Endemic Maltese wildlife
Encyclopedia
An endemic organism
is said to be found only in certain areas of the world. This makes the organism in some cases endangered.
The Maltese Islands, although small in area (316 km²), host a large number of endemic species
, some of which are unique and unusual. These endemic species are important to the Maltese Islands because they form part of Maltese national heritage and are topics of scientific research.
and freshwater
specimens in the Maltese archipelago, 78 species are endemic, a very good number considering the country's area. Only 4,500 species have so far been recorded, and others still await correct taxonomic classification, which means that there may be several more endemic species yet to be discovered.
Twenty-three of the endemic species are vascular plants and plants such as bryophyte
s, while the remaining 55 species are animal
s.
are found in Maltese waters, approximately 300 are not microscopic. Another example is that Malta
hosts a very peculiar plant known as the Malta Fungus - Cynomorium coccineum - and was previously thought to be a fungus
(hence its name of origin).
Some plants on the Maltese Islands are referred to as endemic which means they have no relatives elsewhere in the world.
Below is a list of some endemic plants (together with their classification) which can be found throughout the Maltese Islands:
in Gozo
which has been defined as a subspecies
of its own.
Below is a list of some endemic animals (together with their classification):
Organism
In biology, an organism is any contiguous living system . In at least some form, all organisms are capable of response to stimuli, reproduction, growth and development, and maintenance of homoeostasis as a stable whole.An organism may either be unicellular or, as in the case of humans, comprise...
is said to be found only in certain areas of the world. This makes the organism in some cases endangered.
The Maltese Islands, although small in area (316 km²), host a large number of endemic species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, some of which are unique and unusual. These endemic species are important to the Maltese Islands because they form part of Maltese national heritage and are topics of scientific research.
Introduction
Of the 10,000 estimated terrestrialTerrestrial animal
Terrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land , as compared with aquatic animals, which live predominantly or entirely in the water , or amphibians, which rely on a combination of aquatic and terrestrial habitats...
and freshwater
Freshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
specimens in the Maltese archipelago, 78 species are endemic, a very good number considering the country's area. Only 4,500 species have so far been recorded, and others still await correct taxonomic classification, which means that there may be several more endemic species yet to be discovered.
Twenty-three of the endemic species are vascular plants and plants such as bryophyte
Bryophyte
Bryophyte is a traditional name used to refer to all embryophytes that do not have true vascular tissue and are therefore called 'non-vascular plants'. Some bryophytes do have specialized tissues for the transport of water; however since these do not contain lignin, they are not considered to be...
s, while the remaining 55 species are animal
Animal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
s.
Plants
Maltese plants are many and varied. For example, most algaeAlgae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
are found in Maltese waters, approximately 300 are not microscopic. Another example is that Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
hosts a very peculiar plant known as the Malta Fungus - Cynomorium coccineum - and was previously thought to be a fungus
Fungus
A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...
(hence its name of origin).
Some plants on the Maltese Islands are referred to as endemic which means they have no relatives elsewhere in the world.
Below is a list of some endemic plants (together with their classification) which can be found throughout the Maltese Islands:
- Malta Fungus Cynomorium coccineumCynomorium coccineumCynomorium coccineum is a parasitic perennial flowering plant in the Cynomoriaceae, a family consisting of only one species in the genus Cynomorium. Its wider relationships are uncertain...
(this plant was formerly endemic to Malta but has now spread to other regions due to exportation from the Maltese archipelago) - Maltese Cliff-orache Cremnophyton lanfrancoi
- Zerafa's Sea-lavender Limonium zeraphae
- Maltese Everlasting Helichrysum melitense
- Maltese Rock-centaury Cheirolophus crassifolius (previously known as Palaeocyanus crassifolius, Centaurea crassifolia and Centaurea spathulata)
- Maltese Hyoseris/Gozo Hyoseris Hyoseris frutescensHyoseris frutescensHyoseris frutescens is a species of flowering plant called Żigland t'Għawdex in Maltese and Maltese Hyoseris or Gozo Hyoseris in English. This species is endemic to the Maltese islands, where it is frequent and widespread in Gozo but rare in Malta...
Animals
There are more endemic animals than plants in the Maltese Islands. Many a time, the animal in question has been confused with a different species from a close country e.g. the Sicilian shrewShrew
A shrew or shrew mouse is a small molelike mammal classified in the order Soricomorpha. True shrews are also not to be confused with West Indies shrews, treeshrews, otter shrews, or elephant shrews, which belong to different families or orders.Although its external appearance is generally that of...
in Gozo
Gozo
Gozo is a small island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Southern European country of Malta; after the island of Malta itself, it is the second-largest island in the archipelago...
which has been defined as a subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of its own.
Below is a list of some endemic animals (together with their classification):
- Maltese Field Beetle Pimelia rugulosa ssp. melitana
- Schembri's Spider Fly Ogcodes schembrii
- Maltese Ruby Tiger MothMaltese Ruby Tiger MothThe Maltese Ruby Tiger Moth is a moth endemic to the Maltese Islands which falls under the family Arctiidae.-General features:...
Phragmatobia fuliginosa ssp. melitensis - Swallowtail (Maltese subspecies) Papilio machaon ssp. melitensis
- Maltese freshwater crabMaltese freshwater crabThe Maltese freshwater crab is a subspecies of freshwater crab, endemic to certain areas within the Maltese Islands. It is very rare and its numbers have been decreasing in recent years.-General features:...
Potamon fluviatile ssp. lanfrancoi - Maltese PalpigradeMaltese PalpigradeThe Maltese palpigrade , endemic to the Maltese Islands, comes from the Order Palpigradi, a rather primitive order of arachnids. There are 80 species of palpigrade worldwide...
Eukoenia christiani - Maltese Wall Lizard (this species has many subspecies, four of which are endemic to the Maltese Islands) Podarcis filfolensis
- Sicilian ShrewSicilian ShrewThe Sicilian Shrew is a species of mammal in the Soricidae family. It is found in Sicily and Gozo . Its natural habitat is temperate shrubland.-Crocidura sicula ssp. calypso:...
Crocidura sicula ssp. calypso