Checklist of free-living nematode species in the transitional environment of Lake Varano (Southern Italy)

Federica Semprucci; Maria Balsamo

doi:10.15470/xktjni

Checklist of free-living nematode species in the transitional environment of Lake Varano (Southern Italy)

Citation

Semprucci F, Balsamo M (2022). Checklist of free-living nematode species in the transitional environment of Lake Varano (Southern Italy). Version 1.7. Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15470/xktjni accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-12-11.

Description

This study documents for the first time the taxonomic composition of the nematode community and the number of free-living nematode species in the Lake Varano, Southern Adriatic Sea, Italy. The nematode community was mainly composed of species typical of fine sediments that usually prevail in transitional environments (TEs).

Purpose

Transitional environments (TEs) are aquatic systems characterized by large fluctuations of physicochemical and geochemical variables, which may greatly affect the benthos. In particular, Adriatic Sea coast hosts a large amount of TEs, which range from the largest and most studied Lagoon of Venice, to wetlands, estuaries, embayments and ponds. All these habitats have been modified to meet human requirements for millennia and are currently under severe stress due to both anthropogenic activities and climate changes. Of the 55 species identified in the present study, 20 are new records for the Italian coasts, 3 are new records for the Adriatic basin and 40 are reported for the first time for the Southern Adriatic sector. These data greatly increase the faunistic information available on the distribution of the marine Nematoda along the Italian coasts, and especially in the TE systems that are still poorly known environments.

Sampling Description

Study Extent

Sediment samples from 21 stations were collected on 22nd March 2012

Sampling

Samples were collected using a modified model of Van Veen Grab

Method steps

Sediment samples were treated with a 7% MgCl2 aqueous solution to narcotize the fauna, fixed in a 4% formaldehyde solution in buffered sea-water, and stained with Rose Bengal. In the laboratory, the samples were rinsed with a gentle jet of fresh water through a 0.5mm sieve to remove the macrofaunal components. The residual sediment was then decanted, sieved 10 times through a 42μm mesh and centrifuged three times with Ludox HS30 (specific density 1.18) (Pfannkuche & Thiel, 1988). One hundred nematodes were randomly picked from each sample and mounted on permanent slides for taxonomic study (Seinhorst, 1959). The specimens were observed under Nomarski Differential Interference Contrast illumination (Optiphot-2 Nikon, 100x oil immersion objective) and identified by means of the NeMys online identification key (Vanaverbeke et al. 2005).

Taxonomic Coverages

Nematoda
rank: phylum
Anoplostoma
rank: genus
Oncholaimus
rank: genus
Oncholaimellus
rank: genus
Oxystomina
rank: genus
Chromadora
rank: genus
Chromadorella
rank: genus
Chromadorina
rank: genus
Chromadorita
rank: genus
Neochromadora
rank: genus
Ptycholaimellus
rank: genus
Spilophorella
rank: genus
Cyatholaimus
rank: genus
Paracanthonchus
rank: genus
Paracyatholaimus
rank: genus
Synonchiella
rank: genus
Desmodora
rank: genus
Molgolaimus
rank: genus
Aponema torosa
rank: genus
Microlaimus
rank: genus
Axonolaimus
rank: genus
Odontophora
rank: genus
Southerniella
rank: genus
Paracomesoma
rank: genus
Sabatieria
rank: genus
Metalinhomoeus
rank: genus
Paralinhomoeus
rank: genus
Terschellingia
rank: genus
Thalassomonhystera
rank: genus
Sphaerolaimus
rank: genus
Daptonema
rank: genus
Paramonhystera
rank: genus
Theristus
rank: genus
Steineria
rank: genus
Diodontolaimus
rank: genus
Procamacolaimus
rank: genus
Leptolaimus
rank: genus

Geographic Coverages

Lake Varano is a coastal lagoon located on the northern side of the Gargano National Park (Southern Adriatic Sea). It comprises an area of about 65 km2 and its water depth is about 4 m.

Bibliographic Citations

Semprucci, F., Balsamo, M., 2015. Checklist of free-living nematode species in the transitional environment of Lake Varano (Southern Italy). Arxius de Miscel·lània Zoològica, 13: 32-46, Doi: https://doi.org/10.32800/amz.2015.13.0032 - https://doi.org/10.32800/amz.2015.13.0032

Contacts

Federica Semprucci
originator
position: researcher
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, della Vita e dell'Ambiente (DiSTeVA), Università di Urbino
loc. Crocicchia
Urbino
61029
IT
email: federica.semprucci@uniurb.it

Maria Balsamo
originator
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, della Vita e dell'Ambiente (DiSTeVA), Università di Urbino
Urbino
IT

Federica Semprucci
metadata author
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, della Vita e dell'Ambiente (DiSTeVA), Università di Urbino
Urbino
IT
email: federica.semprucci@uniurb.it

Federica Semprucci
administrative point of contact
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, della Vita e dell'Ambiente (DiSTeVA), Università di Urbino
Urbino
IT
email: federica.semprucci@uniurb.it

Maria Balsamo
administrative point of contact
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, della Vita e dell'Ambiente (DiSTeVA), Università di Urbino
Urbino
IT