Adams, A.L. (1870) - Reptiles - In: Notes of a naturalist in the Nile Valley and Malta. Edingburgh: Edmonton and Douglas. Page 80-82. Bedriaga, J. von (1876) - Die Faraglione-Eidechse und die Entstehung der Farben bei den Eidechsen, eine Erwiderung an Herrn Prof. Dr. Th. Eimer. - Heidelberg. Giglioli, E.H. (1884) - Seconda campagna del R. piroscafo « Washington » - In: Giglioli, E.H. & A. Issel: Pelagos, Sagga Sulla Vita et sui Prodotti del Mare: 253-270. Gulia, G. (1914) - Uno sguardo alla zoologia delle Isole Maltesi. - IX Congres Intern. de Zoologie tenu à Monaco da 25-30 Mars 1913: 545-555. × Giovanni Gulia war ein prominenter maltesischer Naturforscher. Laut Schembri (2003) „nahm Giovanni Gulia, einer der bedeutendsten maltesischen Naturforscher jener Zeit, 1913 am 9. Internationalen Zoologischen Kongress in Monaco teil und las einen Vortrag mit dem Titel „Uno sguardo alla zoologia delle Isole Maltesi“ (Gulia, 1914). Dabei handelte es sich um einen Überblick über die bis dahin auf den Inseln durchgeführte zoologische Forschung, die sich sowohl mit der Meeresfauna als auch mit der nicht-marinen Fauna befasste. Er fasste einen Großteil der früheren Literatur zusammen und lieferte zusätzliche unveröffentlichte Informationen.“ Schembri, P.J. (2003) Aktueller Kenntnisstand über die nicht-marine Fauna Maltas. In: Jahresbericht und Konten 2003 der maltesischen Umwelt- und Planungsbehörde. S. 33–65; Floriana, Malta: Umwelt- und Planungsbehörde Malta, 92 S. Despott, G. (1915) - The reptiles of the Maltese Islands. - The Zoologist, 891: 321-360. Mertens, R. (1921) - Zur Kenntnis der Reptilienfauna von Malta. - Zoologischer Anzeiger, Leipzig, 53: 236 - 240 Mertens, R. (1922) - Verzeichnis der Typen in der herpetologischen Sammlung des Senckenbergischen Museums. - Senckenbergiana, Frankfurt/Main, 4: 162-183. Fejervary, G.J. (1924) - Preliminary notes to a monograph of the lacertian fauna of the Maltese islands. - Biologica Hungarica, Budapest, 1 (5): 1-15. Savona-Ventura, C. (1983) - The herpetofauna of Comino and satellite islet´s with a note on the coloration of Podarcis filfolensis. - Animalia, 10 (1/3): 87-93. Bruno, S. (1986) - Lucertola maltese Podarcis filfolensis (Bedriaga, 1876). - In: Tartarughe e sauri d`Italia. Giunti Martello, Firenze: 232-233. Lo Cascio, P. & Corti, C. & Billeci, V. & Nicolini, G. (2005) - “First came, first served”, or the recent introduced lizard populations of Lampedusa Island (S Italy). - Programme and Abstracts of the 13th Ord. Meeting S.E.H., Museum Koenig, Bonn: 72. Sciberras, A. (2005) - Reptiles, our scaly friends. - The Malta Independent 22.10.2005 page 6. Rodriguez, V. & Brown, R.P. & Terrasa, B. & Pérez-Mellado, V. & Picornell, A. & Castro, J.A. & Ramon, C. (2013) - Genetic diversity and historical biogeography of the Maltese wall lizard, Podarcis filfolensis (Squamata: Lacertidae). - Conservation Genetics, 15 (2): 295-304. × Podarcis filfolensis is an endemic lizard from the Maltese archipelago. There is evidence of human-mediated decline and even extirpation of some insular populations of this species. However, information about the intraspecific genetic diversity and phylogeographic patterns of this species is limited. Here we analyze genetic markers from a multi-locus dataset (mtDNA, 2,533 bp; nuclear c-mos gene, 353 bp; 11 microsatellites) for individuals from extant populations of P. filfolensis. Despite generally low genetic variability, two main mitochondrial groupings were clearly identified. In general, individuals from the main island of Malta were genetically distinct from those from Gozo, Comino, Cominotto and Small Blue Lagoon Rock, and also from Linosa and Lampione individuals. Three genetic clusters were detected based on microsatellite data: one was found at higher frequency on Malta, while the other two included samples from the remaining islands, showing some concordance with the mtDNA pattern. A time-calibrated Bayesian tree for the principal mitochondrial lineages indicated strong statistical support for two P. filfolensis lineages that originated in the Pleistocene (105.4–869 Ka). We show that these lineages largely meet the criteria for recognition as evolutionary significant units despite some recent admixture (possibly due to recent translocations between islands). Human disturbance, low genetic variability, evidence of bottlenecks and extirpation on one island indicate that a thorough review of the current conservation status of P. filfolensis would be timely. Salvi, D. & Schembri, P. & Sciberras, A. & Harris, D.J. (2014) - Evolutionary history of the Maltese wall lizard Podarcis filfolensis: insights on the ‘Expansion-Contraction’ model of Pleistocene biogeography. - Molecular Ecology, 23 (5): 1167-1187. × The Expansion-Contraction (EC) model predicts demographic and range contraction of temperate species during Pleistocene glaciations as a consequence of climate-related habitat changes, and provides a paradigm for explaining the high intraspecific diversity found in refugia in terms of long-term demographic stability. However, recent evidence has revealed a weak predictive power of this model for terrestrial species in insular and coastal settings. We investigated the Pleistocene EC dynamics and their evolutionary consequences on temperate species using the Maltese archipelago and its endemic lizard Podarcis filfolensis as a model system. The evolutionary and demographic history of P. filfolensis as inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear sequences data does not conform to the EC model predictions, supporting (i) demographic and spatial stability or expansion, rather than contraction, of the northern and southern lineages during the last glacial period, and (ii) a major role for allopatric differentiation primed by sea-level dynamics, rather than prolonged demographic stability, in the formation of the observed genetic diversity. When combined with evidence from other Mediterranean refugia, this study shows how the incorporation of Pleistocene sea-level variations in the EC model accounts for a reverse demographic and range response of insular and coastal temperate biotas relative to continental ones. Furthermore, this cross-archipelago pattern in which allopatric diversity is formed and shaped by EC cycles resembles that seen between isolated populations within mainland refugia and suggests that the EC model, originally developed to explain population fluctuations into and out-of refugia, may be appropriate for describing the demographic and evolutionary dynamics driving the high genetic diversity observed in these areas. Sciberras, J. & Sciberras, A. (2014) - Behavior of lizards in the Maltese and Pelagian islands: a personal experience. - L@CERTIDAE, 2014 [1]: 1-10. × Unterschiedliches Verhalten in Populationen von Podarcis filfolensis auf den
Maltesischen- und Pelagischen Inseln wird beschrieben und diskutiert. Lo Cascio, P. & Sciberras, A. (2020) - “Cold-blooded” travellers around Sicily: How introductions and extinctions have shake the recent herpetofauna of Circum-Sicilian and Maltese Islands. - In: La Mantia T., Badalamenti, E., Carapezza, A., Lo Cascio, P. & A. Troia (Eds.): Life on islands. 1. Biodiversity in Sicily and surrounding islands. Studies dedicated to Bruno Massa. Edizioni Danaus, Palermo. pp. 355-390. × Circum‐Sicilian and Maltese herpetofauna includes 22 species occurring with steady populations, andsome of them (Pelophylax bedriagae, Trachemys scripta, Chamaeleo chamaeleon, Hemorrhois algirus and perhapsTelescopus fallax) were introduced during the last two centuries, while for other 7 at least one introduction withinthe study islands was documented during the same span of time; furthermore, temporary occurrences were alsodetected for other 16 species (3 amphibians and 13 reptiles), some of which (Hyla sp., Graptemys pseudogeo‐graphica, Centrochelys sulcata, Pantherophis guttatus and Lampropeltis getula) have not been previously recordedfor these islands. Accidental or intentional introductions have gradually increased in recent decades and have asignificant influence in shaping these herpetofunal assemblages. On the contrary, extinction seems to be less fre‐quent and involved especially amphibians. The updated faunal inventory for 65 islands includes several new recordsand the results of the first herpetological investigations on the islets Faraglione di terra di Cala Fico, Colombaia,Vittoria Garcia (circum‐Sicilian), Pigeon Rock and Cheirolopus Rock (Maltese). Sciberras, A. & Sciberras, J. (2024) - Updates on the natural history of Cheirolophus Rock (Maltese Archipelago) with a description of its lacertid. - L@CERTIDAE (Eidechsen Online), 2024 [2]: 9-16. × The islet’s recent discovery by the authors hold quite a rich biota compared to its size. In this work topography is re- described adding one species of flora to the already known six (SCIBERRAS & SCIBERRAS 2010, SCIBERRAS et al. 2012) and 32 new species of fauna to the two recorded (LO CASCIO & SCIBERRAS 2020, AGUIS & SCIBERRAS 2022) with a complete description of the endemic lacertid, Podarcis filfolensis, in situ.
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