3-BIOGEOGRAPHICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE TERRITORY (FAUNA)

This portion  of the territory in the province of Trapani has maintained valuable wildlife aspects until the 18th century as it is witnessed  by the writings of different authors. Today it is possible to see among the invertebrates the Freshwater Crab  Potamon fluviatile fluviatile, some carabid beetles alcuni coleotteri scarabeidi, mantises;  among the vertebrates the  discoglosso dipintoDiscoglossuspictuspictus, the common toad, the Berger frog Bufobufo, Rana bergeri the Uzzell frog and the Sicilian natrice  Rana Kleptonhispanica,Natrixnatrixsicula, the Sicilian pond turtle Emystrinacris.

Among the reptiles the gongilo, the common three-toed skink, the wall lizard, the Wagler lizard, the western green lizard,il geco verrucoso, the common gecko, the bianco  maggiore, the red-eyed saettone and the Southern common viper. ( Chalcidesocellatus,Chalcideschalcides,  Podarcis sicula, Lacertabilineata,Podarciswagleriana, Hemydacyilusturcicus, Tarentola mauritanica, Hierophisviridiflavus,Zamenislineatus, Vipera aspishugyi )

Among the mammals the dormouse and the black rat, the marten, the weasel, the porcupine, the rabbit, the hare , the hedgehock, the wild cat(Heliomysquercinus,Rattusrattus, Martesmartes, Mustela nivalis, Hystrixcristata, Oryctolaguscuniculus, Erinaceuseuropaeus, Vulpesvulpes, Felissilvestris).

Birds deserve a paragraph apart. Among the predatory birds we must mention the buzzards (Buteobuteo), the kestrels(Falco tinnunculus) and the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) that nidificate on the walls. The lanner (Falco biarmicus), a minor eagle (Hieraaetuspennatus) and the  sparrowhawk  (Accipiternisus). The pigeon (Columbalivia), the dove (Columbapalumbus)  and the turtledove(Streptopeliaturtur) are also common, this latter in the summer.

The cuckoo (Cuculuscanorus), the barn owl (Tyto alba), the owl (Strixaluco), the horned owl (Otusscops), the owl (Athenenoctua), the nightingale (Lusciniamegarhynchos), Thrush (Monticolasolitarius), the river nightingale(Cettiacetti), the subalpine warbler (Sylviacantillans), the warbler (Sylviamelanocephala) the beccamoschino (Cisticolajuncidis), the blue tit (Cyanistescaeruleus), Great tit (Parus major),

 the Jackdaw (Corvusmonedula), the jay (Garrulusglandarius), the hooded crow (Corvuscornix), the finch (Fringillacoelebs), the goldfinch (Cardueliscarduelis), the serin (Serinusserinus), the wren (Troglodytestroglodytes), the blackbird (Turdusmerula), the magpie (Pica pica) and Sardinian fluke (Passerhispaniolensis), that nidificate on the rocky walls, a fact that is quite unusual for a markedly anthropophilic species. The quail (Coturnixcoturnix), the hoopoe (Upupa epops), the swallow (Hirundo rustica) and the tree sparrow. In addition to this,  the heron, moorhen, Kentish plover , the red woodpecker, the thrush.

Bibliographical references and websites

Naturalista sicil., S. IV, XXXII (1-2), 2008, pp. 3-60

www.comuni-italiani.it/081/clima.html