Cork oak (Quercus suber L., 1753) is a Mediterranean evergreen tree species with a thick and characteristic bark covering the trunk and branches. Despite the fact that cork oak is distributed over about 1.7 million hectares in the western Mediterranean Basin, information about soil biota in this particular habitat at present is scanty. This study was carried out in a cork tree wood in Bergeggi (Liguria, NW Italy), characterized by a Pluvioseasonal Oceanic Mediterranean bioclimate. The profile, texture, pH, total carbonate content, total organic carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) contents, soluble phosphorus (P) and cation exchange capacity were measured in order to characterize the soil. Soil biological quality was evaluated by studying microarthropod communities. Each

The Italian Protura were studied basing on 5103 specimens from 198 sampling areas, along with bibliographic data from 49 collecting sites. 17 out of the 20 Italian regions are covered. As a result, 40 species have been identified (belonging to 8 genera and 4 families), 6 of which are new records for the Italian fauna.A key to the Italian species is reported, followed by a series of distribution maps and brief remarks for some of them. A preliminary biogeographical overview allowed us to delineate the chorological categories of these species, 10 of which are actually known only in Italy. The comparison with the species richness known for some best studied Central and Eastern European Countries leads us to speculate that widening our research, Italian Protura check-list will be much implemented.

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Acerentomon italicum is the most abundant species of Protura in Italy. In this paper, A. italicum is redescribed according to the most recent revision of diagnostic characters (morphometry, porotaxy), examining the type material and 59 specimens from 11 different localities in our collection. For some characters, scanning electron microscope (SEM) pictures are presented. An updated detailed catalogue extracted from the authors' database is provided: A. italicum is reported from 91 Italian localities (mainly from Northern Italian regions) in a total of 520 ♂♂, 669 ♀♀, 28 pre-imagines, 69 maturi junior, 25 larvae II, four larvae I and eight undetermined. Few specimens were collected in Switzerland (two, about 5 km away from the Italian border), Austria (three), Slovenia (one) and Corsica (eight). The entire data set is analysed for information on phenology (juveniles detectable every month in Liguria and Tuscany, but only during spring-summer in the remaining regions of Northern Italy) and sex ratio (M:F = 0.78) of this species. A. italicum was collected in localities from 0 to 2000 m above sea level in the soil and litter of pure and mixed forest. The geological substratum, when recorded, was limestone, quartz/mica schists and conglomerates. The DNA barcode is newly provided for 21 representatives from three Italian populations of A. italicum.

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