The type-genus of the mygalomorph spider family Ctenizidae (Cteniza) is newly diagnosed and described. The type-species of Cteniza (C. sauvagesi) is reestablished by describing and designating a neotype collected at the type locality of the species, in Corsica. Alongside the female neotype, the male of C. sauvagesi is redescribed, as well as both sexes of C. moggridgei. We confirm the presence of C. sauvagesi in Sardinia and record this species for the first time in mainland Italy (Calabria) and the island of Ponza (Thyrrenian Sea). Based on our findings, Cteniza sauvagesi and C. moggridgei are diagnosed on subtle differences in their morphology. Differences between the two species in ecology and distributions are also explored by means of species distribution modeling. Finally, we amend the taxonomic status of two species whose validities have long been questionable. C. brevidens is synonymized with C. sauvagesi, and C. ferghanensis is transferred to the genus Ummidia.

(1) Background: Since 2013, the pathogenic bacterium Xylella fastidiosa has been severely affecting olive production in Apulia, Italy, with consequences for the economy, local culture, landscape and biodiversity. The production of a phenolic extract from fresh olive leaves was employed for endotherapeutic injection into naturally infected olive trees by Xylella fastidiosa in Apulia region, Italy. (2) Methods: The effectiveness of the extract was tested in vitro and in planta in comparison with analogous treatments based on garlic powder and potassium phosphite. (3) Results: The uptake of phenolic compounds from olive leaves through a trunk injection system device resulted in a statistically significant increase in leaf area index and leaf area density, as well as in the growth of newly formed healthy shoots. Plant growth-promoting effects were also observed for potassium phosphite. Moreover, the bacteriostatic activities of the phenolic extract and of the garlic-powder-based solution have been demonstrated in in vitro tests. (4) Conclusions: The results obtained and the contained costs of extraction make the endotherapeutic treatment with phenolic compounds a promising strategy for controlling X fastidiosa to be tested on a larger scale, although the experiments conducted in this study proved not to be suitable for centenary trees.

The presence and infestation level of Bactrocera oleae was monitored in an organic olive orchard divided into differently treated parcels with kaolin (K), spinosad (S) and with kaolin and spinosad (K + S) in alternate rows. The treatments did not seem to affect olive fruit fly population dynamics, while statistically significant protective effects were recorded against total and harmful infestation, but not against the active one. Eventually, neither kaolin nor spinosad were shown to have a particular detrimental effect against naturally occurring B. oleae parasitoids.

Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca, strain CoDiRO is the bacterium responsible for the onset of the disease known as the olive quick decline syndrome, which has been causing a phytosanitary and economic emergency in the Apulia region since 2013. To date, three insect species have been identified as pathogenic carriers of X. fastidiosa. With the advancement of the infection front, and the possibility of pathogenic insects being “hitchhiked” over long distances, the monitoring of the vectors of X. fastidiosa in the Italian regions bordering Apulia is an increasingly contingent issue for the rapid containment of the bacterium and the protection of the olive-growing heritage. Accordingly, the present research concerned the capture and recognition of the vector insects of X. fastidiosa in the upper Ionian coasts of Calabria (Italy) to evaluate the possible presence of the bacterium through molecular diagnostic techniques. The sampling allowed us to ascertain the presence of Philaenus spumarius and Neophilaenus campestris and their preferential distribution in olive groves and meadows, whereas all the 563 individuals tested negative for the pathogen.

In questo lavoro si riporta l’elenco dei macrolepidotteri notturni raccolti nel 2019 nei pressi dell’Area Faunistica dei rapaci di Acquaformosa, una struttura ricadente nel Parco Nazionale del Pollino, Calabria. Il monitoraggio è stato effettuato con l’ausilio di una trappola luminosa a LED UV, attivata da giugno a dicembre, grazie alla quale sono state registrate 151 specie. Oltre a macroeteroceri con ampia valenza ecologica come Peribatodes rhomboidaria (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) e Phragmatobia fuliginosa (Linnaeus, 1758), il rinvenimento di alcune specie è connesso alla biologia larvale, come ad esempio Cabera pusaria (Linnaeus, 1758) e Selenia dentaria (Fabricius, 1775) i cui stadi preimmaginali sono legati a foreste miste di latifoglie. Si forniscono nuove segnalazioni dell’endemica Lemonia italiana (Prozorov, Prozorova, Volkova, Yakovlev, Nedoshivina, Pinzari, Pinzari, Scalercio, Bianco, Saldaitis, Hausmann, Revay, Müller, 2022) e di Euplagia quadripunctaria (Poda, 1761), specie di interesse comunitario oggetto di monitoraggi specifici da parte del Parco Nazionale del Pollino.

Updated non-native distributional data of the invasive spider Eidmannella pallida (Emerton, 1875), Nesticidae, are herein summarized together with the morphological characters of the species. We report all the known localities from the literature. Furthermore, we present and discuss recent findings for the Italian peninsula. In particular, the species has been consistently found in vineyards and annual crop fields in North Italy and in olive groves in South Italy. We include a redescription of the species, and detailed illustrations of the diagnostic characters of both males and females, based on stereomicroscope and SEM images. The spreading potential of the species and its possible impacts on local communities are discussed. Our data suggest that E. pallida has high invasiveness potential and several new findings in non-native areas were recorded in the last years. We found that E. pallida can establish permanent populations in crop-dominated landscapes and has a tendency to exploit vulnerable ecosystems such as the subterranean environment. We thus recommend new and more comprehensive studies on this species to investigate in deeper detail its phylogeny, ecology, and micro-habitat preferences. A high effort should be placed to assess the potential negative effects of E. pallida on the endemic fauna in invaded areas, especially in caves.