Agnatha

Also known as jawless fish, agnathans have eel-like bodies and are distinguished from fish for the absence of jaws and mandibles.

Amphibian

Class of animals that can live on land or in water. An example of amphibian is the frog.

Barbel

A slender, whiskerlike sensory organ near the mouth of certain type of fish. An example of fish with barbels is the Black bullhead.

Biodiversity

The coexistence of different animal and plants species within the same ecosystem, the mutual interactions of those species creates a balanced environment.

Coloration

Colors and patterns of an animal’s skin, fur or plumage.

Deciduous

The term means “tending to fall off”, in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves.

Fry

Recently hatched fish that has passed the larval stage.

Gobiidae

The largest family of bony fish

Hygrophilous

Plant that lives and develops along waterways and lakes.

Indigenous

A species is indigenous if it originated and evolved in the region or ecosystem it lives in.

Labiatae

Commonly known as the mint family, Labiatae are a family of flowering aromatic plants common in the Mediterranean region. This family includes, for example, the lavender.

Microclimate

A local set of atmospheric conditions that differ from those in the surrounding areas.

Mustelid

Family of small carnivore animals related to otters and stoats, with elongated bodies, short legs, short, round ears, and thick fur. Although most mustelids are nocturnal animals, they can occasionally be spotted also during the day.

Omnivore

Animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter.

Perennial plant

Plant that lives more than two years, the term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials.

Pollarding

A pruning system involving the removal of the upper branches of a tree, which promotes the growth of a dense head of foliage and branches.

Sauria

Group of all modern reptiles that includes lizards, green lizards, geckos, iguanas, slowworms, common skinks and three-toed skinks, ranging from a few centimeters to three meters in length.

Spring well

A spring well (“fontanile”) is the result of the human intervention on resurgences, transformed into spring wells by the enlargement of the natural valleys in the land.

Springhead

The springhead (“capofonte”) is a portion of land where the outflow of resurgence spring water has been facilitated by excavations.

Stream bed

The physical confine of a stream or river.

Umbelliferae

Family of flowering plants common in temperate areas throughout the world. The defining characteristic of this family is the inflorescence, the umbel, with flowers aggregated in terminal umbels that may be simple or compound.