Search results for "Maltese"

The late Pleistocene origin of the Italian and Maltese populations of Potamon fluviatile (Malacostraca: Decapoda): insights from an expanded sampling…

2017

Evidence available for most inland water and terrestrial organisms highlights the significant role played by southern Italy, Sicily and the Maltese islands as refuges during Pleistocene climatic fluctuations. However, to date, the hypothesis that these areas may have acted as Pleistocene refugia for the freshwater crab Potamon fluviatile has not been explicitly tested, and a recent origin of local P. fluviatile populations was proposed on the basis of a small set of analysed molecular data. We have thus expanded the currently available data set on the population genetic structure of P. fluviatile through dedicated samplings in Sicily (Italy, 18 specimens), the Maltese Islands (Malta, 15 spe…

First record of <em>Arctodiaptomus wierzejskii</em> (Richard, 1888) (Copepoda Calanoida Diaptomidae) from Malta

2020

Diaptomid copepods belonging to the genus Arctodiaptomus Kiefer, 1932 were collected in two temporary water bodies in Malta. The morphological identification of the collected specimens proved that they belong to Arctodiaptomus wierzejskii (Richard, 1888) even if a morphological peculiarity pertaining to the morphology of the male right antennule of the Maltese populations was observed and here briefly discussed. This finding constitutes the first record of a calanoid copepod from the inland waters of the Maltese Islands.

Dynamic accommodation without feedback does not respond to isolated blur cues

2016

Highlights • A new methodology is used to study a potential cue for dynamic accommodation. • We show that human accommodation is not driven correctly by defocus alone. • Accommodation is most efficient using changes in stimulus vergence with feedback.

Recensione di GAUCI C., 2018. Dragonflies and damselflies of the Maltese islands. Birdlife Malta, Malta: 1-150. € 20

2018

Reviewing the identity of the Maltese Polypodium (Polypodiaceae) – new evidence from morphology and flow cytometry

2020

The first record of Polypodium from Gozo (Maltese Islands) was described as a new endemic taxon, Polypodium vulgare subsp. melitense, based on its unique set of morphological characters. It was treated as a novelty and designated as a subspecies of P. vulgare mainly due to the lack of paraphyses, the presence of 10–16 annular cells, and a mean spore length of 64 μm. The fern was reassessed by us employing a more rigid morphological analysis and the application of flow cytometry. The absence of paraphyses was confirmed, but the number of annular cells (5–11) and the spore length (70–79 μm) differed from the previous study. These and other morphological traits, the phenology (leaf-shedding in…

Hierarchical structure of the Sicilian goats revealed by Bayesian analyses of microsatellite information

2011

Summary Genetic structure and relationship amongst the main goat populations in Sicily (Girgentana, Derivata di Siria, Maltese and Messinese) were analysed using information from 19 microsatellite markers genotyped on 173 individuals. A posterior Bayesian approach implemented in the program STRUCTURE revealed a hierarchical structure with two clusters at the first level (Girgentana vs. Messinese, Derivata di Siria and Maltese), explaining 4.8% of variation (AMOVA UST estimate). Seven clusters nested within these first two clusters (further differentiations of Girgentana, Derivata di Siria and Maltese), explaining 8.5% of variation (AMOVA USC estimate). The analyses and methods applied in th…

Making Bishops in the Malta of the Knights, 1530-1798

2015

During the early modern age the appointment of Maltese bishops involved conflicts in the management of ecclesiastical patronage, jurisdictional issues and international diplomacy. The procedure for appointment, established by Charles v in 1530 when he granted Malta to the Order of St John, was the result of a compromise: safeguarding rights of royal patronage without undermining the independence of an international military order. It is important, however, to underline the reforming activity conducted by bishops appointed in such political ways, especially through the application of some institutions provided by the Council of Trent, such as diocesan synods.

Analysis of the new submarine interconnection system between Italy and Malta: Simulation of transmission network operation

2016

In this paper, some simulations of the interconnected Sicilian and Maltese transmission systems are performed, in order to assess this new system configuration. The HVAC submarine interconnection between Italy and Malta came into operation in 2015 and is part of a European programme for transmission grid interconnection improvement. This new line has been built in order to allow a better management of the power system of both the islands. Firstly, a brief description of the interconnection system is given. Moreover, the transmission systems of Sicily and Malta are depicted and their structures are shown. The simulations are carried out by means of a model of the interconnected system create…

Influenza del genotipo per l'alfa s1 caseina sulla qualità del latte di capre Maltesi

2010

INTRODUZIONE I numerosi studi sui polimorfismi lattoproteici della capra hanno evidenziato per il gene che codifica per l’alfa (s1)-caseina (CSN1S1) 17 alleli: A, B1, B2, B3, B4, C, D, E, F, G, O1, O2, H, I, L, M, N. Tali alleli sono stati associati a differenti tassi di sintesi di caseina e classificati in quattro gruppi quantitativi: alleli forti (A, B1, B2, B3, B4, C, H, L, M) intermedi (E ed I) e deboli (D, F e G) che sintetizzano rispettivamente un alto (circa 3,5 g/l), medio (circa 1,1 g/l), e basso (0,45 g/l) quantitativo di alfa (s1)-caseina, più alleli nulli (01, 02 e N) che non sintetizzano alfa (s1)-caseina (1, 2). Le varianti genetiche per l’alfa (s1)-caseina influenzano in misu…

Bridging the knowledge gap on the distribution and typology of vermetid bioconstructions along the Maltese coastline : an updated assessment

2022

In the Maltese Islands, insufficient attention has been paid to vermetid reefs, endemic Mediterranean bioconstructions widely distributed along the southern part of the basin. As a result, this is a largely-overlooked coastal ecosystem despite the multitude of ecosystem services it provides. The perennial urban development in the Maltese Islands calls for the adoption of urgent action to protect coastal habitats, in particular bioconstructions that increase biodiversity and contribute to mitigating the effects of climate change. The objective of our study was to extensively document the presence and typology of the vermetid reef ecosystems along the coast of Malta and Gozo, assessing the oc…