Research
Currently, I’m working as Research Fellow in the Tropical Biodiversity Section of the Museum of Science (MTSN, Trento, Italy). Here, my researches focus on the Eastern African herpetofauna. I’m responsible of technical management and database updating of East African Reptile and Amphibian collections and up to now I’ve been involved in herpetological surveys in the Albertine Rift.
Before that, I obtained a bachelor degree in Natural Sciences in the University of Pavia (Italy), studying the reproductive biology of Vipera aspis Italian populations. In the same university I obtained my PhD in Experimental Ecology, studying the Austropotamobius italicus freshwater crayfish sexual behaviour. In the meanwhile, I continued to work as a herpetologist on many topics, and I’m still collaborating with the Laboratory of Eco-Etology of the Department of Animal Biology on a study of the colour polymorphism of Podarcis muralis.
I’m a member of the Italian/Spanish herpetology team who works since 2007 in the Socotra Archipelago (Yemen) to collect data on the herpetofauna of the area, in the framework of the “Socotra Conservation and Development Project”, founded by the Italian Cooperation – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and under the auspices of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with the aim of improving a sustainable development and the biodiversity conservation of the area.
My publications:
Zuffi M.A.L., Sacchi R., Pupin F., Cencetti T. Sexual size and shape dimorphism in the Moorish gecko (Tarentola mauritanica, Gekkota, Phyllodactylidae). North-Western Journal of Zoology 7 (2): 189-197 (2011).
Societas Herpetologica Italica (AAVV). Assessing the status of amphibian breeding sites in Italy: a national survey. Acta Herpetologica 6 (1): 119-126 (2011).
Razzetti E., Sindaco R., Grieco C., Pella F., Ziliani U., Pupin F., Riservato E., Pellitteri-Rosa D., Butikofer L., Suleiman A.S., Al-Aseily, B.A., Carugati C., Boncompagni E., Fasola M. Annotated checklist and distribution of the Socotran Archipelago Herpetofauna (Reptilia). Zootaxa 2826: 1-44 (2011).
Gower D.J., Papadopoulou A., Doherty-Bone T.M., Pupin F., San Mauro D., Loader S.P., Wilkinson M. The systematics of Boulengerula fischeri (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Caeciliidae) based on morphological and molecular data. Zootaxa 2767: 14-24 (2011).
Sacchi R., Scali S., Cavirani V., Pupin F., Pellitteri Rosa D., Zuffi M.A.L. Leukocyte differential counts and morphology from twelve European lizards. Italian Journal of zoology 78 (4): 418-426 (2011).
Galeotti P., Pellitteri-Rosa D., Sacchi R., Gentilli A., Pupin F., Rubolini D., Fasola M. Sex, morph- and size-specific susceptibility to stress measured by haematological variables in captive common wall lizards Podarcis muralis. Comparative biochemestry and physiology part A 157: 354-363 (2010).
Sacchi R., Scali S., Pellitteri-Rosa D., Pupin F., Gentilli G., Tettamanti S, Cavigioli L., Racina L., Maiocchi V., Galeotti P., Fasola M. Photographic identification in reptiles: a matter of scales. Amphibia-Reptilia 31: 489-502 (2010).
Riservato E., Greco C., Pella F., Sindaco R., Pupin F., Suleiman A. S., Fasola M. A contribution to the knowledge of the odonatofauna of the Socotra Archipelago (Yemen) (Insecta: Odonata). Zoology in the Middle East 50: 101-106 (2010).
Sindaco R., Ziliani U., Razzetti E., Carugati C., Greco C., Pupin F., Al-Aseily B.A, Pella F., Fasola M. A misunderstood new gecko of the genus Hemidactylus from Socotra Island, Yemen (Reptilia: Squamata: Gekkonidae). Acta Herpetologica 4 (1): 83-98 (2009).
Galeotti P., Rubolini D., Pupin F., Sacchi R., Altobelli E., Nardi P.E. Fasola M. Presence of rivals reduces mating probability but does not affect ejaculate size in the freshwater crayfish Austropotamobius italicus. Behaviour 146: 45-68 (2009).
Sacchi R., Pupin F., Gentili A., Ruolini D., Scali S., Fasola M., Galeotti P. Male–male combats in a polymorphic lizard: residency and size, but not color, affect fighting rules and contest outcome. Aggressive Behavior 35: 1–10 (2009).
Zuffi M.A.L., Gentilli A., Cecchinelli E., Pupin F., Bonnet X., Filippi E., Luiselli L.M., Barbanera F., Dini F., Fasola M. Geographic variation of body size and reproductive patterns in Continental versus Mediterranean asp vipers, Vipera aspis. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 96: 383–391 (2009).
Galeotti P., Rubolini D., Pupin F., Sacchi R. Fasola M. Sperm removal and ejaculate size correlate with chelae asymmetry in a freshwater crayfish species. Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology 62: 1739-1745 (2008).
Pellitteri Rosa D., Gentilli A., Sacchi R., Scali S., Pupin F., Razzetti E., Bernini F., Fasola M. Factors affecting repatriation success of the endangered Italian agile frog (Rana latastei). Amphibia-Reptilia 29: 235-244 (2008).
Sacchi R., Scali S., Pupin F., Gentilli A., Galeotti P., Fasola M. Microgeographic variation of colour morph frequency and biometry of common wall lizards. Journal of Zoology (London) 273: 389–396 (2007).
Rubolini D., Galeotti P., Pupin F., Sacchi R., Nardi P., Fasola M. Repeated matings and sperm depletion among freshwater crayfish Austropotamobius italicus males. Freshwater Biology 52: 1898-1906 (2007).
Pupin F., Sacchi R., Gentilli A., Galeotti P., Fasola M. Discrimination of toad calls by smooth newts: support for the heterospecific attraction hypothesis. Animal Behaviour 74: 1683-1690 (2007).
Sacchi R., Pupin F., Zuffi M. A. L., Scali S., Boncompagni E., Binda A., Galeotti P., Fasola M. Blood cell morphology of the Moorish gecko, Tarentola mauritanica. Amphibia-Reptilia 28: 503-508 (2007).
Sacchi R., Rubolini D., Gentilli A., Pupin F., Razzetti E., Scali S., Galeotti P., Fasola M. Morph-specific immunity in males Podarcis muralis. Amphibia-Reptilia 28: 408-412 (2007).
Galeotti P., Pupin F., Rubolini D., Sacchi R., Nardi P., Fasola M. Effects of female mating status on copulation behaviour and sperm expenditure in the freshwater crayfish Austopotamobius italicus. Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology 61: 711-718 (2007).
Sacchi R., Pupin F., Pellitteri Rosa D., Fasola M. Bergmann’s rule and the Italian Hermann’s tortoises: latitudinal variations of size and shape. Amphibia-Reptilia 28: 43-50 (2007).
Rubolini D., Pupin F., Sacchi R., Gentilli A., Zuffi M. A. L., Galeotti P., Saino N. Sexual dimorphism in digit length ratios in two lizard species. Anatomical Records 288A: 491-497 (2006).