https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/416 Sun, 23 Aug 2026 02:31:36 GMT 2026-08-23T02:31:36Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148517 Title: The variability of Heteracris adspersa (Redtenbacher, 1889) re-examined (Orthoptera : Acrididae, Eyprepocnemidinae) Authors: Cassar, Louis F.; Lanfranco, Sandro; Massa, Bruno Abstract: A new subspecies of Heteracris adspersa was described in 1978 on the basis of morphometrics and structure configuration of the male subgenital plate from specimens collected in Sardinia. The present study examines specimens (n=175) from a broad suite of localities, ranging from the Middle East across to the western Mediterranean. Statistical analyses are subsequently carried out on a revised dataset comprising 94♂♂ and 55♀♀. Microscopic examination of the subgenital plate is also conducted on specimens from Sardinia, Sicily, Malta and Yemen and compared with those published in the original description. Findings demonstrate that the subspecies massai is practically an artefact of unintended consequence, essentially a case of taxonomic inflation, in view of evident intra and interpopulation variability across a wide geographic area; consequently, H. a. massai is synonymised. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148517 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148513 Title: On the typification of Crepis pusilla (Asteraceae) Authors: Tavilla, Gianmarco; Lanfranco, Sandro Abstract: The name Melitella pusilla, basionym for the accepted Crepis pusilla, is lectotypified. The name was originally published within the monotypic new genus Melitella basing on plants collected by Sommier on Gozo Island (Maltese Archipelago). Specimens preserved at E, FI, GH, K, LY, MU, MW, VT, P, PI, SLA, VAL, WU, and Z herbaria have been examined. The lectotype is a specimen at FI. An earlier potential typification is dismissed, as the corresponding herbarium sheet bears plants collected on two different dates and is not therefore one specimen. Furthermore, M. pusilla var. laciniata, lacking any traceable original material, is neotypified with a specimen kept at VAL. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148513 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148494 Title: Form meets function : role of macroalgal morphology in structuring mobile epifaunal assemblages in selected algae from the central Mediterranean Authors: Borg, Emma; Schembri, Patrick J.; Evans, Julian Abstract: Quantitative measurement of macroalgal thallus morphology and its link with epifaunal communities remains largely unexplored in the central Mediterranean. This paper explores the link between thallus morphology and the associated mobile epifaunal assemblages of three common macroalgae native to the Maltese Islands (central Mediterranean Sea): Ellisolandia elongata, Jania rubens, and Dictyota spp. (D. dichotoma, D. mediterranea, and D. fasciola in mixed assemblages). We hypothesised that macroalgal species exhibiting distinct morphological characteristics support mobile epifaunal assemblages that differ significantly in structure and composition. Using a full factorial framework, macroalgal beds dominated by each target species were sampled from shallow water in three localities on the northeastern coast of Malta, using SCUBA diving. Dry biomass and fractal dimensions were used to characterise the distinct morphological traits of the three macroalgal species. A total of 85 epifaunal taxa were associated with Dictyota spp., 98 taxa with E. elongata, and 112 taxa with J. rubens. Excluding the disproportionately abundant invasive foraminiferan Amphistegina lobifera, 911 individuals were recorded on E. elongata, 1224 on Dictyota spp., and 2233 on J. rubens. Of the 152 taxa identified across all macroalgae studied, Arthropoda (44 taxa) and Mollusca (39 taxa) dominated, with individuals occupying the small inter-frond spaces as shelters that provide refuge from predators and hydrodynamic stress. Multivariate analysis revealed that the structure and composition of mobile epifaunal assemblages were associated with the interaction between macroalgal morphology and site-specific environmental conditions. The more structurally complex, articulated, calcified, and densely branched forms of E. elongata and J. rubens supported more varied epifaunal communities that differed from those associated with the compressed and leafier thalli of Dictyota spp., which were instead dominated by surface-associated taxa. Notably higher richness and diversity values were recorded in sheltered sites, especially in the case of J. rubens, showing that the effect of habitat architecture may be modulated by wave exposure. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148494 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/147682 Title: Quantifying the resilience of coastal phytocoenoses though a trait-based adaptation index Authors: Schmidbauer, Lena; Micallef, Greta; Buhagiar, Joseph; Lanfranco, Sandro Abstract: Coastal ecosystems, particularly in Mediterranean regions, are increasingly threatened by climate change and the associated fluctuations in salinity, temperature and drought. The long-term survivability of coastal phytocoenoses depends on their ability to adapt quickly to these conditions. Current assessment methods, often based on static inventories, may not capture the functional mechanisms. To address this gap, we developed a novel, trait-based ‘Index of Adaptation’, which quantifies how plant communities persist under environmental stress by measuring functional adaptation across sites and stress gradients. We hypothesised that harsher coastal habitats, defined by high abiotic stress, would necessitate a higher degree of local functional adaptation for community survival, reflected in a high index score. For our trait-based approach we quantified key morphological adaptations of coastal halophytes and xerophytes (e.g., leaf area, stomatal dimensions, trichome density, chlorophyll a content, epidermal thickness) during both the peak growing season (wet) and the peak stress season (dry). This temporal comparison is critical for distinguishing plastic responses from constitutive strategies. These data were used to define two metrics: A “Performance Score” (PERF) that quantifies the community’s physiological condition during the harsh summer period. It is calculated from trait values that reflect the capacity to maintain physiological function under stress. A high PERF score indicates a community that "performs" well during the primary annual selection bottleneck. [excerpt] Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/147682 2026-06-01T00:00:00Z