https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/15066 Tue, 07 Apr 2026 13:07:42 GMT 2026-04-07T13:07:42Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/15130 Title: The presence of Aglais urticae (Lepidoptera : Nymphalidae) in the Maltese islands Authors: Sciberras, Arnold; Schembri, Esther Abstract: The first mention of the presence of the Small Tortoiseshell, Aglais urticae, in the Maltese islands was by T.B Fletcher in 1904-05 who mentions that a specimen was "noticed" by Gervase F. Mathew on March 23rd 1892. It was also repeatedly mentioned by a number of other authors (as either Aglais or Vanessa urticae) (Bainbridge-Fletcher, 1904, 1905; Caruana-Gatto, 1925; P. Borg, 1932; 1. Borg, 1939; De Lucca,1950 and Sammut 2000) ) but considerable doubt was cast on the validity of A. urticae records, so much so that Sammut (2000) regards these as based on probable misidentifications. Sat, 01 Jan 2005 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/15130 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/15129 Title: Recent records of uncommon butterflies from the Maltese Islands Authors: Seguna, Anthony Abstract: The lycaenid butterflies Lycaena phlaeas phlaeas (Linnaeus 1761), Zezeeria knysna knysna (Trimen 1861) and Aricia agestis agestis (Denis & Schiffermuller,1775) and the satyrid butterfly Maniola jurtina hyperhispulla (Thomson, 1972) are recorded again after a long absence. Sat, 01 Jan 2005 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/15129 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/15128 Title: First record of Aleurolobus olivinus (Silvestri) (Hemiptera : Aleyrodidae) in Malta Authors: Mifsud, David; Porta-Puglia, Angelo Abstract: In recent years there have been a number of faunistic studies on the whitefly fauna of the Mediterranean Basin. A total of 56 species accommodated within 25 genera were recorded from Europe and countries bordering the Mediterranean Basin (Martin et al., 2000). The whitefly fauna of the Maltese Islands was thoroughly investigated with 13 species recorded (Mifsud, 1995; Mifsud & Palmieri, 1996). Mifsud (1995) suggested that other whitefly species could eventually be found in Malta mainly due to their typical Mediterranean distribution and availability of their host plant/so One such species, Aleurolobus olivinus (Silvestri), was recently collected in Malta and it thus represents a new record for this country. Sat, 01 Jan 2005 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/15128 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/15127 Title: A report of nesting on a Maltese beach by the Loggerhead Turtle Caretta caretta (Linnaeus 1758) (Reptilia : Cheloniidae) Authors: Deidun, Alan; Schembri, Patrick J. Abstract: Of the seven species of marine turtles in the world, five occur in the Mediterranean: the Loggerhead [Caretta caretta (Linnaeus, 1758)], Green [Chelonia mydas (Linnaeus, 1758)], Kemp's Ridley [Lepidochelys kempi (Garman 1880)], Hawksbill [(Eretmochelys imbricata (Linnaeus, 1766)] and Leatherback [Dermochelys coriacea (Vandelli 1761)] (UNEP/IUCN, 1990; Arnold & Ovenden, 2002). Of these, only the first two listed now breed in the Mediterranean. The Leatherback is mainly an Atlantic species that regularly enters the Mediterranean in small numbers and apparently used to occasionally breed there, although there are no recent records of it doing so; the Hawksbill is a tropical species that only very rarely enters into the Mediterranean, while Kemp's Ridley is an Atlantic species for which there is only a single record from the Mediterranean (UNEP/IUCN, 1990; Arnold & Ovenden, 2002). Sat, 01 Jan 2005 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/15127 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z