tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1313513768925301402024-03-14T17:30:57.894+01:00Muticariaa natural history blog, with emphasis on molluscs, new publications, and MaltaDavid P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.comBlogger131125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-12412157839248624432012-12-03T00:00:00.000+01:002012-12-03T22:40:20.993+01:00Publications - update 4<span style="text-align: justify;">The ariophantid </span><i style="text-align: justify;">Hemiplecta belerang</i><span style="text-align: justify;"> sp. nov. from South Sumatra is described in this paper. It is compared with its closest congeners, from which it is geographically and reproductively isolated.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsb2kAhgZja2An-3dYG4n8RI6EnPeG35_UWMiDOYI1RTY1TOQS2f1Q_uupz5gCQFZgJEW3kmYfIRgoERxJt26b9HX6pHljJJe0HgjZFj-IRkRqyQZUNMYX-ZAfSiaGxF4ZBcSdUHCc45o/s1600/H+belerang+HT1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsb2kAhgZja2An-3dYG4n8RI6EnPeG35_UWMiDOYI1RTY1TOQS2f1Q_uupz5gCQFZgJEW3kmYfIRgoERxJt26b9HX6pHljJJe0HgjZFj-IRkRqyQZUNMYX-ZAfSiaGxF4ZBcSdUHCc45o/s400/H+belerang+HT1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Hemiplecta belerang</i> Cilia & Abbas, 2012 - holotype specimen </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5PdCAvnXrAbQZh5Bn4wxvrI2N7zuqD1fGBnfvoo5PljnAO7UEGXYriESwsacstTc8vGNHlsx9zaWiEMhzm2pqjUYZaSAZvRV3YoIlRswELDpeBG1lwPB_YKS4bNrK2-fkblni2HKzR8/s1600/Hemiplecta+belerang+live+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5PdCAvnXrAbQZh5Bn4wxvrI2N7zuqD1fGBnfvoo5PljnAO7UEGXYriESwsacstTc8vGNHlsx9zaWiEMhzm2pqjUYZaSAZvRV3YoIlRswELDpeBG1lwPB_YKS4bNrK2-fkblni2HKzR8/s400/Hemiplecta+belerang+live+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Hemiplecta belerang</i>, live animal photographed in type locality</span></div>
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Cilia, D. P. & Abbas, J., 2012. A new species of <i>Hemiplecta</i> Albers, 1850 (Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Ariophantidae) from Sumatra, Indonesia. <i>Biodiversity Journal</i>, <b>3</b> (2): 137-144. <a href="http://www.biodiversityjournal.com/pdf/3(2)_137-144.pdf">accessible here</a></div>
David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-2745462121650264452012-11-30T10:00:00.000+01:002012-11-30T10:36:34.533+01:00Publications - update 3<div style="text-align: justify;">
One of the several lessepsian species colonizing areas of the Mediterranean is <i>Brachidontes pharaonis</i>, a bivalve with the ability to form dense mytilid mats over a range of different mediolittoral substrata. Since its initial observation from the Maltese Islands in the early 1970s, the species has consolidated its presence all over the archipelago. Close examination of the entire length of the Maltese shoreline was conducted to collect quantitative and qualitative data on the mytilid and on dominant accompanying macrofaunal and macrofloral species, in what represents the first comprehensive mapping of an allochthonous species within an island territory. <i>Brachidontes pharaonis</i> was found to have colonized most of the northern and eastern coastal stretches of the island of Malta, preferring limestone substrata in inlets with limited wave exposure and affected by high marine concentrations of hydrocarbons and other pollutants, where it reached individual abundances exceeding 1000 individuals per square metre.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt1Wil9e56fyHGremlqbDxLzjkyOxfrdKFvpEpeMaVCu7wMt2yYySO0COOu7QoPxVtduo1mo6Zi_qE-uX-aQN7l4QSCi5p3OC9ut86B36rhTxdtR_XDfGxtyaFVrUNvepuHNn7Lg2yktE/s1600/brachidontes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt1Wil9e56fyHGremlqbDxLzjkyOxfrdKFvpEpeMaVCu7wMt2yYySO0COOu7QoPxVtduo1mo6Zi_qE-uX-aQN7l4QSCi5p3OC9ut86B36rhTxdtR_XDfGxtyaFVrUNvepuHNn7Lg2yktE/s400/brachidontes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">A cluster of <i>Brachidontes pharaonis</i> (Fischer, 1870) from a Globigerina limestone location on the Ta' Xbiex shore. Barnacles, patellids, chitons and coralline algae are also visible.</span></div>
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Cilia, D. P. & Deidun, A., 2012. Branching out: mapping the spatial expansion of the lessepsian invader mytilid <i>Brachidontes pharaonis</i> around the Maltese Islands. <i>Marine Biodiversity Records</i>, <b>5</b> (e28): 1-8. <a href="http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=8528254">DOI link</a></div>
David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-57545078723122483292012-11-29T09:08:00.001+01:002012-11-29T09:09:52.092+01:00Publications - update 2<div style="text-align: justify;">
The invasive <i>Melanoides tuberculata</i> (Müller, 1774), a freshwater and brackish water snail, is reported from Mosta and Baħrija in Malta. Shells from these populations are morphologically distinct from a population at Salini first recorded in 1981.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhK_Q_jjjG4duIGGXeGa6azluQjwba4DAV56eanPhV_Cbyji4PZHGjc-v6IKTSnuZxnhR5ScgUUSCph1lC3UL0awQIJEwOXjEkPtkLfgd0EduvwZlLyD6ESKh31oHeV_2j4UcjjtcexV0/s1600/melanoides.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhK_Q_jjjG4duIGGXeGa6azluQjwba4DAV56eanPhV_Cbyji4PZHGjc-v6IKTSnuZxnhR5ScgUUSCph1lC3UL0awQIJEwOXjEkPtkLfgd0EduvwZlLyD6ESKh31oHeV_2j4UcjjtcexV0/s400/melanoides.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Shells of <i>Melanoides tuberculata</i> from Malta - specimens from Baħrija, Mosta and Salini.</span></div>
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Cilia, D. P., Sciberras A. & Sciberras J., 2012. Two non-indigenous populations of <i>Melanoides tuberculata</i> (Müller, 1774) (Gastropoda, Cerithioidea) in Malta. <i>MalaCo</i>,<b> 9</b>: 4 pp. <a href="http://www.journal-malaco.fr/documents/MS64_cillia_2012.pdf">accessible here</a></div>
David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-84226686177712180442012-11-28T08:54:00.000+01:002012-11-28T12:57:36.655+01:00Publications - update 1<div style="text-align: justify;">
A new species of olivid neogastropod from West Java, <i>Agaronia johnabbasi</i> sp. nov., is described according to conchological characters. It is distinguished from congeners by means of its distinctive morphology and colouration.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-l1wTOXmc-YgSHzzZIluz6indYOttZ71igP7pMHpBywg0MzxmiLq14erg8lxqLMEE6UMap5ODhQiVSzMxxoQzpFpY4CfRDe3tg1y_3vqgnwWJf6IhKvN4j0vbjVjM1ipr4lZL2coAlE8/s1600/johnkochi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-l1wTOXmc-YgSHzzZIluz6indYOttZ71igP7pMHpBywg0MzxmiLq14erg8lxqLMEE6UMap5ODhQiVSzMxxoQzpFpY4CfRDe3tg1y_3vqgnwWJf6IhKvN4j0vbjVjM1ipr4lZL2coAlE8/s400/johnkochi.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Agaronia johnabbasi </i>Cilia, 2012 (left specimen). For comparison - <i>Agaronia johnkochi</i> Voskuil, 1990 (middle specimen) and <i>Agaronia nebulosa</i> (Lamarck, 1811) (right specimen). All specimens are from West Java (Pangandaran Bay).</span></div>
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Cilia, D. P., 2012. A new Javan species of <i>Agaronia</i> Gray, 1839 (Neogastropoda, Olividae). <i>Novapex</i>, <b>13 </b>(1): 33-36.</div>
David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-90149857347154221962012-11-27T09:20:00.000+01:002012-11-28T12:58:27.896+01:00New Sicilian landsnails<div style="text-align: justify;">
Two new species of land snails from Sicily have been described in the latest issue of <a href="http://www.biodiversityjournal.com/">Biodiversity Journal</a>. The first species is a clausiliid in the genus which is this blog's namesake - <em>Muticaria brancatoi</em> Colomba, Reitano, Liberto, Giglio, Gregorini & Sparacio, 2012, from south-eastern Sicily. It is the fourth described <em>Muticaria</em> and is a perfect illustration of the genetic complexity exhibited by island endemisms.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXy5fZvMH2GwcP6FCpNSKhWxqwKC3EDlhWOasLBR9heqXEiLwHELQ1Bw-LIREZapceCbuYIhCJJRlgOQUYVmUwouify15IyOYSUUgNQa9-ZcsS4nc5NHw4-NpZOx5InV7XnrD0LVUd-eY/s1600/Muticaria%2520brancatoi_jpg_20121119133335_Muticaria%2520brancatoi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXy5fZvMH2GwcP6FCpNSKhWxqwKC3EDlhWOasLBR9heqXEiLwHELQ1Bw-LIREZapceCbuYIhCJJRlgOQUYVmUwouify15IyOYSUUgNQa9-ZcsS4nc5NHw4-NpZOx5InV7XnrD0LVUd-eY/s400/Muticaria%2520brancatoi_jpg_20121119133335_Muticaria%2520brancatoi.jpg" tea="true" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Muticaria brancatoi</em> Colomba, Reitano, Liberto, Giglio, Gregorini & Sparacio, 2012</span></div>
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The second species is a slug, <em>Tandonia marinellii</em> Liberto, Colomba, Giglio & Sparacio, 2012. The description is included in a paper which also mentions the first finds of <em>Rumina saharica</em> Pallary, 1901 from Sicily, for which specimens collected by myself from the island of Marettimo were examined.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZjnqc0q4aj0PJ0QarSIj5iCnkkt0PT1HiHLd4Bu0YxAN1yp8YYd5SRyqczfoZdZte0fiecEm835Yb2DmKefxPHQMOt4V2YUFHC1sYufnW6bJeYNhSeIhyphenhyphen9SAxNmf-OBaImUCanjz1M8/s1600/tandonia+marinellii.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZjnqc0q4aj0PJ0QarSIj5iCnkkt0PT1HiHLd4Bu0YxAN1yp8YYd5SRyqczfoZdZte0fiecEm835Yb2DmKefxPHQMOt4V2YUFHC1sYufnW6bJeYNhSeIhyphenhyphen9SAxNmf-OBaImUCanjz1M8/s400/tandonia+marinellii.jpg" tea="true" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Tandonia marinellii</em> Liberto, Colomba, Giglio & Sparacio, 2012</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxMSOs5xl0ONXGURsynxTDV-YvMGaZ1pX5ieKTxjMwAVBw9Zr3DvrFlisbGwZ4-gHdEbyZg1YEXq70z_idv7AYHMWojNRFkZ_47aWoPpLRIdoTJALBtG8EgH374nkRFfDtHtRO_TVo0o/s1600/maretttimo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxMSOs5xl0ONXGURsynxTDV-YvMGaZ1pX5ieKTxjMwAVBw9Zr3DvrFlisbGwZ4-gHdEbyZg1YEXq70z_idv7AYHMWojNRFkZ_47aWoPpLRIdoTJALBtG8EgH374nkRFfDtHtRO_TVo0o/s400/maretttimo.jpg" tea="true" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The island of Marettimo, from where<em> R. saharica</em> has been recorded</span></div>
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Colomba, M. S., Reitano, A., Liberto, F., Giglio, S., Gregorini, A. & Sparacio, I., 2012. Additional data on the genus <em>Muticaria</em> Lindholm, 1925 with description of a new species (Gastropoda Pulmonata Clausiliidae). <em>Biodiversity Journal</em>, <strong>3</strong>: 251-258. <a href="http://www.biodiversityjournal.com/pdf/3(3)_251-258.pdf">accessible here</a></div>
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Liberto, F., Giglio, S., Colomba, M. S. & Sparacio I., 2012. New and little known land snails from Sicily (Mollusca Gastropoda). <em>Biodiversity Journal</em>, <strong>3</strong>: 199-226. <a href="http://www.biodiversityjournal.com/pdf/3(3)_201-228.pdf">accessible here</a></div>
David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-1283709091727155212012-01-18T16:14:00.000+01:002012-01-18T16:20:24.288+01:00Horticultural Wednesday I<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfBr61hiT51oQyg08NUql-tPcoSpSHVytgGlSPum8nDBhDKRoYb757s29b9OG_T7Ckq9nUDg2fZryED8Ghu9AxNw1PlMrxpohDGqMAeyzjXJbGyaehMSoaWTCvGHr4NDs-MdncMCRTPoc/s1600/IMAG0309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfBr61hiT51oQyg08NUql-tPcoSpSHVytgGlSPum8nDBhDKRoYb757s29b9OG_T7Ckq9nUDg2fZryED8Ghu9AxNw1PlMrxpohDGqMAeyzjXJbGyaehMSoaWTCvGHr4NDs-MdncMCRTPoc/s640/IMAG0309.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
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<i>Phalaenopsis</i> is a very popular orchid genus originating from southeast Asia, with several horticultural varieties. The fine specimen above was photographed in Puerto de la Cruz, in Tenerife.</div>David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-20813520492459781642012-01-17T18:38:00.000+01:002012-01-17T19:30:51.154+01:00Entomological Society of Malta - vol. 4 launch<div style="text-align: justify;">
Last Friday saw the launch of the 4th volume of ESM's excellent series of papers dealing with, as the name of the society implies, the entomology of the Maltese islands and their biogeographic context.<br />
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The event was held under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. George Abela, and three society members (including its chairman) delivered short speeches on the importance of scientific research, peer reviews, funding and the maintenance of high publication standards. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgok8ESANa7CcqhSOcpv63eQe6nmPABnoqlVZTugXKdo1D85NZVsNjOFCy8xhwqN8uG9avmptFSl3ZTnT7DWNL4P9Pt1M5TNJ2lvVWc9Al3oyL2qHnODciknYJ0fwkVoRQKfnDLS6tWbq0/s1600/IMAG0146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgok8ESANa7CcqhSOcpv63eQe6nmPABnoqlVZTugXKdo1D85NZVsNjOFCy8xhwqN8uG9avmptFSl3ZTnT7DWNL4P9Pt1M5TNJ2lvVWc9Al3oyL2qHnODciknYJ0fwkVoRQKfnDLS6tWbq0/s640/IMAG0146.jpg" width="476" /></a></div>
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The scope of the talks ranged from the general, all-encompassing importance of works by luminaries such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Planck">Max Planck</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Structure_of_Scientific_Revolutions">Thomas Kuhn</a>, to the specialized methodologies employed by scientists dealing in what the public may perceive as the "<i>dinja stramba ta' dud, nemel u nsetti oħra</i>" (lit. strange world of bugs, ants and other insects).</div>
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On to the main issue at hand - and its contents. This collection contains:</div>
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1) a catalogue of the aphid species occurring in Malta, with 48 new records, together with a list of aphid parasitoids, with three new records, and a new record of a coccid</div>
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2) observations and records of tachinid, rhinophorid and cecidomyiid flies from Malta and other Mediterranean areas</div>
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3) observations and records of nepticulid and pyralid moths from Malta</div>
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4) a catalogue of Maltese Scarabeoidea with eight new records, with a discussion on possible extinction mechanisms for these very interesting beetles</div>
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5) short features aimed at the younger demographic</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidvMVOS2pdZclEZRrn0gUKpB75AT71papXWXO1E8k1a_EmeP9t8enoW36paP5kix74E8vFUED4SOO0HwjkVd_sZVM9WJu3cwL2ibld5_xZM8y5ZoYesE5hPFpeaPQMNDrf6NXU-A7Lixk/s1600/IMAG0144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidvMVOS2pdZclEZRrn0gUKpB75AT71papXWXO1E8k1a_EmeP9t8enoW36paP5kix74E8vFUED4SOO0HwjkVd_sZVM9WJu3cwL2ibld5_xZM8y5ZoYesE5hPFpeaPQMNDrf6NXU-A7Lixk/s400/IMAG0144.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sample illustration - <i>Scarabaeus (Ateuchetus) semipunctatus</i> Fabricius, 1792 and <i>Scarabaeus (Ateuchetus) variolosus</i> Fabricius, 1787</td></tr>
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The <a href="http://www.entomologicalsocietymalta.org/">website</a> was not updated in time for the launch, therefore for more information on the society please contact</div>
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Dr. David Mifsud<br />
Entomological Society of Malta <br />
P. O. Box 9 <br />
Marsa, MRS1000 <br />
Malta </div>David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com209tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-51739660027489260322012-01-17T14:02:00.000+01:002012-01-17T14:05:06.526+01:00WordplayThe <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tag_cloud">tag cloud</a> generated by the local html programming on <a href="http://blogspot.com/">blogspot.com</a> invariably translates to the drab affair shown below, copied and pasted from my own blog.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3lc4cqOPPO2YfrGt3P2eoanaIE-pOXlIRRDsfvp4FwFn0uZkJPGuefAjdse9GAJkjlD-SpU96T8YmsvqOo1ybBtFnO3BCuXgPsZjcD0YsvhnVAlRtciBO-krLeiew64sBOvlJsJlu_EU/s1600/blogspot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3lc4cqOPPO2YfrGt3P2eoanaIE-pOXlIRRDsfvp4FwFn0uZkJPGuefAjdse9GAJkjlD-SpU96T8YmsvqOo1ybBtFnO3BCuXgPsZjcD0YsvhnVAlRtciBO-krLeiew64sBOvlJsJlu_EU/s320/blogspot.jpg" width="218" /></a></div>
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On the other hand, custom-built generators such as <a href="http://wordle.com/">wordle.com</a> allow users to tweak fonts and designs according to personal taste (or lack thereof) to achieve far more interesting, attention-grabbing layouts. Here's one I finished earlier, in true pop-art abandon (click on image for a larger view).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpiq4vxTTZJkStvPHHAQ6Zzz4d-AVD1-7-P6xOJ4wqgWGoLWsksPVxArUIgAoQ6mv1U_n8CX-CRKr89HM6PyySR1f94YRU-ggUQkRNVysXCUhze_sUxyTVSRJZDTwuJrVnQj1kqDGnCQk/s1600/wordle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpiq4vxTTZJkStvPHHAQ6Zzz4d-AVD1-7-P6xOJ4wqgWGoLWsksPVxArUIgAoQ6mv1U_n8CX-CRKr89HM6PyySR1f94YRU-ggUQkRNVysXCUhze_sUxyTVSRJZDTwuJrVnQj1kqDGnCQk/s400/wordle.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-32734605575230773652012-01-12T21:26:00.000+01:002012-01-12T21:32:03.370+01:00Death of a Phoenix<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">
Palms are a common sight in Malta, with the warm temperatures affecting the islands throughout most of the year being a perfect catalyst for their growth and proliferation. This said, indigenous species amount to just one - the low-growing, bushy<i> Chamaerops humilis</i> L., now practically extinct in the wild.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://schoolnet.gov.mt/tanti/FloraImages/dwarf%20palm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Chamaerops humilis</i> L., photographed by <a href="http://schoolnet.gov.mt/tanti/">Aron Tanti</a></td></tr>
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The recent invasion of the red palm weevil <i>Rhynchophorus ferrugineus</i> (Olivier, 1790) has affected several of the ornamental palms of the genus <i>Phoenix</i>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZuPmlXmPfGBJHUfMTgqAXnXIF5piRkcXIi_GqtNQrwWiTGCO3MS54Ar0tA9iyIjbNf-mHYcoQC65ibpr-bbdzY8LjqW1-4tn6nf0SB_ldeTBl65a5MsgG8bByfKHL7KwcF_bNhPgri3w/s1600/ferrugineus.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZuPmlXmPfGBJHUfMTgqAXnXIF5piRkcXIi_GqtNQrwWiTGCO3MS54Ar0tA9iyIjbNf-mHYcoQC65ibpr-bbdzY8LjqW1-4tn6nf0SB_ldeTBl65a5MsgG8bByfKHL7KwcF_bNhPgri3w/s320/ferrugineus.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Rhynchophorus ferrugineus</i> (Olivier, 1790) from <a href="http://www.cm-oaz.pt/">www.cm-oaz.pt</a></td></tr>
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The date palm, <i>Phoenix dactylifera</i> L., is a historically <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jun/13/science/sci-methuselah13">important</a> North African species that may be distinguished by leaves arranged in wide silvery fronds. The picture beneath shows this species of palm affected by the <i>Rhynchophorus</i> beetle.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdouXCIX0MaRZhvDYee88CPbVc5VlYhdi2mywOF0pi4PWYhfMISqydNPgWHPi3zQfF5ZIch8hFDvPLgGFa53Nt9gzd2LY5nr8Q9714g0QaLxgcnUp7JkquA9iIEYPyz_GCC3k1wiOTqe0/s1600/IMAG0668.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdouXCIX0MaRZhvDYee88CPbVc5VlYhdi2mywOF0pi4PWYhfMISqydNPgWHPi3zQfF5ZIch8hFDvPLgGFa53Nt9gzd2LY5nr8Q9714g0QaLxgcnUp7JkquA9iIEYPyz_GCC3k1wiOTqe0/s400/IMAG0668.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Phoenix dactylifera</i> L. affected by the red palm weevil in Santa Venera, Malta</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSeMjuQVmt9bTCIGepg_7_xcPyLTKoUt2k2Xm5m2EPnlLtV8ZDpk8R1cNs68GN9mOtlVdHEghlzjPpdJ0F9AEz1HsvKrvuhCqvnsSxNRUVitgUaPb8sYe76uFa_ABiHIaAc-sjEjngqpk/s640/PB221294.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Phoenix</i> sp. in Rome, Italy, with the one on the right showing symptoms of red palm weevil infestation</td></tr>
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<i>Phoenix canariensis</i> Chabaud is a Canarian endemic which is frequently planted around the Mediterranean, not least in Malta. Unfortunately it is also affected by the weevil in question and several stately specimens from around the island have been destroyed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPseRvVgMJHI0xRFMRU1HDfwaFFyF4rpunQ_bWcDJqj_C6eJazCNOLxXQ656w7TIfzSUZ4QZgo2gJjIonZqEDbeFAuCEHb6zEJCZ7U6Z9GLOaM1T8cIcFIZFN2RTxAVIbqe7zv4mYj2dk/s1600/IMAG0408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPseRvVgMJHI0xRFMRU1HDfwaFFyF4rpunQ_bWcDJqj_C6eJazCNOLxXQ656w7TIfzSUZ4QZgo2gJjIonZqEDbeFAuCEHb6zEJCZ7U6Z9GLOaM1T8cIcFIZFN2RTxAVIbqe7zv4mYj2dk/s640/IMAG0408.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Phoenix canariensis</i> Chabaud in the main road of Floriana, Malta</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXToC50LKdu7FJ3cKXGRjCP-z3y6zlBBLjOOFBxiBXpmN1eIzZG41XKUQPGhmBpJKBpPHNX1n0xt7VQYGAYTkRGLthDKyJIveSPWJKIlDjQtI48oaJ9lvwEi-d64BLfzlkqW3uCQ76i2c/s1600/IMAG0120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXToC50LKdu7FJ3cKXGRjCP-z3y6zlBBLjOOFBxiBXpmN1eIzZG41XKUQPGhmBpJKBpPHNX1n0xt7VQYGAYTkRGLthDKyJIveSPWJKIlDjQtI48oaJ9lvwEi-d64BLfzlkqW3uCQ76i2c/s640/IMAG0120.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The inhabitants of Tenerife certainly make excellent use of their endemic palm species!</td></tr>
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</div>David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-45692959275551567112012-01-11T11:13:00.001+01:002012-01-11T11:13:39.395+01:00Steno on Google<div style="text-align: justify;">
The 374th anniversary of birth of the 'father of geology' Nicolaus Stensen, better known by his latinized name Nicolas Steno, is commemorated today on <a href="http://www.google.com/">Google</a> with a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Doodle#Google_Doodle">doodle</a> showing a stylized stratigraphic section similar to what he may have encountered to come up with his conclusions.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6fB2v-r6hrEDx3LcBxw9A_8g-HWH-Nh-wYgdn9npejsHqZcAr6gh7DJRidlnQYZvmV-uYNjxq0LwLe2ESO5PYFg8SiQNrYEi0uOnjUkbVEhESDTFad2-mONwKVP-Td6EwshO57egkQGw/s1600/google+steno.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="91" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6fB2v-r6hrEDx3LcBxw9A_8g-HWH-Nh-wYgdn9npejsHqZcAr6gh7DJRidlnQYZvmV-uYNjxq0LwLe2ESO5PYFg8SiQNrYEi0uOnjUkbVEhESDTFad2-mONwKVP-Td6EwshO57egkQGw/s320/google+steno.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Steno was featured on this blog together with his contemporary Agostino Scilla in a <a href="http://muticaria.blogspot.com/2010/05/sharks-in-malta-part-i-l-ilsna-ta-san.html">post</a> from 2010.</div>David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-4596238311689629932011-10-10T23:23:00.004+02:002011-10-10T23:39:56.351+02:00Nature class<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ETnqTtzXJQaag3sMn70q146b930gFpgkhhis1p4Xh2oB7fwaB13hqwI1dVEnP14doL19LTY5OEWQ7nReAgn3tzRl-OwwRo_Cx5f-gzFaxOBKlAyGjvcEjbd3IZqIY2l-yxs3GE4FPJw/s1600/IMAG0532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ETnqTtzXJQaag3sMn70q146b930gFpgkhhis1p4Xh2oB7fwaB13hqwI1dVEnP14doL19LTY5OEWQ7nReAgn3tzRl-OwwRo_Cx5f-gzFaxOBKlAyGjvcEjbd3IZqIY2l-yxs3GE4FPJw/s400/IMAG0532.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDdjQUOVdmdpboVwg3sC-YGJfZ5sIKw9tbTzLwdmXLyIsVnIquKe4GLKaufTKAwWgdFGMaakaFlixygNLO-G9x9BwzJ3ZG0Dp-bHkGBm9CJl2qYIUHSmuV960QQZxk7wbmbrBingtQAzc/s1600/IMAG0533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDdjQUOVdmdpboVwg3sC-YGJfZ5sIKw9tbTzLwdmXLyIsVnIquKe4GLKaufTKAwWgdFGMaakaFlixygNLO-G9x9BwzJ3ZG0Dp-bHkGBm9CJl2qYIUHSmuV960QQZxk7wbmbrBingtQAzc/s400/IMAG0533.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Juniper, yew, spruce and other specimens with textbook shown below, for observation during a lesson. Photos taken at the <a href="http://www.zslesni.cz/">Základní škola Lesní</a> (an elementary school in Liberec, the Czech Republic).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPeivm4qoh9acgIJnBv39yljtn70zMucX2V5UWPmeoeMlcSfTcYGsG2fzL232V-L61jXtb8yalff8TDtIfjoVektgFswbC93kF6LFtyZcIV1TOokDBkLfbmvCW_ELry2EeR0O-UylXWk/s1600/IMAG0527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPeivm4qoh9acgIJnBv39yljtn70zMucX2V5UWPmeoeMlcSfTcYGsG2fzL232V-L61jXtb8yalff8TDtIfjoVektgFswbC93kF6LFtyZcIV1TOokDBkLfbmvCW_ELry2EeR0O-UylXWk/s400/IMAG0527.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2NvbnFyziVMVnoV63bxaqdYQir4YvKgaA44kRRt8_Tdo798UiSFXjgsZ9S5tGy_ABIRm2CSZL7NA5_Vkf8qrpBc4W_vos1s9fuLFENlzIudqL6AYjSVM-PUGzI4HoA-FQjd7Eq_wuv8/s1600/IMAG0528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2NvbnFyziVMVnoV63bxaqdYQir4YvKgaA44kRRt8_Tdo798UiSFXjgsZ9S5tGy_ABIRm2CSZL7NA5_Vkf8qrpBc4W_vos1s9fuLFENlzIudqL6AYjSVM-PUGzI4HoA-FQjd7Eq_wuv8/s400/IMAG0528.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
The school logo is also a conifer, albeit a highly anthropomorphized version:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_MjqW9eAY_96bWnDqejzO4KD7jdB4332fQrrwjjGd_3t53N4gIIobDE_vhpNT330dq5l-BSflGqBoa-Rd-H6ncX6Plq8DABf4DTAdFh2bCG-1NQGveKriiTWkp0bUtAUotRotIOx_pL0/s1600/IMAG0539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_MjqW9eAY_96bWnDqejzO4KD7jdB4332fQrrwjjGd_3t53N4gIIobDE_vhpNT330dq5l-BSflGqBoa-Rd-H6ncX6Plq8DABf4DTAdFh2bCG-1NQGveKriiTWkp0bUtAUotRotIOx_pL0/s400/IMAG0539.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
</div>David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-64430882045977613732011-10-09T12:08:00.002+02:002011-10-09T12:09:59.664+02:00Field biology course for educators<div class="default_top_margin" style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>A group of 27 biology teachers from Church schools recently attended a week-long course in field biology jointly organised by the University’s Department of Biology and the Curia’s Secretariat for Education at the University.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>The course was aimed at updating educators on methodology related to fieldwork organisation.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>It is widely recognised that the teaching of biology is most enriching and interesting for students when the learning process takes place ‘outside the classroom’ and in a ‘real world’ setting.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>The course consisted of lectures, fieldwork and laboratory sessions, with a focus on the Maltese environment. During the week, participants had the opportunity to put theoretical knowledge into practice through planning and preparation for fieldwork, surveying, sampling and data collection, and processing of the data collected.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Topics covered during the course were related to shore and terrestrial ecology.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>During the shore ecology fieldwork, held on the Għallis coast, participants identified flora and fauna that inhabit rocky shores, and collected data on the abundance of selected fauna. During the terrestrial ecology fieldwork, held at Clapham Junction and Buskett, participants observed typical Mediterranean vegetation communities: garigue, steppe, maquis, and woodland.</i></div></blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>The knowledge and applications learnt during the marine and terrestrial fieldwork sessions was synthesised during a site visit to Għajn Tuffieħa.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>A variety of habitats was explored there, ranging from banquettes of Posidonia oceanica wrack deposited on the sandy beach, to the terrestrial boulder scree that constitutes the typical Maltese rdum habitat.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>The lectures, field and laboratory sessions were led by Joseph Borg, Patrick Schembri and Sandro Lanfranco from the University’s Biology Department.</i></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQS68HS6vdDUG0oxqXH4Ae4ZFTdiSQan-yJ3NS_7InmpHrLF9AOfbfSLa_SLEJJ-y-T1Esci-mWJ-Zf5mcegFRbdL0Jlu8xfYPmWt43wHE-uriBkKQoVax6_mbALlthLU_iApO-_M2gGo/s1600/biofw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQS68HS6vdDUG0oxqXH4Ae4ZFTdiSQan-yJ3NS_7InmpHrLF9AOfbfSLa_SLEJJ-y-T1Esci-mWJ-Zf5mcegFRbdL0Jlu8xfYPmWt43wHE-uriBkKQoVax6_mbALlthLU_iApO-_M2gGo/s400/biofw.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: red;">Originally published in <a href="http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20111009/education/Field-biology-course-for-educators.388292"><i>The Sunday Times</i>, 9.X.2011. </a></b></div></div>David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-35895657713515643892011-10-05T23:02:00.000+02:002011-10-05T23:02:32.904+02:00Ups and downs<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2iNdPytfTtmOmwGqMVz8uBGMJ4ua058qysnY3WH3GOkuzS4Exskc6dQ5NZYpqW5sE8eRK3rOpvF1q1pNfHR1EjoSCxVZPWH_f4QGvwWgoxFseOBKe6aeq7Va7kaihIY3sWUm_kyu2ZM/s1600/P8040684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2iNdPytfTtmOmwGqMVz8uBGMJ4ua058qysnY3WH3GOkuzS4Exskc6dQ5NZYpqW5sE8eRK3rOpvF1q1pNfHR1EjoSCxVZPWH_f4QGvwWgoxFseOBKe6aeq7Va7kaihIY3sWUm_kyu2ZM/s400/P8040684.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">down by cable car from Ještěd, the highest mountain of the Czech Republic</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXdjxWu2lNX4Q0XmYGk3Edvb7A-HZVM1LJt_lzU-zNXLjGa0Jzx__RPwcbYurktAq68PJpyx2FMS7sZs6S0LrA4U3EdtKoFIa7zoxtleL3PFpRTsjGT4B29aqKkI_qNGsYDTk7bWBaUk/s1600/P8050728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXdjxWu2lNX4Q0XmYGk3Edvb7A-HZVM1LJt_lzU-zNXLjGa0Jzx__RPwcbYurktAq68PJpyx2FMS7sZs6S0LrA4U3EdtKoFIa7zoxtleL3PFpRTsjGT4B29aqKkI_qNGsYDTk7bWBaUk/s400/P8050728.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">stream in statek Ondříkovice, Frýdštejn, Czech Republic</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52n88C7qhF24d8dschvvXfPRAgO8L1Yvw1_jp_JQNufeEA01w8-EomU_qAsw9OQ11uaeMJ7KuAGTze8FIbS98YYe1SXNTGDHa8NeQA9xa1Uapyu_uYISA8t9D5GTwyfy0G3Ip0b6G4H0/s1600/P8050788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52n88C7qhF24d8dschvvXfPRAgO8L1Yvw1_jp_JQNufeEA01w8-EomU_qAsw9OQ11uaeMJ7KuAGTze8FIbS98YYe1SXNTGDHa8NeQA9xa1Uapyu_uYISA8t9D5GTwyfy0G3Ip0b6G4H0/s400/P8050788.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">conifers in Malá Skála, Czech Republic</td></tr>
</tbody></table>David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-81837187837440987652011-10-03T15:43:00.000+02:002011-10-03T15:43:46.456+02:00Into the forests of Liberec<div style="text-align: justify;">Along a stream, dewdrops on a delicate horsetail (<i>Equisetum</i> sp.) capture sunlight, scattering it into a miniature forest buzzing with insect life, amongst which is the common yet striking <i>Pyrrhocoris apterus</i> (Linnaeus, 1758). This heteropteran frequently shows aggregating behaviour and is found large populations, here photographed on the bark of the Czech national tree <i>Tilia cordata</i> Mill.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqo_YlYxg_zm50xGUw3t26xY1sOAY0SjOfcKXFRxoFpIS251oZKFbU_mEwWoUSl61BOV5-fdf533DAXYWRySOMy5NQecbJYJ7I1yEn-_lhHuROPQgK-6hNMgenLMSTEylC9UszD1xYfQE/s1600/P8020589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqo_YlYxg_zm50xGUw3t26xY1sOAY0SjOfcKXFRxoFpIS251oZKFbU_mEwWoUSl61BOV5-fdf533DAXYWRySOMy5NQecbJYJ7I1yEn-_lhHuROPQgK-6hNMgenLMSTEylC9UszD1xYfQE/s400/P8020589.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ja-i50L_gXsaP-Dn_ilJJd8px6c2pDjmA8bsRVVFAABqYYE5JEbUGgkuyIS-tPTtW_5vVrFhNg_ayMykQDoGdnjMxZhwYXQpW7BbPL_feMiV7Ezb2xHhiTEWaUusKyiSd2w7yPTrcBU/s1600/P8020591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ja-i50L_gXsaP-Dn_ilJJd8px6c2pDjmA8bsRVVFAABqYYE5JEbUGgkuyIS-tPTtW_5vVrFhNg_ayMykQDoGdnjMxZhwYXQpW7BbPL_feMiV7Ezb2xHhiTEWaUusKyiSd2w7yPTrcBU/s400/P8020591.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Equisetum</i> sp., Liberec, Czech Republic</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT9eT95JbBFBlUYSGk0su8qfsTO0QlwzY-EkamUZmXxbKNkqOFYRjLED07f6wkImal0HTo3cdoGfqt_-rY65YjIAFhsJ83JlgRxGyDjxFJGppmFDUvufsYj3viIGjqncBbEwexokhH3Mg/s1600/P8020615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT9eT95JbBFBlUYSGk0su8qfsTO0QlwzY-EkamUZmXxbKNkqOFYRjLED07f6wkImal0HTo3cdoGfqt_-rY65YjIAFhsJ83JlgRxGyDjxFJGppmFDUvufsYj3viIGjqncBbEwexokhH3Mg/s400/P8020615.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pyrrhocoris apterus</i> (L., 1758) on <i>Tilia cordata</i> Mill.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The periphery of the forest is characterized by a colourful scatter of berry clusters belonging to rowan (<i>Sorbus aucuparia</i> L.) and elder (<i>Sambucus nigra</i> L.), both of which have been traditionally used for food and medicine by settlers all over Europe. Further into the forest, as shade and shelter become predominant, ferns and mosses cover most of the clearing and make use of the abundant leaf litter.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi66acB2OzHgwhNdU9yMPX8lZLFePxR_G4LZW6c7kqd5oga9EMtfWA4gvSgVFostH8wOCpesoDCVgPL_B23bIeGcZ_yR4KqfI-r5jaQIaq3hNivtCZUPI1-dYXLKaXoUsj1uuL7r2RAu58/s1600/P8020622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi66acB2OzHgwhNdU9yMPX8lZLFePxR_G4LZW6c7kqd5oga9EMtfWA4gvSgVFostH8wOCpesoDCVgPL_B23bIeGcZ_yR4KqfI-r5jaQIaq3hNivtCZUPI1-dYXLKaXoUsj1uuL7r2RAu58/s400/P8020622.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sorbus aucuparia</i> L.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2jpyFMYwvLpoU_lOmWEu-i_Nt23rXS2kBmMZ9K9BPsVPhMLTLJEfmFn-TOGPWxg_hQTQ9zkEr4lpyRi6KQ11MALMYSA5O30F9iKDbx5JmziB3QqqzQ_VXryFdzr6mf7Tdh6iRkRXHY8/s1600/P8020628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2jpyFMYwvLpoU_lOmWEu-i_Nt23rXS2kBmMZ9K9BPsVPhMLTLJEfmFn-TOGPWxg_hQTQ9zkEr4lpyRi6KQ11MALMYSA5O30F9iKDbx5JmziB3QqqzQ_VXryFdzr6mf7Tdh6iRkRXHY8/s400/P8020628.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sambucus nigra</i> L.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjykagFQ5rtHVzkicAt4vkX7YQHRXic3qkrFQGObNtuLAAjK_sfLiOABgCJP3pID9gUM0NXp8KHMzUUUwvniJsEhniUpNoDUMRr9PSfKbTcqtZLadcqZlemDiNlurBYF9GJMFmDXnCcRMQ/s1600/P8030643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjykagFQ5rtHVzkicAt4vkX7YQHRXic3qkrFQGObNtuLAAjK_sfLiOABgCJP3pID9gUM0NXp8KHMzUUUwvniJsEhniUpNoDUMRr9PSfKbTcqtZLadcqZlemDiNlurBYF9GJMFmDXnCcRMQ/s400/P8030643.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ferns on the forest floor</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Conifers of the area include pines (<i>Pinus sylvestris</i> L.) and spruce (<i>Picea abies</i> (L.) H.Karst), sometimes bearing evidence of food-seeking woodpeckers on their old trunks. Angiosperms such as beech (<i>Fagus sylvatica</i> L.) are also common, with their deceased offering an excellent resource for several fungal specimens. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWoSHl-1e6mgbv8QX94NAjBhWHH43ZpLNM8JEzXHScxO7-XoJ2uB24paQbF6IeVztyGd6jHe9umnKyp9gbpCZKO8dk_FokZE5ibPUimzyHORHaIP48Hej3_YVOzHsigJCNgGgXv9H0LA/s1600/P8060877.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWoSHl-1e6mgbv8QX94NAjBhWHH43ZpLNM8JEzXHScxO7-XoJ2uB24paQbF6IeVztyGd6jHe9umnKyp9gbpCZKO8dk_FokZE5ibPUimzyHORHaIP48Hej3_YVOzHsigJCNgGgXv9H0LA/s400/P8060877.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">seeds of <i>Fagus sylvatica</i> L.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfwAgK1ADSzAUpkuQrTEZslAf5nunskG2ANTOWfw0_SNZS7CAfKCWe8RiC4ifWR4ZDu1F1Lo8nuATST1-rgx5ajI9CwOZ4rzwaNp5_87QtpZJqwW2eECQntpKC3zfXO1zoQzYES7yC_vE/s1600/P8050758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfwAgK1ADSzAUpkuQrTEZslAf5nunskG2ANTOWfw0_SNZS7CAfKCWe8RiC4ifWR4ZDu1F1Lo8nuATST1-rgx5ajI9CwOZ4rzwaNp5_87QtpZJqwW2eECQntpKC3zfXO1zoQzYES7yC_vE/s400/P8050758.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Fagus sylvatica</i> L. compost</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcqBRisaDKRAKDcpF8eAigpFhh0z2LbJUiSqExH0XjORSUMDtZHv2BbflmkRLw_LdlbRFmVwBEmZQh_AJBNNUCS8k2ZvNG5Vlk9tEnHkp-AV4Ff62VrO9PRRNs4LmqQvL8b8SFZ9ChBo/s1600/P8050817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcqBRisaDKRAKDcpF8eAigpFhh0z2LbJUiSqExH0XjORSUMDtZHv2BbflmkRLw_LdlbRFmVwBEmZQh_AJBNNUCS8k2ZvNG5Vlk9tEnHkp-AV4Ff62VrO9PRRNs4LmqQvL8b8SFZ9ChBo/s400/P8050817.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">fungus 1</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjNxE9zzI3TGNd6d73R7e1I2sr7K3DvZGVj8bmtED9g5l3SBgreupN-ss6dMhcUC4RlTaPmmj4R_nppV8GW9qrdC_sglAJHO7Lo8uYhblgrVsStz8M0yxmPZhhL6E3jQEtkOmjlgU2ukU/s1600/P8050767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjNxE9zzI3TGNd6d73R7e1I2sr7K3DvZGVj8bmtED9g5l3SBgreupN-ss6dMhcUC4RlTaPmmj4R_nppV8GW9qrdC_sglAJHO7Lo8uYhblgrVsStz8M0yxmPZhhL6E3jQEtkOmjlgU2ukU/s400/P8050767.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">fungus 2</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPVN9h7C4dl780pPolkrM1JbFHYER1ubzu8N8IVMLHOR1J8V9LMxVyT3FK0eFXeiqnbkBFqDxiKWaED35YaBxKDluXyRlt8kBtePjJVvQFxDQ0mzaEO5ove5wBAxkAbUDuHN9i19hQYc/s1600/P8030654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPVN9h7C4dl780pPolkrM1JbFHYER1ubzu8N8IVMLHOR1J8V9LMxVyT3FK0eFXeiqnbkBFqDxiKWaED35YaBxKDluXyRlt8kBtePjJVvQFxDQ0mzaEO5ove5wBAxkAbUDuHN9i19hQYc/s400/P8030654.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">clues left by woodpeckers</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<i>Nymphalis antiopa</i> (Linnaeus, 1758) and <i>Vanessa atalanta</i> (Linnaeus, 1758) are two beautiful and conspicuous butterflies found within the forest and elsewhere.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha3KcYZ9jY0epv_1Uji-dp0vDkzztKdjEqsqM_e0oOBecbmWBxgXfpvdzZ1LihL-tBPSyts5t6JhweyRxOPg7sA2V7doGUmEnsUKECA6B4EIlnaHFSODd8hQFgPNuSTnRJ1ouKlIMei0s/s1600/P8030653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha3KcYZ9jY0epv_1Uji-dp0vDkzztKdjEqsqM_e0oOBecbmWBxgXfpvdzZ1LihL-tBPSyts5t6JhweyRxOPg7sA2V7doGUmEnsUKECA6B4EIlnaHFSODd8hQFgPNuSTnRJ1ouKlIMei0s/s400/P8030653.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Nymphalis antiopa</i> (L., 1758)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaumk5AVLcfStklVD5Q3_cI3oIlDqWj7e8__QxLwJccP9NIv-VsDoJZ93b-2G92myyqxU5t4_AlGJf-ST6sj-py4wcJ0qAyuhKsuMvwVrye6G4XFrZFjuRP_616lpUq7aUH76WuAd8rLg/s1600/P8060870.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaumk5AVLcfStklVD5Q3_cI3oIlDqWj7e8__QxLwJccP9NIv-VsDoJZ93b-2G92myyqxU5t4_AlGJf-ST6sj-py4wcJ0qAyuhKsuMvwVrye6G4XFrZFjuRP_616lpUq7aUH76WuAd8rLg/s400/P8060870.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Vanessa atalanta</i> (L., 1758)</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A dead specimen of the European slow-worm <i>Anguis fragilis</i> Linnaeus, 1758 was a surprising find, and one of the very few vertebrates making an appearance on the day.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cBaU2WvMUBtpWfe17F_G8TE0tpo6YkheU5MatFrBwWWySAK2qw6gHb9fheIgif59vzkdJeuwtMZ3qdgYdt0MX51XD90o_a49973nJgKMRzeOkAXnGZDWF0-dU-KOpvcex1OyZUOrMkw/s1600/P8030642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cBaU2WvMUBtpWfe17F_G8TE0tpo6YkheU5MatFrBwWWySAK2qw6gHb9fheIgif59vzkdJeuwtMZ3qdgYdt0MX51XD90o_a49973nJgKMRzeOkAXnGZDWF0-dU-KOpvcex1OyZUOrMkw/s400/P8030642.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8MyuMfEUoDsUEVd-KUDPPggztb7eetCiz-ndXpthhL5zntG_wm1ezD9aLYLgJ97ELa1BYf2fVZx8X5RBrlwiEzW7mG6oQaYHO5Y0SQGXv74EJ89RRaeGZrINAmKUd9qnwXaiiPRocio/s1600/P8030640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8MyuMfEUoDsUEVd-KUDPPggztb7eetCiz-ndXpthhL5zntG_wm1ezD9aLYLgJ97ELa1BYf2fVZx8X5RBrlwiEzW7mG6oQaYHO5Y0SQGXv74EJ89RRaeGZrINAmKUd9qnwXaiiPRocio/s400/P8030640.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Anguis fragilis</i> L., 1758</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com1Liberec, Czech Republic50.7670199 15.0561345999999550.7094644 14.95906109999995 50.8245754 15.153208099999951tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-17690762775609333222011-08-18T01:49:00.002+02:002011-08-18T01:53:37.942+02:00Pesticide with a difference<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgQ8hHUOvMF0Brwl3sLqrv1l7M0o3gxMlp4RhasiEwHO0IbMwyLulOhsqQgMs5HWbhv08WvOwZ5BR6WvOoVMKfD2JIf89cZ5FXDC4SPLuxHvfepOPoXsfNPqsOlnmmcvhJR60GRpXIw8/s1600/IMAG0420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgQ8hHUOvMF0Brwl3sLqrv1l7M0o3gxMlp4RhasiEwHO0IbMwyLulOhsqQgMs5HWbhv08WvOwZ5BR6WvOoVMKfD2JIf89cZ5FXDC4SPLuxHvfepOPoXsfNPqsOlnmmcvhJR60GRpXIw8/s640/IMAG0420.jpg" width="425" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>This is just what you need to kill sinister sinistrals and restore your snail population to one made up of normal, dextral pests.</i></div>David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-15994141649354086142011-08-12T14:55:00.000+02:002011-08-12T14:55:17.500+02:00Phillumenic conundrum<div style="text-align: justify;">Prior to this event I had never heard of the obscure hobby of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillumeny">phillumeny</a>, but what should have been a casual glance inside an antiques shop in Santa Cruz necessitated some brushing up on the matter. I could not resist leaving this singular item to gather dust on a shelf unless that shelf was mine.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrLzFZaZkLeJpmeMYwQNceroqVQrMnu3uWKhff0sIf01r0cbVhSsG0Bwwp5pjDgKVe2TQm1K9zw9VVPO56KmEmReXLQ6G9RIPHBDRfnRozYeERanHoF8R2-ch-5b8tstHSOSNKXSjkk8I/s1600/P7030547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrLzFZaZkLeJpmeMYwQNceroqVQrMnu3uWKhff0sIf01r0cbVhSsG0Bwwp5pjDgKVe2TQm1K9zw9VVPO56KmEmReXLQ6G9RIPHBDRfnRozYeERanHoF8R2-ch-5b8tstHSOSNKXSjkk8I/s400/P7030547.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVlpEIX4rHHdsK8dTRjkIu13zcz21yHcyw3XqKPJKOf5UytGZJ-WOsG4Z3iuCF5PL0IhOMpd3QdnE2GuSEbuWvAkquEajEH8C2kUu6XO35ctynvagPXdaY7RKqLx6cIVFwJRFTRAADU-g/s1600/P7030549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="107" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVlpEIX4rHHdsK8dTRjkIu13zcz21yHcyw3XqKPJKOf5UytGZJ-WOsG4Z3iuCF5PL0IhOMpd3QdnE2GuSEbuWvAkquEajEH8C2kUu6XO35ctynvagPXdaY7RKqLx6cIVFwJRFTRAADU-g/s400/P7030549.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="color: red;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>this is all I know about this set</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A defunct (?) match factory in Las Palmas (capital city of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gran_Canaria">Gran Canaria</a>), <i>Fosforera Canariense</i>, produced this nice set of 24 matchboxes sometime last century after its foundation in 1935. Information regarding such items is hard to come by, on-and-offline, therefore not much more is known at this stage.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIXzmh_7CowXmN218krJir7gRzaA8G4vF6ab7hTYrivBTSgk2cEzdyyHTmAKnjOhFsCtGyA2-So1Qg36HQ_C5pIe843V89yzpCnxQm-Leu7hvJk9dCQ4wOSqBcuNxBRHQDUGEFwSDZuQ/s1600/P7030544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIXzmh_7CowXmN218krJir7gRzaA8G4vF6ab7hTYrivBTSgk2cEzdyyHTmAKnjOhFsCtGyA2-So1Qg36HQ_C5pIe843V89yzpCnxQm-Leu7hvJk9dCQ4wOSqBcuNxBRHQDUGEFwSDZuQ/s400/P7030544.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="color: red;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>click on image for large version</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The set is called <i>Caracolas Marinas</i> (marine snails) and features 24 species of molluscs (inexplicably consisting of one bivalve and 23 predominantly tropical, not-all-marine, gastropods) heavily inked onto a pale blue background. The way they are packaged makes it impossible to see what is on the hidden side of each matchbox, and where, presumably, the species identifications are printed.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgimH3Ti6NvgkwMzBMwSDJSPVNqgv-h-6teaHLaOpniNhpmbun8bKRqw8K-Kir1W5K5WX5pgQFWppQ9GJbqsFOvoXzVmg96eK5U8uRcC3rL6j3nH-T3doasCDKLdE7VBy99ExIT3W-EERY/s1600/P7030542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgimH3Ti6NvgkwMzBMwSDJSPVNqgv-h-6teaHLaOpniNhpmbun8bKRqw8K-Kir1W5K5WX5pgQFWppQ9GJbqsFOvoXzVmg96eK5U8uRcC3rL6j3nH-T3doasCDKLdE7VBy99ExIT3W-EERY/s400/P7030542.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: red;">click on image for large version</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Now, I am sorely tempted to tear open the polythene covering holding the set together in order to read them; on the other hand, doing so will detract from the neatness and value of the boxed set. I'm a stickler for 'accurate' identification (as opposed to mere <i>Cypraea</i>, <i>Murex</i>, <i>Lambis</i>, <i>Harpa</i>, <i>Conus</i>, <i>Architectonica</i>, <i>Mitra</i>, <i>Cymatium</i> etc.) but these cardboard versions will have to remain a mystery, at least until curiosity gets the upper hand.</div>David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-54035312402973418402011-08-06T15:01:00.001+02:002011-08-08T14:18:34.695+02:00In trouble<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_0pnoPkat4Qt-deNlYD11BXvs-CRh6aI02XOsLep2a-3JbNovU6HeGMD9ArMaIwtsIiJExKB9EN7j9tXGDPWlF5y1mg3vpKIz8v0NvfhqyMCECrGc6_P2bTSKWz_g0kKPEDlXHUT-mE/s1600/P6130101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_0pnoPkat4Qt-deNlYD11BXvs-CRh6aI02XOsLep2a-3JbNovU6HeGMD9ArMaIwtsIiJExKB9EN7j9tXGDPWlF5y1mg3vpKIz8v0NvfhqyMCECrGc6_P2bTSKWz_g0kKPEDlXHUT-mE/s400/P6130101.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butterfly pupa, with parasitic wasps. Aguamansa, Tenerife 2011.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-31948070064799200432011-08-04T14:28:00.002+02:002011-08-04T14:32:23.549+02:00Flowers on the volcano<div style="text-align: justify;">Following <a href="http://muticaria.blogspot.com/2011/08/above-clouds-of-el-teide.html">yesterday's journey</a> we have now arrived close to the summit of El Teide. The landscape is a vast expanse of bleak volcanic rock, including obsidian, phonolite and trachyte, which form when lava solidifies according to different physico-chemical criteria.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-CehX2XjlgAa91YpEZlYnC3jw5qvXD59NWdC7CqN6ard5Rq7Do4BsZt-sXLecFYDREwHXbtAfO2JO5YWsws-rPxeT10fJxapHzhXKCuluDVpNl4WSxD_henUpba7NvDDpDj-US4pvpo/s400/P6130124.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">El Teide volcano</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Teide's most recent eruption dates back to 1909, and some tremors have been recorded in 2004, indicating a dormant volcano may become active in a few years' time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tckYYXBRCAHUSaxFZyWM00SuTKW_csJns8r4GsZqpWqGvRzeSMbFDW-uNm73Uaf9KdM9LiQqRNZo23TK7umVP__QgE2QmdO8iZiqGseKA586T_r9PSZQV72AC4tDQWVaY8XQVoMV5-g/s1600/teide+eruption.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tckYYXBRCAHUSaxFZyWM00SuTKW_csJns8r4GsZqpWqGvRzeSMbFDW-uNm73Uaf9KdM9LiQqRNZo23TK7umVP__QgE2QmdO8iZiqGseKA586T_r9PSZQV72AC4tDQWVaY8XQVoMV5-g/s400/teide+eruption.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">El Teide's 1909 eruption, live (photo stolen from <a href="http://tenerifeinsight.blogspot.com/">here</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">In any case, the plants seem quite happy about their choice of habitat. A large number of endemic species characterize Tenerife and many of these species are abundant high above the pine forest. The southern side of the Teide, in the Las Cañadas caldera, is a habitat known as subalpine scrub, dominated by shrubs of the legume <i>Spartocystus supranubius</i> L., together with bushes of the beautiful <i>Pterocephalus lasiospermum</i> Link.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPCoWMyCpv1XHUMRy8e6RRUt4A9nYWPj4hfSXYuk0z5VqQP8eNIMR663BRL1so4vgJk6soML8k_LNDPe-LuhR3HSicPsjZDhUKZooAIGGq0FLCHKjRymj0yqcxEfGdBWb8gwdYPjAXabQ/s1600/Spartocystisus+supranubius%252C+Las+Canadas+del+Teide%252C+Tenerife%252C+25.VII.2011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPCoWMyCpv1XHUMRy8e6RRUt4A9nYWPj4hfSXYuk0z5VqQP8eNIMR663BRL1so4vgJk6soML8k_LNDPe-LuhR3HSicPsjZDhUKZooAIGGq0FLCHKjRymj0yqcxEfGdBWb8gwdYPjAXabQ/s400/Spartocystisus+supranubius%252C+Las+Canadas+del+Teide%252C+Tenerife%252C+25.VII.2011.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">dark green shrubs of <i>Spartocystus supranubius</i> L., with <i>Pterocephalus lasiospermus</i> Link in the foreground</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzaTEhsjskOi4lsY0hq8XlgzPQtQeE6nURsTzw8KIPz9QQ-mEoFwPcjf25Ph9PWJY_heFGsvbyRPxmBf0hiG9vVlD-RXks0puwknUe1DFPnYZXkFbE1MgKZa8XtBuvY_OJwUgig9wdlH8/s1600/Spartocystisus+supranubius%252C+Las+Canadas+del+Teide%252C+Tenerife%252C+25.VII.2011+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzaTEhsjskOi4lsY0hq8XlgzPQtQeE6nURsTzw8KIPz9QQ-mEoFwPcjf25Ph9PWJY_heFGsvbyRPxmBf0hiG9vVlD-RXks0puwknUe1DFPnYZXkFbE1MgKZa8XtBuvY_OJwUgig9wdlH8/s400/Spartocystisus+supranubius%252C+Las+Canadas+del+Teide%252C+Tenerife%252C+25.VII.2011+%25282%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Spartocystus supranubius</i> L. with seed-pods</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiYfL0OVTRBR99DC-7qHxTidGS3BTYULScp8VkLRMFWo506Wjt1yZUoHrsW78_jtKsTfv4pcjVZ4sn3TGKBcSeG1O7f1LiCqJ-3ys645njCMcpE4eauKZhXg6m3UCtC1qm-8yfNHVOMQM/s1600/Pterocephalus+lasiospermus%252C+Las+Canadas+del+Teide%252C+Tenerife%252C+25.VII.2011+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiYfL0OVTRBR99DC-7qHxTidGS3BTYULScp8VkLRMFWo506Wjt1yZUoHrsW78_jtKsTfv4pcjVZ4sn3TGKBcSeG1O7f1LiCqJ-3ys645njCMcpE4eauKZhXg6m3UCtC1qm-8yfNHVOMQM/s400/Pterocephalus+lasiospermus%252C+Las+Canadas+del+Teide%252C+Tenerife%252C+25.VII.2011+%25285%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pterocephalus lasiospermus</i> Link</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMjUuLXGSmV9vLnaTYSVAU8A_E7bnQQiHzviwsIbcGJiBYakbgJc3u1c3sP3KBeriUmIKRd6rIriMUsDudwUm5gLqQQ7cs-EMJ56jUb9okunpRl1F76Cbm15D3aK2EBihe1vgjtgUZGE/s1600/Pterocephalus+lasiospermus%252C+Las+Canadas+del+Teide%252C+Tenerife%252C+25.VII.2011+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMjUuLXGSmV9vLnaTYSVAU8A_E7bnQQiHzviwsIbcGJiBYakbgJc3u1c3sP3KBeriUmIKRd6rIriMUsDudwUm5gLqQQ7cs-EMJ56jUb9okunpRl1F76Cbm15D3aK2EBihe1vgjtgUZGE/s400/Pterocephalus+lasiospermus%252C+Las+Canadas+del+Teide%252C+Tenerife%252C+25.VII.2011+%25284%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">flowers of <i>Pterocephalus lasiospermus</i> Link</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">Amongst these one can also find the very interesting <i>Cheirolophus teydis</i> (C.Sm.) G.López, an endemic plant of Teide that is a very close relation of Malta's national (and also endemic) plant, <a href="http://muticaria.blogspot.com/2010/07/burst-of-purple.html"><i>Cheirolophus crassifolius</i></a> (Bertoloni). Unfortunately all plants were only on the verge of flowering during this visit. Flowers of<i> C. teydis</i> are pale yellowish.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEWpVh8e5dq332A57Muht2wBQ4ueWWY8rmRrHNJE9Aowy9dL3YbQD620vaQgEjyvTr6pCG-uIDL3btjiwasPseIkvdTlV3fb1M-QQ-VWAFpPvfELFo_ZpHnneCj3lmfob2eXQOl6dUcU/s1600/Cheirolophus+teydis%252C+Las+Canadas+del+Teide%252C+Tenerife%252C+25.VII.2011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEWpVh8e5dq332A57Muht2wBQ4ueWWY8rmRrHNJE9Aowy9dL3YbQD620vaQgEjyvTr6pCG-uIDL3btjiwasPseIkvdTlV3fb1M-QQ-VWAFpPvfELFo_ZpHnneCj3lmfob2eXQOl6dUcU/s400/Cheirolophus+teydis%252C+Las+Canadas+del+Teide%252C+Tenerife%252C+25.VII.2011.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cheirolophus teydis</i> (C.Sm.) G.López</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Adenocarpus viscosus</i> (Willd.) Webb & Berthel. and several species of <i>Echium</i> are also very characteristic inhabitants of El Teide, characterizing landscapes with their yellow flowers and tall spikes respectively.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimjXEimtJPYRx02_dB5Rc_H_CAODXZAh_oVPFj82kyyZzy_hrPDAFFiGAqVhLUz47RP53rgPQkJLU_WcLO27rTYHvXTI8IWuEOuDPz_74zVRBRbFaS32t49I80EfOR6T9RFfGbxb-GX70/s1600/Adenocarpus+viscosus%252C+Las+Canadas+del+Teide%252C+Tenerife%252C+25.VII.2011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimjXEimtJPYRx02_dB5Rc_H_CAODXZAh_oVPFj82kyyZzy_hrPDAFFiGAqVhLUz47RP53rgPQkJLU_WcLO27rTYHvXTI8IWuEOuDPz_74zVRBRbFaS32t49I80EfOR6T9RFfGbxb-GX70/s400/Adenocarpus+viscosus%252C+Las+Canadas+del+Teide%252C+Tenerife%252C+25.VII.2011.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Adenocarpus viscosus</i> (Willd.) Webb & Berthel.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDWL1oYYzdpdEE6iIjYmV0Ci4lctIvtbq_lii3Qba0GbKjCYD_EO7v9CHLyJ2yTzGEWZIrQ6yayGcwEB7FuBozVkFI54a5SmZjok0Wu1SihHok8s3ybyyAKO4WgQ0w5R2JQfdoyGAF7vg/s1600/P6130150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDWL1oYYzdpdEE6iIjYmV0Ci4lctIvtbq_lii3Qba0GbKjCYD_EO7v9CHLyJ2yTzGEWZIrQ6yayGcwEB7FuBozVkFI54a5SmZjok0Wu1SihHok8s3ybyyAKO4WgQ0w5R2JQfdoyGAF7vg/s400/P6130150.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Echium</i> sp.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhASOp0yoPyrmsFm1pI1w-UEMygqlKttx9QlqPfAgfiPg9hPdiw5fa3nCOoECEdKWSV9A0APEInMNgZyPHNRfFiZ0sdf5zAnpLJ2t9f1lkRzRnxyLYLrllknYO_jmxrHHCMNmfcip3uI1M/s1600/P6130153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhASOp0yoPyrmsFm1pI1w-UEMygqlKttx9QlqPfAgfiPg9hPdiw5fa3nCOoECEdKWSV9A0APEInMNgZyPHNRfFiZ0sdf5zAnpLJ2t9f1lkRzRnxyLYLrllknYO_jmxrHHCMNmfcip3uI1M/s400/P6130153.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Echium</i> sp. flowers</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqRuYQbx6kHFYePumEuI9KYY1m-XXR6q7j-pGTLJgw1YLTvjnyEQCR8ti4SZbtrwxnjwFPAvt-9T5HrHrKh5y_j_KLw7RrS6iHFkZUWd8HR2pVS8gIN-yZRa96uXqG07Pq_DrD37cAlVk/s1600/P6130152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqRuYQbx6kHFYePumEuI9KYY1m-XXR6q7j-pGTLJgw1YLTvjnyEQCR8ti4SZbtrwxnjwFPAvt-9T5HrHrKh5y_j_KLw7RrS6iHFkZUWd8HR2pVS8gIN-yZRa96uXqG07Pq_DrD37cAlVk/s400/P6130152.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">lycaenid butterfly resting on <i>Echium</i> sp.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-14088302939933733762011-08-04T01:03:00.000+02:002011-08-04T01:03:56.132+02:00Above the clouds of El Teide<div style="text-align: justify;">The third largest volcano on earth (according to <a href="http://www.red2000.com/spain/canarias/tenerife/1teide.html">some sources</a>, but not to others - it depends on how you go about measuring volcanoes) is found off West Africa, on Tenerife.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">To see the majestic peak of this volcano, El Teide, one must traverse a height of about two kilometres of pine forest, dominated by the endemic Canarian pine <i>Pinus canariensis</i> C.Sm. This pine has developed an extraordinary way of utilizing the water available in the mist enveloping these forests - its leaves are tall and thin, allowing condensation of water droplets on their large surface area. This water trickles down, dropping into the soil and providing roots with much-needed hydration.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszrxT2H-mgJHldBN4IneYjcMmDsBXxwIVU7JzSxHpkshl6q7xYfJT4xGzd1HInXzRVwA05IGmiomAp4ryOb4l4DmGJSlTtMaGRR1ngw90C698kH6R6RXXGO7BafWe078dt-ISAQ6gki8/s1600/P6130178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszrxT2H-mgJHldBN4IneYjcMmDsBXxwIVU7JzSxHpkshl6q7xYfJT4xGzd1HInXzRVwA05IGmiomAp4ryOb4l4DmGJSlTtMaGRR1ngw90C698kH6R6RXXGO7BafWe078dt-ISAQ6gki8/s400/P6130178.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pinus canariensis</i> C.Sm., 2.5km up east El Teide</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">In some places, violent storms some years back have ripped the trees down, the trunks of which together with the flowing clouds produce an eerie atmosphere reminiscent of any horror film worth its salt:</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9svbWCnq_M1xhvbJqqZma5GCQ1HBGm2EamZNFflsFMc94rOZB69KVo5ALt-iqfpv-HSY1mSuh4nx51SLgXBnJt-oqSIdsi_vIoHfPyP6sNATbxu8oAhhSAvcfbnzB4V7kA3s-twx5qQo/s1600/IMAG0204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9svbWCnq_M1xhvbJqqZma5GCQ1HBGm2EamZNFflsFMc94rOZB69KVo5ALt-iqfpv-HSY1mSuh4nx51SLgXBnJt-oqSIdsi_vIoHfPyP6sNATbxu8oAhhSAvcfbnzB4V7kA3s-twx5qQo/s400/IMAG0204.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">wind-battered pine forest, c. 2km up east El Teide</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">After the ascent of about another kilometre one can see the forest spread below and a wide swathe of cloud enveloping it:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1yPUYTV-XGUX45vJFhyx_cDV9Vev_BiApPzT-IYPH5y4GUsTYl2Yrqo4BXnaIZ8wwFbP1alO_w1aepHoIt1rp6YdUmTaTHJuG1rC4NY0FkI8mqE1eiIyk9keLchChgVZjwE_-H2YAWM/s1600/P6130159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1yPUYTV-XGUX45vJFhyx_cDV9Vev_BiApPzT-IYPH5y4GUsTYl2Yrqo4BXnaIZ8wwFbP1alO_w1aepHoIt1rp6YdUmTaTHJuG1rC4NY0FkI8mqE1eiIyk9keLchChgVZjwE_-H2YAWM/s400/P6130159.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">About 3km up El Teide, the volcano in the background</td></tr>
</tbody></table><i>Coming up next</i>: some local flora.</div></div>David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-34163144518267286692011-08-02T18:23:00.003+02:002011-08-02T22:39:05.721+02:00My first encounter with a Canarian dinosaur<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">As soon as one starts travelling around Tenerife one starts becoming aware of a particular species of reptile populating much of its landscapes. The first things that struck me about this animal are its fairly large size (about 30cm in males) and its bold colouration, which are features by all means not unheard of in lizards (<a href="http://muticaria.blogspot.com/2010/04/giant-maltese-dormice.html">see here for an extinct Maltese giant lizard</a>); however, being more accustomed to the smaller and much more agile Maltese <a href="http://www.euroherp.com/species/Podarcis_filfolensis/"><i>Podarcis</i></a>, I was surprised.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The lizards are also fearless and will venture very close to their human observers, especially if food is involved. They are endemic to Tenerife and belong to the species <i>Gallotia galloti</i> Oudart, 1839, which has differentiated into four subspecies around the same island and its neighbours. The ones in the following pictures are from the northern population of <i>Gallotia galloti eisentrauti</i> Bischoff, 1982 in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">It can be seen here that males are characterized by the larger size and a neon-blue throat, together with several other markings not found in females, which on the other hand are smaller and covered in brown patterns.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyUkqlhSWU1oj1AzhPhPikcPg97CMJrdUK4yU3SNS3lg02OeZvCMW1_zKoCX3QVxF4zVlCvY4pvs7y2cg_p5qA0jwOpZ7xoMYJT6FZKgr3w5OOW7-RQ0sdFdX6hLQs5jS_pFzajRlT77I/s400/P6140195.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="298" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">male specimen of <i>Gallotia galloti eisentrauti</i> Bischoff, 1982 basking in the sun</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWsrICKlNwJOTlCTjS_1NJs2KAROY-4f8JzNItHuA4U_fRu3UK4SJdeXy9if_2popY4rY_zgJqybxTYPbSia44uwQjC4TKj66UjQSXqUHSRU_DkgsoQ_NAU0IqX8oq2UWwHftVOG54BFE/s1600/P6140198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWsrICKlNwJOTlCTjS_1NJs2KAROY-4f8JzNItHuA4U_fRu3UK4SJdeXy9if_2popY4rY_zgJqybxTYPbSia44uwQjC4TKj66UjQSXqUHSRU_DkgsoQ_NAU0IqX8oq2UWwHftVOG54BFE/s400/P6140198.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">male <i>Gallotia galloti eisentrauti</i> Bischoff, 1982</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW47P-8XdWp2m0ICTDInPtlU2Vl1CFFW29EZQg-Cfd5mZ5rxmYbMjSABndgSzFt0MEdjlAez1OCPLLam11Rh4FhvcLqge2ioyCvIJbTMFPstUSW51lJ231UN_pOoxjtBs7T-CP-a1nvh8/s1600/P6140200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW47P-8XdWp2m0ICTDInPtlU2Vl1CFFW29EZQg-Cfd5mZ5rxmYbMjSABndgSzFt0MEdjlAez1OCPLLam11Rh4FhvcLqge2ioyCvIJbTMFPstUSW51lJ231UN_pOoxjtBs7T-CP-a1nvh8/s400/P6140200.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">female <i>Gallotia galloti eisentrauti</i> Bischoff, 1982 on the alert</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">The other subspecies are <i>Gallotia galloti galloti</i> (Oudart, 1839) from southern Tenerife, <i>Gallotia galloti insulanagae</i> Martin, 1985, from the isolated and inaccessible island northeast of Tenerife (Roque de Fuera de Anaga), and <i>Gallotia galloti palmae </i>(Boettger & Müller, 1914) from the island of La Palma.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The lizards are also an icon of the Guanche (aboriginal/ pre-Hispanic) culture on Tenerife, with several depictions and rock carvings still existing and on show in museums. They also ensure a steady income from tourists, their (highly non-realistic) outlines being featured on everything from ashtrays to t-shirts (though I must admit I <i>had to</i> buy one of the latter).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE88qjZAPkqd8jwIgs9zamwAk35Ovyzrhvdpkedkk0ZXeS89HYWJYkIjzx9e_jOba_m1-oxwmLMCOOTpui8MUxVSO1dK9Bk30WHVKbCkWlMWleFgWXRtU7RHbjJMpN06t_IyHgOestaAA/s1600/IMAG0069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE88qjZAPkqd8jwIgs9zamwAk35Ovyzrhvdpkedkk0ZXeS89HYWJYkIjzx9e_jOba_m1-oxwmLMCOOTpui8MUxVSO1dK9Bk30WHVKbCkWlMWleFgWXRtU7RHbjJMpN06t_IyHgOestaAA/s400/IMAG0069.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsxxA-qOkRTYJCaqI_GjWpEiSJM8m-3luLPNAVnAVIf4U0JeklELhjEJk8pNeeXtQokc7QDkT4YL1-WNRJICEKZ_t3NwSorcimzgsEN0VwQuhUfCQmVG_9KJjWA1ywgaZs8NIulaTlZ8/s1600/IMAG0066.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsxxA-qOkRTYJCaqI_GjWpEiSJM8m-3luLPNAVnAVIf4U0JeklELhjEJk8pNeeXtQokc7QDkT4YL1-WNRJICEKZ_t3NwSorcimzgsEN0VwQuhUfCQmVG_9KJjWA1ywgaZs8NIulaTlZ8/s400/IMAG0066.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com1Puerto de la Cruz, Spain28.417016120329539 -16.55545548261716228.396442120329539 -16.585803982617161 28.437590120329538 -16.525106982617164tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-68340301163123447502011-08-01T16:17:00.001+02:002011-08-01T16:18:21.478+02:00Los Gigantes cliffs in Tenerife<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The highest cliffs in the volcanic island of Tenerife, in the Atlantic Ocean, are found on its western side. These majestic geological features are known as 'Los Gigantes' (the Giants), a term which perfectly befits their massive presence.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxe4oc7mNCn8Csu9RyzHRzjSaC2gtPNGhYk1pP6C3K5uhXp6t1xS_NPzhL0k0F1oFh_dw0KobbhyphenhyphenNAxDgwx4VYcB4nNvvZiiVEiderssDcat29I5_QyI7TS612uzSJG_vPVSZma09oUzU/s1600/P6110028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxe4oc7mNCn8Csu9RyzHRzjSaC2gtPNGhYk1pP6C3K5uhXp6t1xS_NPzhL0k0F1oFh_dw0KobbhyphenhyphenNAxDgwx4VYcB4nNvvZiiVEiderssDcat29I5_QyI7TS612uzSJG_vPVSZma09oUzU/s400/P6110028.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Acantilados de Los Gigantes, Tenerife</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The cliffs are (like much of the island) composed of 'alkali' basalt, a volcanic rock which contains high proportions minerals like feldspar, olivine and iron oxides. These mineral accretions are sometimes large enough to be seen with the naked eye:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1iszrECy4MqP_1Wv3p6p1_Pl2eed8DgHypW5_VVhvrwYx1ffb8O5EH0f8JsW5xhzSCndrN7AamCremVidH_jAbrjafvNj5ePqXg1WuBxSrvvQZA6iu5beVVoYgN3nxngLodeJTFaHT3o/s1600/P6110006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1iszrECy4MqP_1Wv3p6p1_Pl2eed8DgHypW5_VVhvrwYx1ffb8O5EH0f8JsW5xhzSCndrN7AamCremVidH_jAbrjafvNj5ePqXg1WuBxSrvvQZA6iu5beVVoYgN3nxngLodeJTFaHT3o/s400/P6110006.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">feldspar (white crystals) and iron oxides (brown aggregate) in basalt</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHQMFjgZcmJ-yzxTH6368Q0qeUoEpf44P_7h1tMsehAe3Tvku8sc9wLjcsw9tahCRSxxkjw8fQt4Idfi6FIzAohcoAXUPwGWI9tBXh0iYeMHHAL8fzJrmQ0HzUZ00plcGmmXRz99elh2U/s1600/P6110007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHQMFjgZcmJ-yzxTH6368Q0qeUoEpf44P_7h1tMsehAe3Tvku8sc9wLjcsw9tahCRSxxkjw8fQt4Idfi6FIzAohcoAXUPwGWI9tBXh0iYeMHHAL8fzJrmQ0HzUZ00plcGmmXRz99elh2U/s400/P6110007.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">feldspar (white crystals) and iron oxides (brown aggregate) in basalt</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0AYnBnnQr0FO3quN7FbYfRR4BXQFkf7GmsGr7J1I6S_XQtLwt3gXWFaxNWl0EXQyXMPVLTWjdYx2fh_Dyk0KyLTNykEuX-TyaBkNtft14VmqdsUNY5dlITJwzW5u10fh6kkGCemO9KY/s1600/P6110024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0AYnBnnQr0FO3quN7FbYfRR4BXQFkf7GmsGr7J1I6S_XQtLwt3gXWFaxNWl0EXQyXMPVLTWjdYx2fh_Dyk0KyLTNykEuX-TyaBkNtft14VmqdsUNY5dlITJwzW5u10fh6kkGCemO9KY/s400/P6110024.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">olivine (greenish crystals) in basalt</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The basalt is found in layers which are texturally highly varied, each layer indicating a different episode or process in the island's violent volcanic history. For example, the breccia-like ignimbrite forms when a stream of lava partly melts the substrate upon which it is flowing and drags the pieces of hot rock along, subsequently welding the fragments together into a pudding-like composition, in this case containing fragments of widely disparate size:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGuLL1YeDXpoJzV6YNWwN7hmGYofWAzSrDqlSf43ZhKX1oYZWNsvgSQF_hzyoxKCbnKwpY-TOlO0GDFBEisc4r8W229n3x1YuGFGsC0Wh_GGV3hL8U8ohLuWUGy6Ghb26zPLk9ZBc7xOo/s1600/P6110002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGuLL1YeDXpoJzV6YNWwN7hmGYofWAzSrDqlSf43ZhKX1oYZWNsvgSQF_hzyoxKCbnKwpY-TOlO0GDFBEisc4r8W229n3x1YuGFGsC0Wh_GGV3hL8U8ohLuWUGy6Ghb26zPLk9ZBc7xOo/s400/P6110002.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ignimbrite </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Another rock which stands out visually is red ochre, which forms when hot lava passes over well-developed soils. It can be seen as a thin reddish line in the following photograph:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSuDa6SsLt4hyphenhyphenWZ_guOPIhNQg5YGXLnYMxLv3iJLfDMr5BFYDwE0r0ciq_y4eX3p8roqcGCCvNRaQtO8DL4VG6GaumBNFwO2nP9exDRabJJe-EoVlLGeJixUK_19C7dtVnlU8VNeb_298/s1600/P6110032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSuDa6SsLt4hyphenhyphenWZ_guOPIhNQg5YGXLnYMxLv3iJLfDMr5BFYDwE0r0ciq_y4eX3p8roqcGCCvNRaQtO8DL4VG6GaumBNFwO2nP9exDRabJJe-EoVlLGeJixUK_19C7dtVnlU8VNeb_298/s400/P6110032.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">red ochre stratum</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Over millions of years, boulders of basalt tumble down the cliffs and are rounded by wave and wind action.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5ozm_ypsAaHqdygAZBk30G1rshPDmowltjiAzZS27b2bcKNy5J4lDJONKBq0FCZVRFBwb5vc7kwU-guQs3f3sZkcVLGETWQWv2tUi-JiFWZwqQHHpU1NEedNY-YVYAiSFWCytZ9jPHw/s1600/P6110036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5ozm_ypsAaHqdygAZBk30G1rshPDmowltjiAzZS27b2bcKNy5J4lDJONKBq0FCZVRFBwb5vc7kwU-guQs3f3sZkcVLGETWQWv2tUi-JiFWZwqQHHpU1NEedNY-YVYAiSFWCytZ9jPHw/s400/P6110036.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">boulders on the shore</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">As a rough habitat largely characterized by strong currents and abrasive basalt gravel, the interface between the sea and land is largely devoid of macrofauna, though some usual suspects make an appearance. Most notable of these are two Macaronesian endemics - the limpet <i>Patella piperata</i> Gould, 1846 and the periwinkle <i>Littorina striata</i> King & Broderip, 1832. Closer to mean sea level, <i>Patella tenuis crenata</i> d'Orbigny, 1840 makes an appearance. The third species of limpet that may be encountered on Tenerife is <i>Patella ulyssiponensis</i> Gmelin, 1791, though none of these were seen during this trip. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyY6hj1hHXqdzc_zDtBISbD5zEwf2ELUaUFENNIHtEyo5D5LIapSh7LXIGs7hrEg9Ecv5NB8HVoLGMsFjfk6T611l4w0av1C2E4J1ZtYOyhzZELQDTFGGF6jRD-ehIxRx8n2xOQt0K2I/s400/P6110008.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Littorina striata</i> King & Broderip, 1832</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtuSsDUfTp4DegXbQK03rSoIvdwIGgmlqAq7fL_On7bQJu6HIsp8k4EmKLF0ib1ry-zYD4wTFzK9ocCuV3gqdwoZyJ0YwUwsWEQjnTv7wBickvmME2EPeQJDCO4XwrYTZod2fD-MwqLY/s1600/P6110014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtuSsDUfTp4DegXbQK03rSoIvdwIGgmlqAq7fL_On7bQJu6HIsp8k4EmKLF0ib1ry-zYD4wTFzK9ocCuV3gqdwoZyJ0YwUwsWEQjnTv7wBickvmME2EPeQJDCO4XwrYTZod2fD-MwqLY/s400/P6110014.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Littorina striata</i> King & Broderip, 1832</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu3Rx6CQqh0alNrvtj_WD9GSPSp48f1CLT9fnSxgJUWAx4hAnH5GaFNzD3DLHydd9mwHRjFD0EIW2Bsfo1OUQC9wDmLckXk927T-dRhC3MVdYNliPDlkzNJekb1lI-oT7RSUyNgJeLkA0/s1600/P6110018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgKP9q-XcBkC1qM_UxwbE2IvKfP2r8OHairdleOW5PJIpupvnAmF-AuUHQz5qfurIkfo6qnVa1v_jOLdbijGbmb6VzGDN-drHlSta_8-bFzM3jnWAmLTCFYSMrDQBBk88rPAjB0mIqLKY/s1600/P6110021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgKP9q-XcBkC1qM_UxwbE2IvKfP2r8OHairdleOW5PJIpupvnAmF-AuUHQz5qfurIkfo6qnVa1v_jOLdbijGbmb6VzGDN-drHlSta_8-bFzM3jnWAmLTCFYSMrDQBBk88rPAjB0mIqLKY/s400/P6110021.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Patella piperata</i> Gould, 1846</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSeoTxjITVB2Ds3XfuVdUzPrgfOY_vDQeN-F0VFEp4MT3pqF_UCec_zgHB6aC7Fe60OGYGKNJYLCnOc-vWvp2MFcQKQ2QzF4X_e4fABNAKFWaTAQGCKNDxh_x1wLcNsoOHLLcGrdKpbw/s1600/P6110023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSeoTxjITVB2Ds3XfuVdUzPrgfOY_vDQeN-F0VFEp4MT3pqF_UCec_zgHB6aC7Fe60OGYGKNJYLCnOc-vWvp2MFcQKQ2QzF4X_e4fABNAKFWaTAQGCKNDxh_x1wLcNsoOHLLcGrdKpbw/s400/P6110023.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Patella piperata</i> Gould, 1846</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Specimens of <i>Osilinus sauciatus</i> (Koch, 1845) were found in small clusters, mostly using deep cracks as shelter.</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu3Rx6CQqh0alNrvtj_WD9GSPSp48f1CLT9fnSxgJUWAx4hAnH5GaFNzD3DLHydd9mwHRjFD0EIW2Bsfo1OUQC9wDmLckXk927T-dRhC3MVdYNliPDlkzNJekb1lI-oT7RSUyNgJeLkA0/s400/P6110018.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Osilinus sauciatus</i> (Koch, 1845)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"></div>David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com0Santiago del Teide, Spain28.251305982919959 -16.83871991982118728.18100148291996 -16.925959419821186 28.321610482919958 -16.751480419821188tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-39511717819096369802011-07-12T14:12:00.001+02:002011-07-12T14:12:59.199+02:00Some swimmers in Hyde Park<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwT9FjYapu__aKyF-QRjRSkoqP_rLO5d7Xmu6OpZQsUxpWbKQjEpH1dUwklaYBj9O9YP0q3RpvIfJFmW43exM_jV5BnTXfqlJKyt6QROIvNw8V1l0qufJrAjbXrH6GSrljRsCkXLaKmAA/s1600/P5292352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwT9FjYapu__aKyF-QRjRSkoqP_rLO5d7Xmu6OpZQsUxpWbKQjEpH1dUwklaYBj9O9YP0q3RpvIfJFmW43exM_jV5BnTXfqlJKyt6QROIvNw8V1l0qufJrAjbXrH6GSrljRsCkXLaKmAA/s400/P5292352.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Canada geese (<em>Branta canadensis parvipes</em> (Cassin, 1852)) coming closer to the photographer, hoping for scraps of food.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc9EE-Pc-03cOInm2-k-79e0x415eCBLQJPZSqfHQcxow9Z1jThquvasrOrQCzHcphSCXNNUw0_7J-_JQrB_3kFZGt3o9qgq0VwGs2xksIhTV7LmOQQjbbTRbZH8lyX36JfsTdrI3N5ns/s1600/P5292359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc9EE-Pc-03cOInm2-k-79e0x415eCBLQJPZSqfHQcxow9Z1jThquvasrOrQCzHcphSCXNNUw0_7J-_JQrB_3kFZGt3o9qgq0VwGs2xksIhTV7LmOQQjbbTRbZH8lyX36JfsTdrI3N5ns/s400/P5292359.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eurasian coots (<em>Fulica atra</em> L., 1758) preening while a pigeon (<em>Columba livia</em> Gmelin, 1798) struts by.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQy_J08VFvOMhV7nXvrdZz_B7MkNdf5zYpkilJkkQ-vXegzAdDTulIpz4Hszh5h_5tCmXc1Hzt4_k99VzH2WAekxX1Mzr9gI6cam2NTgz5dzB9oV3F8RO-s3MsF6mH1wHBxtgr6OlKNu0/s1600/P5292353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQy_J08VFvOMhV7nXvrdZz_B7MkNdf5zYpkilJkkQ-vXegzAdDTulIpz4Hszh5h_5tCmXc1Hzt4_k99VzH2WAekxX1Mzr9gI6cam2NTgz5dzB9oV3F8RO-s3MsF6mH1wHBxtgr6OlKNu0/s400/P5292353.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male mallard duck (<em>Anas platyrhynchos</em> L., 1758) taking it easy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com0Hyde Park, W Carriage Dr, Westminster, London W2 3, UK51.504556954160961 -0.1651455934570549351.498737954160958 -0.18303709345705493 51.510375954160963 -0.14725409345705492tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-24841985952291962392011-05-21T17:37:00.002+02:002011-05-21T17:39:03.884+02:00New marine biology papers<div style="color: red; text-align: justify;">1. <b>Mifsud, C. & Cachia, C.</b>, 2011. New additions and corrections, with annotations, to the check-list of the marine Mollusca of the Maltese Islands. <i>Triton</i>, <b>23</b>: 10-18.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This paper is an addendum to the four volumes on marine mollusc records from the Maltese Islands by Cachia, Mifsud & Sammut (1991; 1996; 2001; 2004 - see full references below). In this paper, 99 additional records are mentioned together with a number of corrections of previous records.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Of particular interest is a second species of <i>Paludinella</i> for Malta. This minute snail is rare and lives in marshes, and previously only <i>Paludinella littorina</i> (Delle Chiaje, 1828) was known to occur. Samples from Salina Bay have yielded some individuals of <i>Paludinella sicana</i> (Brugnone, 1876).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglS8cUwUAEdGng7NXNEh9Gr2DnnDuQ-_4PefYmXmbqG8YezS2uFKgSZlZfX0CE5A8CZkBYY6J8TbXQ3efd_j3_wTE1Jy223_AqcWhc46uZPZmqBJTWU48zyTdOclDbBPvtF2tx95W0i24/s1600/Paludinella.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglS8cUwUAEdGng7NXNEh9Gr2DnnDuQ-_4PefYmXmbqG8YezS2uFKgSZlZfX0CE5A8CZkBYY6J8TbXQ3efd_j3_wTE1Jy223_AqcWhc46uZPZmqBJTWU48zyTdOclDbBPvtF2tx95W0i24/s400/Paludinella.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A comparison of <i>Paludinella sicana</i> (Brugnone, 1876) and <i>Paludinella littorina</i> (Delle Chiaje, 1828), pictures taken from the <a href="http://www.nmr.nl/nmr/home.do">Natuurhistorisch Museum Rotterdam</a> collection</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Also worthy of mention is the first Central Mediterranean record of the pyramidellid <i>Leucotina eva </i>Thiele, 1925.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: red;">2. </span><b style="color: red;">Deidun, A., Galea Bonavia, F. & Schembri, P. J.</b><span style="color: red;">, 2011. Distribution of </span><i style="color: red;">Tylos</i><span style="color: red;"> spp. in the Maltese Islands and population dynamics of </span><i style="color: red;">Tylos europaeus</i><span style="color: red;">. <i>Journal of Coastal Research</i>, <b>SI 57</b>: 369-372.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><i>Tylos</i> is a genus of woodlice, two species of which - <i>Tylos europaeus</i> Arcangeli, 1938 and <i>Tylos sardous</i> Arcangeli, 1938 - occur on two sandy beaches on island of Gozo. This paper examines their habitat and gives an account of yearly fluctuations in the former's population.</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;">References:</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><b>Cachia, C., Mifsud, C. & Sammut, P.</b>, 1991. <i>The Marine Shelled Mollusca of the Maltese Islands Part 1: Archaeogastropoda</i>. Malta: Grima Printing & Publishing Industries; 112 pp.</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><b>Cachia, C., Mifsud, C. & Sammut, P.</b>, 1996. <i>The Marine Mollusca of the Maltese Islands, Part 2: Neotaenioglossa</i>. Netherlands: Backhuys Publishers; 228 pp.</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><b>Cachia, C., Mifsud, C. & Sammut, P.</b>, 2001. <i>The Marine Mollusca of the Maltese Islands Part 3: Sub-class Prosobranchia to sub-class Pulmonata, order Basommatophora</i>. Netherlands: Backhuys Publishers; 266 pp.<br />
<b>Cachia, C., Mifsud, C. & Sammut, P.</b>, 2004.<i> The Marine Mollusca of the Maltese Islands Part 4: Caudofoveata, Solenogastres, Bivalvia, Scaphopoda and Cephalopoda</i>. Netherlands: Backhuys Publishers; 270 pp.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div>David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-31145830418727162922011-05-20T16:59:00.000+02:002011-05-20T16:59:10.554+02:00Endangered Species Day 2011<div style="text-align: justify;">On the occasion of <a href="http://www.stopextinction.org/esd.html">Endangered Species Day</a> 2011, I present one of the most characteristic floral endemics of Malta, namely the Maltese Everlasting (<a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/61623/0"><i>Helichrysum melitense</i></a>). This plant grows on the cliffs of Dwejra (Gozo) and <a href="http://muticaria.blogspot.com/2010/12/islands-of-maltese-archipelago-part-i.html">Fungus Rock</a>, and is most probably extinct in the wild from Malta. The remnants of the population are threatened by quarrying (mostly illegal), dumping of construction materials, alien species and habitat deterioration.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvfHv_gct1wajwT3y0YXVgvBwwm9QSl-Zd7KFzovGhC4d_pCYWNF_VkvsEoBEhnsuajiZLbBICcUuBikTRr7Qg-cHkN06ciSUaW3JK4pumccQIfzcoSg3YMS9-gBY7-EzCJWgRmUOWrE/s1600/Helichrysum+melitense+-+Maltese+Everlasting+-+Sempreviva+ta%2527+Ghawdex+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvfHv_gct1wajwT3y0YXVgvBwwm9QSl-Zd7KFzovGhC4d_pCYWNF_VkvsEoBEhnsuajiZLbBICcUuBikTRr7Qg-cHkN06ciSUaW3JK4pumccQIfzcoSg3YMS9-gBY7-EzCJWgRmUOWrE/s400/Helichrysum+melitense+-+Maltese+Everlasting+-+Sempreviva+ta%2527+Ghawdex+%25283%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Helichrysum melitense</i> (Pignatti), Dwejra - Għawdex, 21.VI.2008</td></tr>
</tbody></table>David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131351376892530140.post-74715218204865925022011-05-17T12:36:00.000+02:002011-05-17T12:36:40.750+02:00Sealed destiny?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyVpoXpruvmj_AgLZEr8R_bdGRkHxLm03vcuWlSDLlDd4OaicVk2hK8TmJdmaGRgpm-YrZjsu0p1ffrpqfZwvvDmzKiVZIk7g2AiOBTMknnUCRhZIittfrboR59sshvm-JHUwXDwmTx_8/s1600/Monachus_monachus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyVpoXpruvmj_AgLZEr8R_bdGRkHxLm03vcuWlSDLlDd4OaicVk2hK8TmJdmaGRgpm-YrZjsu0p1ffrpqfZwvvDmzKiVZIk7g2AiOBTMknnUCRhZIittfrboR59sshvm-JHUwXDwmTx_8/s320/Monachus_monachus.jpg" width="320" /></i></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Monachus monachus</i> (Herrmann, 1779), picture from <a href="http://marinebio.org/">marinebio.org</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">The Mediterranean monk seal, <i>Monachus monachus</i> (Herrmann, 1779), sometimes appearing also around Malta (Lanfranco, 1969), is one of the species cited as being <a href="http://www.theparliament.com/press-review-article/newsarticle/europe-facing-a-crisis-of-biodiversity/">'close to extinction'</a> by the EU environment commissioner Janez Potocnik. About 400 individuals are left around the Mediterranean and many factors heavily influence the decline of the population, including viral diseases, though most threats are <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13335683">anthropogenic</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyd9fgq7jw_6VMshFt6Bv_ieIHMHlad20qWPJJEJu1ktq5ZeDDhHS89DzEHm9bqRchB3l-FnHQzmhp55IOcwf9WJUPIDUzG5u8cD_Cby2sS3Ip2K0lJ1nAJE8OkdeJWegzHWAAjUVuIdo/s1600/Mediterranean-Monk-Seal-Monachus-monachus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyd9fgq7jw_6VMshFt6Bv_ieIHMHlad20qWPJJEJu1ktq5ZeDDhHS89DzEHm9bqRchB3l-FnHQzmhp55IOcwf9WJUPIDUzG5u8cD_Cby2sS3Ip2K0lJ1nAJE8OkdeJWegzHWAAjUVuIdo/s320/Mediterranean-Monk-Seal-Monachus-monachus.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mediterranean Monk Seal on a 2004 stamp from Maltapost</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">References:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Lanfranco, G. G.</b>, 1969. <i>Maltese Mammals (Central Mediterranean)</i>. Progress Press: Malta.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>MarineBio</b>, undated. <i>Monachus monachus</i>, Mediterranean Monk Seal. [www document, url=<a href="http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=343">http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=343</a>, last accessed 17.V.2011]</div>David P. Ciliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425318075850725424noreply@blogger.com0