Insecta, Coleoptera, Carabidae, Trechinae, Doderotrechus casalei Vigna Taglianti, 1969 - It is a predator Carabidae belonging to the Trechinae subfamily; its genus is widespread in the central area of the western Alps (Cottian Alps). The genus Doderotrechus is phylogenetically very old, and it had representatives that lived already several hundred of thousand years ago, when the Homo sapiens wasn't appeared on the Earth. This insect is totally anophthalme and more specialized of the Duvalius, that show already traces of eyes; besides, the size is slightly greater (4-5 mm), the antennas more lengthened and the metabolism well adapted to live deeply in the ground. Doderotrechus casalei has been discover by Achille Casalein 1967, during search carried out in the "Grotta delle Fornaci" (Furnaces Cave)of Rossana, threated by a limestone mine, for to capture specimens of Parabathyscia dematteisi. Recently (July 2000) the author went back together to Achille Casale and Pier Mauro Giachinoin the Rossana Cave in order to capture living specimens for the documentary on the hypogean fauna produced by the Regional Natural Science Museum of Turin. We ascertained that this cavity has been damaged by the works of the overhanging mine and it needs prudence to go through it. Achille Casale has found the Doderotrechus casalei in the Partisans Cave too, in the same mountain, but higher in altitude; he found it also in endogean environment in the Valmala's beechwoods. The genus Doderotrechus groups also the species ghilianii and crissolensis widespread in hypogean and endogean environment in the middle-high zones of the Po and Pellice Valleys and the genus area extend from the slopes of the Monviso to the last mountain layers of the left side of the Maira Valley.

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