Bruno Zava
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View article: First Record of Sepioteuthis lessoniana from the Maltese Archipelago, with Further Notes on Its Occurrence in the Central Mediterranean Sea
First Record of Sepioteuthis lessoniana from the Maltese Archipelago, with Further Notes on Its Occurrence in the Central Mediterranean Sea Open
The occurrence of the bigfin reef squid Sepioteuthis lessoniana, a Lessepsian migrant, is documented for the first time from the coastal waters off Malta, based on the collection of a single specimen reported through citizen science. The p…
View article: Synodus synodus (Actinopterygii, Aulopiformes, Synodontidae) in the coastal waters of Malta, central Mediterranean Sea
Synodus synodus (Actinopterygii, Aulopiformes, Synodontidae) in the coastal waters of Malta, central Mediterranean Sea Open
The occurrence of Synodus synodus (Linnaeus, 1758) in the central Mediterranean Sea is ascertained through integrated morphological and molecular analyses conducted on two specimens collected in April 2025 off the southwestern coast of Mal…
View article: TRACKS: Six good practices for Non-Indigenous Species research and their SWOT evaluation
TRACKS: Six good practices for Non-Indigenous Species research and their SWOT evaluation Open
Addressing the challenges posed by Non Indigenous Species (NIS) demands coordinated efforts across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems. In this study, we used the Italian research network as a case study to identify and evaluate…
View article: Acanthocybium solandri (Actinopterygii, Scombriformes, Scombridae) first record from Malta with notes on using its parasites as biological tags
Acanthocybium solandri (Actinopterygii, Scombriformes, Scombridae) first record from Malta with notes on using its parasites as biological tags Open
The wahoo, Acanthocybium solandri (Cuvier, 1832), an uncommon scombrid species for the Mediterranean, is hereby reported for the first time from Maltese waters. Details of this unusual capture, and characteristics of the specimens recovere…
View article: A new Pomacanthidae in the Mediterranean Sea: Pomacanthus semicirculatus (Cuvier, 1831) from Egyptian waters
A new Pomacanthidae in the Mediterranean Sea: Pomacanthus semicirculatus (Cuvier, 1831) from Egyptian waters Open
The first record of Pomacanthus semicirculatus (Cuvier, 1831) in the Mediterranean Sea is reported, based on a specimen caught off Alexandria, Egypt, in November 2024. Description of the specimen, morphometric measurements and meristic cha…
View article: The first record of the non-indigenous Acanthurus xanthopterus Valenciennes, 1835 (Actinopterygii: Acanthuridae) in Sicilian waters suggests a rapid westward dispersal in the Mediterranean
The first record of the non-indigenous Acanthurus xanthopterus Valenciennes, 1835 (Actinopterygii: Acanthuridae) in Sicilian waters suggests a rapid westward dispersal in the Mediterranean Open
View article: Chilomycterus reticulatus (Actinopterygii: Tetraodontiformes: Diodontidae) in the southern Sicilian waters, central Mediterranean Sea
Chilomycterus reticulatus (Actinopterygii: Tetraodontiformes: Diodontidae) in the southern Sicilian waters, central Mediterranean Sea Open
A recently discovered fish specimen representing the family Diodontidae has been documented in the waters off Mazara del Vallo in southwest Sicily, Italy. A detailed description of the morphological and meristic characteristics of the spec…
View article: Additional records of the little sleeper shark, Somniosus rostratus (Elasmobranchii: Squaliformes: Somniosidae), in Mediterranean Sea
Additional records of the little sleeper shark, Somniosus rostratus (Elasmobranchii: Squaliformes: Somniosidae), in Mediterranean Sea Open
This study investigates the distribution and morphometrics of the little sleeper shark, Somniosus rostratus (Risso, 1827), in the Mediterranean Sea. Ten sharks caught as bycatch between 2009 and 2019 in the northern sectors of the Strait o…
View article: First record of the West Atlantic Ariopsis felis (Linnaeus, 1766) (Actinopterygii: Siluriformes: Ariidae) in the Mediterranean Sea
First record of the West Atlantic Ariopsis felis (Linnaeus, 1766) (Actinopterygii: Siluriformes: Ariidae) in the Mediterranean Sea Open
A single individual of Ariidae was captured in 2022 in the Palestinian waters off the Gaza Strip, eastern Mediterranean. A comprehensive description of the morphological and meristic characters of the specimen was conducted. Molecular iden…
View article: Integrating historical and recent information to understand chondrichthyan dynamics in the central Mediterranean
Integrating historical and recent information to understand chondrichthyan dynamics in the central Mediterranean Open
View article: Yet another non-indigenous fish from Maltese waters, central Mediterranean: a first record of Lagocephalus guentheri Miranda Ribeiro, 1915 (Tetraodontiformes, Tetraodontidae)
Yet another non-indigenous fish from Maltese waters, central Mediterranean: a first record of Lagocephalus guentheri Miranda Ribeiro, 1915 (Tetraodontiformes, Tetraodontidae) Open
The first occurrence of Lagocephalus guentheri in Maltese waters is validated through morphological and molecular analysis of a specimen collected in 2023. This non-indigenous tetraodontid entered into the Mediterranean from the Red Sea vi…
View article: Prospezione speleologica, archeologica e antropologica della costa orientale della penisola di San Vito lo Capo (TP)
Prospezione speleologica, archeologica e antropologica della costa orientale della penisola di San Vito lo Capo (TP) Open
Two years after the death of Giovanni Mannino, researcher and talented speleologist, we present here unpublished research results of the group of researchers he led. This contribution adds additional information to that previously publishe…
View article: Liomera rugipes (Heller, 1861) (Brachyura: Xanthidae: Liomerinae): a new Indo-West Pacific crab in the Mediterranean Sea, Egypt
Liomera rugipes (Heller, 1861) (Brachyura: Xanthidae: Liomerinae): a new Indo-West Pacific crab in the Mediterranean Sea, Egypt Open
A single specimen of the xanthid Liomera rugipes was collected in May 2023 in the waters off Alexandria, Egypt, with a trammel net at 15 m of depth. The occurrence of this crab is reported for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea and ad…
View article: An environmental DNA assay for the detection of Critically Endangered angel sharks (<i>Squatina</i> spp.)
An environmental DNA assay for the detection of Critically Endangered angel sharks (<i>Squatina</i> spp.) Open
The three sympatric angel shark species occurring in the Mediterranean – Squatina squatina (the angelshark), Squatina aculeata (the sawback angelshark), and Squatina oculata (the smoothback angelshark) – are all classed as Critically Endan…
View article: Two late 1800s wolves, Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758 (Mammalia Canidae), from the Hyblean Mountains, in eastern Sicily
Two late 1800s wolves, Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758 (Mammalia Canidae), from the Hyblean Mountains, in eastern Sicily Open
The wolf, Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758 (Mammalia Canidae), became extinct in Sicily in the past century, between 1930 and 1960.The present paper describes the unpublished remains of two wolves, killed in the late 1800s in the Hyblean Mountai…
View article: Unpublished Mediterranean and Black Sea records of marine alien, cryptogenic, and neonative species
Unpublished Mediterranean and Black Sea records of marine alien, cryptogenic, and neonative species Open
To enrich spatio-temporal information on the distribution of alien, cryptogenic, and neonative species in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, a collective effort by 173 marine scientists was made to provide unpublished records and make th…
View article: Records of the critically endangered Squatina aculeata and Squatina oculata (Elasmobranchii: Squatiniformes: Squatinidae) from the Mediterranean Sea
Records of the critically endangered Squatina aculeata and Squatina oculata (Elasmobranchii: Squatiniformes: Squatinidae) from the Mediterranean Sea Open
All three species of angelsharks that inhabit the Mediterranean Sea, Squatina aculeata Cuvier, 1829; Squatina oculata Bonaparte, 1840; and Squatina squatina (Linnaeus, 1758), are classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of …
View article: Prospezione speleoarcheologica della falesia «Piana di Sopra» a San Vito lo Capo (TP)
Prospezione speleoarcheologica della falesia «Piana di Sopra» a San Vito lo Capo (TP) Open
The northern coast of Trapani is characterised by a series of phenomena linked to Quaternary glaciations. These phenomena have modeled esplanades, terraces, cliffs, leaf grooves and caves of great natural beauty. The extreme strip of the P…
View article: Occurrence and Molecular Characterization of Some Parasitic Copepods (Siphonostomatoida: Pandaridae) on Pelagic Sharks in the Mediterranean Sea
Occurrence and Molecular Characterization of Some Parasitic Copepods (Siphonostomatoida: Pandaridae) on Pelagic Sharks in the Mediterranean Sea Open
Copepods of the family Pandaridae are typically ectoparasites of elasmobranch fishes. They display a cosmopolitan distribution and limited host specificity. Published literature on their occurrence on pelagic sharks in the Mediterranean is…
View article: First reports of the Sohal surgeonfish, Acanthurus sohal (Forsskål, 1775) (Actinopterygii, Acanthuridae), and the Violet-eyed swimming crab, Carupa tenuipes Dana, 1852 (Decapoda, Brachyura, Portunidae), from North African waters
First reports of the Sohal surgeonfish, Acanthurus sohal (Forsskål, 1775) (Actinopterygii, Acanthuridae), and the Violet-eyed swimming crab, Carupa tenuipes Dana, 1852 (Decapoda, Brachyura, Portunidae), from North African waters Open
On March 25, 2022, one specimen of the Sohal surgeonfish Acanthurus sohal and one of the Violet-eyed swimming crab Carupa tenuipes were collected for the first time off the north coastline of Egypt and Libya, respectively. The native range…
View article: First record of Naso annulatus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825) and further records of Scatophagus argus (Linnaeus, 1766) and Charybdis (Charybdis) natator (Herbst, 1794) in the Mediterranean Sea
First record of Naso annulatus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825) and further records of Scatophagus argus (Linnaeus, 1766) and Charybdis (Charybdis) natator (Herbst, 1794) in the Mediterranean Sea Open
View article: First occurrence of the needle-spined urchin Diadema setosum (Leske, 1778) (Echinodermata, Diadematidae) in the southern Mediterranean Sea
First occurrence of the needle-spined urchin Diadema setosum (Leske, 1778) (Echinodermata, Diadematidae) in the southern Mediterranean Sea Open
The first occurrence of Diadema setosum in the southern Mediterranean waters is recorded from the shores of Libya and Egypt, through the input by citizens' science. The expansion of this invasive sea urchin in the Mediterranean basin is br…
View article: The first confirmed record of the Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896 (Decapoda, Brachyura) from Maltese waters
The first confirmed record of the Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896 (Decapoda, Brachyura) from Maltese waters Open
The invasive portunid species Callinectes sapidus is hereby recorded for the first time from Maltese waters, thus updating the known distribution of this decapod of Atlantic origin within the Mediterranean. Potential introduction pathways …
View article: The yellowfin surgeonfish Acanthurus xanthopterus Valenciennes, 1835 (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Acanthuridae) from Mediterranean Egyptian waters
The yellowfin surgeonfish Acanthurus xanthopterus Valenciennes, 1835 (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Acanthuridae) from Mediterranean Egyptian waters Open
An adult of Acanthurus xanthopterus Valenciennes, 1835 was caught in the waters off Alexandria, Egypt, in August 2021, through spearfishing. This finding documents the first occurrence of the species in the Mediterranean basin. Description…
View article: Extinct and living mammals of the island of Marettimo (Ae- gadian archipelago, Trapani), off the north-western Sicilian coast (Italy): a review of evidence and historical data
Extinct and living mammals of the island of Marettimo (Ae- gadian archipelago, Trapani), off the north-western Sicilian coast (Italy): a review of evidence and historical data Open
FIGURE 1. Saltipedis navassensis n. sp. A, ovigerous female left and right mandible with enlargement of lacina mobilis. B, male dorsal view. C, Right antennule and antenna of male, ventral aspect. D, maxillule inner and outer endite plus p…
View article: “New records of rare species in the Mediterranean Sea” (October 2021)
“New records of rare species in the Mediterranean Sea” (October 2021) Open
“New records of rare species in the Mediterranean Sea” (October 2021)
View article: Occurrence of juveniles Luvarus imperialis (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Luvaridae) in the Strait of Sicily
Occurrence of juveniles Luvarus imperialis (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Luvaridae) in the Strait of Sicily Open
Two juveniles Luvarus imperialis, astrodermella stage, 97.4 mm and 90.6 mm in total length, were recorded on September 2016 and August 2017 respectively, the first caught by a bottom trawler off the south-eastern coast of Sicily, Strait of…
View article: The first record of the pharaoh cardinal fish, Apogonichthyoides pharaonis (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Apogonidae), from Libyan waters
The first record of the pharaoh cardinal fish, Apogonichthyoides pharaonis (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Apogonidae), from Libyan waters Open
The occurrence of the pharaoh cardinalfish, Apogonichthyoides pharaonis (Bellotti, 1874), is documented for the first time from the Libyan waters, after two subsequent findings reported in September and November 2020 in the far eastern reg…
View article: Findings of Notospermus geniculatus (Delle Chiaje, 1828) (Nemertea, Heteronemertea, Lineidae) in the Mediterranean islands of Sicily and Rhodes
Findings of Notospermus geniculatus (Delle Chiaje, 1828) (Nemertea, Heteronemertea, Lineidae) in the Mediterranean islands of Sicily and Rhodes Open
The findings of Notospermus geniculatus from Sicily in 2019 and 2020 and from Rhodes Island in 2008 are documented, extending knowledge concerning the distribution of this ribbon worm in the Mediterranean basin. Key words: Nemertea, Notosp…
View article: Invasive portunid crabs in Libyan waters: first record of the Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896 and range expansion of the swimming blue crab Portunus segnis (Forskål, 1775)
Invasive portunid crabs in Libyan waters: first record of the Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896 and range expansion of the swimming blue crab Portunus segnis (Forskål, 1775) Open