Laura Beani

Associate Professor
Department of Biology
University of Florence
Italy

Professor General Science
Biography

Master Data: born in Florence, 20/1/1955. Secondary studies : Classic maturity. Degree in Letters at the Faculty of Arts and Philosophy at the University of Florence on 15/6/1978 with 110 votes and praise. Degree in Biological Sciences at the Faculty of Physical and Natural Sciences of the University of Florence on 8/7/1987 with 110 votes and praise and special mention of the Commission, with an experimental thesis on "Male Breeding Strategies in Two Varieties of Wasps of Genus Polistes ". Ph.D. in Animal Biology (Ethology) , obtained in 1992 with a thesis on "Sexual Selection in the Starna ( Perdix perdix ): Female Choice Criteria". Postgraduate scholarship : in 1993-94 at the University of Turin , Department of Animal Biology (Prof.C.Giacoma) and Institute of Anatomy, Pharmacology and Forensic Medicine (Prof.GCPanzica), with a program on "Bioacustics And sexual selection "in anuras and galliforms, with particular reference to the neuro-anatomy of the vocal system. Suitability of Professor second tier E02A (BIO / 05) - Zoology (02/04/2001, DR 984 of the University of Parma). Associate Professor (BIO / 05) at the Faculty of Psychology. Of the University of Florence, confirmed on 30/12/2007.

Research Intrest

The core of my research is the sexual selection , the evolution of those characters that ensure reproductive success and contribute to gender differences, morphology (gonadal hormones) as well as reproductive behavior, from birds (galliforms) to insects (le Wasp cartons Polistes , a study model privileged by many zoologists, starting with pioneering research by Prof. Leo Pardi). I have recently dealt with the theme of manipulating the pests' reproductive and social behavior by the hosts : the Polystes bears , if they are parasitized by Strepsitteri insects, do not reproduce or work for the colony but act as vehicles for the reproduction of the parasite (they become " Crazy wasps "). In this perspective of host-parasitic co-development, I have explored genetics (mtDNAs) and pest adaptations in terms of resource exploitation and host invasion strategies, on the one hand I have described the chemical-visual signals and The immune defenses of parasitic wasps. To my humanistic-scientific training I have an interest in the disclosure and the comparative animal-man approach: sexuality, animal mind, pet-therapy , game and dream, topics also subject to conferences.

List of Publications
Beani L; M Zaccaroni (2014). Experimental male size manipulation in Polistes dominology paper wasps: to be of the right size. ETHOLOGY ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION, pp. 1-15, ISSN: 0394-9370
De Souza, André R; Lino-Neto, José; Tibbetts, Elizabeth A .; Turillazzi, Stefano; Beani, Laura (2016). The leks of Polysty dominus paper wasps: tiny abdominal spots play a critical role in male attacks towards potential rivals. ETHOLOGY ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION, vol. ----, pp. 1-10, ISSN: 0394-9370
Cappa, Federico; Beani, Laura; Cervo, Rita (2016). The importance of being yellow: visual over chemical cues in gender recognition in a social wasp. BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY, pp. 1-8, ISSN: 1045-2249
Beani, L; Marchini, D .; Cappa, F .; Petrocelli, I.; Gottardo, M .; Manfredini, F .; Giusti, F .; Dallai, R. (2017). Subtle effect of Xenos vesparum (Xenidae, Strepsiptera) on the reproduction system of its male host: Parasite or parasitoid. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY, vol. 101, pp. 22-30, ISSN: 0022-1910
Geffre, Amy C; Liu, Ruolin; Manfredini, Fabio; Beani, Laura; Kathirithamby, Jeyaraney; Grozinger, Christina M .; Toth, Amy L. (2017). Transcriptomics of an extended phenotype: Parasite manipulation of the wasp social behavior shifts the expression of caste-related genes. PROCEEDINGS - ROYAL SOCIETY. BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, vol. 284, pp. 20170029-20170036, ISSN: 0962-8452

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