Malacology. Taxonomy, systematics, phylogenesis, palaeontology, biogeography and conservation of the non marine molluscs of the western Palaearctic. This line of research is concerned with revision of some critical groups of the Gastropoda of special conservation interest which belong to the Italian fauna (terrestrial pulmonate gastropods of the Zonitidae and Hygromiidae and fresh water prosobranch gastropods of the Hydrobiidae).

Fauna of Tuscany and of the Tuscan archipelago. Survey, monitoring and conservation of species of the so-called minor fauna (invertebrates, fish, amphibians and reptiles) and birds, with special reference to southern Tuscany.

History of natural sciences. Scholars and scientific groups active in Tuscany between the middle of the 19th and the early 20th century, including Giacomo Arrighi Griffoli (1850-1916), Silverio Bonelli (1840-1876), Marianna Paulucci (1835-1919), the Società Malacologica Italiana (1874-1895) and the Accademia dei Fisiocritici.

Annelid biology. Taxonomy, systematics, morphology, ultrastructure, biogeography,biodiversity and ecology of the Clitellates and other terrestrial, marine and freshwater annelids (Oligochetes, Enchytraeidae, Hormogastridae, Lumbricidae and Branchiobdellidae in particular) and of certain groups of the Polychetes of uncertain phylogenetic position (Polygordiidae, Parergodrilidae, Ctenodrilidae and Hrabeiella in particular).