Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia, 12() 1967
Collembola Fauna of Malta
Abstract:
The present paper contains the results of the study of some Collembola collected in 1925 by Mr. Conte Guarano Gatto of Malta. Thirty species are diagnosed. Five of the studied species are very likely endemic to Malta. These are: Protanura mediterranea sp. n., Entomobrya melitensis Stach, Orchesella melitensis Stach, Sminthurus gattoi sp. n., and Dicyrtoma melitensis Stach. It is of much interest to note that one of the found species, namely, Tricanthella biroi Stach, is a subantarctic element in the fauna of Malta. Mr. G . Gatto, a naturalist of Malta, interested in my paper on some Collembola from Malta, published in 1924, started collecting those insects on Malta in great numbers. In spite of his thorough collecting in many localities on Malta and on neighbouring islands, the found material contained only thirty species. Such a small number of species inhabiting Malta is probably due to its small dimensions (only about 95 square miles). The major part of Malta is rocky, the cultivated areas are rather small, lacking any river or lake, and consequently without exuberrant vegetation and forests. In addition, Mr. C. G . Gatto had at his disposal unsufficient equipment for collecting of Collembola.
