreon, Angelo Leandro, Fusaro, Silvia, Moretto, Enzo & Paoletti, Maurizio Guido, 2018, DNA barcoding of the Italian anecic Octodrilus species in rural (vineyard) and forested areas with description of Octodrilus zicsiniello sp. nov. (Clitellata, Megadrili), pp. 43-64 in Zootaxa 4496 (1) on pages 48-49, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4496.1.5, http://zenodo.org/record/1447039

Octodrilus transpadanoides Zicsi, 1981 Octodrilus transpadanoides ZIcsI, 1981 OpUsc. ZooL. (BUdApEsT), 27���28: 161. Octodrilus transpadanoides: ZIcsI 1986 OpUsc. ZooL. (BUdApEsT), 22: 108. Octodrilus transpadanoides: Mr��Ić 1991 Monogr. EArThw. BALkAns: 376. Material examined. Villa Jacur 4 (EWITA303-15): Villa Jacur, Susegana, Treviso, Italy, 03/05/2014, leg. Maurizio G. Paoletti. (One specimen). Diagnosis. Small worms, 40���80 mm by 4���5 mm. Colour red-violet, paler on ventrum. Male pores on 15 small. Clitellum on ��29, 30���37 tubercles on 30���37. Nephridiopores aligned just above b. Two pairs of testes enclosed in 10 perioesophageal, and in 11 suboesophageal testis sacs. Vesicles in 9���12, those in 11 small, sometimes completely missing. Spermathecae five pairs, in 6/7���10/11. Remarks. This small Octodrilus species shows same clitellar positions as Oc. transpadanus, however differs from it first of all in the presence of red-violet pigmentation and the aligned nephridial pores., Published as part of Csuzdi, Csaba, Szederjesi, T��mea, March��n, Daniel Fern��ndez, Sosa, Irene De, Gavinelli, Federico, Dorigo, Luca, Pamio, Alberto, Dreon, Angelo Leandro, Fusaro, Silvia, Moretto, Enzo & Paoletti, Maurizio Guido, 2018, DNA barcoding of the Italian anecic Octodrilus species in rural (vineyard) and forested areas with description of Octodrilus zicsiniello sp. nov. (Clitellata, Megadrili), pp. 43-64 in Zootaxa 4496 (1) on pages 50-51, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4496.1.5, http://zenodo.org/record/1447039

Octodrilus istrianus Mr��ić, 1991 Octodrilus istrianus Mr��Ić 1991 Monogr. EArThw. BALkAns: 406. Octodrilus istrianus: HAckEnbErgEr & HAckEnbErgEr 2013 ZooTAXA, 3710: 19. Material examined. Brioni 2 (EWITA196-15): Brijuni Island, Croatia, 30/11/2014, leg. Enzo Moretto. Torrente V1 (MH 032883), V3 (MH 032884), V4 (MH 032885), V5, V6: Zlepcari, Pican, Croatia, 15/05/2016, leg. Maurizio G. Paoletti & Enzo Moretto. (Altogether six specimens). Diagnosis. Large sized worms, 250���300 mm by 10���15 mm. Colour grey on dorsum and paler on ventrum. Male pore on 15 small. Clitellum on 1/n 29, 29���42, 1/n 43; tubercles on 29, 30���42, 1/n 43. Nephridiopores irregularly alternate between b and above d. Two pairs of testes enclosed in perioesophageal testis sacs in 10, 11. Vesicles in 9���12, those in 11 sometimes smaller. Spermathecae seven pairs, in 6/7���12/13. Remarks. Oc. istrianus has relatively recently been described and has not been reported after the original description until now. Our specimens, collected also on the Istria peninsula, completely agree with the original description. Morphologically, it stands in between Oc. mimus and Oc. tergestinus (cl. 28, 29���40 and 28, 29���44 respectively) however, on our molecular tree these specimens form an unresolved, well-supported subclade (0.96 PP) inside the tergestinus clade. The status of this species needs further clarification by analysing more material from or near the type locality and involving more genes., Published as part of Csuzdi, Csaba, Szederjesi, T��mea, March��n, Daniel Fern��ndez, Sosa, Irene De, Gavinelli, Federico, Dorigo, Luca, Pamio, Alberto, Dreon, Angelo Leandro, Fusaro, Silvia, Moretto, Enzo & Paoletti, Maurizio Guido, 2018, DNA barcoding of the Italian anecic Octodrilus species in rural (vineyard) and forested areas with description of Octodrilus zicsiniello sp. nov. (Clitellata, Megadrili), pp. 43-64 in Zootaxa 4496 (1) on page 47, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4496.1.5, http://zenodo.org/record/1447039