/library/oar/handle/123456789/35678 Fri, 26 Dec 2025 18:42:52 GMT 2025-12-26T18:42:52Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/15016 Title: Introduction and establishment of Phryneta Leprosa (Fabricius) (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) in Malta Authors: Mifsud, David; Dandria, David Abstract: The accidental introduction and establishment of Phryneta leprosa (Fabricius, 1775) in the Maltese Islands is recorded for' the first time outside of its native distributional range. This species has been reported as a major pest of Castilloa and Chlorophora in tropical Africa. In the Maltese Islands the species is reported to be well established in the Rabat area, where heavy infestations were observed on trees of black mulberry, Morus nigra. Sun, 01 Dec 2002 00:00:00 GMT /library/oar/handle/123456789/15016 2002-12-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/15015 Title: A survey of fungal diseases associated with Vitis vinifera L. in the Maltese Islands Authors: Tabone, Matthew Abstract: A survey was carried out between July and September 2000 in l'Ovineyards, (8 in Malta and 2 in Goro) to investigate which fungal diseases were present. Samples, which included leaves, berries and stems infected by the fungi, came from both traditional and modem vineyard cultivation. Pathogenic fungi identified included 26 different fungi belonging to 21 genera; 21 taxa were reported on Vitis vinifera L. for the . first time in the Maltese Islands. It was observed that the intensity of diseases was much more pronounced in the traditional rather than in the modem method of vine-training. Sun, 01 Dec 2002 00:00:00 GMT /library/oar/handle/123456789/15015 2002-12-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/15014 Title: A contribution to the freshwater macroalgal flora of the Maltese Islands Authors: Lanfranco, Edwin Abstract: A number of freshwater macroalgae are recorded for the fIrst time from the Maltese Islands.' These are: Tetrasporidium lundii, Palm ella miniata, Stigeoc!onium tenue, Monostroma bullosum, Spirogyra parvula, Spirogyra cf. occidentalis, Klebsormidium cf:jlaccidum, Tolypella glomerata, Vaucheria geminata, Vaucheria mulleola and Vaucheria verticil/ata. Of these the most biogeographically important are Tetrasporidium lundii which constitutes the fIrst record for Europe and the Mediterranean area and Vaucheria mulleola, which was previously known only from Swedish Lapland. Sun, 01 Dec 2002 00:00:00 GMT /library/oar/handle/123456789/15014 2002-12-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/14979 Title: Geochelone robusta (Adams 1877) : an insular giant? Authors: Thake, Martin A. Abstract: Giant size is probably plesiomorphic among insular giant tortoises, that is they are probably descended from a giant tortoise ancestor that reached the island overland or by making a sea-crossing. Geochelone robusta is unlikely to have evolved giant size in Malta as most of the known fossil European species of Geochelone were giant tortoises and the ancestor of G. robusta is thus likely to have been a giant tortoise. This species was a palaeotropical relict, that is a survival from the time, earlier on during the Tertiary, when the climate of the region was warmer. Geochelone robusta survh:ed the cold stages of the pleistocene and Quaternary because the climate in Malta during the very coldest stages did not include prolonged, severe frosts. Sun, 01 Dec 2002 00:00:00 GMT /library/oar/handle/123456789/14979 2002-12-01T00:00:00Z