Sicily, Southern Italy, has important genetic resources for azarole (Crataegus azarolus). The region hosts both spontaneous wild populations and various forms of the genus, some of which belong to well-defined specific or intraspecific taxa, while others are hybrids of unclear origin. Not all wild forms can be considered related to C. azarolus, but those included in the sect. Azaroli and thus C. aronia (= C. azarolus var. aronia), which is widespread in western Sicily, certainly can. All these populations are morphologically distinct but coexist in the same area. This preliminary genetic study aims to establish the genetic relationships between wild populations of Crataegus taxa and azarole (C. azarolus). Furthermore, the research addresses the lack of clear taxonomic information regarding the different phenotypes found in Sicily, including both recognized taxa and those still critically underreported. The study is based on SSR (Simple Sequence Repeat) molecular markers, isolated from other Rosaceae species. The findings indicate that at least two groups affiliated with C. azarolus, yet distinct, are present in Sicilian populations. These results could have significant implications for systematics and taxonomy, as well as for conservation and the valorization of plant biodiversity.

Using next-generation sequencing, we obtained for the first time a complete mitochondrial DNA genome from a museum specimen of the extinct wolf (Canis lupus) population of the island of Sicily (Italy). Phylogenetic analyses showed that this genome, which was aligned with a number of historical and extant complete wolf and dog mtDNAs sampled worldwide, was closely related to an Italian wolf mtDNA genome (TN93 andp-distances = 0.0012), five to seven times shorter than divergence among Sicilian and any other known wolf mtDNA genomes (distance range = 0.0050 – 0.0070). Sicilian and Italian haplotypes joined a basal clade belonging to the mtDNA haplogroup-2 of ancient western European wolf populations (Pilot et al. 2010). Bayesian calibration of divergence times indicated that this clade coalesced at MRCA = 13.400 years (with 95% HPD = 4000 – 21.230 years). These mtDNA findings suggest that wolves probably colonized Sicily from southern Italy towards the end of the last Pleistocene glacial maximum, when the Strait of Messina was almost totally dry. Additional mtDNA and genomic data will further clarify the origin and population dynamics before the extinction of wolves in Sicily.