Thefauna of Italy comprises all theanimalspecies inhabiting the territory of theItalian Republic and its surrounding waters. Italy has the highest level offaunalbiodiversity inEurope, with over 57,000 species recorded, representing more than a third of all European fauna.[4] This is due to various factors. The Italian peninsula is in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea, forming a corridor between central Europe andNorth Africa, and it has 8,000 km (5,000 mi) of coastline. Italy also receives species from theBalkans,Eurasia, and theMiddle East. Italy's varied geological structure, including theAlps and theApennines, Central Italian woodlands, and Southern ItalianGarigue andMaquis shrubland, also contribute to high climate andhabitat diversity.
The fauna of Italy includes 4,777endemic animal species, which include theSardinian long-eared bat,Sardinian red deer,spectacled salamander,brown cave salamander,Italian newt,Italian frog,Apennine yellow-bellied toad,Italian wall lizard,Aeolian wall lizard,Sicilian wall lizard,Italian Aesculapian snake, andSicilian pond turtle. In Italy, there are 119mammals species, 550bird species, 69reptile species, 39amphibian species, 623 fish species and 56,213 invertebrate species, of which 37,303 insect species.
Italy is probably the richest European country in both plant and animalbiodiversity, with a population very rich inendemic forms.[5] It has the highest number and density of both animal and plant species within theEuropean Union.[6] During thePleistoceneglaciations, the Italian territory remained largely free of ice, which allowed theflora andfauna to survive, something that did not happen in the central-northern areas of the continent, and the retreat of the great glaciers has left glacial relict fauna in some mountain locations.[7]
The Italian territory extends over about 10° oflatitude, therefore, while remaining in the context of temperate climates without extremes of heat, cold or aridity, the climatic difference between the north and the south of the country is not at all negligible, going from thenival climates of theAlpine peaks to the cool semi-continental temperate climate of thePo Valley, to theMediterranean climate of the central-southern coasts and the islands.[8] Italy is predominantly hilly and mountainous in nature of the territory, which has caused a proliferation ofecological niches, close in space but very diversified.[9]
Italy consists of a 1,000 km (620 miles) long peninsula extending out into the central Mediterranean, together with a number of islands to the south and west. TheApennines run north-south through the peninsula connecting theAlps in the north to Etna and thePeloritani mountains inSicily in the south. The geology is diverse.
Northern Italy is dominated by the Alps and an extensive valley of thePo river which is extensively agricultural and industrialised. Central Italy includes the regions ofTuscany,Umbria,Marche andLazio. It is dominated by the Apennines, from which a few major rivers flow. There are few natural plains. A process of land reclamation has replaced the coastal swamps and marshes with agricultural land.
Southern Italy includes the regions ofAbruzzo,Molise,Apulia,Basilicata andCampania. Agriculture and industry are less developed. The main islands areSicily,Sardinia and theAeolian Islands.
Because of the length of theItalian peninsula and the mostly mountainous hinterland, theclimate of Italy is highly diverse. In most of the inland northern and central regions, the climate ranges fromhumid subtropical tohumid continental andoceanic. In particular, the climate of thePo Valley geographical region is mostly continental, with harsh winters and hot summers.[10][11] The coastal areas ofLiguria,Tuscany and most of theSouth generally fit theMediterranean climate stereotype (Köppen climate classification). Each region has a distinct fauna.
Anecoregion is an ecologically and geographically defined area with characteristic species. Most of the Italian territory is included in theMediterranean Basin. Important Italian terrestrial ecoregions include theIllyrian deciduous forests, theItalian sclerophyllous and semi-deciduous forests, theSouth Apennine mixed montane forests, theTyrrhenian-Adriatic sclerophyllous and mixed forests,Apennine deciduous montane forests, theDinaric Mountains mixed forests and thePo Basin mixed forests. There are also manycave systems significant for biodiversity.[12]
The Checklist of the Species of the Italian Fauna includes 4,777endemic animal species in Italy.[13]
Unique mammals include theCorsican hare, theSardinian long-eared bat, theApennine shrew, theUdine shrew theCalabria pine vole, theMesola deer, and theSardinian deer.
Endemic amphibians and reptiles include thespectacled salamander, theSardinian cave salamander, theItalian cave salamander, theMonte Albo cave salamander, theSardinian brook newt, theItalian newt, theItalian frog, theApennine yellow-bellied toad, theSicilian green toad, theAeolian wall lizard, theSicilian wall lizard, theItalian Aesculapian snake, and theSicilian pond turtle (Emys trinacris).
Endemic fishes include theBergatino loach, theItalian barbel, thebrook chub, theArno goby, theGarda carp, thecarpione del Fibreno, and theTimavo sculpin. Endemic birds include theItalian sparrow. There are 288 endemic species oflepidopterans in Italy.[14] A notable species is theEuropean owl moth found only in Southern Italy.
There are 119 species of mammals in Italy.[15] Some of the species areAlpine marmot,forest dormouse,Etruscan shrew (the smallest mammal in the world),European snow vole, andSchreiber's long-fingered bat. Notable large mammals are theEurasian lynx,Italian wolf,Marsican brown bear,Pyrenean chamois,Alpine ibex,common genet,fallow deer,mouflon,rough-toothed dolphin,crested porcupine, andMediterranean monk seal.
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Italy has recorded 550 bird species.[17] Notable birds are thehoopoe,roller,white-backed woodpecker,black woodpecker,European green woodpecker,Alpine chough,snow finch,rock partridge,Bonelli's eagle,goshawk,eagle owl,lammergeier,Egyptian vulture,griffon vulture,collared pratincole,glossy ibis,spoonbill,Allen's gallinule,great bustard,trumpeter finch,rosy starling,great spotted cuckoo,woodchat shrike,bluethroat, andEurasian nightjar.
Italy is an important route for trans-Saharanbird migrants because it is a natural bridge connecting continental Europe to Africa across the Mediterranean. Migratory birds with a low wing loading, such asstork,European honey buzzard,black kite,marsh harrier,kestrel, andhobby, depend on thermals and updrafts for soaring to cross the Mediterranean in spring. Although the majority of these birds enter Europe via theBosphorus orStraits of Gibraltar, large numbers leave atCap Bon in Tunisia and enter Europe via theAeolian Islands and theStraits of Messina toCalabria. Most of these birds breed in central and northern Europe. The birds return to Africa in autumn by the same route.
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About 69 species ofreptiles have been recorded in Italy.[18] Notable reptiles are theDice snake, theGreen whip snake, theAesculapian snake, theSmooth snake, theMontpellier snake, theEuropean cat snake, theWalser viper, theMeadow viper, theHorned viper, theCommon European adder, theAsp viper, theHermann's tortoise, theEuropean pond turtle, theSicilian pond turtle, theItalian wall lizard, theEuropean wall lizard and theEuropean green lizard.
There are 39 species ofamphibians in Italy (including introduced and naturalised species) in two orders,Anura andCaudata.[19] NoCaecilian is known to live in the country.[20] Notable amphibians are theItalian tree frog,Agile frog,Italian stream frog,Italian edible frog,Common toad,Balearic green toad,Northern spectacled salamander,Spectacled salamander,Fire salamander,Smooth newt,Italian newt,Alpine newt andItalian crested newt
Fish in Italy are diversified into 623 species.[21] Of all the species present about one-fifth live in fresh waters and of these 9 are endemic.[21] Notable freshwater fishes are theBrook lamprey,Lombardy lamprey,Italian bleak,Horse barbel,Eurasian carp,European chub,Scardola scardafa,Tench,Northern pike,European perch,Lavaret andRiver trout.
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The Italian fauna includes 56,213 species of invertebrates, of which 37,303 species of insects.[22] Commonly seen insects in Italy are thesail swallowtail, thescarlet dragonfly,Cleopatra butterfly,European praying mantis,cicada,glow-worm,hummingbird hawk-moth,Italian stinkbug,firebug,field cricket,European hornet,cuckoo wasp,carpenter bee, and therose chafer.
Characteristic habitat types of the Italian Mediterranean coastal zone are theCystoseirabiocenosis and thePosidonia oceanica seagrass beds,Lithophyllum lichenoides communities form coralligenous reefs which are a spectacular sight the coralline alga is covered with largegorgonian fans, coral, and a diverse array of often colourful invertebrate organisms and hundreds of species of fish.
These communities host sponges (Porifera), sea anemones and jellyfish (Cnidaria), sea mats and hornwrack (Bryozoa), segmented worms (Annelida), snails, bivalves, squids and octopuses (Mollusca), starfish and sea urchins (Echinodermata), crabs, lobsters and shrimps (Crustacea), and little known groups such asEchiura,Priapulida,Sipuncula,Brachiopoda,Pogonophora,Phoronida, andHemichordata.
Amongst the thousand or so species of invertebrates found in the Italian marine environment areSquilla mantis,Mediterranean slipper lobsters,common octopus,common cuttlefish,scribbled nudibranch,Hypselodoris picta,tasselled nudibranch,Flabellina affinis,precious coral,zigzag coral,purple sail,Mediterranean jellyfish,spiny spider crab,circular crab,broad-clawed porcelain crab,noble pen shell,pilgrim’s scallop,ragged sea hare,violet sea hare,Portuguese man o' war,black sea-urchin,purple sea urchin,Mediterranean starfish,sea mouse, andParazoanthus axinellae.
TheTyrrhenian andIonian meet inStraits of Messina, generating powerful currents and strong turbulence, aggravated by the abrupt changes of sea bottom topography in the vicinity of the town of Messina. As a consequence, many species known as rare in the Mediterranean are found in large numbers in the straits. It is common to find deep species at the surface and vice versa, or open-sea species along the coast. The upwelling water drags abyssal species to the surface and sometimes strands them on the shore. Made famous in the nineteenth century by the zoologistsNicholas Miklouho-Maclay andAnton Dohrn, the straits have an extraordinary abundance and structure ofplanktonic,benthic, andnektonic communities.
The Italian fauna is rich inintroduced species. Many introductions date from the time of theRoman Empire, such as thecommon carp.
Examples of more recent—and sometimes unwelcome—arrivals are theAsian tiger mosquito fromSoutheast Asia, thecitrus long-horned beetle fromChina, thecitrus pestcottony cushion scale, thepumpkinseed fish, themosquitofish, theLouisiana crayfish, thezebra mussel, thestrawberry finch, theEastern grey squirrel,Finlayson's squirrel, and thecoypu. Two introduced parrot species, themonk parakeet and therose-ringed parakeet, are found in city parks.
Since the construction of theSuez Canal in 1869, invasive marine species originating from theRed Sea have become a major component of the Mediterranean ecosystem. Known as theLessepsian migration, the introduced species have caused serious impacts on the Mediterranean ecology, endangering many local and endemic Mediterranean species. About 300 species native to the Red Sea have already been identified in the Mediterranean Sea, and there are probably others yet unidentified.
Italy is a signatory to theBerne Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats and theHabitats Directive both affording protection to Italian fauna and flora.National parks cover about 5% of the country,[23] while the total area protected by national parks,regional parks and nature reserves covers about 10.5% of the Italian territory,[24] to which must be added 12% of coasts protected bymarine protected areas.[25]
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ThePleistocene large mammals of Italy were primarily Eurasian immigrants fleeing extreme cold further north. Typical species are:
Pleistocenedwarf elephants developed as a result ofinsular dwarfism on the island ofSardinia:
On the islands ofSicily andMalta:
Other Pleistocene animals found on these islands are:
Museums which contain important collections of the fauna of Italy and which have public galleries devoted to the Italian fauna are:
