First report of egg predation by an unpaired Eurasian Coot,Fulica atra, L., 1758 (Aves: Gruiformes) on Black-winged Stilt,Himantopus himantopus, L., 1758 (Aves: Charadriiformes): one case from central Italy

Garassino et al. (2012) reported on a rich community of decapod crustaceans including axiideans, gebiideans, anomurans, and brachyurans from the Zanclean (Early Pliocene) of the “La Serra” quarry near San Miniato (Pisa, Tuscany, central Italy). In this decapod-rich assemblage some carapaces of the common pebble crab Ristoria pliocaenica (Ristori, 1891) (Leucosiidae Samouelle, 1819) are drilled in characteristic ways, due to the predatory activity of individuals belonging to two different taxa of marine clades, possibly naticids (Gastropoda, Naticoidea), and to octopodids (Cephalopoda, Octopoda). This is the first report of direct evidence of predation by cephalopods on crabs in the fossil record.

Download Full-text

Intestinal Strongyle Genera in Different Typology of Donkey Farms in Tuscany, Central Italy

Veterinary Sciences ◽

10.3390/vetsci7040195 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (4) ◽

pp. 195

Author(s):

Michela Maestrini ◽

Marcelo Beltrão Molento ◽

Simone Mancini ◽

Mina Martini ◽

Francesco Giovanni Salvo Angeletti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Central Italy ◽

Poor Performance ◽

Morphological Identification ◽

High Agreement ◽

Farm Typology ◽

First Report ◽

Organic Farm ◽

Identification Keys ◽

Third Stage ◽

Metrical Analysis

Intestinal strongyles are common helminths of donkeys, in which they may be responsible for disease and poor performance. This study aimed to identify intestinal strongyle genera in 55 naturally infected donkeys from three different farm typologies in Tuscany, central Italy, using morphological and metrical analysis of third stage larvae (L3) obtained from faecal cultures. Larvae were identified using two previous reported morphological identification keys. Moreover, eggs per gram (EPG) data were also evaluated to assess differences, if any, according to the farm typology, sex, and age of the examined donkeys. The results showed that small strongyles were prevalent in all donkey farms. In all examined farms, most (92–100%) of L3 were identified as cyathostomin species of the genera Cylicocyclus spp. and Cylicostephanus spp. Large strongyles of the genera Strongylus spp. and Triodontophorus spp., were identified at low percentage (8%), only in the single organic farm included in the study. A high agreement was observed between the two different morphometric keys used. No significant differences were found for EPG according to farm typology, and sex and age from the examined donkeys. This is the first report about genera identification of intestinal strongyles infecting donkeys in Tuscany, Italy.

Download Full-text

Occurrence of Class 1 and 2 Integrons in Resistant Enterobacteriaceae Collected from a Urban Wastewater Treatment Plant: First Report from Central Italy

Microbial Drug Resistance ◽

10.1089/mdr.2010.0117 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 17 (2) ◽

pp. 229-234 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Cristina Pellegrini ◽

Giuseppe Celenza ◽

Bernardetta Segatore ◽

Pierangelo Bellio ◽

Domenico Setacci ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Wastewater Treatment ◽

Wastewater Treatment Plant ◽

Central Italy ◽

Treatment Plant ◽

Urban Wastewater ◽

First Report ◽

Class 1 ◽

Urban Wastewater Treatment

Download Full-text

Association of the scuttle fly Megaselia leucozona Schmitz (Diptera: Phoridae) with sweat bees (Hymenoptera: Halictidae), with a description of the male fly

Entomologica Fennica ◽

10.33338/ef.84247 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Carlo Polidori ◽

R. Henry Disney ◽

Roberto Boesi ◽

Francesco Andrietti

Keyword(s):

Central Italy ◽

Original Description ◽

Palaearctic Region ◽

General Behaviour ◽

First Report ◽

Sweat Bees ◽

Lasioglossum Malachurum ◽

Nesting Sites

Megaselia leucozona Schmitz (Diptera, Phoridae) is reported from nests of Lasioglossum malachurum Kirby and Halictus scabiosae (Rossi) in Central Italy. The flies patrolled two nesting sites of the hosts and sometimes mated close to their nest entrances before entering. Observations agree with the general behaviour reported for other Megaselia species associated with fossorial bees and wasps. The hitherto unknownmale of M. leucozona is described, and the original description of a female is augmented and modified. This is the first report of a scuttle fly associated with nests of Halictidae in the Palaearctic Region.

Download Full-text

First report of hybodont shark from the Toarcian Rosso Ammonitico Formation of Umbria-Marche Apennine (Polino area, Terni, Central Italy)

Italian Journal of Geosciences ◽

10.3301/ijg.2018.01 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 137 (1) ◽

pp. 151-159 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Marco Romano Romano ◽

Paolo Citton Citton ◽

Angelo Cipriani Cipriani ◽

Simone Fabbi Fabbi

Keyword(s):

Central Italy ◽

First Report

Download Full-text

Dog filariosis in the Lazio region (Central Italy): first report on the presence of Dirofilaria repens

BMC Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1186/1471-2334-5-75 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Paola Scaramozzino ◽

Simona Gabrielli ◽

Michele Di Paolo ◽

Marcello Sala ◽

Francesco Scholl ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Central Italy ◽

Dirofilaria Repens ◽

Lazio Region ◽

First Report

Download Full-text

First Report of Buxus rotundifolia Root and Collar Rot Caused by Phytophthora citrophthora in Italy

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis-94-2-0272a ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 94 (2) ◽

pp. 272-272 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

A. M. Vettraino ◽

S. Franceschini ◽

A. Vannini

Keyword(s):

Central Italy ◽

Field Tests ◽

Aerial Mycelium ◽

Root Weight ◽

Internal Transcribed Spacer Region ◽

First Report ◽

Foliar Symptoms ◽

Leaf Chlorosis ◽

The Media ◽

Ornamental Shrubs

Boxwood (Buxus spp.) includes several species of popular ornamental shrubs used in traditional and contemporary gardening. In March of 2008, a gradual and irreversible decline was observed on 6-year-old Buxus rotundifolia plants in a garden in central Italy. Of 150 boxwood plants, 70% were symptomatic, and among them, approximately 25% were completely wilted. Aboveground symptoms included stunting, necrotic bark lesions at the base of the stem, reduced growth, and leaf chlorosis. Leaves at first appeared light green, then turned yellow, bronze, or straw colored. Foliar symptoms were restricted to a few branches or extended to the whole crown. Immunological field tests (Pocket Diagnostic, CSL Diagnostics, Milan, Italy) on necrotic rootlets and bark tissues suggested the risk of the presence of Phytophthora spp. One species was consistently isolated on PARHP (2) from necrotic tissues of three symptomatic plants. Recovered isolates were heterothallic and produced aerial mycelium. Star-like compact growth was also observed on potato dextrose agar. Cultures on carrot agar submerged in saline solution (2) developed papillate, noncaducous, and sympodially branched sporangia of different shapes ranging from ovoid to obturbinate. Sporangia were 37.5 to 65.0 × 22.5 to 35.0 μm (average 49.0 × 31.0 μm); L/W ratio from 1.1 to 2.1 (average 1.6). On the basis of morphological features, these isolates belong to P. citrophthora (R.E. Sm. & E.H. Sm.) Leonian (2). The identity was confirmed by sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region of the rDNA (NCBI Accession No. FJ874794). Inoculum for two isolates of P. citrophthora (3BO and 4BO) was produced for pathogenicity testing on 100 g of autoclaved millet grains moistened with 70 ml of V8 juice. Two, 2-liter aliquots of potting media were each amended with the infested grains (1:20 vol/vol) and five 3-year-old plants of B. rotundifolia per isolate were transplanted into the media. Plants were maintained in a growth chamber at 18 to 22°C, with relative humidity of 80%, and a 12-h photoperiod. Sterile millet grains were used to inoculate five boxwood plants for the control. After 2 months, control plants remained healthy while inoculated plants displayed root necroses and foliar symptoms similar to those observed in the field. The pathogen, consistently reisolated from roots of infected plants, reduced the root weight by an average of 25%. Root rot of boxwood plants is reported to be caused by P. citricola in Poland (4), P. parasitica in Virginia (3), and P. citrophthora in North Carolina (1). To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. citrophthora on B. rotundifolia in Europe. References: (1) Z. G. Abad et al. Plant Dis. 78:830, 1994. (2) D. C. Erwin and O. K. Ribeiro. Page 562 in: Phytophthora Diseases Worldwide. The American Phytopathological Society. St. Paul, MN, 1996. (3) M. A. Hansen. Plant Dis. Fact Sheets. 450-614W, 2000. (4) L. B. Orlikowski. J. Plant Prot. Res. 46:163, 2006.

Download Full-text

First Report of Cucumber Black Root Rot Caused by Phomopsis sclerotioides in Italy

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis.2004.88.4.425a ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 88 (4) ◽

pp. 425-425 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

C. Cappelli ◽

V. M. Stravato ◽

G. Carannante ◽

R. Parisella

Keyword(s):

Root Rot ◽

Management Practices ◽

Central Italy ◽

Economic Losses ◽

Test Plant ◽

Infested Soil ◽

Centraalbureau Voor ◽

Black Root Rot ◽

First Report ◽

Phomopsis Sclerotioides

During April 2002 to September 2003 in unheated plastic greenhouses located in Fondi and Sperlonga (Latium Region of central Italy), in which more than 100 ha of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) were cultivated, an unusual disease causing decay of roots and plant wilting was observed. Many of the most common cultivars showed susceptibility, and in some farms, severe economic losses occurred. Disease symptoms observed on young plants included stunting, wilting, black root rot, and marked reduction of root development where pseudosclerotial structures were produced. The degree of root symptoms was proportional to the wilting. During periods of high evapotranspiration, wilting was severe in plants at the early stages of disease development, and even lightly infected plants wilted rapidly. Symptoms resembled those caused by vascular wilt fungi and were generally more severe in greenhouses with poorly drained soils. Samples from each of four greenhouses were collected during different periods of the growing season. Each sampling unit consisted of five to eight root pieces that were surface disinfected in 0.1% HgCl2 for 30 s, rinsed in sterile water, placed on petri dishes containing potato dextrose agar (pH 5.5), and incubated for 7 days at 25°C. Phomopsis sclerotioides van Kesteren (1,2) (identification confirmed by R. A. Samson, Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures of Utrecht, the Netherlands) was consistently recovered from affected tissues. Subcultures of three isolates were prepared and evaluated for pathogenicity. The experiments were conducted in a greenhouse with a 12-h photoperiod at 25 to 32°C. Seven-week-old seedlings (20 representatives per isolate) of a susceptible hybrid were dipped for 2 min in an agar slurry suspension of the pathogen and then returned to pots. Within 4 to 5 weeks after inoculation, all plants inoculated with each P. sclerotioides isolate showed the same symptoms observed in the field and caused wilting and death of approximately 80% of the inoculated plants. P. sclerotioides was consistently reisolated from the symptomatic test plant, whereas the fungus was never isolated from control plants. Another experiment using naturally infested soil in comparison with sterilized soil confirmed the soilborne nature of the fungus and its pathogenicity. To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. sclerotioides on cucumber in Italy. According to the experience of farmers and agricultural consultants, the disease was first observed in the last 3 to 4 years in unheated plastic greenhouses. However, we cannot exclude the possibility that the disease may have been present in central Italy prior to our observations, since it can be misdiagnosed and the symptoms can be masked by symptoms of other diseases. For these reasons, an accurate monitoring of the pathogen is necessary to determine the magnitude of the problem and its impact on the industry. Management practices that include long-term crop rotation with nonsusceptible hosts, removal and destruction of infected crop debris, and steam soil sterilization are suggested to reduce the economic losses. References: (1) E. Punithalingam et al. No. 461 in: Descriptions of Pathogenic Fungi and Bacteria. CMI, Kew, Surrey, U.K., 1975. (2) H. A. Van Kesteren. Neth. J. Plant Pathol. 73:112, 1967.

Download Full-text

First Report of Lentil Ascochyta Blight Caused by Ascochyta lentis in Italy

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis.1999.83.1.77c ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 83 (1) ◽

pp. 77-77

Author(s):

C. Cappelli ◽

R. Buonaurio ◽

R. Torricelli

Keyword(s):

Lens Culinaris ◽

Ascochyta Blight ◽

Central Italy ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Potato Dextrose Agar ◽

Conidial Suspension ◽

First Report ◽

Ascochyta Lentis ◽

Humidity Chamber ◽

Dry Conditions

In May 1997, ascochyta blight incited by Ascochyta lentis Vassiljevsky was observed at an incidence of less than 5% in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) fields in Umbria (Central Italy). Symptoms appeared on leaves and stems as tan spots surrounded by a dark margin. Small black pycnidia that produced a pink exudate containing hyaline, 1 septate, 14.2 to 15.8 × 3.5 μm conidia under high humidity were visible in the center of the spots. The fungus was consistently isolated on potato dextrose agar from diseased leaves or stems. To satisfy Koch's postulates, a conidial suspension (106 conidia per ml) of the fungus was sprayed on leaves of 20-day-old lentil plants (landrace Castelluccio) that were maintained in a humidity chamber for 96 h after inoculation. Lesions resembling symptoms that occurred in the field were observed on plants 3 weeks after inoculation. Symptoms were not observed on control plants sprayed with water. The fungus reisolated from the diseased plants was identical to the original isolates. Based on morphological characteristics of pycnidia and conidia as well as pathogenicity, the fungus was identified as A. lentis. A deep-freeze blotter method (2) was used to detect A. lentis in lentil seeds of 20 local landraces used by Umbrian farmers and two accessions from Canada and Turkey, as well as in seed collected from infected fields. The fungus was present only in the two lentil accessions with an incidence of about 5%. Although the fungus had been isolated from Italian seed germplasm in 1986 (1), this is the first report of ascochyta blight occurring in lentil crops in Italy. The heavy rainfalls that characterize the first stage of lentil cultivation in Umbria are favorable for disease development while hot and dry conditions that usually occur during flowering and maturation prevent the dissemination of inoculum and the infection of the seeds. For these reasons, some Umbrian areas could be more suitable for production of ascochyta-free lentil seeds. References: (1) W. J. Kaiser and R. M. Hannan. Phytopathology 76:355, 1986. (2) T. Limonard. Proc. Int. Seed Test. Assoc. 33:343, 1968.

Download Full-text

First Report of Alternaria Leaf Blight of Aralia japonica Caused by Alternaria panax in Europe

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis.2004.88.1.82b ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 88 (1) ◽

pp. 82-82 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

A. Garibaldi ◽

G. Gilardi ◽

M. L. Gullino

Keyword(s):

Central Italy ◽

The United States ◽

Leaf Blight ◽

Plant Diseases ◽

Fluorescent Light ◽

Pathogenicity Test ◽

Single Spore ◽

Aesthetic Quality ◽

First Report ◽

Alternaria Panax

Aralia japonica (synonym Fatsia japonica), belonging to the Araliaceae family, is a foliage plant highly valued in Italy for landscape and interior decoration. In the fall of 2002, a leaf blight disease was observed on plants grown in pots that were maintained under shade at a density of 15 to 20 pots per m2 at a nursery located in central Italy (Teramo Province). Typical symptoms were tan-to-dark brown leaf spots and rapid blighting of foliage under moist conditions. Chlorotic zones around necrotic lesions were common, and considerable leaf drop was associated with the disease. Affected plants were rarely killed, but the presence of lesions on mature plants reduced aesthetic quality and market value. The disease occurred on 70% of the plants. A fungus identified morphologically as Alternaria panax (2) was consistently isolated from infected leaves on potato dextrose agar (PDA). The fungus grows slowly and sparsely on PDA and produces a light brown mycelium, a characteristic red diffusible pigment in the agar medium, and rare conidia under 12-hr photoperiods. Measurements were carried out on conidia formed from single-spore isolates grown on autoclavated host tissue on water agar (LWA) at 24°C for 10 days. In LWA culture, conidia were borne singly or in chains of two to four conidia. Conidia produced in culture were smaller than those formed on the host and were highly variable in shape. They appeared obclavate, ellipsoidal, and obpyriform and pale to dark brown with relatively short or false beaks. Conidial bodies were 14.4 to 48.0 μm long (average 30.5 μm) and 7.2 to 12.0 μm wide (average 9.9 μm) with 3 to 10 transverse and a few longitudinal septa. Length of appendages was 9.6 to 26.0 μm (average 16.0 μm). Pathogenicity tests were performed by inoculating leaves of healthy Aralia japonica and Schefflera actinophylla plants by placing mycelial disks (5 mm in diameter) directly on wounded leaf tissues. Uninoculated, wounded plants served as controls. Four plants of each species were used. Plants were covered for 72 h with plastic bags and maintained in a growth chamber at 20°C (12 hours per day of fluorescent light). Control plants were maintained similarly. The first lesions developed on leaves of inoculated plants of both species after 7 days. A. panax was consistently reisolated from the lesions. The pathogenicity test was carried out twice. The presence of A. panax on Aralia japonica has been reported in Japan, Korea (2), and the United States (1) but to our knowledge, this is the first report of A. panax on Aralia japonica in Europe. References: (1) S. Alfieri et al. Index of plant diseases in Florida. Bull. 11:52, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 1984 (2) S. H. Yu et al. Ann. Phytopathol. Soc. Jpn. 50:313, 1984.

Download Full-text