/library/oar/handle/123456789/14513 2025-12-28T16:14:31Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/14567 Title: Occurrences of Swarming Locusts (Orthoptera : Acrididae) in the Maltese Islands during 1988 Authors: Cassar, Louis F. Abstract: Two species of acridids, Schistocerca gregaria Forsk. and Locusta migratoria L., were recorded from the Maltese Islands during April-June 1988. These records were the result of stragglers reaching Maltese shores from the major outbreak areas in North Africa. The correlation of these occurrences with prevailing meteorological conditions and with contemporary records from the European mainland is discussed. The 1987-88 outbreaks in North Africa are also reviewed. 1990-09-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/14566 Title: A note concerning the scorpions (Arachnida : Scorpiones) of the Maltese Islands (Central Mediterranean) Authors: Schembri, Patrick J.; Schembri, Stephen P. Abstract: All scorpions collected from the islands of Malta, Gozo, Camino and St. Paul's belonged to Euscorpius (s.str.) carpathicus (linnaeus, 1773) ssp. candiota Birula, 1903 as used by Kinzelbach (1975) for populations showing a complex of morphological characters intermediate between E.carpathicus carpathicus and E.mesotrichus Hadzi. Similar intermediate populations are found in several eastern Mediterranean localities (Greece, some Greek islands and Crete)" however the Maltese populations are more heterogenous than any other so far studied. The literature contains records of other species of scorpion from the Maltese Islands whereas the collections of the British Museum (Natural History), London include specimens of Mesobuthus gibbosus (Brulle) reportedly collected from Malta. These records are discussed and it is postulated that they are either errors of identification or labelling, or else represent introduced exotics now locally extinct. 1990-09-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/14565 Title: A recent record of Uthetheisa pulchella L. (Lepidoptera : Arctiidae) from Malta Authors: Dandria, David Abstract: Four specimens of Uthetheisa pulchel/a L. (Eng. Crimson Speckled Moth; Malt. Farfett tal- Gnobbejra) were observed by the author in an uncultivated field at Hax-Xluq, limits of Siggiewi, Malta on 4th November 1990. The time of observation was 1400 hrs, and the moths were easily disturbed and took to flight for short distances. The field in question had not been cultivated for some time, and the only plants growing there were clumps of Brassica rapa subsp. sy/vestris (L.) Janchen (Malt. Liftija) and senescent Heliotropum europaeum L. (Malt. Gnobbejra bajda). The latter is the food-plant most favoured by U. pulchella (VALLETTA 1973). Although almost dry, the few leaves remaining on the plants bore signs of having been fed on by lepidopterous larvae. As the second brood of this bivoltine species occurs during October-November and the pupation period is generally about 30 days (VALLETTA 1973), it is probable that the four imagines noted, which appeared to be in good condition, had emerged fairly recently. 1990-09-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/14564 Title: On some previously unrecorded Blennidae and Gobiidae from Maltese waters (Pisces : Osteichthyes : Perciformes) Authors: Cilia, Joseph L. Abstract: Two species of Blennidae, Scartella cristata Linne and Parablennius incognitus Bath, and a species of Gobiidae, Gobius geniporus Val. are recorded for the first time from Maltese coastal waters. Previously recorded species of Blennidae and Gobiidae are also listed with some comments. 1990-09-01T00:00:00Z