Genetic variability and conservation of longhorn beetle Rosalia alpina in Italy in the frame of EU-LIFE MIPP Project.

Rosalia alpina (Linnaeus, 1758) is one of the most attractive saproxylic longhorn beetle in Europe, ranked as a priority species and listed the Annexes II and IV of the European Habitats Directive 92/43EEC. The distribution range of R. alpina extends from central-southern Europe to northern Turkey and Caucasic Region (Sama G. 2002). In Italy, this species is widespread and mainly associated to ancient deciduous beech forests. In the frame of EU-LIFE Project MIPP (Monitoring Insects with Public Participation, LIFE11 NAT/IT/000252) - aimed to standardize methods for monitoring R. alpina in Europe - ecological data on population size and habitat preferences of this species were collected in two National Parks in Italy (PNFC: Parco Nazionale Foreste Casentinesi; PNALM: Parco Nazionale Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise). These ecological surveys were integrated by the analysis of genetic polymorphism at 6 microsatellite loci (Drag et al. 2013) in a sub-sample of 89 individuals of R. alpina from both PNFC and PNALM (years: 2014-2015) to assess levels of heterozygosity, population structuring and gene flow. Our analysis suggests similar levels of genetic diversity among examined sub-populations (with only slight differences in allelic richness), also comparable to those already observed in South-East Europe (Drag et al. 2015). Inferences about inbreeding, kin relationships and extent of gene flow among Italian R. alpina populations are presented. Finally, the significance of integrating ecological and genetic data to set efficient conservation planning for endangered saproxylic beetles are remarked.