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ISLAND DIRECTORY
Islands of Malta
Gozo (Ghawdex) - including Fungus Rock [1202]
Group: Archipelago: Maltese Archipelago
Country: Malta
Lat: 36.05º N Long : 14.26º E
Area: 67.1 sq. km Altitude: 191 m
Shoreline: 42.6 km (scale 1:) Coastal Index: 0.6349
Depth to nearest land: >101 m
Nearest island: 4 km group: 90 km
Nearest continent: Europe Distance: 240 km Isolation Index: 27
ISLAND TYPE: low limestone Natural Protection Indicator: 0
CLIMATE: temperate 9ø-30øC, 530 mm
CATASTROPHIC THREATS: drought, fire
Threat Indicator: 2
ECOSYSTEMS:
Mediterranean sclerophyll forest, scrub, garigue, clay slope community,
grassland; spring, freshwater pool; sand dunes, beaches, rocky shores,
seagrass beds, algal beds on rocky substrata
SPECIES RICHNESS:
Species Richness Indicator - Terrestrial: 2 Marine: 0
moderate
ENDEMISM: Terrestrial: Terrestrial Endemism Indicator - Island: 0 Group: 3
Marine endemic species: 0
Marine Endemism Indicator - Island: 0 Group: 1
INVASIVE SPECIES: Invasive Species Indicator: 3
same as Malta
HUMAN OCCUPATION: Inhabited
Population: 25670 (1985) Density: 382.6 persons/sq. km
Growth Rate: 0.5%/yr Stable
Habitat: villages Urban Pop: 0 Urban Indicator: 0
Percent population in agr/mining/fishing: 20% Human Threat Indicator: 1
Gross Domestic Product: $ 3162 per capita Economic Pressure Indicator: 2
Conservation support: legislation
DATA RELIABILITY: partial Data Rel. Indicator: 2
HUMAN IMPACT INDEX HI: 14
CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE INDEX CI-Terrestrial: 9 Moderate
CI-Marine: 5 Moderate
Last updated: 18/02/90
Malta - including Filfla, St. Paul's [777]
Group: Archipelago: Maltese Archipelago
Country: Malta
Lat: 35.90º N Long : 14.45º E
Area: 245.7 sq. km Altitude: 253 m
Shoreline: 136.8 km (scale 1:) Coastal Index: 0.5568
Depth to nearest land: >101 m
Nearest island: 96 km group: 96 km
Nearest continent: Europe Distance: 240 km Isolation Index: 35
ISLAND TYPE: low limestone Natural Protection Indicator: 0
GEOLOGY/SOILS:
Coralline limestone plateaux and Globigerina limestone plains and low
hills
with steep cliffs to west, karstic topography and dry valleys; a few
permanent
springs. Terra soils, xerorendzinas and carbonate raw soils.
CLIMATE: moderate temperate 9ø-30øC, 530 mm
CATASTROPHIC THREATS: drought
Threat Indicator: 1
ECOSYSTEMS: Number of Ecosystems - Terrestrial: 8 Marine: 3
Mediterranean sclerophyll forest (four remaining remnants), maquis
(sclerophyllous scrub), garigue (bushes and annuals on karstland),
grassland
in degraded areas; watercourse and cliff communities; saltmarsh, springs
and
pools; sand dunes; rocky shores, beaches, seagrass beds, dense algae on
hard
substrata.
| SPECIES NUMBERS: |
Total |
Endemic |
Threatened (EVRI) |
| Plants |
1013 |
24 |
181 |
| Butterflies |
20 |
2 |
0 |
| Land snails |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| Rept/Amphib |
13 |
4 |
12 |
| Land birds |
13 |
0 |
21 |
| Mammals |
21 |
0 |
16 |
SPECIES OF CONSERVATION INTEREST:
Plants:
150 freshwater and terrestrial algae
600 fungi (150 macrofungi), 5 endemic
300 lichens, 9 endemic
130 bryophytes, 2 endemic
11 ferns and other pteridophytes
2 gymnosperms
1000 angiosperms, 24 endemic, 181 threatened, 80 extinct
Cremnophyton lanfrancoi (Chenopodiaceae) endemic monospecific genus,
rare,
on cliffs along southern coast
Darniella melitensis (Chenopodiaceae) endemic
Palaeocyanus crassifolius (Asteraceae) endemic monospecific genus,
Vulnerable (RDB) on cliffs along southern coast
Chiliadenus bocconei (Asteraceae) endemic
Hyoseris frutescens (Asteraceae) endemic
Helichrysum melitensis (Asteraceae) endemic, rare
Anthemis urvilleana (Asteraceae) endemic
Allium lojaconoi (Alliaceae) endemic
Allium melitense (Alliaceae) endemic, indeterminate
Allium sp. nov. (Alliaceae) endemic to Filfla, vulnerable
Limonium zeraphae (Plumbaginaceae) endemic, rare
Limonium melitense (Plumbaginaceae) endemic
Limonium sp. nov. (Plumbaginaceae) endemic, endangered
Romulea melitensis (Iridaceae) endemic, indeterminate
Euphorbia melitensis (Euphorbiaceae) endemic
Euphorbia exigua var. pyncnophylla (Euphorbiaceae) endemic to
Maltese
Islands and Lampedusa
Anacamptis urvilleana (Orchidaceae) endemic, rare
Ophrys sp. nov. (Orchidaceae) endemic, indeterminate
Matthiola incana spp. melitensis (Brassicaceae) endemic, rare
Orobanche nana f. melitensis (Orobanchaceae) endemic
Orobanche densiflora f. melitensis (Orobanchaceae) endemic, rare
Elatine gussonei (Elatinaceae) endemic to Maltese Islands and
Lampedusa,
rare
Linaria pseudolaxiflora (Scrophulariaceae) endemic to Maltese
Islands and
Linosa, rare
Daucus lopadusanus (Apiaceae) endemic to the Maltese Islands and
Lampedusa, indeterminate
Insects:
over 4000 species, including 69 endemic
570 moths, 15 endemic, 25 threatened, 7 extinct
Sciopetris melitensis (Psychidae) endemic, extinct(?)
Antitinea deluccae (Tineidae) endemic, extinct(?)
Pterolonche vallettae (Pterolonchidae) endemic, rare
Oecogonia deluccai (Symmocidae) endemic, rare
Symmoca melitensis (Symmocidae) endemic, extinct(?)
Epidola melitensis (Gelechiidae) endemic, extinct(?)
Megacraspedus lativalvellus (Gelechiidae) endemic, extinct(?)
Aphelia amplana f. vallettai (Tortricidae) endemic
Cydia sammuti (Tortricidae) endemic, indeterminate
Phycitodes saxicola (Pyralidae) endemic, rare
Agdistis symmetrica (Pterophoridae) endemic, indeterminate
Agdistis melitensis (Pterophoridae) endemic, rare
Mythimna putrescens vallettai (Noctuidae) endemic, rare
Blepharita vallettai (Noctuidae) endemic
Phragmatobia fuliginosa melitensis (Noctuidae) endemic
20 butterflies, 2 endemic
Papilio machaon melitensis (Papilionidae) endemic
Maniola jurtina hyperhispulla (Satyridae) endemic
Other invertebrates:
96 crustacea, 6 endemic
over 400 arachnids, 5 endemic
60 freshwater and terrestrial molluscs including 17 endemic, 25
threatened
Pseudamnicola melitensis (Prosobranchia, Hydrobiidae), endemic,
endangered
Pomatias sulcatus melitense (Pulmonata, Pomatiasidae), endemic(?)
Lehmannia melitensis (Pulmonata, Limacidae) endemic, indeterminate
Deroceras golcheri (Pulmonata, Agriolimacidae) endemic
Lampedusa imitatrix imitatrix (Pulmonata, Clausiliidae) endemic
vulnerable
Lampedusa imitatrix melitensis (Pulmonata, Clausiliidae) endemic,
endangered
Lampedusa imitatrix gattoi (Pulmonata, Clausiliidae) endemic to
Filfla,
endangered
Lampedusa macrostoma mamotica (Pulmonata, Clausiliidae) endemic
endangered
Lampedusa macrostoma oscitans (Pulmonata, Clausiliidae) endemic
Lampedusa macrostoma scalaris (Pulmonata, Clausiliidae) endemic
endangered
Trochoidea spratti spratti (Pulmonata, Hygromiidae) endemic
Trochoidea spratti cucullus (Pulmonata, Hygromiidae) endemic,
endangered
Trochoidea spratti despotti (Pulmonata, Hygromiidae) endemic,
vulnerable
Trochoidea gharlapsi (Pulmonata, Hygromiidae) endemic, vulnerable
Cernuella caruanae (Pulmonata, Hygromiidae) endemic
Marmorana melitensis (Pulmonata, Helicidae) endemic
Reptiles/amphibians:
1 amphibian, 9 reptiles including 1 endemic with 4 subspecies, 12
threatened
Podarcis filfolensis filfolensis (Reptilia) endemic, vulnerable
Podarcis filfolensis maltensis (Reptilia) endemic
Podarcis filfolensis kieselbachi (Reptilia) endemic, vulnerable
Podarcis filfolensis generalensis (Reptilia) endemic, vulnerable
Birds:
13 resident land birds, 57 regular visitors, 112 migrants, 21
threatened
Mammals:
21 species, 16 threatened
Marine life:
1 endemic mollusc
SPECIES RICHNESS:
Species Richness Indicator - Terrestrial: 2 Marine: 0
moderate
ENDEMISM: Terrestrial: Terrestrial Endemism Indicator - Island: 2 Group: 3
good
Marine endemic species: 1
Marine Endemism Indicator - Island: 1 Group: 1
1 mollusc
SPECIAL FEATURES : Special Features Indicator - Terrestrial: 2 Marine: 0
seabird rookery on Filfla
caves
INVASIVE SPECIES: Invasive Species Indicator: 3
many introduced species
Oxalis pes-caprae (Cape Sorrel) introduced in 1809 from South Africa,
now
commonest local weed
Iridomyrmex humilis (ant) rapidly spreading and deplacing many native
species
HUMAN OCCUPATION: Inhabited, capital Valletta
Population: 319736 (1985) Density: 1301 persons/sq. km
Growth Rate: 0.9%/yr Stable
Major Human Activities: tourism, manufacturing,, shipyards
HUMAN IMPACTS:
Colonized before 4000 BC, repeatedly invaded; 1463 km of roads, 112,827
vehicles (358 vehicles/sq.km, 1986); fragmented agricultural land, 68%
of
parcels under 1 ha; overgrazing by sheep and goats has destroyed forest
and
prevented regeneration; quarries; heavy tourism pressure on beaches;
erosion
from heavy runoff and poor maintenance of terraces; some nitrate
pollution of
water
Habitat: villages Urban Pop: 0 Urban Indicator: 0
Accessibility: port, airport
Percent population in agr/mining/fishing: 20% Human Threat Indicator: 1
Gross Domestic Product: $ 3162 per capita Economic Pressure Indicator: 2
Conservation support: legislation
PROTECTED AREAS: Protected Area Coverage Indicators - Terrestrial: 0 Marine: 0
Number: 2 Area: Terrestrial: 0.1 sq. km Marine: 0 sq. km
Ghadira marsh nature reserve (6 ha) established 1978
Filfla Island nature reserve (2 ha) established 1988
18 other bird sanctuaries
DATA RELIABILITY: good recent summary in Schembri, 1988 Data Rel. Indicator: 3
HUMAN IMPACT INDEX HI: 32
CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE INDEX CI-Terrestrial: 54 Outstanding
CI-Marine: 9 Moderate
REFERENCES:
Schembri, P.J. and Sultana, J. (eds.). 1989. Red data list for the
Maltese
Islands. Department of Information, Valletta.
Schembri, Patrick J. 1988. IUCN Islands Directory entry for the
Maltese
Islands (unpublished report). Department of Science, University of
Malta,
Msida, Malta. March 1988. 26 p.
Last updated: 18/02/90
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Page last updated: 09/05/10