{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,24]],"date-time":"2026-09-24T23:11:39Z","timestamp":1790291499969,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":100,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,18]],"date-time":"2025-06-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1750204800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":17,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Ecology and Evolution"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,6]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>\n                    Troglobiont species show common traits derived from adaptation to subterranean life. Due to lack of light in cave environments most troglobiont species show eye reduction or even loss, often accompanied by a disruption of diel rhythmicity. Although cave adaptation and eye absence generally imply the loss of capability to perceive light, several cave\u2010adapted species have retained this function, showing some degree of phototaxy or rhythmicity. Flatworms are ubiquitous in natural habitats and the response to light or diel rhythmicity of surface\u2010dwelling species has received considerable scientific attention in the past and is increasingly studied. Conversely, responses to light stimuli have been poorly investigated in eyeless troglobiont flatworms. Here we coupled field monitoring and behavioural experiments to investigate phototactic responses and variation in diel activity patterns in the troglobiont eyeless flatworm\n                    <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\">\n                      <jats:italic>Dendrocoelum italicum<\/jats:italic>\n                    <\/jats:styled-content>\n                    . We tested 27\n                    <jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\">\n                      <jats:italic>D. italicum<\/jats:italic>\n                    <\/jats:styled-content>\n                    individuals from \u2018Bus del Budrio\u2019 cave, measuring their response to light stimuli in a semi\u2010obscured experimental arena under different light\u2010exposure treatments: dim light, bright light and darkness. Besides, during a 2\u2010year period we conducted 18 visual\u2010count surveys to monitor daytime and nighttime flatworm abundance in the cave. Behavioural tests showed that flatworms selected the darker side of the arena under both bright and dim light exposure, revealing a marked negative phototaxis. Field surveys revealed that flatworm abundance was significantly affected by the diurnal cycle, with a higher number of individuals visible during the night. These outcomes offer interesting insights on adaptation to cave environments, showing that key functions, such as the capability to respond to light or diurnal cycles, can be retained in troglobiont species and call for future investigation assessing the potential adaptive roles of these traits in mediating their exploitation of subterranean environments or their interface with the surface. Besides, this study proposes an effective in\u2010field method for conducting studies on subterranean fauna responses to light stimuli.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1002\/ece3.71584","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,18]],"date-time":"2025-06-18T22:21:14Z","timestamp":1750285274000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Light in the Darkness: Responses to Light and Diel Activity Rhythm in an Eyeless Cave Flatworm (\n                    <i>Dendrocoelum italicum<\/i>\n                    )"],"prefix":"10.1002","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Benedetta","family":"Barzaghi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of Milan  Milano Italy"},{"name":"Laboratory of Subterranean Biology \u201cEnrico Pezzoli\u201d, Regional Park of Monte Barro  Galbiate Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6071-8194","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Raoul","family":"Manenti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of Milan  Milano Italy"},{"name":"Laboratory of Subterranean Biology \u201cEnrico Pezzoli\u201d, Regional Park of Monte Barro  Galbiate Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3414-5155","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gentile Francesco","family":"Ficetola","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of Milan  Milano Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Roberta","family":"Pennati","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of Milan  Milano Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6783-1501","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrea","family":"Melotto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of Milan  Milano Italy"},{"name":"Laboratory of Subterranean Biology \u201cEnrico Pezzoli\u201d, Regional Park of Monte Barro  Galbiate Italy"},{"name":"Department of Botany and Zoology Stellenbosch University DST\u2010NRF Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology  Matieland South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_10_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3354\/meps10399"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1163\/156853974X00534"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/jez.1400080302"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/d13050178"},{"issue":"1","key":"e_1_2_10_6_1","first-page":"2","article-title":"Package \u2018lme4\u2019","volume":"12","author":"Bates D.","year":"2015","journal-title":"Convergence"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00360\u2010016\u20101000\u20106"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_8_1","first-page":"111","article-title":"Comparaison de l'\u0153il normal et de l'\u0153il r\u00e9gress\u00e9 chez quelques Carabiques","author":"Bernard F.","year":"1932","journal-title":"Bulletin Biologique de la France et de la Belgique"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1201\/EBK1578086702-c10"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0254027"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1242\/jeb.152298"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/d12100395"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1651\/10-3450.1"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_14_1","first-page":"5","article-title":"Comparative Studies in the Light Sensitivity of Blind Characins From a Series of Mexican Caves","volume":"89","author":"Breder C. 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