Investigating Diptera (Insecta) associated with caves in Sicily

Le résumé fourni par la source

This article is an account of preliminary investigations on the Diptera associated with caves of diverse geomorphology in Sicily. Caves were selected from a range of altitudes above sea level. The habitat just outside the caves was noted to help interpret the faunal composition of the Diptera within the caves. Pitfall traps as well as hand collecting were utilised to obtain samples within the caves at different distances from the entrance between the years 2017 and 2022. Of the 15,600 specimens from 31 families collected, 99 species were identified, and among these, 34 species are new records for Sicily. Only nine species were previously recorded from caves in Sicily. Species are classified as troglophile (with subdivision) or trogloxene; no troglobiont species were encountered. This large sample also provides preliminary data on the frequency and phenology of cave use by different sexes in some species. The data also suggest how cave utilisation is frequent enough to allow viable populations of many species that can reappear when external environmental conditions return to a favourable state after significant natural disasters.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.