Skip to main content

David P. Cilia

  • Biodiversity Journal, 8 (2): 769-771

    David P. Cilia
    Contributions to the malacology of Malta, III. First record of Planorbella duryi (Wetherby, 1879) (Gastropoda Planorbidae) for Comino

    ABSTRACT
    The freshwater and allochthonous species Planorbella duryi (Wetherby, 1879) (Gastropoda Planorbidae) (= Helisoma duryi Wetherby, 1879) is reported from the island of Comino (Maltese archipelago). This is the first record of a freshwater species and also of an allochthonous species for the third largest island of the Maltese archipelago.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 4 (2): 263-268

    David P. Cilia
    Description of a new species of Amphidromus Albers, 1850 from Sumba, Indonesia (Gastropoda Pulmonata Camaenidae)

    ABSTRACT
    The camaenid Amphidromus (Syndromus) iunior n. sp. from an isolated forest in the east of Sumba island in the Indonesian archipelago is described. Its closest named relative is Amphidromus (Syndromus) abbasi Chan et Tan, 2010, and some conchological features are common for both species. However, the new species is smaller, with consistent differences in shell thickness, pattern and pigmentation.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 3 (4): 543-554

    David P. Cilia, Arnold Sciberras, Jeffrey Sciberras & Luca Pisani
    Terrestrial gastropods of the minor islets of the Maltese Archipelago (Mollusca Gastropoda)

    ABSTRACT
    For this study, the terrestrial malacofauna of minor islets of the Maltese archipelago was investigated. A number of new records were found and synthesized with previous records to produce a comprehensive list of species. A brief commentary on the population, environment, habitat, and morphology for most species is given.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 3 (2): 137-144

    David P. Cilia & John Abbas
    A new species of Hemiplecta Albers, 1850 (Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Ariophantidae) from Sumatra, Indonesia

    ABSTRACT
    The ariophantid Hemiplecta belerang sp. nov. from South Sumatra is described in this paper. It is compared with its closest congeners, from which it is geographically and reproductively isolated.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 3 (2): 097-098
    David P. Cilia & John Abbas
    The genus Amphidromus Albers, 1850
  • Biodiversity Journal, 10 (4): 517-526 - MONOGRAPH

    Maria Stella Colomba, Armando Gregorini, David P. Cilia, Fabio Liberto, Agatino Reitano & Ignazio Sparacio
    Molecular studies on the genus Muticaria Lindholm, 1925 (Pulmonata, Clausiliidae) from the Maltese Islands
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2019.10.4.517.526

    ABSTRACT
    The present study has been carried out with focus on Muticaria macrostoma group from the Maltese Islands to characterize and define, from a molecular standpoint, their identity and relationships with topotypical Sicilian Muticaria (i.e. M. syracusana, M. neuteboomi, M. cyclopica and M. brancatoi). Molecular study included amplification of 16S rDNA (ca. 300 bp) and COI (ca. 700 bp) gene partial sequences which were used for single and combined gene analysis by Bayesian Inference to achieve the phylogenetic reconstructions with the highest posterior probabilities. Obtained results showed that, within M. macrostoma group, the taxa mamotica and oscitans can be elevated to the specific rank, thus bringing to three the Maltese Muticaria species, i.e. M. macrostoma, M. mamotica, and M. oscitans; whereas scalaris may be considered a subspecies, or even a synonim. Present findings confirmed the validity of the Sicilian species M. syracusana, M. neuteboomi, M. cyclopica and M. brancatoi. Furthermore, the populations of the Sicilian and Maltese Muticaria seem to belong to two different levels of differentiation. Finally, we have also examined some Lampedusa populations but the position of this genus still remains to be clarified. In particular, it is confirmed that Lampedusa and Muticaria are different genera, but at present, the relations within the Lampedusa group need further studies to be analysed in details.