Publications

01.  Mifsud, C. & Cilia, D. P., 2009. On the presence of a colony of Brachidontes pharaonis (P. Fischer, 1870) (Bivalvia: Mytilidae) in Maltese waters (Central Mediterranean). Triton, 20: 20-22.

The Lessepsian mytilid bivalve Brachidontes pharaonis (P. Fischer, 1870) is reported herein to have reached and established a small colony in Maltese waters.

02.  Cilia, D. P., 2009. On the presence of the alien freshwater gastropod Ferrissia fragilis (Tryon, 1863) (Gastropoda: Planorbidae) in the Maltese Islands (Central Mediterranean). Bollettino Malacologico, 45 (2): 123-127.

An established population of the North-American freshwater gastropod Ferrissia fragilis (Tryon, 1863) is recorded from the island of Malta (Central Mediterranean) for the first time. This population was found in an anthropogenic habitat at the northeast of Malta. Ferrissia fragilis is an invader of several freshwater habitats throughout Europe and beyond. If released into the wild, it could present competition for threatened Maltese freshwater Mollusca.

03.  Cilia, D. P., 2010. A student’s guide to the geology of the Maltese Islands. Unpublished B. Ed. (Hons) dissertation, University of Malta, 228 pp.

The lack of geological education and related literature in the Maltese Islands has meant that a large number of resources, in the field and in theory, are not being exploited to the full by Maltese students. A guide to the geology of the Maltese Islands was presented to a number of students (five) and final-year science student teachers (nine) in an attempt to gauge its motivational value and effectiveness. This guide was built on a constructivist pedagogy to allow the student to develop and proceed at one’s own pace. Evaluation by the students and the student teachers was positive and most criteria for a constructivist method could be assessed. Most respondents said that motivation indeed existed, but there were few accessible resources to back up this interest. Geological education, if introduced, could be incorporated into the current plans for a Co-ordinated Science syllabus. In addition to cognitive skills geology has been seen to enhance the affective attitudes towards the environment as well as increase scientific literacy through psychomotor skills.

04.  Cilia, D. P., 2010. A new species of Chloritis Beck, 1837 (Pulmonata: Camaenidae) from Sulawesi, Indonesia. Visaya, 3 (1): 69-72.

The camaenid pulmonate Chloritis johannisi n. sp. is described from the island of Peleng, Sulawesi, Indonesia, by means of conchological characteristics. It can be distinguished from the sympatric congener Chloritis gruneri by the presence of periostracal hair and from the similar Chloritis talabensis by size, colour, hair density and whorl number.

05.  Cilia, D. P., 2010. A note on shells of Pseudotachea splendida (Draparnaud, 1801) in the Maltese Islands (Central Mediterranean). Triton, 22: 33-34.

Shells of the western European helicid Pseudotachea splendida (Draparnaud, 1801) are recorded from a plant nursery in Malta.

06.  Cilia, D. P., 2012. A new Javan species of Agaronia Gray, 1839 (Neogastropoda, Olividae). Novapex, 13 (1): 33-36.

A new species of olivid neogastropod from West Java, Agaronia johnabbasi sp. nov., is described according to conchological characters. It is distinguished from congeners by means of its distinctive morphology and colouration.