Grass snakes are widely distributed across the Western Palearctic. Recent phylogeographic studies provided evidence that three distinct parapatric species exist. Two of these occur in Italy, Natrix helvetica and N. natrix, and a contact zone between both taxa has been suggested for north‐eastern Italy. Moreover, previous investigations revealed for the Italian Peninsula a complex phylogeographic structure. Using mtDNA sequences and microsatellite loci, we examined the situation for mainland Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica. Our study confirmed the occurrence of N. natrix in north‐eastern Italy. Cline analyses revealed limited gene flow between N. helvetica and N. natrix across a narrow hybrid zone. Within N. helvetica, conflicting patterns of mitochondrial and nuclear genomic differentiation were revealed. Three nuclear genomic clusters were found; one of them corresponded to no fewer than five distinct and, in part, deeply divergent and ancient mitochondrial lineages from mainland Italy and Sicily. This cluster was paraphyletic with respect to the two remaining mitochondrial lineages, each of which matched with another nuclear genomic cluster (one from Corsica plus Sardinia and another one from western Europe north of the Alps). This unexpected pattern most likely results from mainly male‐mediated gene flow and female philopatry combined with population‐density‐dependent processes such as ‘high‐density blocking’. With respect to taxonomy, we propose to synonymize N. h. lanzai Kramer, 1970 with N. h. sicula (Cuvier, 1829), acknowledging their lacking nuclear genomic differentiation. The studied hybrid zone of N. h. helvetica and N. h. sicula in Italy is wide, with a smooth cline for nuclear markers, supporting their subspecies status. We found no evidence for the distinctiveness of the two subspecies from Corsica (N. h. corsa) and Sardinia (N. h. cetti), suggesting their synonymy, but refrain from taxonomic conclusions because of small sample sizes and the endangered status of the Sardinian taxon.

In Amphibians, both positive and negative correlations between activity and full moon phase have been observed. In this study, we present data for two anuran species (Hyla intermedia and Rana dalmatina) studied in a hilly Mediterranean area of central Italy. We analysed, in a two-year survey, the relationships between the number of egg clutches laid each night and the moon phases by means of circular statistics. Moreover, the studied species exhibited clear oviposition site selection behaviour influenced, at least in H. intermedia, by moon phases. We observed the occurrence of an avoidance effect by amphibians for oviposition and specific egg-laying behaviour during moon phases around the full moon. This apparent lunar phobia was evident in both species when yearly data were pooled. On the other hand, while this pattern continued to be also evident in H. intermedia when single years were considered, in R. dalmatina it stood just in one year of study. Nonetheless, during cloudy nights, when moonlight arriving on the ground was low, the frogs' behaviour was similar to that observed in new moon phases. We interpreted the observed pattern as an anti-predatory strategy. Overall, comparisons between our own study and previous research suggest that there was insufficient evidence to establish any unequivocal patterns and that further research in this regard is needed

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This paper investigates the trophic niche of a poorly studied cave salamander, Speleomantes italicus. We examined Central Appennine hypogean populations that inhabit seven caves situated in three limestone areas in Umbria Region (Italy). Adults displayed feeding activity from May to December and the Vacuity Index analysis revealed a discontinuous trophic activity pattern throughout the year related to prey phenology. According to the qualitative analysis of the trophic spectrum, the populations in question can be defined as euryphagous, while the quantitative analysis (in terms of number and volume of preyed taxa) revealed a specialist strategy with a clear preference towards Diptera Limnobiidae. Both sexes presented similar trophic niche breadth and a high diet overlap, showing no intersexual differences. The hypogean populations of S. italicus, similarly to S. strinatii, showed a narrower trophic niche than epigeans of the same species, probably due to the limited food availability in the cave habitat.

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