PhD Student
Dipartimento di Ecologia Marina Integrata (EMI)

Genoa Marine Centre (GMC)
Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn–National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology
Villa del Principe, Piazza del Principe 4, 16126 Genoa, Italy

Tel.: +39 3451388765
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Skype: ilariadilauro

Curriculum Vitae 

Director of Studies: Massimiliano Bottaro
External Supervisor: Maria Cristina Follesa
Program: University of Cagliari, Ph.D. in Life, Environmental and Drug Sciences, XL cycle

Research Interests

Marine ecosystems are constantly threatened by human activities, particularly fishery, which alters food chains and shifts commercial catches to less valuable species, causing environmental and economic damage. While the impacts on mesopelagic predators are well known, those on cartilaginous fish, such as sharks and rays, remain poorly understood. These species are highly vulnerable due to slow growth, late maturity and low reproductive rates, aggravated by poor and/or absent data. This PhD project focuses on the reproductive ecology of key elasmobranchs in the Mediterranean, including the blue shark (Prionace glauca), common smooth hound (Mustelus mustelus), and common eagle ray (Myliobatis aquila). Objectives include: the mapping of life stages, characterisation of reproductive cycles, determination of maturity stages, identification of high capture areas and analysis of size composition, with a focus on neonates and juveniles. In addition, special attention will be given to the potential relationship between reproductive strategy and sensory system, examining whether and how reproduction is mediated by sensory organs. The study will also investigate possible anatomical and/or histochemical correlations between these two systems.

Selected Publications

Madia M., Bottaro M., Li Vorsi A., Castriota L., Cillari T., Amico M.R., Bizzarri S., Maggio T., Falautano M., Gristina M., Di Lauro I., Trova F., Perzia P., D'Ambra R., Casola E. and Sinopoli M., (2024). Reducing Artisanal Fishery Impact on Marine Community: New Data from Comparison of Innovative and Traditional Gear. Fishes, 9(5), 171.

Conference contributions

Trova F., Sinopoli M., Arpaia M., Di Lauro I., Gargano N., Amico M.R., Carbonara P., Casola E., Castriota L., Cillari T., D'Ambra R., Falautano M., Follesa M.C., Li Vorsi A., Madia M., Sperone E., Bottaro M., 2024. Preliminary observations on elasmobranch by-catch using innovative fishing gear in small scale fishery. 53rd SIBM Congress, 12/06/2024 – 13/06/2024, Rome, Italy.

Gargano N., Sinopoli M., Arpaia M., Di Lauro I., Trova F., Amico M.R., Bertolino F., Bizzarri S., Carbonara P., Casola E., Console S.L., D’Ambra R., Follesa M.C., Li Vorsi A., Madia M., Marsili L., Minoia L., Consalvo I., Mojetta A.R., Rinaudo I., Sperone E., Bottaro M. 53rd SIBM Congress, 12/06/2024 – 13/06/2024, Rome, Italy.

Li Vorsi A., Mazzetti M., Madia M., Amico M.R., Bizzarri S., Bottaro M., Casola E., Castriota L., Cillari T., D'Ambra R., Di Lauro I., Falautano M., Gristina M., Maggio T., Perzia P., Trova F., Sinopoli M., 2024. 20/05/2024-21/05/2024 Forum Nazionale della Biodiversità, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.

Arpaia M., Di Lauro I., Sinopoli M., Sperone E., Signore M., Bottaro M., 2023. Citizen Science: an important resource for elasmobranch conservation in the Mediterranean Sea. Citizen Science Italy (CSI) National Conference: The first steps of the national network, 24/11/2023 – 26/11/2023, Pisa, Italy.

Di Lauro I., Sinopoli M., Amico M.R., Arpaia M., Gargano N., Magnifico L.J., Trova F., Li Vorsi A., Madia M., Gristina M., Livreri Console S., Rinaudo I., Bonanomi S., Riginella E., Sperone E., Bottaro M., 2023. 25th Annual Science Conference of the European Elasmobranch Association (EEA), 18/10/2023 – 20/10/2023, Brighton, UK.

Di Lauro I., Sinopoli M., Amico M.R., Arpaia M., Gargano N., Magnifico L.J., Trova F., Li Vorsi A., Madia M., Gristina M., Livreri Console S., Rinaudo I., Bonanomi S., Riginella E., Sperone E., Bottaro M., 2023. 25th Annual Science Conference of the European Elasmobranch Association (EEA), 18/10/2023 – 20/10/2023, Brighton, UK.

Amico M.R., Sinopoli M., Li Vorsi A., Bizzarri S., Madia M., Di Lauro I., Arpaia M., Gristina M., Livreri Console, S., Rinaudo I., Bonanomi S., Riginella E., Sperone E., Bottaro M., 2023. The Marine Protected Area of Egadi Island as possible kick-off for concrete management and conservation of elasmobranchs in the Mediterranean. 82nd National Congress of the Italian Zoological Union. 19/09/2023 – 22/09/2023, Palermo, Italy.

Li Vorsi A., Bottaro M., Amico M. R., Madia M., Díaz-Delgado E., Gristina M., Minoia L., Di Lauro I., Sinopoli M., 2023. Mediterranean MPAs: threat, or opportunity for elasmobranch conservation. Preliminary results on a vulnerable species for the Egadi Islands. 27th Congress of the Italian Association of Oceanology and Limnology, 26/06/2023 – 30/06/2023, Naples, Italy.