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Flora and Fauna of Sicily
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INDEX TEXT
Introduction …………………………………………………….…………………pag. 4 Climate in Sicily………………………………………………….…………….…pag. 4 Agriculture…………………………………………………..…………..……….…pag. 4 Industry and manufacturing………………………………..…..……………………. …………pag. 5
Climate of Italy…………………………………………………..…….. …………………………pag. 6
FLORA…………….……………………………………………….…..……..……pag. 6 The Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis) …………….………..………..…pag. 7 The Yellow Acetosella (Oxalis Acetosella) ……...…………..…..………pag. 8 The Timo (Thymum) …………………………………………………….….……pag. 9 The Salvia (Salvia officinalis) ……………………………………….….……pag. 10 The Brooms (Genista monspessulana) ………………………….…………pag. 11 The Oregano (Origanum vulgare) …………………….……..……….……pag. 12 The Basil (Ocimum basilicum) ……………………………………….….……pag. 13 The Opuntia (Opuntia ficus-indica) …………..…..………………….……pag.14 The Capper (Capparis spinosa) …………………..…....……………..….……pag.15 The Agave (Agave Americana Marginata) ...………..……………….……pag. 16
FAUNA…………….……………………………………………...……….……..……pag.17 Air Animals The Common Subalpine Warbler (Sylvia Cantillans) ..…………………pag. 18 The Red-Necked Nightjar (Caprimulgus Ruficollis) ……………………pag.19 The Owl (Athene Noctua) …………………………………………………….…pag. 20 The Pink Flamingo (Roseusphoenicopters) ……………………………..…pag. 21 The Plover (Charadrius) ………………………………………………………...…pag. 22 The Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica) ………………………………………..………pag. 23 The Peregrine Falcus (Falcus peregrinus) ……………….……………………pag. 24 The Swallows (Hirundo rustica) ………………………………....………………pag. 25 The Quail (Coturnix ypsilophora) ………………………….………....…………pag. 26 2
The Pigeons (Columba livia) ………………………………………………………pag. 27 Animals In Danger Of Extinction The Common Dolphin (Delphinus Delphis Mediterranean)…………pag. 28 The Sea Turtle (Caretta Caretta) ……………………….……………………..pag. 29 The Monk Seal (Monachus Monachus) ……………………….…………..pag. 30 Animals Of Land Cirneco Dell’etna (Canis Simensis)………….………………..……..………..pag. 31 The Wild Rabbit (Oryctolagus Curuculus) ……..……..…….…………….pag. 32 The Donkey (Equus Asinus) ……………………………………….………….….pag. 33 The Goat (Capra Hircus)…………………………………………….….…………pag. 34 The Fox (Vulpes Vulpes)………..………………….……………………...………pag. 35 The Common Mouse (Mus Musculus) …………,……………………..…….pag. 36 The Nebrodi Black Pig……………….………………………………………..…….pag. 37 The Turtle (Terrapene carolina) ……………………………….………..…...….pag. 38 The Porcupines (Hystricidae) ………………………………….…………………pag. 39 The Snail (Limax maximus) ……………………………………………………….pag. 40 Animals Of Water The Gurnard (Chelidonichthys Lucernus) ……………..…..……..……………pag. 41 The Clam (Chamelea Gallina) ………………………………………….….…...…pag. 42 The Hake (Merluccius Merluccius) ……………………………….……….…..…pag. 43 The Octopus (Octopus Vulgaris) ………………………..……….….…..……..…pag. 44 Mackerel (Scomber Scombrus) …………………………………….……..………..pag. 45 The Tuna (Thunnus Thinnus) ……………………………..………….……...……...pag. 46 The Oyster (Ostrea Edulis) ………………………………………………………….pag.47 The Swordfish (Xiphias Gladius) ……………………………..……………………pag.48 The Sea Bream (Sparus Aurata) ……………………………..…….….……………pag.49 The Cuttlefish (Sepia Officinalis) ……………………………..……………………pag.50
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INTRODUCTION
Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea; along with surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy. Sicily is located in the central Mediterranean. It extends from the tip of the Apennine peninsula, from which it is separated only by the narrow Strait of Messina, towards the North African coast. Its most prominent landmark is Mount Etna, which, at 3,350 m (10,990 ft), is the tallest active volcano in Europe and one of the most active in the world. Climate in Sicily Sicily has a typical Mediterranean climate with mild and wet winters and hot, dry summers. Total precipitation is highly variable, generally increasing with elevation. In general, the southern and southeast coast receives the least rainfall (less than 20 in., or 50 cm), and the northern and northeastern highlands the most (over 40 in., or 100 cm). Agriculture Sicily has long been noted for its fertile soil due to the volcanic eruptions in the past and present. The local agriculture is also helped by the pleasant climate of the island. The main agricultural products are wheat, citrons, oranges(Arancia Rossa di Sicilia IGP), lemons, tomatoes (Pomodoro di Pachino IGP), olives, olive oil, artichokes, Opuntia ficus-indica (Fico d'India dell'Etna DOP), almonds, grapes, pistachios (Pistacchio di Bronte DOP) and wine. Cattle and sheep are raised. The cheese productions are particularly important thanks to the Ragusano DOP and the Pecorino Siciliano DOP. Ragusa is noted for its honey (Miele Ibleo) and chocolate (Cioccolato di Modica IGP) productions.Fishing is another. fundamental resource for Sicily.
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Industry and manufacturing The region has three important industrial districts: •
Catania Industrial District, where there are several food industries and one of the best European electronics industry centres called Etna Valley (in honour of the best known Silicon Valley) which contains offices and factories of international companies such as STMicroelectronics
•
Syracuse Petrochemical District with chemical industries, oil refineries and important power stations (as the innovative Archimede solar power plant);
•
the latest Enna Industrial District in which there are food industries
In Palermo there are important shipyards, mechanical factories of famous Italian companies and textile industries. Chemical industries are also in the Province of Messina and in the Province of Caltanissetta. Climate of Italy Thanks to the great longitudinal extension of the peninsula and the mostly mountainous internal conformation, the climate of Italy is highly diverse. In most of the inland northern and central regions, the climate ranges from humid subtropical to humid continental and oceanic. The coastal areas of Liguria, Tuscany and most of the South generally fit the Mediterranean climate stereotype. Conditions on peninsular coastal areas can be very different from the interior's higher ground and valleys, particularly during the winter months when the higher altitudes tend to be cold, wet, and often snowy. The coastal regions have mild winters and warm and generally dry summers, although lowland valleys can be quite hot in summer.
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Flora The major geological and climatic differences found in permit the development of a very varied flora, boasting exemplars of plants typical of northern climates and subtropical ones. Along the coastal zones, and up to a height of 300 metres, there are above all citrus fruits, olives and vines. Almost all these plants, which today are found all over the island, were actually imported by the successive conquerors of the island: for example, the Greeks and Phoenicians brought the vine, the olive, the fig and the pomegranate; the Arabs- among other things - the lemon and the almond. The orange was only grown starting from the fifteenth century, like the tomato and the prickly pear, imported to Sicily after the discovery of America. Lastly, the mandarin orange was introduced at the start of the nineteenth century. On the slopes of the mountains, and up to 600 metres, there is luxuriant Mediterranean scrub, made up of various shrubs: broom, lavender, rosemary, wild olive, dwarf palm and others. There are also cork oaks, oleanders, carobs and tamarisks. The great forests that covered the whole island having disappeared, woods are found only on the summits of the main mountain chains - the Nebrodi, the Madonie, the Peloritans - and on Etna. Cork and other oaks, chestnut trees and beeches are the trees making up these woods, and there are now only rare clumps of pines and Sicilian fir. The local flora also includes the oleander and the plane tree, as well as plants introduced by man in more or less recent times: in addition to the previously mentioned prickly pear, vine and fruit trees, we find agaves, palms, ficus, cedars, mulberries, eucalyptuses and all sorts of flowers.
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THE ROSEMARY (Rosmarinus officinalis) Rosmarino .
Rosemary is a shrub belonging to the family Lamiaceae. Native to Europe, Asia and Africa, it is now spontaneous in the Mediterranean coastal areas and the Mediterranean, rocky crags and sunny inland from the sea level up to the hilly area.
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THE YELLOW ACETOSELLA (Oxalis acetosella) Acetosella
The yellow acetosella, properly known as "iauradduci" in Lentini ( a little town near Catania) and other areas of Sicily as "trifogghiu acitusu," is part of the family Oxalidaceae of which there are over 600 species and is widespread in Europe, South Africa, Mexico, China, Brazil and South America. Acetosella prefers a rich, fertile and moist soil and shady places in mountains and hillsides. In Sicily it also grows in sunny areas. Near Lentini there are vast areas of land invaded by its beautiful yellow flowers that often become invasive and infiltrate everywhere. In ancient times, the Greeks and Romans used acetosella to aid digestion after overeating. 8
THE TIMO (thymum) Timo
It is a perennial plant, up to 40-50 cm high, with a woody stem, which forms very compact bushes. The leaves are small and elongated with a color ranging from green more or less intense to gray, silver,. The plant is considered to belong to the group of "aromatic". It has in fact in every part, but especially in the leaves and flowers, a pleasant aromatic odor. Belonging to the family Laminaceae "Thymus" "Timo" "thyme" includes about ten native species that grow wild in the Mediterranean area where the soil is rocky and arid in the mountains and near the sea. The thymus distinguishes among aromatic plants for its sweet and delicate aroma. The most common species: Thymus praecox The Thymus praecox, also known as wild thyme tipically Mediterranean, produces small leaves of olive green, rounded, and flowers of deep pink color that keep the typical aroma of thyme, pungent and pleasant. This species is often used as ground cover, because during the course of the years form a carpet compact and impenetrable; perfect for covering walls or sunny areas of the garden.
Thymus pulegioides l thyme
The thymus pulegioides, also called thymus citriodorus, with light green leaves but with a touch of lemon, very intense. So it is often called lemon.
THE SALVIA (Salvia officinalis) 9
Salvia
Salvia is the largest genus of plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae, with nearly 1000 species of shrubs, herbaceous perennials, and annuals. Salvia species include annual, biennial, or perennial herbs, along with woody subshrubs. The stems are typically angled like other members in Lamiaceae. The leaves are typically entire, but sometimes toothed or pinnately divided. The flowering stems bear small bracts, dissimilar to the basal leaves—in some species the bracts are ornamental and showy. The flowers are produced in racemes, or panicles, and generally produce a showy display with flower colors ranging from blue to red, with white and yellow less common. The corollas are often claw shaped and are twolipped. The upper lip is usually entire or three-toothed. The lower lip typically has two lobes. The stamens are reduced to two short structures with anthers two-celled, the upper cell fertile, and the lower imperfect.
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THE BROOMS (Genista monspessulana) Ginestra
Brooms form a tribe, Genisteae, of evergreen, semi-evergreen, and deciduous shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of thelegume family Fabaceae, mainly in the three genera Chamaecytisus, Cytisus and Genista, but also in many other small genera (see box, right). These genera are all closely related and share similar characteristics of dense, slender green stems and very small leaves, which are adaptations to dry growing conditions. Most of the species have yellow flowers, but a few have white, orange, red, pink or purple flowers. All members of Genisteae are natives of Europe, north Africa, the Canary Islands and southwest Asia (with the exceptions of Adenocarpus which extends into the mountains of tropical Africa, Anarthrophytum of the Andes, Aryrolobium which extends to South Africa and India, Dichilus, Melolobium and Polhillia of Southern Africa, Sellocharis of Brazil and Lupinus extending into eastern Africa and much of the Americas), with the greatest diversity in the Mediterranean.
THE OREGANO (Origanum vulgare) 11
Origano
The oregano is a common species of Origanum, a genus of the mint family (Lamiaceae). It is native to warm-temperate western and southwestern Eurasia and the Mediterranean region. Oregano is a perennial herb, growing from 20–80 cm tall, with opposite leaves 1–4 cm long. The flowers are purple, 3–4 mm long, produced in erect spikes. It is sometimes called wild marjoram, and its close relative O. majorana is known as sweet marjoram. Oregano is related to the herb marjoram, sometimes being referred to as wild marjoram. Oregano has purple flowers and spade-shaped, olive-green leaves. It is a perennial, although it is grown as an annual in colder climates, as it often does not survive the winter months. Oregano is planted in early spring, the plants being spaced 30 cm (12 in) apart in fairly dry soil, with full sun. It prefers a hot, relatively dry climate, but will do well in other environments
THE BASIL (Ocimum basilicum) Basilico 12
The Basil, Thai basil, or sweet basil, is a common name for the culinary herb Ocimum basilicum of the family Lamiaceae (mints), sometimes known as Saint Joseph's Wort in some English-speaking countries. Basil is native to India, China, Southeast Asia, and New Guinea.[3] It was originally domesticated in India, having been cultivated there for more than 5,000 years,[4] but was thoroughly familiar to Theophrastus[5] and Dioscorides. It is a half-hardyannual plant, best known as a culinary herb prominently featured in Italian cuisine, and also plays a major role in Southeast Asian cuisines of Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and the cuisine of Taiwan. Depending on the species and cultivar, the leaves may taste somewhat like anise, with a strong, pungent, often sweet smell. There are many varieties of Ocimum basilicum, as well as several related species or species hybrids also called basil. The type used in Italian food is typically called sweet basil, as opposed to Thai basil (O. basilicum var. thyrsiflora), lemon basil (O. X citriodorum) and holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum), which are used in Asia.
THE OPUNTIA
(Opuntia ficus indica) 13
Fico d’India
The Opuntia is a genus in the cactus family, Cactaceae. The most common culinary species is the Indian fig opuntia. Most culinary uses of the term "prickly pear" refer to this species. Prickly pears are also known as tuna (fruit) or nopal (paddle, plural nopales) from the Nahuatl word nōpalli for the pads, or nostle, from the Nahuatl word nōchtli for the fruit; or paddle cactus. The genus is named for the Ancient Greek city of Opus, where, according to Theophrastus, an edible plant grew which could be propagated by rooting its leaves. They are also found in the Mediterranean region of Northern Africa, especially in Tunisia, where they grow all over the countryside, and southern Europe, especially on Malta, where they grow all over the islands, in the south-east of Spain, and can be found in enormous numbers in parts of South Africa, where it was introduced from South America. Opuntia species are the most cold-tolerant of the lowland cacti, The fruit can be red, wine-red, green, or yellow-orange.
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THE CAPPER (Capparis spinosa) Cappero
The caper bush, also called Flinders rose, is a perennial winter-deciduous plant that bears rounded, fleshy leaves and large white to pinkish-white flowers. The plant is best known for the edible flower buds (capers), often used as a seasoning, and the fruit (caper berries), both of which are usually consumed pickled. Other species of Capparis are also picked along with C. spinosa for their buds or fruits. Other parts of Capparis plants are used in the manufacture of medicines and cosmetics. C. spinosa is native to the Mediterranean, East Africa, Madagascar, southwestern and Central Asia, Himalayas, the Pacific Islands, Indomalaya, and Australia. It is present in almost all the circum-Mediterranean countries, and is included in the flora of most of them, but whether it is indigenous to this region is uncertain. Although the flora of the Mediterranean region has considerable endemism, the caper bush could have originated in the tropics, and later been naturalized to the Mediterranean basin.
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THE AGAVE (Agave Americana Marginata) Agave
Agave is a genus of monocots. The plants are perennial, but each rosette flowers once and then dies. Some species are known by the name century plant. In the APG III system, the genus is placed in the subfamily Agavoideae of the broadly circumscribed family Asparagaceae. Some authors prefer to place it in the segregate family Agavaceae. Traditionally, it was circumscribed to be composed of about 166 species, but it is now usually understood to have about 208 species Chiefly Mexican, agaves are also native to the southern and western United States and central and tropical South America. They are succulents with a large rosette of thick, fleshy leaves, each ending generally in a sharp point and with a spiny margin; the stout stem is usually short, the leaves apparently springing from the root.
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Fauna Sicily has a good level of faunal biodiversity. Some of the species are Cirneco dell'Etna, fox, least weasel, pine marten, roe deer, wild boar, crested porcupine, hedgehog, common toad, Vipera aspis, golden eagle, peregrine falcon, hoopoe and black-winged stilt. In some cases, Sicily is a delimited point of a species range. For example, the subspecies of hooded crow (Corvus cornix) occurs in Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica, but no further south. Changes in climate and environment, together with indiscriminate destructive action by man, have considerably reduced the presence of wild animals on the island. The big mammals have mostly disappeared, as have most of the birds of prey, the only significant presences being those of the wild cat, the marten, the dormouse (rare), hedgehog, the wild rabbit, the hare and the weasel. Among birds there are the falcon, the pilgrim hawk, the windhover, the kite and the eagle, the rock partridge, the imperial crow. Some migratory birds also stop off in Sicily, such as common species of waders, the pink seagull, the greater sea swallow, the spoonbill. There are a great number of insects and invertebrates: among snakes, special mention must be made of the very beautiful spotted grass snake.
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AIR ANIMALS
( BIRDS)
THE COMMON SUBALPINE WARBLER ( sylvia cantillans) Sterpazzolina commune
This subalpine warbler is common in all European countries overlooking the Mediterranean. It is a migratory bird. Its habitat is represented by the mountains not too high with open areas and full of bushes. On the Italian territory the cantillans is in the Po Valley, where it is migratory and nesting. It is about 12 cm long with a wingspan of about 20 centimeters. Gray on the rump and on his head it has some white feathers and a red ring around its eye with white stripes on the sides of the beak.
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THE RED-NECKED NIGHTJAR (caprimulgus ruficollis) Succiacapre Collorosso
The Red-necked Nightjar attends the bushes of arid and semi-arid and coniferous forests of Spain, Portugal, Morocco and Mauritania; in Italy is rarely seen. It has a reddish collar with white spots on the wings and tail and a large white patch on the throat. The wingspan is about 60 cm. It has a very large mouth, which allows you to capture, flying without effort the large insects on which it feeds. During courtship emits the characteristic sound that gets beating its wings together over the back.
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THE OWL
(Athene noctua)
Civetta
It is common in all warm temperate climate zones of Europe. In Italy the owl is the most common night bird of prey. The owl nests in the primary areas, uncontaminated by man as the rocky places, its ideal habitat is in some areas of France, Spain, Portugal ,Greece and parts of Italy. The owl has a massive body covered with brownish-gray – brown feathers.
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THE PINK FLAMINGO
(roseusphoenicopters)
Fenicottero Rosa
The pink flamingo is a large bird common in Southern Europe, Greece, Portugal, Sicily. It reaches a height of 140 cm and a wingspan of 240 cm, weighs up to 5,6 kg in males and up to 3,5 kg in females. The pink flamingo feeds only on algae and planktonic crustaceans which give it the characteristic pink color due to the beta-carotene they contain.
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THE PLOVER (Charadrius) Piviere
Bird characterized by tall, thin legs, short sharp beak , deadly to any opponent, its color often varies depending onthe seasons, from brown to black, from white to red. Generally in winter it moves from the Nordic countries and often settles in Italy for most of the year. The most common species is the golden plover (charadrius apricarins). about 27 cm long. The Kentish plover (Charadrius portovinos) lives exclusively in some areas of Portugal, is fond of shellfish that pierces with his unerring beak like a dagger. It prefers wetlands, rich in vegetation.
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THE EURASIAN MAGPIE (Pica pica) Gazza ladra
Magpies are birds of the corvidae (crow) family, including the black and white Eurasian magpie, which is one of the few animal species known to be able to recognize itself in a mirror test. According to some studies, magpies do not form the monophyletic group they are traditionally believed to be—a long tail has certainly elongated (or shortened) independently in multiple lineages of corvid birds. Among the traditional magpies, there appear to be two distinct lineages. One consists of Holarctic species with black/white colouration and is probably closely related to crows and Eurasian jays. The other contains several species from South to East Asia with vivid colouration which is predominantly green or blue. The azure-winged magpie and the Iberian magpie, formerly thought to constitute a single species with a most peculiar distribution, have been shown be two distinct species and classified as the genus Cyanopica.
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THE PEREGRINE FALCUS (Falcus peregrinus) Falco pellegrino
.
Hawk is a common name for some small to medium-sized diurnal birds of prey, widely distributed and varying greatly in size. These are mainly woodland birds with long tails and high visual acuity, hunting by sudden dashes from a concealed perch. In the Americas, members of the Buteo group are also called hawks; these are called buzzards in other parts of the world. Generally buteos have broad wings and sturdy builds. They are relatively larger winged, shortertailed and soar more extensively in open areas than accipiters, descending or pouncing on their prey rather than making fast horizontal pursuit. The terms buteonine hawk and accipitrine hawk may be used to distinguish the two types, in regions where hawk applies to both. The term "true hawk" is sometimes used for the accipitrine hawks, in regions where buzzard is preferred for the buteonine hawks. All these groups are members of the Accipitridae family, which includes the hawks and buzzards as well as kites, harriers and eagles. The common names of some birds include the term "hawk", reflecting traditional usage rather than taxonomy, such as referring to an osprey as a "fish hawk" or a peregrine falcon as a "duck hawk". 24
THE SWALLOWS (Hirundo rustica) Rondine
The swallows are a group of passerine birds in the family Hirundinidae which are characterised by their adaptation to aerial feeding. Swallow is used colloquially in Europe as a synonym for the barn swallow. The swallows have a cosmopolitan distribution across the world and breed on all the continents except Antarctica. It is believed that this family originated in Africa as hole-nesters; Africa still has the greatest diversity of species. They also occur on a number of oceanic islands. A number of European and North American species are long-distance migrants; by contrast, the West and South African swallows are non-migratory. The swallows and martins have an evolutionarily conservative body shape which is similar across the clade but is unlike that of other passerines. Swallows have adapted to hunting insects on the wing by developing a slender, streamlined body and long pointed wings, which allow great maneuverability and endurance, as well as frequent periods of gliding. Their body shape allows for very efficient flight, which costs 50–75% less for swallows than equivalent passerines of the same size. 25
THE QUAIL (Coturnix ypsilophora) Quaglia
Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally considered in the order Galliformes.Old World quail are found in the family Phasianidae, and New World quail are found in the family Odontophoridae. The buttonquail are named more for their superficial resemblance to quail, and are members of the Turnicidae family in the Charadriiformes order. The king quail, one of the Old World quail, is often sold in the pet trade; and within this trade is commonly, though mistakenly, referred to as a "button quail". Many of the common larger species are farm-raised for table food or egg consumption, and are hunted on game farms or in the wild, where they may be released to supplement the wild population, or extend into areas outside their natural range.
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THE PIGEONS (Columba livia) Colomba
Pigeons and doves constitute the bird clade Columbidae, that includes about 310 species. Pigeons are stout-bodied birds with short necks, and have short, slender bills with fleshy ceres. They feed on seeds, fruits, and plants. This family occurs worldwide. In general, the terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used somewhat interchangeably. Pigeon is a French word that derives from the Latin pipio, for a "peeping" chick, while dove is a Germanic word that refers to the bird's diving flight. In ornithological practice, "dove" tends to be used for smaller species and "pigeon" for larger ones, but this is in no way consistently applied, and historically, the common names for these birds involve a great deal of variation between the terms. The species most commonly referred to as "pigeon" is the feral rock pigeon, common in many cities. Doves and pigeons build relatively flimsy nests – often using sticks and other debris – which may be placed in trees, ledges, or, on the ground, depending on species. They lay one or two eggs, and both parents care for the young, which leave the nest after seven to 28 days. Unlike most birds, both sexes of doves and pigeons produce "crop milk" to feed to their young, secreted by a sloughing of fluid-filled cells from the lining of the crop. 27
ANIMALS IN DANGER OF EXTINCTION THE COMMON DOLPHIN (Delphinus delphis Mediterranean) Delfino
The common dolphin is a marine mammal very abundant in the Mediterranean Sea until the second world war. It is recognizable for its ocher-colored spots on the sides, it is about 2 meters long and can weigh up to 135 kilos. Victim of overfishing, it is in danger of extinction . Today it is still in the warm waters of the Ionian Sea, the Aegean Sea and the Strait of Gibilterra. It feeds on squids and bluefish. Their mating takes place during the summer and often just for fun.
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THE SEA TURTLE
(Caretta caretta)
The sea turtle has cold-blood so it lives in the temperate waters of the Mediterranean sea and in the deep sea, returning to the surface to breathe, having the lungs. It is capable of long apneas. It leaves the sea only to lay eggs on the coasts. Today it is in danger of extinction because victim of the oil and the use of bottom trawls. To save it new marine oasis should be established.
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THE MONK SEAL
(Monachus Monachus)
Foca monaca
It belongs to the family of seals, and it is in great danger of extinction. It has a blackish fur on the back and yellowish - white on the belly, a small head and muzzle with long and robust mustaches. This is the only seal that lives in the Mediterranean. The few remaining specimens have been seen in the areas of Sicily and Greece. In nature there are less than 500 specimens. It is a solitary animal, excellent swimmer even against the shark. During the reproduction it lives on the land . This seal can weigh up to 320 kg and reach a length of 280 cm.
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ANIMALS OF LAND THE CIRNECO DELL’ETNA
(Canis simensis)
The Cirneco, as fine greyhound, was brought to Sicily by the Phoenician merchants who apparently claimed good money for each dog. Greyhound two or three thousand years ago, this race has been modifying over the centuries for the climate, the scarcity of food and for its junction with local dogs and have become - in appearance and character - a native bloodhound, that is, a dog emerged from the hillside of mount Etna in Sicily, as confirmed by some archaeological finds.
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THE WILD RABBIT
(Oryctolagus curuculus)
Coniglio selvatico
The wild rabbit is usually about 40 cm long with black and white tail. It has a gray fur in the upper parts and white in the lower while the neck is rust. It is distinguished from hares for its small size. The rabbit is faster than the hare and runs in a zig-zag way confusing so his pursuers. In winter it eats cortices in the absence of fresh sprouts.
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THE DONKEY (Equus asinus) Asino
Similarly to the horse, it is a domesticated animal, used by man primarily as a working animal and as a means of transport for food and goods, especially for heavy loads or towing. There are many breeds and varieties spread throughout the world. It is smaller and milder than the horse, and has longer ears. Its mantle is generally gray in color, the nose and the eye area are white, but in some races can be black.
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THE GOAT (Capra hircus) Capra
They are extremely intelligent and curious animals even if the ruthless hunt to which have been undergone has made them naturally diffident. Despite this, these animals were among the first to be domesticated by humans.
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THE FOX
(Vulpes vulpes)
Volpe
The fox is of medium size (from 65 cm to 75 cm). It has a long tapered muzzle, straight pointed and black ears, short legs. The tail is long (from 35 to 45 cm) and usually very bushy with a white tip. The mantle is generally dark red. Normally in winter it is darker in color than in summer. The coat consists of long hair.
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THE COMMON MOUSE
(Mus musculus)
Topo comune
The common mouse is a small mammal rodent of the family Muridae. It is also called the wild house mouse, to differentiate it from wild-type mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) The wild house mouse can be found commonly in almost all countries of the world. Mice can also cause considerable damage to crops and to food pantries , in addition can cause a number of diseases such as leptospirosis.
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THE NEBRODI BLACK PIG Suino nero dei Nebrodi
Nebrodi black pigs are medium-small and have a black coat with stiff bristles forming a kind of mane along their back wild boar. It lives in Nebrodi forests and is bred in a semi-wild state in large areas used as pastures: only near the delivery their diet is integrated. Frugal and resistant, this breed has recently undergone a reduction in the number of heads (at the moment, approximately two thousands). Its extinction would represent a big loss for the genetic heritage, the local economy, and our gastronomy, since Nebrodi Black Pig gives top-quality meat. The cuts are eaten fresh or processed - the product is sold from October to April - into salami, ham, bacon, etc. Festivals dedicated to this pig are held every year in Maniace, Caronia, Longi, and Cesarò.
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THE TURTLE (Terrapene carolina) Tartaruga di terra
Turtles are reptiles of the order Chelonii or Testudines characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs and acting as a shield. Turtle may refer to the chelonian order as a whole (American English) or to fresh-water and sea-dwelling chelonians (British English). The order Chelonii or Testudines includes both extant (living) and extinct species. The earliest known turtles date from 220 million years ago, making turtles one of the oldest reptile groups and a more ancient group than lizards, snakes or crocodiles. Of the many species alive today, some are highly endangered. Turtles are ectotherms—their internal temperature varies according to the ambient environment, commonly called coldblooded. However, because of their high metabolic rate, leatherback sea turtles have a body temperature that is noticeably higher than that of the surrounding water.
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THE PORCUPINES (Hystricidae) Porcospino
Porcupines are rodents with a coat of sharp spines, or quills, that defend them from predators. They are indigenous to the Americas, Southern Asia, Europe, and Africa. Porcupines are the third largest of the rodents, behind the capybara and the beaver. Most porcupines are about 25–36 in (64–91 cm) long, with an 8–10 in (20–25 cm) long tail. Weighing 12–35 lb (5.4– 15.9 kg), they are rounded, large and slow. Porcupines come in various shades of brown, gray, and the unusual white. Porcupines' spiny protection resembles that of the unrelated erinaceomorph hedgehogs and monotreme echidnas. The common porcupine is an herbivore. It eats leaves, herbs, twigs and green plants like clover and in the winter it may eat bark. The North American porcupine often climbs trees to find food. The African porcupine is not a climber and forages on the ground. It is mostly nocturnal, but will sometimes forage for food in the day. Porcupines have become a pest in Kenya and are eaten as a delicacy. A male porcupine urinates on a female porcupine prior to mating, spraying the urine at high velocity.
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THE SNAIL (Limax maximus) Lumaca
Snail is a common name that is applied most often to land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs. However, the common name "snail" is also applied to most of the members of the molluscan class Gastropoda that have a coiled shell that is large enough for the animal to retract completely into. When the word "snail" is used in this most general sense, it includes not just land snails but also thousands of species of sea snails and freshwater snails. Occasionally a few other molluscs that are not actually gastropods, such as the Monoplacophora, which superficially resemble small limpets, may also informally be referred to as "snails". Snail-like animals that naturally lack a shell, or have only an internal shell, are usually called slugs, and land snails that have only a very small shell (that they cannot retract into) are often called semislugs.
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ANIMALS OF WATER THE GURNARD (Chelidonichthys lucernus) Capone
This fish is commonly known as gurnard, earthenware, gavotte and Trigla lamp, is a fish of the family Triglidae. It has a large head with a prominent muzzle, large pectoral fins with vibrant electric blue drawings and a black hairline. Pointy dorsal fin. brownish or reddish body and white belly. It reaches 70 cm in length.
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THE CLAM (Chamelea gallina) Vongola
The Clam is a bivalve mollusk with sturdy and rounded shell that externally is colored light brown or yellow-gray with dotted rays while internally it is white and smooth. The size of the fished clams vary between 3 cm and 4 cm. In the Mediterranean, it lives in banks in sandy beds along the coast, generally up to 12 m deep, leaving only the siphons protruding outside, organs that are used to filter water rich in organic substances in suspension.
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THE HAKE (Merluccius merluccius) Nasello
The Hake is a fish of medium size with long body, long and flattened head, large mouth with two or three series of teeth. It has two distinct dorsal fins and a triangular caudal fin. The color is steel gray on the back, silvery on the sides and white on the belly. The fins are gray. Its size is between 30 and 40 cm, but it can also reach 110 cm. There are 13 species living in the Atlantic Ocean, only Merluccius merluccius also lives in the Mediterranean.
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The OCTOPUS (Octopus vulgaris) Polpo
The Octopus is a mollusk with an oval-shaped bag body with 8 tentacles equipped with two rows of suckers. The coloring is changing and ranges from gray to yellow. The total length can be up to the meter and weigh 10 kg. At the sides of the head the octopus has small prominent eyes surmounted by two protuberances. In the rear part of the mantle there are gill lamellae (from 7 to 11) and a siphon to expel the water. At the center of the arms, there is the mouth. The octopus can change color by special cells, used for the transmission of signals and to blend in the seabed.
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The MACKEREL (Scomber scombrus) Sgombro
The mackerel known as mackerel, is a blue fish with a medium-sized fusiform body covered with small scales, pointed snout, large mouth and small teeth. The base color on the back is blue-green, with irregular transversal black lines; the sides and belly are silvery-white, with no stain. It has a length from 25 to 50 cm and weighs up to 1 pound
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THE TUNA (Thunnus Thinnus) Tonno
The Tuna is a gregarious and migratory pelagic species. Its fins are very robust: the first dorsal fin, yellow or bluish, is thorny; the second, reddishbrown, is higher than the first, while the pectoral fins are very short. The color is blue-black on the back, the armor is blue-white and the sides and the belly are gray with silvery spots. It can reach 3 m in length and 450 kg in weight and is one of the largest bony fish.
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THE OYSTER
(Ostrea edulis)
Ostrica
The Oyster is a bivalve mollusk with external shell of variable shape. The shell is circular, rough and unequal; the inside of the valve is smooth and white, consisting of pearly material. Externally, the shell is gray with brown spots and purple. It can reach a maximum diameter of 15 cm, but it is very common to find around 6-9 cm.
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THE SWORDFISH (Xiphias gladius) Pesce spada
The Xiphias gladius, known as swordfish, is a pelagic fish of considerable size, it can reach up to 4 m and a half in length and 500 kg in weight. It has a robust body especially in the front and longer in length in the back, it does not have scales or teeth and the adult specimens do not have spinal fins. It has a pointed lower jaw and the upper jaw has a long osseous rostrum, the "sword", which is an extension of the upper jaw. It Has sharp edges and is about one third of the total length of the fish. E 'equipped with 2 dorsal fins, two anal fins and a forked caudal fin in adults. Its color is a dark blue on the back, silvery on the sides and the belly.
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THE SEA BREAM (Sparus aurata) Orata
The sea bream is a very valuable fish. Its body is oval and compressed at the sides with a slightly protruding jaw, strong teeth and fit to break the shells and crustaceans on which it feeds. The pectoral fins are long and those abdominals are much shorter. The caudal fin is divided into two lobes, with shades of gray - green. The body is gray in color and has some blue - golden reflections on the back and silvery on the sides. The bream is recognized by the presence of a red spot more or less evident between its eyes.
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THE CUTTLEFISH (Sepia officinalis) Seppia
The Cuttlefish is a mollusk with an oval-shaped bag body, surrounded by a fin that protrudes from the head with ten arms. Inside the body there is a bone, which is a calcified shell with pointed ends, and a bag full of ink that is ejected in situations of danger. The color of the back is very variable, from blackish-brown to yellowish, with light streaks more or less evident, while the belly is whitish. It reaches a maximum length of 35 cm, but commonly on the market it is from 15 to 25 cm.
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