Biodiversità e distribuzione degli acari acquatici (Acari, Hydrachnidia) nelle acque interne dell'Appennino centro-settentrionale

Abstract

Biogeographia vol. XXVIII - 2007 (Pubblicato il 30 dicembre 2007) Biogeografia dell ’Appennino centra/e e settentriona/e: trenfanni dopo Biodiversita e distribuzione degli acari acquatici (Acari, Hydrachnidia) nelle acque interne dell’Appennino centro—settentrionale ANTONIO DI SABATINO, FRANCESCO PAOLO MICCOLI, MARCO GIUSTINI, PATRIZIA VIGNINI, MANILA PESCOSOLIDO, BRUNO CICOLANI Dz'pzzrz‘imenta 512' Scienze Am/Jieiztzz/1', U722}/ezztitiz degli Stzzdi delli/lqzzi/11, via Vetoio, 67010 Coppiro, L’/lquzlzz (Italy); e-mail: zzm‘0m'0.tz'i5zz[9zzti720@zz72iz/zzq.it Key words: diversity, distribution, central-northern Appcnnines, Freshwater, water mites Research conducted in the last thirty years has highly improved our knowledge on the distribution, ecology and diversity ofwater mites (Hydrachnidia) in Italian freshwater. The consistency of the data (almost all areas in the mainland and islands are covered) allows a first assessment on geographical distribution patterns and water mite diversity at Various spatial scales. Emphasis was given to the cen- tral—northern sector of the Apennines where about 200 water mite species are presently known to occur. This represents 50 % of the species catalogued for Italy and 17 % of the species reported from the western Palaearctic region. Compared with other areas, the central Apennine fauna seems to have high- er affinity with the Alps rather than the southern Apennines and the two major islands. The presence of localized endemic species and rare elements with a prevalent southern distribution highlight the extreme biogeographic impor- tance of this sector which is also characterized by the highest taxonomic dis- tinctness of water mite assemblages in continental Italy. INTRODUZIONE Tra gli invertebrati che popolano gli ambienti di acqua dolce, gli Acari acquatici (I-Iydrachnidia) si distinguono per il ciclo biologico particolare (Cicolani et al., 1996) e per essere relativamente abbondanti e altamente diver-