A revised check-list of Maltese algae

Abstract

Until very recently, Maltese Algae have not been given much attention. Drs. Gavino and Giovanni Gulia working in the latter half of the 19th century produced some scattered notes and records on our algae in their various publications. In 1915 appeared the 'Flora Melitensis Nova' by Dr. Stefano Sommier and Count Dr. Alfredo Caruana-Gatto. In this flora appeared a list of Maltese Algae which was compiled by Count Caruana-Gatto from specimens collected mainly by himself. This list includes 296 species of algae which were grouped into Myxophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Glaucophyceae, Floridae and Zygophyceae (Cyanophyta, Chlorophyta p.p.,Phaeophyta, Bangiophycidae p.p., Rhodophyta and Bacillariophyceae respectively of the present work) with no further subdivision, since this was intended to be only a preliminary list. This list forms the basis of the present work. Since the publication of the 'Flora Melitensis Nova' no other comprehensive floristic account of our Algae has appeared. In recent years teams from abroad come annually to Malta to carry out research in Marine Biology, including research on our Algae, chiefly from a physiological and biophysical viewpoint. The present work is intended to be no more than a check-list of Algae which are known to date to exist in Malta. I have done my best to bring the nomenclature up to date (since many names have changed since 1915). I have also tried to classify the list as accurately as possible. I have made no attempt however to include any synonymy, or remarks on doubtful taxa. This I reserve for a larger work on our Algae which I hope to finish in the near future.