Endemic Species of the Maltese Islands

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1 Endemic Species of the Maltese Islands
Compiled by: Celine Bonnici Maria Ellul Mariah Micallef Ylenia Mizzi Gail Sant

2 Main Menu Introduction Flora Fauna Acknowledgements Bibliography

3 Introduction What is an endemic species?
An endemic species is one that is only found in a particular location and nowhere else in the world. According to most recent publications (2003), the endemic species of the Maltese Islands amounted to about 85. However, continuous research (including DNA analysis), shows that up till today, the endemic species amount to about 100, but the records are still not updated (Profs. P. J. Schembri 2011). The aim of this project was to gather most of the information possible so that one can use it for reference, for learning and to increase appreciation and pride among the Maltese people towards our natural heritage.

4 Endemism The Maltese Islands have a lesser degree of endemism than most comparable Mediterranean territories. This may appear strange at first since these islands are also the most isolated and thus would be expected to have a higher degree of endemism This situation has probably arisen due to the intense human influence on the environment and it is not improbable that some particularly vulnerable endemic species have been lost. Nevertheless the isolation of the islands has left its mark on our few endemic species, two of which are assigned to monotypic genera (= genera with only one species):  Palaeocyanus and Cremnophyton. Adapted from: Lanfranco E.: Why are the Maltese islands Unique? - The endemic Flowering Plants of Malta. Potamon, 1984, 13:p.71-72

5 Flora The Maltese islands, with their central Mediterranean location, are characterised by a flora which has affinities with the flora of the rest of the region, i.e. the western, eastern, and North African Mediterranean. The main resemblances are with the flora of Sicily (and in some case with that of the Pelagie islands). There are over a thousand species of vascular plants, of which about 700 are indigenous, over 200 are introduced species, and a few (about 25) are endemic or sub-endemic. The endemics (which are hence particular to just the Maltese islands) are either palaeoendemics, which survived only on the islands following a southward migration after the Ice Age, or neo-endemics, species which evolved as a consequence of isolation. Sub-endemics all have a restricted distribution, such as for example plants that are found only in Malta and Pelagian Islands and nowhere else in the world. These include the Maltese national plant (Palaeocyanus crassifolius), the Maltese cliff-orache (Cremnophyton lanfrancoi), the Maltese salt tree (Darniella melitensis) and the Maltese spurge (Euphorbia melitensis).

6 Fauna Relative to their size, the Maltese Islands harbour a very high diversity of plants and animals, and almost 4500 floral and faunal species (excluding marine species) have been recorded. Among these, 85 species are endemic. The most abundant among the endemic Maltese fauna is the Maltese wall lizard (Podarcis filfolensis), which actually occurs as five distinct subspecies, all of which are endemic to specific islands of the archipelago. Other endemic fauna include 12 species of beetles, 17 species of butterflies and moths, 5 species of flies, 2 species of ants, 1 species of grasshoppers, 7 species of molluscs (including the marine snail Gibbula nivosa which is so-called because of the hallmark snow-like white patches it bears on its shell) and the Maltese freshwater crab (Potamon fluviatile ssp. lanfrancoi). A subspecies of the Sicilian shrew (Crocidura sicula ssp. calypso) is the only endemic mammal and, interestingly, is only found in Gozo.

7 The Flora

8 Menu Bulbous buttercup Dense-flowered broomrape Maltese Cliff-orache
Maltese dwarf Garlic Maltese Everlasting Maltese Fleabane Maltese Horned Pondweed

9 Maltese Hyoseris Maltese leek Maltese Pyramidal Orchid Maltese Rock-centaury Maltese salt-tree Maltese Sand-crocus Maltese Sea-chamomile

10 Maltese sea-lavender Maltese spider orchid Maltese spurge Maltese stock White broomrape Zerafa’s sea-lavender

11 Bulbous buttercup Scientific name: Ranunculus bulbosus subsp.
adscendens form macranthus Family Ranuncolaceae Flowering in: March - May Threathened Menu

12 Dense-flowered Broomrape
Scientific name: Orobanche densiflora var melitensis Maltese name: Budebbus tar-Ramel Family: Orobanchaceae Flowers in: March - May Habitat: parasitic on Grey Birdsfoot Trefoil Rare, threathened Menu

13 Maltese Cliff-orache Scientific name: Cremnophyton lanfrancoi Maltese name: Bjanka ta’ l-Irdum Family: Chenopodiaceae Flowers in: early autumn Habitat: Cliff sides Rare Menu

14 Maltese Everlasting Scientific name: Helichrysum melitense Maltese name: Sempreviva ta’ Ghawdex Family: Asteraceae Flowers in: May – June Habitat: Cliffs of Gozo Rare Menu

15 Maltese Dwarf Garlic Scientific name: Allium lojaconoi Maltese name: Tewm Irqiq ta’ Malta Family: Alliaceae Flowers in: June - July Habitat: steppes and valleys Scarce Menu

16 Maltese Fleabane Scientific name: Jasonia (= Chiliadenus)bocconei Maltese name: Tulliera ta’ Malta Family: Asteraceae Flowers in: Aug - Nov Habitat: Rocky coastal zones Rare Menu

17 Maltese Horned Pondweed
Scientific name: Zannichellia melitensis Maltese name: Harira tal-ilma ta’ Malta Family: Zannichelliaceae Flowers in: Dec - May Habitat: freshwater ponds Rare Menu

18 Maltese Hyoseris Scientific name: Hyoseris frutescens Maltese name: Zigland Family: Asteraceae Flowers in: Mar - May Frequent Menu

19 Maltese Leek Scientific name: Allium melitense Maltese name: Kurrat ta’ Malta Family: Alliacae Flowers in: May - Jul Habitat: Rocky steppes Menu

20 Maltese Pyramidal Orchid
Scientific name: Anacamptis pyramidalis Maltese name: Orkida piramidali ta’ Malta Family: Araceae Flowers in: Feb – Apr Habitat: Rocky steppes Scarce Menu

21 Maltese Rock-Centaury
Scientific name: Palaeocyanus crassifolius Maltese name: Widnet il-Baħar Family: Asteraceae Flowers in: May – July Habitat: Mostly seaside coralline limestone cliffs Menu

22 Maltese salt-tree Scientific name: Darniella melitensis Maltese name: Xebb Family: Chenopodiaceae Fruits in: Oct – Nov Habitat: Grows mainly on coastal cliffs, but is also found in a few inland localities, especially on hillsides in Gozo. Menu

23 Maltese Sand-crocus Scientific name: Romulea melitensis Maltese name: Żagħfran tal-Blat Family: Iridaceae Flowers in: Feb – April Habitat: Grows mostly in rocky steppes and garigue. Menu

24 Maltese Sea-chamomile
Scientific name: Anthemis urvilleana Maltese name: Bebuna tal-Baħar Family: Asteraceae Flowers in: Spring Habitat: Mainly near the sea. Menu

25 Maltese sea-lavender Scientific name: Limonuim melitense Maltese name: Limonju ta’ Malta Family: Plumbaginaceae Flowers in: Summer Habitat: Mainly Coastal Garigue Menu

26 Maltese spider orchid Scientific name: Ophrys melitensis Maltese name: Brimba sewda Family: Orchidaceae Flowers in: Spring Habitat: Grows in maquis, garigue and rocky steppes. Menu

27 Maltese Spurge Scientific name: Euphorbia melitensis
Maltese name: Tenghud tax-Xaghri Family : Leguminosae Flowers in: March Habitat: Garigue Frequent Menu

28 Maltese Stock Scientific name: Matthiola incana ssp. melitensis
Maltese name: Gizi ta’ Malta Family : Brassicaceae Flowers in: March Habitat: Coastal cliffs Scarce, threathened Menu

29 White Broomrape Scientific name: Orobanche nana ssp. melitensis
Maltese name: Budebbus Abjad Family : Orobanchaceae Habitat: Parasite of Cape Sorrel Menu

30 Zerafa’s Sea Lavender Scientific name: Limonium zeraphae
Maltese name: Limonju ta’ Zerafa Family : Plumbaginaceae Habitat: Coastal rocky areas Menu

31 Fauna

32 Menu Cave-dwelling Woodlouse Cernuella caruanae
Common Maltese woodlouse DeLucca’s Moth Lampedusa imitatrix Lampedusa melitensis Leach’s Darkling Beetle

33 Maltese Blind weevil Maltese Door Snail Maltese Freshwater Crab Maltese Field Beetle Maltese Honey-bee Maltese Lehmannia Maltese Marmorana

34 Maltese Palpigrade Maltese Ruby Tiger Moth Maltese Slave-keeping Ant Maltese Spurge Hawk Moth Maltese Swallowtail Maltese Top-Shell Maltese Wall Lizard

35 Meadow Brown Painted Frog Pseudoscorpion 1 Pseudoscorpion 2 Schembri’s Darkling Beetle Schembri’s Spider Fly Scorpion

36 Sicilian Shrew Spratt’s Top Snail Tortoise Darkling Beetle Trapdoor Spider Trochoidea gharlapsi Tudorella melitense

37 Cave-dwelling Woodlouse
Scientific name: Armadillidium aelleni Feeds on: plant remains Habitat: in caves Menu

38 Cernuella caruanae Scientific name: Cernuella caruanae
This is a common, thin-shelled, Land snail from the family Hygromiidae Menu

39 Common Maltese Woodlouse
Scientific name: Armadillidium schmalfussi Maltese name: Hanzir l-art ta’Malta Feeds on: plant remains Habitat: in damp dark places Menu

40 DeLucca’s moth Scientific name: Blepharita deluccai
Maltese name: Bahrija ta’ Delucca Feeds on: various plants Menu

41 Lampedusa imitatrix Scientific name: Lampedusa imitatrix
Maltese name: Dussies ta’ l-Irdum Habitat: highly calcareous habitats Menu

42 Lampedusa melitensis Scientific name: Lampedusa melitensis
Maltese name: Dussies ta’ Malta Status: critically endangered Habitat: terrestrial Menu

43 Leach’s Darkling beetle
Scientific name: Tentyria laevigata Maltese name: Hanfusa moghza Habitat: found in gardens and the countryside. Menu

44 Lepthyphantes melitensis
Scientific name: Lepthyphantes melitensis This is a type of spider that has been found recently in Malta and Filfla. Menu

45 Maltese Blind Weevil Scientific name: Alaocyba melitensis
Maltese name: Bumunqar Ghama ta’ Malta Menu

46 Maltese Door Snail Scientific name: Muticaria macrostoma
Habitat: terrestrial Menu

47 Maltese Field Beetle Scientific name: Pimelia rugulosa ssp. leachi
Maltese name: Hanfusa tar-raba’. Feeds on: plants Habitat: country side in coastal areas. Menu

48 Maltese Freshwater Crab
Scientific name: Potamon fluviatile ssp. lanfrancoi Maltese name: Qabru. Feeds on: snails, tadpoles and smaller animals. Habitat: freshwater. Builds small burrows. Menu

49 Maltese Honey-bee Scientific name: Apis mellifera ruttneri
Status: threatened due to breeding with alien subspecies Menu

50 Maltese Lehmannia Scientific name: Lehmannia melitensis
Maltese name: Bugharwien ta’ Malta Feeds on: leaf litter and vegetation Habitat: countryside, especially in valleys Menu

51 Maltese Marmorana Scientific name: Marmorana melitensis
Maltese name: Bebbuxu tal-Bejt Habitat: calcareous habitats and occasionally on tree trunks. Has a thick shell Menu

52 Maltese Palpigrade Scientific name: Eukonenia christiani
Maltese name: Palpigrad ta’ Malta Habitat: found only in a cave at Girgenti Palpigrades are a primitive order of arachnids Menu

53 Maltese Ruby Tiger Moth
Scientific name: Phragmatobia fuliginosa Maltese name: Rubin Feeds on: Borage and bugloss Menu

54 Maltese Slave-keeping Ant
Scientific name: Strongylognathus insularis Maltese name: Nemlu ta’ Kemmuna Feeds on: the food provided by the ant Tetramorium semilaeve Habitat: lives in the nests of the named ant Menu

55 Maltese Spurge Hawk Moth
Scientific name: Hyles sammuti Maltese name: Bahrija tat-Tenghud Feeds on: spurge (larva) Habitat: garigue and valley sides Menu

56 Maltese Swallowtail Scientific name: Papilio machaon ssp. melitensis
Maltese name: Farfett tal-Fejgel Feeds on: rue and fennel (larva) Menu

57 Maltese Top-Shell Scientific name: Gibbula nivosa
Maltese name: Gibbula ta’ Malta Feeds on: Lesser Neptune-grass Habitat: Marine Menu

58 Maltese Wall Lizard Scientific name: Podarcis fifolenis
Maltese name: Gremxula ta’ Malta Feeds on: insects and small creatures Menu

59 Meadow Brown Scientific name: Maniola jurita ssp.hyperhispulla
Maltese name: Kannella kbir Feeds on: grasses Menu

60 Painted Frog Endemic to Malta and Sicily
Scientific name: Discoglossus pictus Maltese name: Zring Feeds on: vegetable matter and insects Habitat: fresh water localities Menu

61 Pseudoscorpion Scientific name: Chthonius maltensis
Maltese name: Pseudoskorpjun Menu

62 Pseudoscorpion 2 Scientific name: Chthonius girgentiensis
Habitat: Caves Menu

63 Schembri’s Darkling Beetle
Scientific name: Stenosis schembrii Menu

64 Schembri’s Spider Fly Scientific name: Ogcodes schembrii
This is a species of Dipteran fly Menu

65 Scorpion Scientific name: Euscorpius sicanus Maltese name: Skorpjun
Feeds on: insects and other small organisms Habitat: among leaf litter, under stones and sometimes in houses Venom is similar to that of a bee-sting in strength Menu

66 Sicilian Shrew Scientific name: Crocidura sicula ssp. calypso
Habitat: temperate shrubland Menu

67 Spratt’s Top Snail Scientific name: Trochoidea spratti
Habitat: terrestrial Menu

68 Tortoise Darkling Beetle
Scientific name: Alphasida grossa ssp. melitana Maltese name: Hanfusa tal-Fekruna Habitat: under stones in garden and in open country Menu

69 Trapdoor Spider Scientific name: Nemesia arboricola
Maltese name: Brimba tal-Bejta Habitat: constructs traps (nests) in palm trees Menu

70 Trochoidea gharlapsi Scientific name: Trochoidea gharlapsi
Habitat: terrestrial Menu

71 Tudorella melitense Scientific name: Tudorella melitense
Habitat: terrestrial This is the only snail with an operculum ‘door’ Menu

72 Acknowledgements We would like to thank all the people who have helped us to carry out this project, in some way or other. In particular Profs. Patrick J. Schembri and Mr. Edwin Lanfranco, lecturers at the University of Malta, who have kindly given us valuable information regarding endemic species. Special thanks also go to Mr. Stephen Mifsud whose photos were an asset. We also thank Mr. Stefan Scerri, H.O.D. of E-learning, who helped us in aspects related to ICT and Ms. Anna Spiteri, the Head of School, who gave us support and encouragement. Last but not least, we thank our Biology teachers, Ms. Georgina Muscat and Ms. Rebecca Grech, who have guided us throughout this project.

73 Bibliography Lanfranco E., Baldacchino A., Dandria D., Lanfranco G., Lanfranco S., Mifsud C., Schembri P.J., Schembri S., Sultana J.: Wildlife of the Maltese Islands. (eds. Falzon V., Sultana J.). Department of Environment Protection, Malta, 1996. Lanfranco E.: Why are the Maltese islands Unique? - The endemic Flowering Plants of Malta. Potamon, 1984, 13:p.71-72 Lanfranco E.: The Flora. Red Data Book for the Maltese Islands (eds. Schembri P.J.; Sultana J.). Department of Information, Malta, 1989, p.5-70 Groombridge, B. (ed.) IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland. Coastal Cliffs. Retrieved from The Endemic Fungi of Malta. Retrieved from