Bulletin of Regional Natural History (BORNH) Vol.1, no.1, 2021 ISSN 2724-4393 Molluscs of the “Real Orto Botanico di Napoli” Sergio Duraccio1, Giuseppe Fasulo2, Gianni D’Anna3, Alberto Pingitore4 and Ottavio Soppelsa5,6* DOI: https://doi.org/10.6092/2724-4393/7580 *Correspondence: Abstract [email protected] The results of two years of research on the molluscs present in https://orcid.org/ 0000-0002-1886-4136 the Botanical Garden of Naples are reported and compared with the sole similar study published in 1875 and with other Affiliations: 1 m. 4 july 2020 reports in the literature, the last of which published in 1930 by 2 Via G. Merliani, Naples, Boettger. As a general result, a noticeable decrease in the Italy number of species present in the site was recorded. However, 3 Via Epomeo, Naples, Italy 4 Via Fabio Massimo, Naples, some species not reported before have also been observed, Italy and namely Vallonia costata (O.F. Müller, 1774), Orcula dolium 5 Department of Biology, (Draparnaud, 1801) and Planorbarius corneus (Linnaeus, 1758), University of Naples all recorded for the first time in Campania, and in addition Federico II, Italy. 6 Orto Botanico di Napoli, Carychium minimum O.F. Müller, 1774, which appears to be well University of Naples settled in the studied enclave; for this latter species the only Federico II, Via Foria, Italy. previous indication was found in the bibliography for Campania Conflict of Interest: The authors declare that they (Bellini 1898). Finally, some limacid slugs, previously found and have no conflict of interest. recorded only by Boettger (1930), have been found. Financial Disclosure Keyword: terrestrial malacofauna; freshwater molluscs; Statement: Intramural funds to Ottavio Soppelsa Botanical Garden Accepted: 31 October 2020 Riassunto This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Sono riportati i risultati di due anni di ricerca sulle specie di Attribution 4.0 International License molluschi presenti nell'Orto Botanico di Napoli e confrontati " con l’unico studio simile pubblicato nel 1875 e con altri resoconti in letteratura, l’ultimo dei quali pubblicato nel 1930 da Boettger. Come risultato generale, è stata registrata una notevole diminuzione del numero di specie presenti nel sito. Tuttavia, sono state osservate anche alcune specie non segnalate prima e precisamente Vallonia costata (OF Müller, 1774), Orcula dolium (Draparnaud, 1801) e BORNH !28 Bulletin of Regional Natural History (BORNH) Vol.1, no.1, 2021 ISSN 2724-4393 Planorbarius corneus (Linnaeus, 1758), tutte registrate per la prima volta in Campania, e in aggiunta Carychium minimum OF Müller, 1774, che sembra essersi ben insediata; per quest'ultima specie l’unica indicazione precedente è stata trovata in bibliografia per la Campania (Bellini 1898). Infine, sono stati trovati alcuni limacidi, precedentemente trovati e riportati solo da Boettger (1930). Parole chiave: malacofauna terrestre; molluschi d'acqua dolce; Orto Botanico How to cite S. Duraccio, G. Fasulo, G. D’Anna, A. Pingitore and O. Soppelsa (2021). Molluscs of the “Real Orto Botanico di Napoli”. Bulletin of Regional Natural History (BORNH), Bollettino della Società dei Naturalisti in Napoli. Vol.1, no.1, pp.28-44. ISSN 2724-4393. Introduction have been published by Oronzio Gabriele The study of malacofauna, both terrestrial Costa (1829; 1839), Rudolph-Amandus and freshwater, of a place as controlled and Philippi (1844), Raffaello Bellini (1898; varied as the Royal Botanical Garden of 1899a; 1899b; 1904; 1907; 1915) and Naples (Orto Botanico di Napoli – OBN, at Caesar-Rudolf Boettger (1930); the most present a research center of the University of recent of these works, however, is over one N a p l e s “ Fe d e r i c o I I ” ) p o s e s m a n y century old. methodological obstacles, but provides During this long period, the deep changes important information on the composition of that have affected the area where the the “urban malacofauna” of the City of Botanical Garden of Naples is located and Naples. The importance is not only due to the increasingly dense anthropization of the the historical and cultural value place but surrounding places have certainly influenced also to the fact that, in large urban the malacofauna present on the site; for this settlements, it is rarely possible to have reason, some brief historical information will "green" places so controlled and rich of certainly be helpful in providing a better different environments. understanding of the modifications of places About one hundred and forty years from the from the time of the first study to present. publication of the first systematic study on molluscs in the grounds and pools of the Historical notes Botanical Garden of Naples (1875) by the To better understand the reasons that Director of the structure at the time, prof. induced the reigning houses of Naples, the Vincenzo Cesati, we carried out a Bourbons first and later the French to comparative study to verify the variations in prepare a botanical garden, it is necessary to the composition of the malacofauna. refer to the major public works realized after In addition to this most important work by the middle of the XVIII century. The original Cesati (1875); other minor contributions area of the Botanical garden was approx. 13 BORNH !29 Bulletin of Regional Natural History (BORNH) Vol.1, no.1, 2021 ISSN 2724-4393 ha; later, after a compulsory purchase by the collected in about two years (from June 2013 Municipality in order to open a road, the to September 2015) in order to cover all garden area was reduced to the present-day seasonal, climatic and reproductive 12 ha. From then onwards Naples spread out conditions. The collection of macroscopic of the narrow constraints of the city walls, specimens was made ictu oculi. In addition, now devoid of strategic value, and the transepts of about one square meter for a obvious expansion took place towards the depth of about 5 cm of the litter, have been neighbouring countryside. At the same time sampled and observed under an optical Naples was reaching a European stance, rich microscope, to collect small specimen. The of intellectual ferments, and had to be retaining walls built with blocks of tuff (a provided with public structures adequate to typical volcanic rock of the Neapolitan its rank. In those years, for example, the subsoil, widely used in construction; it is a Zoological and Mineralogical Museums, the very light and porous stone that retains Astronomical Observatory and the San Carlo moisture well) were also explored on various Theatre were founded. With this in mind, the occasions and weather conditions. The pools layout of the new road axis (via Foria), for aquatic plants have been explored by designed and built as a straight, wide and collecting sediment samples, where tree–lined avenue, favoured the connection possible, with a mesh of less than 0.5 mm. between the city and the Real Albergo dei The mesh has also been used for the Poveri which overlooks the wide Piazza Carlo collection of the material present along the III. The road then proceeds towards the sites walls and on the plants themselves. These where the Cemetery of the Three Hundred pools have an average depth of no more and Sixty–Six Graves and that of Poggioreale than one meter, but for the most part they arose. Along the new road numerous noble are provided with a thick iron grate that rises palaces and the Teatro San Ferdinando was from the bottom and on which the plant pots built; the same area was chosen for the Royal rest. Some samples were provided to us by Botanical Garden (Doria 1979). the staff responsible for the maintenance of the garden; they offered a fruitful collaboration facilitating the work in any Material and Methods possible way. Particular attention was then As the research site is a closed enclave far given to the material coming from the from any possibility of exchange with pruning and cutting of tall trees, observing cement–free and asphalt–free land, being what was under the bark of the plants completely surrounded by the urbanized themselves; this material had been areas, it was decided not to collect live accumulated in areas of the Garden animals as far as possible. For cases where specifically set for this purpose. It should be further observations were necessary, the noted that during the research some sites of specimen were brought back in situ after t h e O B N h a v e u n d e r g o n e r a d i c a l being photographed. The material was maintenance and renovation work. BORNH !30 Bulletin of Regional Natural History (BORNH) Vol.1, no.1, 2021 ISSN 2724-4393 The nomenclature was set in accordance plants, a full correspondence between the with Bank (2017) and MolluscaBase various species and their elective habitats (www.molluscabase.org, accessed on has not always been found. October 7, 2019). Twenty–five terrestrial and nine freshwater The collected material is housed in the gastropods species have been found, as well museum connected to the OBN as two species of bivalves. Among the (www.ortobotanico.unina.it/ terrestrial species, the Helicidae family is the p_aree_espositive/Zone_espo.htm, accessed one most represented, with four species; the on October 7, 2019). dominant species is Cornu aspersum (O.F. Müller, 1774) followed by Massylaea Results and Discussion vermiculata (O.F. Müller, 1774). Among the As reported in the Tab 1, 37 species have freshwater species we mention Unio mancus been found and identified, plus some Lamarck, 1819, purposely introduced in the specimens belonging to the Limacidae that pools by the OBN staff, but not detected in require further investigation to be classified.