Cave "Grotta della Mottera" - photo G. Vanzetti, 1993

The passion for Natural Sciences is but much more ancient and goes back to the first years of one wild infancy lived in a little country village; the Arthropods in a generalized manner have attracted to his attention since the beginning.

Then he was enrolled to the Course of Bachelor in Biological Sciences at the University of Turin. In 1979 there were evening courses and he has attended with profit the first year, but after he has had to abandon because of the fact that for the 2nd year weren't evening courses and on the job it was not possible to have the necessary permissions.

"Cave of the Archaeologists" - Vollein - AO
Photo G. Vanzetti, 1993

Bossea: The author on the "Loser Lake".
Photo G. Vanzetti, 1994

Since 1989 he attends regularly a course a year supporting relative examinations (currently - 2001 - he's preparing the 10th examination). A visit to the Cave of Rio Martino, in 1991, has been illuminant for his address of study, and the Biospeleology, with the study of the specialized Arthropods that live in the hypogean environment, has become its main field of interest.

Little after he has been admitted in the staff of the Scientific Station of Bossea, directed from Guido Peano, with precise biological assignments. He has arranged and replaced in function the Biological Laboratory that was abandoned since 1972. Here he's studying the fauna of the cave and he's taking care of the survival problems of the numerous Arthropods that he has transported from several caves of all over the Piemonte; many photos in this site have been performed in this laboratory.

At the same time the author has known Dr. Pier Mauro Giachino of the Regional Natural History Museum of Turin (M.R.S.N.T.) that has taught to him the first foundations to the Biospeleological search.

In 1993 the author has discovered the Leptodirinae Canavesiella lanai Giachino, 1993, new genus and new species, currently the most specialized of the Piemonte. In 1994 the author has discovered another Leptodirinae: Archeoboldoria lanai Giachino & Vailati, 1997, new species of a previously monospecific genus.

One of the first photos of Canavesiella lanai
executed in the "Custreta" cave in August 1993

During these years of search on the territory the author has carried to the light also new species of Crustacea Isopoda and Amphipoda, Diplopoda, Araneae (spiders), Acari (mites) and Opiliones of the genus Ischyropsalis, all in study.

With passing of the time, the author has felt the necessity of to specialize in one systematic group and has at first collaborated with Dr. Giachino for some short works on the larvas of Insecta Trechinae and on genus of Leptodirinae. Recently (december 2000) he has described another new species of Leptodirinae, Archeoboldoria pascuttoi, as co-author with Giachino & Vailati.

Crossosoma cavernicolum - Higher cave of the "Camoscere".

Recently he has decided, also thanks to the encouragement of colleagues and teachers, to begin to study the Diplopoda, group that in our Country is not more studied, althoug it having had in past celebrates specialists that unfortunately are by now passed to better life. He previews that within not many years it will be possible for him to begin to move the first steps in this very interesting study.

In 1999 he was enrolled to the S.S.I. (Italian Speleological Society) and he's associate since 1991 to the A.I.N. (Italian Naturalists Association).

Since 1999 the author is member of the "Société Internationale de Biospéologie" (Biospeleological International Society) and he has taken part to "THE XIV^TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM OF BIOSPELEOLOGY", in the marvelous scene of Makarska in Croatia, introducing one "demo" of the documentary on the Biospeleology of the Piemonte product by the Regional Natural History Museum of Turin.