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Lorenzo Camerano (1856–1917) and his contribution to large mammal phylogeny and taxonomy, with particular reference to the genera Capra, Rupicapra and Rangifer

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Abstract

In this paper, we commemorate the professional activity of Prof. Lorenzo Camerano 100 years after his death on 22 November 1917, with a special emphasis on his mammalogical studies. Our two aims are to widespread some of his little-known results on the systematic and phylogenetics of ungulates (particularly of the genus Capra) and to increase knowledge about that particular period of taxonomic research in Europe before the advent of the New Synthesis. Of particular interest are some of the results concerning the recent evolutionary history of chamois in Western Europe. Camerano, through specimen-based research based on abundant material, was able to design a phylogeographic picture that was confirmed by genetic studies only a few years ago.

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Acknowledgements

Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) furnished an immense service to our research and Tommaso De Francesco helped in producing Fig. 1. Prof. Ernesto Capanna enthusiastically supported our efforts to honor Lorenzo Camerano on the centenary of his death. Prof. Maria Rita Palombo and two anonymous reviewers furnished valuable suggestions for our original manuscript. We would like to express our gratitude to Anton Baer for his professional language editing.

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  1. Società Italiana per la Storia della Fauna “G. Altobello”, Viale Liegi 48, 00198, Rome, Italy

    Spartaco Gippoliti

  2. Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic

    Jan Robovský

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  1. Spartaco Gippoliti
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Correspondence to Spartaco Gippoliti.

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Gippoliti, S., Robovský, J. Lorenzo Camerano (1856–1917) and his contribution to large mammal phylogeny and taxonomy, with particular reference to the genera Capra, Rupicapra and Rangifer. Rend. Fis. Acc. Lincei 29, 443–451 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12210-018-0686-7

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