Papers by José D. Gilgado
Subterranean Biology, 2025
Invertebrate communities living in the superficial subterranean environment (MSS, Milieu Souterra... more Invertebrate communities living in the superficial subterranean environment (MSS, Milieu Souterrain Superficiel) have rarely been studied. One possible reason for this is the labor-intensive sampling method that must be used. The most suitable method to collect these arthropods is by using subterranean sampling devices (SSDs, vertically buried tubes with side holes and a pitfall trap at the bottom). However, there is a possibility that surface-active species that encounter the tube from the outside will follow it into the depths and eventually fall through a hole into the trap at a greater depth, which may influence the recorded species composition within a particular depth range. We examined for the first time the depth specificity of SSDs in the scree layer of a rock glacier in the Swiss National Park. We compared the catches from 1 m long standard SSDs over a period of one year with catches from short sections of standard tubes buried at different depths (15-35, 40-60, 70-90 cm) in the scree layer so that they only captured arthropods at their particular depth range. In total, we found individuals of 11 arthropod species and one gastropod species in the different SSDs. Catches from standard SSDs did not differ in species composition from catches from short tubes buried at a depth range of 40-90 cm, confirming the depth specificity of standard SSDs.
Entomological News, 2025
Some terrestrial isopods, as many other organisms, were able to colonize several continents acros... more Some terrestrial isopods, as many other organisms, were able to colonize several continents across the world due to human activities. Nonetheless, many tropical or subtropical species, that are found in Europe, seem to be restricted to man-made infrastructures, such as greenhouses. This is the case with members of the family Styloniscidae, Styloniscus mauritiensis and S. spinosus. For the first time, we recorded these two species in the Iberian Peninsula and updated the distribution of the family Styloniscidae in the region. Styloniscus mauritiensis was recorded in greenhouses in the Madrid province, Spain, while both S. mauritiensis and S. spinosus were found in the Oporto region, Portugal, in outdoor environments. These represent the first records of these species in Europe outside man-made infrastructures. Finally, we provided detailed information to facilitate the easier identification of the three Styloniscidae species now known to occur in the Iberian Peninsula and several other parts of the world.
Zoosystema, 2025
The genus Ceratosphys Ribaut, 1920 (Diplopoda, Chordeumatida) includes 26 species, with 21 record... more The genus Ceratosphys Ribaut, 1920 (Diplopoda, Chordeumatida) includes 26 species, with 21 recorded in the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands. This study describes a new species, Ceratosphys dissensionis Gilgado & Andrés n. sp., from central Spain. For the first time, information on its postembryonic development and phenology is provided for any Iberian Chordeumatida Pocock, 1894. Specimens were collected in a mixed forest in Somosierra (Madrid, Spain) through monthly sampling of 30 litres of leaf litter over a year, processed using Berlese devices, and preserved in 70% ethanol. A total of 1050 specimens of all stages, except stadium I, were obtained. Morphology was studied with optic and scanning electron microscopy. Adults have 30 segments and undergo eight moults during postembryonic development, reaching adulthood in the ninth stadium. The species is univoltine with a life cycle of about one year, moulting approximately once per month. Adults appear in autumn, and their presence in leaf litter is likely related to environmental conditions.
Boletín de la Asociación española de Entomología, 2024
Ecosistemas, 2024
Los milpiés (Myriapoda: Diplopoda) del medio subterráneo en la península ibérica e islas baleares... more Los milpiés (Myriapoda: Diplopoda) del medio subterráneo en la península ibérica e islas baleares Resumen: Los milpiés son un grupo de artrópodos muy diverso, pero relativamente poco estudiado, con casi 80 especies conocidas adaptadas al medio subterráneo en el ámbito ibero balear. En el presente trabajo se hace una revisión del conocimiento de los milpiés citados en el medio subterráneo en la península ibérica e islas baleares. Se hace una breve introducción, una mención al desarrollo histórico, y a las adaptaciones de los milpiés subterráneos. Se enumeran todas las especies troglobias encontradas en cuevas y el MSS de cada uno de los sistemas montañosos de la península, excluyendo la vertiente francesa de los pirineos. También se discuten las diferencias más relevantes en la diversidad de los diferentes sistemas, y se mencionan algunas características de interés de algunas de las especies más reseñables. Además, se proporciona un mapa con todas las cuadrículas UTM de 10x10 km en las que se han citado milpiés subterráneos.
Revue suisse de Zoologie, 2024
The species Aspilota umbrosa Belokobylskij, 2007 is recorded for the first time in Europe. The fi... more The species Aspilota umbrosa Belokobylskij, 2007 is recorded for the first time in Europe. The first photographs of this species, both of the holotype and of the new record, the second in the world, are provided. The holotype was found near the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano (Kamchatka peninsula, Russia). The new specimen of this species was collected in a superficial subterranean habitat (the MSS – Milieu Souterrain Superficiel) in the rock glacier in Val Sassa (Swiss National Park, Grisons, Switzerland) by a subterranean trap in 2020. This is the first record of A. umbrosa in the MSS of the Swiss Alps and in a rock glacier. A key to the known Swiss species of Aspilota is provided.
Jber. Natf. Ges. Graubünden, 2024
Höhengradienten entlang von Berghängen bieten Möglichkeiten, Schlüsselfaktoren zu untersuchen, we... more Höhengradienten entlang von Berghängen bieten Möglichkeiten, Schlüsselfaktoren zu untersuchen, welche die Verbreitung von Arten bestimmen. Es wird angenommen, dass verschiedene Artengruppen unterschiedlich auf die gleichen Faktoren reagieren. Wir untersuchten den Einfluss der Höhenlage sowie der Lebensraumeigenschaften (Exposition,
Hangneigung, Vegetations- und Substrattyp) und Bodeneigenschaften auf die Artenvielfalt von sechs Gruppen bodenlebender Arthropoden (Spinnen,
Tausendfüsser, Hundertfüsser, Ameisen, Laufkäfer und Kurzflügelkäfer) im Schweizerischen Nationalpark. Arthropoden wurden entlang von vier Transekten mit standardisierten Methoden (visuelle Suche, Karton- und Becherfallen) an 65 Sammelstellen in den Jahren 2018/19 gefangen. Insgesamt wurden 14 782 Individuen gefunden, die 248 verschiedenen
Arten angehörten. Die artenreichste Gruppe waren die Spinnen (86 Arten), gefolgt von den Kurzflügelkäfern (74 Arten), Laufkäfern (34 Arten), Tausendfüs sern (21 Arten), Hundertfüssern (19 Arten) und den Ameisen (14 Arten). Bei fünf der sechs Tiergruppen war die Artenvielfalt hauptsächlich von der Höhe der Sammelstelle beeinflusst. Dabei wurden
drei Muster von höhenabhängiger Artenvielfalt gefunden, bei denen die Artenvielfalt ab einer Höhe von 2200 m ü. M. abnahm. Erstaunlicherweise hatten Lebensraum- und Bodeneigenschaften einen geringen Einfluss auf die Artenvielfalt der verschiedenen Tiergruppen. Die Höhenverteilungen der verschiedenen Arten dienen als Basis für weitere Studien über Auswirkungen des Klimawandels auf die Verbreitung der Arthropoden. So zeigt ein Vergleich mit an den gleichen Stellen erhobenen Daten aus
den Jahren 1917–19, dass zehn von elf untersuchten Tausendfüsser-Arten in den vergangenen 100 Jahren ihre Verbreitung um durchschnittlich 161 Höhenmeter bergwärts verschoben haben. Tausendfüsser reagieren so auf klimabedingte Veränderungen im Boden und in der Vegetation.
Fragmenta Entomologica, 2023
We present the fi rst record of Vascoblaniulus cabidochei Mauriès, 1967 in Spain, at Illaminako A... more We present the fi rst record of Vascoblaniulus cabidochei Mauriès, 1967 in Spain, at Illaminako Ateak cave (Navarra). This makes a total of 15 troglobiont millipede species in the Spanish Pyrenees. Vascoblaniulus cabidochei is a highly modifi ed troglobiont millipede species, previously only known from the type material was collected in the 60s of the last century in the Salle de la Verna, Pierre-Saint-Martin cave system, France, and occasional subsequent observations were made in the same cave system. Present records in wet and sprinkled stones in a different Spanish cave, and new observation near the Salle de la Verna, confi rm its semi aquatic lifestyle.
Scientific Data, 2023
In the summer of 2012, two fires affected Mediterranean ecosystems in the eastern Iberian Peninsu... more In the summer of 2012, two fires affected Mediterranean ecosystems in the eastern Iberian Peninsula. The size of these fires was at the extreme of the historical variability (megafires). Animals are traditionally assumed to recolonize from source populations outside of the burned area (exogenous regeneration) while plants recover from endogenous regeneration (resprouting and seeding). However, there is increasing evidence of in situ fire survival in animals. To evaluate the effect of large-scale fires on biodiversity and the mechanism of recovery, in 2013, we set up 12 plots per fire, covering burned vegetation at different distances from the fire perimeter and unburned vegetation. In each plot, we followed the postfire recovery of arthropods, reptiles (including some of their parasites), and plants for 2 to 5 years. Here we present the resulting database (POSTDIV) of taxon abundance. POSTDIV totals 19,906 records for 457 arthropod taxa (113,681 individuals), 12 reptile taxa (503 individuals), 4 reptile parasites (234 individuals), and 518 plant taxa (cover-abundance). We provide examples in the R language to query the database.
Arxius de Miscel·lània Zoològica, 2023
Contribution to the knowledge of centipedes, millipedes (Myriapoda: Chilopoda, Diplopoda) and ter... more Contribution to the knowledge of centipedes, millipedes (Myriapoda: Chilopoda, Diplopoda) and terrestrial isopods (Crustacea: Oniscidea) of the Sierra de Aitana (Alicante, Spain). New samplings using pitfall traps and active capture in the Sierra de Aitana, which includes the highest peak in the province of Alicante (1,558 m a.s.l.), resulted in the collection of
93 specimens belonging to 22 species of myriapods (Myriapoda, Diplopoda, Chilopoda) and two terrestrial isopods (Crustacea, Oniscidea), representing 12 families and 16 genera. With these findings, the number of known taxa of these groups for Aitana increases two–fold, from 16 to 33 species, of which the number of diplopods increases from seven to 13, chilopods from three to 13, and terrestrial isopods from five to six, while symphyla remains at one. Seven species are first records for the province of Alicante, and six of these are also first records for the Valencian Community. Faunal studies are the first step for the protection of local fauna, its endemic species, and the unique enclaves they inhabit.
Zoosystema, 2023
The Superficial Subterranean Environment, known as the MSS (Milieu Souterrain Superficiel), was s... more The Superficial Subterranean Environment, known as the MSS (Milieu Souterrain Superficiel), was sampled at 15 localities of three main mountain systems in the northern Iberian Peninsula, at different time intervals from 2012 to 2021. A total of 2673 polydesmid individuals (Diplopoda: Polydesmida) were captured, of which 1970 could be identified with certainty as belonging to six species. The new records of these six species provide important new information about their distribution. Polydesmus angustus Latzel, 1884 is confirmed to inhabit the Atlantic region of the Iberian Peninsula. Archipolydesmus osellai Ceuca, 1968 is found for the third time since its description, but in the Iberian System far from its type locality in the Pyrenees. We provide new records of the rare millipede Polydesmus asturiensis Djursvoll, 2019 and slightly expand its known range. The known distribution of the Polydesmus racovitzai Brölemann, 1910 previously known from the Pyrenees and
the Basque Mountains, is also extended to the Iberian System. The common and widely distributed in western Europe Polydesmus coriaceus Porat, 1870 and Propolydesmus dismilus (Berlese, 1891) are
also recorded, but only the first one was abundant in the MSS. We also include photographs of the habitus and gonopods of the species found, as well as illustrations of the sampling methodology and habitats. The results highlight the importance of surveying the MSS in different mountain regions in order to increase knowledge about the biology and distribution of species.
Alpine Entomology, 2023
Carabid beetles of the tribe Licinini use their asymmetric mandibles to open the shells of land s... more Carabid beetles of the tribe Licinini use their asymmetric mandibles to open the shells of land snails. Prey handling of large snails has been described in a few Licinini species. We observed for the first time how a male of Licinus depressus (Paykull, 1790) opens the shells of small prey snails (Chondrina arcadica (Reinhardt, 1881)) and eats their soft bodies. The beetle holds the conical snail shell with its forelegs and breaks the wall of the right-hand coiled shell. In doing so, the beetle rotates the shell counterclockwise opening it stepwise along the dorsal part of the whorls towards the apex. After some bites, the beetle interrupts the opening process and begins to feed on the snail's soft tissue. Then the beetle continues to break up the shell, shortly after which there is another feeding phase. The alternating sequence of shell breaking and feeding ends after 2 to 2.5 whorls when the beetle can no longer hold the prey's remaining intact shell. We compare this previously unknown way of prey handling with the reported predatory behaviour in large snails by other Licinini species. Our observations confirm the high plasticity of predatory behaviour in Licinini beetles.
Revue suisse de Zoologie
BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access t... more BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
In the past, the freshwater snail Theodoxus fluviatilis was abundant in the river Rhine, but was ... more In the past, the freshwater snail Theodoxus fluviatilis was abundant in the river Rhine, but was considered to be extinct in the Upper and HighRhine in 2004. We found individuals of T. fluviatilis for the first time at sites in the southern part of the Upper Rhine and High Rhine in 2020,where this species went extinct 16 years ago. There are several distinct haplotypes of this species; some of them occurring in geographicallyseparated regions of Europe. We used mitochondrial DNA (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, COI) to trace the origin of the newly arrivedT. fluviatilis. We examined 269 individuals collected at 29 sites and compared their sequence data with known haplotypes of T. fluviatilisand other species of Theodoxus deposited in GenBank. We also analysed a historical sample from 1995 (collected before the species wentextinct), which revealed that the haplotype of the native T. fluviatilis in the High Rhine at that time was F28. In the recent samples, however,we found T. fluviat...
Anotylus politus (Erichson, 1840) (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) neu für die Fauna der Schweiz
Schweizerische Entomologische Gesellschaft, 2020
Diversity, 2021
Urban gardens are important for human well-being, biodiversity and other ecosystem functions. Bio... more Urban gardens are important for human well-being, biodiversity and other ecosystem functions. Biodiversity-promoting initiatives would benefit from their owners being aware of the state of biodiversity in their gardens. We examined whether garden owners’ perceptions match actual biodiversity in their gardens and whether perceptions are influenced by the owners’ ecological knowledge. We used a structured interview to assess the motivations and biodiversity knowledge of owners of 33 domestic gardens in the city of Basel (Switzerland) and related them to a survey of native plants and several groups of ground-dwelling invertebrates in their gardens. Owners showed different priorities, with promotion of habitat for biodiversity, receiving, on average, higher scores than cultivation, recreation and garden designing. Owners prioritizing biodiversity promotion had gardens with high habitat richness. The garden owners’ perceptions of both native plant and overall invertebrate diversity were ...
Ecology and Evolution, 2021
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creat ive Commo ns Attri bution License, wh... more This is an open access article under the terms of the Creat ive Commo ns Attri bution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Arachnologische Mitteilungen: Arachnology Letters, 2021
BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access t... more BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.
Check List, 2021
The pseudoscorpion Lamprochernes savignyi (Simon, 1881) is reported in Central Europe for the fir... more The pseudoscorpion Lamprochernes savignyi (Simon, 1881) is reported in Central Europe for the first time. The new record from Switzerland is based on a single female specimen found in a compost heap in the Conservatory and Botanical Garden in Geneva. Until now, the species is distributed mainly in Africa, Americas, and Asia, less in Australia and Oceania, Europe, and the Arabian Peninsula. The new record fills in the gap in species distribution between Northern Europe and the Anatolian Peninsula. A description of the collected female is provided.
PLOS ONE, 2020
Urbanisation is increasing worldwide and is regarded a major driver of environmental change alter... more Urbanisation is increasing worldwide and is regarded a major driver of environmental change altering local species assemblages. Private domestic gardens contribute a significant share of total green area in cities, but their biodiversity has received relatively little attention. Previous studies mainly considered plants, flying invertebrates such as bees and butterflies, and birds. By using a multi-taxa approach focused on less mobile, ground-dwelling invertebrates, we examined the influence of local garden characteristics and landscape characteristics on species richness and abundance of gastropods, spiders, millipedes, woodlice, ants, ground beetles and rove beetles. We assume that most of the species of these groups are able to complete their entire life cycle within a single garden. We conducted field surveys in thirty-five domestic gardens along a rural-urban gradient in Basel, Switzerland. Considered together, the gardens examined harboured an impressive species richness, with a mean share of species of the corresponding groups known for Switzerland of 13.9%, ranging from 4.7% in ground beetles to 23.3% in woodlice. The overall high biodiversity is a result of complementary contributions of gardens harbouring distinct species assemblages. Indeed, at the garden level, species richness of different taxonomical groups were typically not inter-correlated. The exception was ant species richness, which was correlated with those of gastropods and spiders. Generalised linear models revealed that distance to the city centre is an important driver of species richness, abundance and composition of several groups, resulting in an altered species composition in gardens in the centre of the city. Local garden characteristics were important drivers of gastropod and ant species richness, and the abundance of spiders, millipedes and rove beetles. Our study shows that domestic gardens make a valuable contribution to regional biodiversity. Thus, domestic urban gardens constitute an important part of green infrastructure, which should be considered by urban planners.
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Papers by José D. Gilgado
Hangneigung, Vegetations- und Substrattyp) und Bodeneigenschaften auf die Artenvielfalt von sechs Gruppen bodenlebender Arthropoden (Spinnen,
Tausendfüsser, Hundertfüsser, Ameisen, Laufkäfer und Kurzflügelkäfer) im Schweizerischen Nationalpark. Arthropoden wurden entlang von vier Transekten mit standardisierten Methoden (visuelle Suche, Karton- und Becherfallen) an 65 Sammelstellen in den Jahren 2018/19 gefangen. Insgesamt wurden 14 782 Individuen gefunden, die 248 verschiedenen
Arten angehörten. Die artenreichste Gruppe waren die Spinnen (86 Arten), gefolgt von den Kurzflügelkäfern (74 Arten), Laufkäfern (34 Arten), Tausendfüs sern (21 Arten), Hundertfüssern (19 Arten) und den Ameisen (14 Arten). Bei fünf der sechs Tiergruppen war die Artenvielfalt hauptsächlich von der Höhe der Sammelstelle beeinflusst. Dabei wurden
drei Muster von höhenabhängiger Artenvielfalt gefunden, bei denen die Artenvielfalt ab einer Höhe von 2200 m ü. M. abnahm. Erstaunlicherweise hatten Lebensraum- und Bodeneigenschaften einen geringen Einfluss auf die Artenvielfalt der verschiedenen Tiergruppen. Die Höhenverteilungen der verschiedenen Arten dienen als Basis für weitere Studien über Auswirkungen des Klimawandels auf die Verbreitung der Arthropoden. So zeigt ein Vergleich mit an den gleichen Stellen erhobenen Daten aus
den Jahren 1917–19, dass zehn von elf untersuchten Tausendfüsser-Arten in den vergangenen 100 Jahren ihre Verbreitung um durchschnittlich 161 Höhenmeter bergwärts verschoben haben. Tausendfüsser reagieren so auf klimabedingte Veränderungen im Boden und in der Vegetation.
93 specimens belonging to 22 species of myriapods (Myriapoda, Diplopoda, Chilopoda) and two terrestrial isopods (Crustacea, Oniscidea), representing 12 families and 16 genera. With these findings, the number of known taxa of these groups for Aitana increases two–fold, from 16 to 33 species, of which the number of diplopods increases from seven to 13, chilopods from three to 13, and terrestrial isopods from five to six, while symphyla remains at one. Seven species are first records for the province of Alicante, and six of these are also first records for the Valencian Community. Faunal studies are the first step for the protection of local fauna, its endemic species, and the unique enclaves they inhabit.
the Basque Mountains, is also extended to the Iberian System. The common and widely distributed in western Europe Polydesmus coriaceus Porat, 1870 and Propolydesmus dismilus (Berlese, 1891) are
also recorded, but only the first one was abundant in the MSS. We also include photographs of the habitus and gonopods of the species found, as well as illustrations of the sampling methodology and habitats. The results highlight the importance of surveying the MSS in different mountain regions in order to increase knowledge about the biology and distribution of species.