Some plants belonging to the Leontodon sect. Asterothrix were collected from southern Albania. They were compared with the closest taxon (L. albanicus s.str.) from morphological and molecular (AFLPseq fingerprinting) points of view. Uni- and multivariate statistical analyses of morphological data revealed distinctive discontinuities—especially in terms of the characteristics of the indumentum–that are paralleled by separation into two genetic clusters in AFLPseq fingerprinting. Following an integrated taxonomic approach based on morphological, genetic, and geographical sources of evidence, we show that the newly discovered population should be regarded as a new subspecies named Leontodon albanicus subsp. acroceraunicus. The new taxon is described and illustrated, and its relationship with L. albanicus subsp. albanicus is also discussed. We have no data to assess conservation status according to IUCN categories and criteria; however, considering that it is probably limited to the Acroceraunian Mountains, it deserves particular conservation interest.

In order to better understand the Leontodon crispus group within L. sect. Asterothrix, we collected specimens belonging to this group during several journeys to the Apennines and the Balkan Peninsula, especially to Croatia, Albania, and Greece. In the present contribution, Leontodon biscutellifolius is lectotypified; the locus classicus of this taxon is located in the Abruzzo Mts (central Italy). As a consequence, the taxon is confirmed for the Italian flora (central and southern Apennines) and a new combination on variety rank is proposed: L. crispus var. biscutellifolius. Plants from the Balkan Peninsula, currently named L. biscutellifolius, were compared from a morphological point of view with the Apennines populations. Balkan populations show denser indumentum on the leaves, usually consisting of 4-fid hair vs. usually 3-fid hairs in the Apennines. Additionally, the ray number of marginal hairs on the external involucral bracts was found to be 3–5 in the Apennines vs. 4–6 in the Balkan Peninsula accessions. Morphological variation was found to be in correspondence with a variation in genetic respects based on DNA-based fingerprinting (AFLPseq). The oldest subspecific name that can be used for Greek and Albanian populations is L. crispus subsp. asper. A morphologically and genetically deviating population from Southern Pindus (Greece) is described here as L. hellenicus subsp. valeriae.

Pesticides remain indispensable for global food security, yet their use must be reconciled with the preservation of biodiversity. Despite advances in developing 'safer' pesticides, their sublethal effects and synergistic potential with co-formulants in tank-mixtures, including 'inert' spray adjuvants, often remain poorly understood in beneficial insects like bees. In this study, we assessed the effects of acute oral exposure to both single compounds and adjuvant-insecticide mixtures on gustatory responsiveness, associative olfactory learning, and 90-min short-term memory retention in honeybee foragers (Apis mellifera L.). Specifically, individual foragers were exposed to either single compounds (0.1%, 0.5%, 1% or 2.5% Silwet™ L-77; 6, 30 or 150 ng acetamiprid; 3, 9 or 27 ng sulfoxaflor), adjuvant-insecticide mixtures (0.5% or 1% Silwet™ L-77 combined with 6 or 30 ng acetamiprid, or 3 or 9 ng sulfoxaflor), a positive control (6 ng imidacloprid), or negative controls (0%, 0.1%, and 1% acetone). While we found no significant interaction effects for these adjuvant-insecticide mixtures, single-compound exposure to the highest doses of 2.5% Silwet™ L-77 and 27 ng sulfoxaflor significantly reduced gustatory responsiveness. Furthermore, all three agrochemicals alone weakly affected associative learning without impacting short-term memory retention. Although adjuvant-insecticide mixtures did not significantly impair learning ability, these adjuvants may impact sensory perception. Moving beyond mortality-based assessments and including behavioural assay to test sensory perception and learning ability is essential for gaining a more holistic understanding of pollinator health.