The common practice of using subspecies as conservation targets raises the question of whether efforts are focused on preserving conspicuous components of the species’ phenotypic variability rather than evolutionarily significant units. To address this question, in this study we performed a comprehensive morphological and genetic assessment on all the subspecies of wall lizard described for the Aeolian Archipelago (Italy) to determine whether they represent distinct evolutionary lineages and/or discrete phenotypic partitions. Further, we applied a monophyly test to 70 subspecies belonging to seven wall lizard species occurring in Italy, based on our results and on previous phylogeographic studies. We found that none of the Aeolian subspecies represents a distinct evolutionary lineage, despite some morphological differentiation of island populations across the archipelago, suggesting a very recent origin of island populations and of the observed phenotype variation. Across seven wall lizard species, tests revealed that lizard subspecies rarely (< 9% of cases) match evolutionary units. This study demonstrates that intraspecific taxonomy of wall lizards is a poor predictor of phylogeographic partitions and evolutionary units, and therefore of limited use (if not dangerous) for defining conservation and management units. A better approach would be relying on the integration of genomic and phenotypic data to assess the evolutionary significance and conservation value of phenotypic and genetic units within species.

In recent decades, studies on animal coloration have expanded significantly, from understanding color production and perception mechanisms to exploring the selective pressures driving these patterns. Conservation biology has begun leveraging these studies to develop effective strategies, gauge public support for conservation projects, select flagship species, and determine reproductive pairs and optimal rearing and release conditions for captive breeding. Critically endangered Aeolian wall lizards (Podarcis raffonei) were housed at the Fondazione Bioparco di Roma for a pilot captive breeding project following alarming hypotheses of rising numbers of “green” hybrids (P. raffonei × P. siculus) in one of the four surviving populations. Through a quantitative analysis of visible dorsal color in captive and natural populations, we aim to determine whether P. raffonei is characterized by seasonal variation in its dorsal coloration and if color is influenced by sex and ontogenesis. Our findings show that P. raffonei’s dorsal pigmentation varies between seasons. In spring, the size and age of the animals does not seem to affect any color component, while the sexes always differ in their hue, with males having consistently more yellow-green dorsa. Between-year analyses, including measurements from the wild population, indicate that yearly variation is not limited to the captive population but also occurs in nature. We caution against identifying potential hybrids based solely on phenotypic traits.

Interactions between amphibians and arthropods encompass a wide range of ecological relationships, predominantly characterized by predator–prey dynamics, with adult amphibians as the predators. In some instances, the roles are reversed. This study focuses on the potential predator-prey relationship between the spectacled salamander (Salamandrina perspicillata) and the centipede Scolopendra cingulata in Central Italy. Building upon previous research on chemical cue perception in amphibians, we investigated potential olfactory cue-mediated avoidance behaviours exhibited by S. perspicillata towards the potential predator S. cingulata through field observations and manipulative experiments. In a natural site, we estimated the degree of negative co-occurrence between the study species under shelters and found an avoidance pattern between S. perspicillata and S. cingulata in refuges. However, when the study species were forced to choose between sharing or not sharing a given shelter, through a manipulative experiment, the avoidance pattern was not confirmed. Potential determinants contributing to the avoidance pattern observed in nature are discussed. Our exploratory results represent a good example of how what often appears to be a strong observation-based pattern in natural settings needs to be carefully scrutinized. Hypotheses testing through experiments in controlled environments remains a valuable approach to exclude potentially misleading processes.

The Aeolian wall lizard (Podarcis raffonei) is an endangered lacertid species endemic to the Aeolian Archipelago (Sicily, Italy). Its populations are threatened by several factors, including habitat fragmentation and reduction, competition with the invasive Podarcis siculus, and potential health risks associated with disease dynamics. To prevent the extinction of this unique species an ex-situ captive breeding program was established in the Reptile House at the Bioparco of Rome within the LIFE project EOLIZARD. Most animals were housed in outdoor enclosures, favoring the exposure of these naïve lizards to new ectoparasitic mite species, that may negatively impact host fitness through direct effects and pathogen transmission. Therefore, given the lack of antiparasitic strategies for small lacertid lizards, this study evaluated the safety and efficacy of oral administration of afoxolaner for controlling mite infestations. A total of 178 lizards were clinically examined and treated with a single oral dose of afoxolaner (2.5 mg/kg). Mite infestation was monitored before treatment (T0) in all lizards. In addition, 20 specimens kept in individual enclosures and 30 from outdoor enclosures, were checked at 24 h (T1), 7 days (T2), 14 days (T3), and 28 days (T4) post-treatment. Ectoparasites were identified using both morphological and molecular methods as Ophionyssus lacertinus, and molecular screening was performed to detect vector-borne pathogens. Before treatment, 90 out of 178 lizards (50.6%) were infested with mites, with the prevalence rapidly declining in the follow up, until mite clearance at day 28 post-administration, in single housed lizards, and as low as 5% prevalence in those kept outdoors. Other lizard species (captive and free-living) (i.e., Podarcis muralis, P. siculus, Timon lepidus) were also infested, potentially being the source of mites. These findings suggest that oral afoxolaner is an effective treatment for controlling mite infestations in small lacertid lizards, with important implications for conservation management.