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The eumenine fauna of the Maltese Islands is reviewed and 17 species are asserted as occurring in the mentioned territory. Of these, Parodontodynerus ephippium and Stenodynerus fastidiosissimus are recorded for the first time from the Maltese archipelago. An annotated species list and a key to species are provided. Three doubtful records are also discussed., peer-reviewed

Nemesia cominensis sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 1194AF54-FEB0-4E94-BA86-708827BB2F1B Figs 74–94 Diagnosis Nemesia cominensis females can be distinguished from all known Nemesia species by its general light colour (Figs 74–75) and the elongated, wiggly, tube-shaped spermathecal receptacles without a clear differentiation in proximal, medial and distal parts (Figs 79, 87). It further differs from N. maltensis in the absence of maculae on legs (Fig. 75) and the elevated cephalic part (Fig. 75). Etymology The name refers to Comino, the third largest island in the Maltese Archipelago and the only Mediterranean island where the species is currently known to occur. Type material Holotype MALTA • ♀; Comino Island; 36.012° N, 14.337° E; 11 Sep. 2020; T. Cassar leg.; (no. TC.002); NHMR: Additional material MALTA • 1 ♀ subadult; same collection data as for holotype; (no. TC.001); NHMR • 1 ♂ subadult; same collection data as for holotype; 17 Sep. 2020; (no. TC.003); NHMR. Description Female holotype (no. TC-002, NHMR) GENERAL COLORATION. General appearance as a relatively light-coloured Nemesia species (Fig. 74). carapace cephalic part with wide orange-brown crest zone and light grey flanks, thoracic part light yellow with vague grey folia pattern, chelicerae dark brown, distally darkest, palps and legs crème-coloured with dorsal yellow zones, sternum light yellow, labium and maxillae light brown, opisthosoma dorsal creme-colour with light grey pattern of blotches and chevrons, ventral orange-brown zone between epigastric furrow and light-coloured spinnerets. CARAPACE. Longer than wide (CW/CL 0.8), sparsely covered with very fine black pubescence, bristles centrally in longitudinal row on crest-zone and around the eyes. Cephalic part elevated; fovea only weakly recurved. Eyes: eye-group almost twice as wide as long (EL/PR 0.48), PR slightly wider than AR (PR/AR 1.03), AME slightly more than their diameter apart (dis.AME/dia.AME 1.10), distance ALE–PLE less than ½ dia.ALE (ALE–PLE/ALE 0.44). CHELICERAE. Strong, rastellum triangular group of strong teeth placed apically, prolateral row of 6 conical furrow teeth, retrolateral furrow scopula, field of tiny denticles at furrow bottom, fang proximally hooked, very fine serrations on fang keel (Fig. 76). VENTRAL PROSOMA. Distal maxillae lobe reduced, three cuspules on proximo-anterior margin, labium: almost twice as wide as long (LW/LL 1.9), cuspules absent, labial furrow centrally divided. Sternum: longer than wide (SW/SL 0.8), with three pairs of light brown sub-marginal sigilla. PALPS. Femur and patella spineless, tibia two ventro-lateral rows of sharp distally pointing spines and dorsal long parallel rows of trichobothria, tarsus ventral half fully scopulate with group of sharp distally pointing spines, dorsal trichobothria in V-formation, palpal claw with short proximal row of four teeth. LEGS. Maculae absent (Fig. 75). Leg I ventro-prolateral scopulae extending to distal tibia, row of three ventro-prolateral metatarsal spines, spines on other articles spineless. Leg II scopula restricted to tarsus and metatarsus, spines and spiny bristles stronger developed than on leg I. Posterior legs with dense groups of spiny bristles prolateral on distal femur and dorsal patella. Leg III, patella with two prolateral spines (Fig. 77) retrolateral spines absent. Leg IV patella spineless, tibia> femur> metatarsus (Fem4/ Met4 1,1; Tib4/Met4 1,2). Leg formula: 4132. PTC and ATC identical to the ones of N. maltensis sp. nov. OPISTHOSOMA. Ovoid, anterior narrowing (Fig. 74), spinnerets without maculae or sharply defined spigot-fields, PMS digitiform (Fig. 78). Spermathecae, tube shaped, wavy, wiggly structures without much differentiation (Fig. 79). MEASUREMENTS. TBL = 20.5; CL = 7.0; CW = 5.8; CP = 4.4; AR = 1.23; PR = 1.27; EL = 0.61; dia.ALE = 0.32; dia.PLE 0.25; dia.AME = 0.20; dia.PME = 0.14; dis.AME–AME = 0.22; dis.ALE–PLE = 0.14; SL = 4.0; SW = 3.1; LL = 0.7; LW = 1.4; Palp = 10.3 (2.3 + 2.2 + 2.1 + 3.7); Leg I = 15.3 (1.8 + 2.6 + 3.1 + 3.1 + 4.7); Leg II = 13.0 (1.6 + 2.5 + 2.7 + 2.9 + 3.3); Leg III = 14.0 (1.6 + 2.5 + 2.7 + 2.9 + 4.3); Leg IV = 20.9 (2.0 + 4.6 + 5.5 + 3.6 + 5.2). VARIATION FEMALE (n = 2). TBL = 14.5, 20.5; CL = 6.0, 7.0; CW = 4.9, 5.8; CP = 3.7, 4.4; AR = 1.12, 1.23; PR = 1.19, 1.27; EL = 0.55, 0.61; dia.ALE = 0.21, 0.32; dia.PLE = 0.20, 0.25; dia.AME = 0.16, 0.20; dia.PME = 0.13, 0.14; dis.AME–AME = 0.19, 0.22; dis.ALE–PLE = 0.14, 0.20; SL = 3.3, 4.0; SW = 2.6, 3.1; LL = 0.7; LW = 1.3, 1.4; Palp = 8.5, 10.3; Leg I = 12.6, 15.3; Leg II = 11.5, 13.0; Leg III = 11.3, 14.0; Leg IV = 17.8, 20.9. Sub-adult male (no. TC-003, NHMR) As in all species of Nemesia, sub-adult spiders are, except for their small size, similar to adult females in general appearance and somatic characters. Males and females of Nemesia can be distinguished in juveniles by internally checking the presence of spermathecae that are already detectable in small juvenile and sub-adult females (Fig. 87 cf. Fig. 88). Sub-adult males overlap in general body size with young females, but can be distinguished on the shape of the palp-tarsus that is slightly swollen (Figs 82, 84 cf. 81, 83) and the absence of a vulva structure in the epigastric furrow (Fig. 85 cf. 86). Observations Nemesia cominensis constructs a thin, flimsy wafer-door lid to its burrow (Fig. 90), which is partly concealed by a thin layer of loose soil particles on top (Fig. 89). Nemesia cominensis captures its prey in the usual trapdoor spider fashion by laying in ambush under a cracked open trapdoor, launching a flash attack on small animals that wander within reach of the spider (Figs 91–94). Burrows are constructed in the ground in deep soil, with the door flush with the flat ground surface, and may be unbranched (single shaft) or bifurcated (two shafts joining to become one at the bottom, in a Y shape). During the aestivation period, the burrows have no lids whatsoever, and the burrow entrances are instead concealed and obstructed by up to about 2 cm of soil; they are also completely devoid of any silk lining. When the soil is moistened, the spiders resume their door-making and hunting; the first few millimetres of the burrow entrance are lined with a very thin layer of silk to which the door is attached, but the rest of the burrow still remains without silk lining. It is not known how deep the burrow shafts are in nature during the active period; in captivity an active burrow was constructed which reached 8 cm in depth but this was restricted by the size of the flower-pot; on location some spiders were found residing in aestivation burrows up to some 15 cm deep into the soil. Recently hatched spiders have been found after digging up aestivation burrows belonging to mature individuals, so it is assumed that the young are retained within the maternal burrow and disperse afterwards, taking up residence in close proximity (the sampled population was localized and dense). So far, this species has only been found to construct its burrows in relatively deep soil at the bottom of a shallow valley on the island of Comino, from which all of the aforementioned observations have been made. The difficulty in locating specimens may doubtless obscure the true distribution and ecological preferences of this newly described species from the Maltese Islands., Published as part of Cassar, Thomas, Mifsud, David & Decae, Arthur E., 2022, The Nemesia trapdoor spider fauna of the Maltese archipelago, with the description of two new species (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Nemesiidae), pp. 90-112 in European Journal of Taxonomy 806 (1) on pages 106-110, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2022.806.1705, http://zenodo.org/record/6384569

Nemesia maltensis sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: BB791B03-F14E-4D15-9338-EE2E02244C4A Figs 54–73 Diagnosis Nemesia maltensis groups out with a species-complex that is common in the central and eastern Mediterranean Basin (Decae 2012). In this species-complex the palpal organ of males has striae (fine ribs) on the proximal embolus (Figs 59–62), and females have tube shaped, tripartite spermathecae in which the median part is folded and twisted (Fig. 69). Within this species-complex, N. maltensis fits in a central Mediterranean subgroup that has informally been named the maculatipes group (Decae et al. 2015). Species in this subgroup, such as N. maculatipes Ausserer, 1871 (Sardinia), N. meridionalis (Costa, 1835) (southern Italy), N. sanzoi Fage, 1917 (Sicily) and N. pannonica Herman, 1879 (Serbia) have conspicuous dark coloured patches (maculae) on legs and/or the external proximal article of the PLS (Figs 58, 64–65, 67). Within the maculatipes group N. maltensis keys out with N. meridionalis on grounds of a similar morphology of the distal embolus in males being ornamented with a short row of tiny denticles (Fig. 63 cf. Isaia & Decae 2012: fig. 4). This character is not known from any other Nemesia species. Males of N. maltensis can be distinguished from those of N. meridionalis by the absence of an abrupt narrowing of the distal embolus (Figs 59–62 cf. Isaia & Decae 2012: fig. 3), females of N. maltensis can be distinguished from those of N. meridionalis by the relatively flat profile of the carapace (lateral view Fig. 65), lack of sharply defined light coloured spigot fields on the PMS and PLS (Fig. 68 cf. Isaia & Decae 2012: fig. 5), and absence of a strong colour contrast between the labium and the sternum and the indistinct central division of the labial furrow (Fig. 66 cf. Isaia & Decae 2012: figs 7–8). Etymology The name refers to Malta, the largest island in the Maltese Archipelago and the only Mediterranean island where the species is currently known to occur. Type material Holotype MALTA • ♂; Buskett; 8–13 Sep. 2020; 35.856° N, 14.396° E; T. Cassar leg.; (no. TC.004); NHMR. Paratypes MALTA • 4 ♂♂; same collection data as for holotype; (no. TC.005 to TC.008); NHMR • 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for holotype; (no. TC.009, TC.010); NHMW • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; 14 Mar. 2021; (no. TC.012, TC.013); NHMR. Description Male holotype (no. TC-004, NHMR) PRESERVATION AND CONDITION. Specimen 6 months preserved in 70% ethanol, in good condition (Fig. 54), right bulb detached for study (Figs 59–63). GENERAL COLORATION. Carapace yellowish with dark flanks of cephalic part and dark margin (Fig. 55), chelicerae brown, darker than carapace with dorsal lighter coloured patch, opisthosoma dorsal anterior dark greyish-brown, further light coloured with dark, irregular chevrons and a dark cardiac line (Fig. 54), opisthosoma ventral uniform creamy white, palps and legs lighter coloured than body in dorsal view and ventrally lighter coloured than dorsally, sternum and ventral coxae creamy white, labium conspicuously darker than other ventral parts. CARAPACE. Longer than wide (CW/CL 0.8), covered with very fine silvery pubescence, curved bristles concentrated along the margins and posterior on the thoracic part, longitudinal row on the crest of the cephalic part and few forwardly projecting bristles on clypeus. Cephalic not elevated, thoracic part bulging slightly up from the fovea before sloping down to the posterior margin (Fig. 55). EYES. Ocular-tubercle dome-shaped, clypeus narrow sloping down from eyes, eye-group rectangular, twice as wide as long (EL/PR 0.51), AME less than their diameter apart (dis.AME/dia.AME 0.87), dis. ALE–PLE less than ½ dia.ALE (ALE–PLE/ALE 0.44). CHELICERAE. Rastellum with few strong teeth on the apical prolateral corner of chelicerae, prolateral row of furrow teeth, fangs sharp, bent, ventral un-serrated ridge. VENTRAL PROSOMA. Maxillae rounded distal lobe, few spiky cuspules on proximo-anterior margin. Labium: wider than long (LW/LL 0.7), cuspules absent, labial furrow narrow. Sternum: longer than wide (SW/SL 0.8) three pairs round sigilla, posteriors sub-marginal, evenly covered with bristles. PALPS. Cymbium with distal group of spines, tibia with PTR strongly develop (Fig. 56), proximally inflated (TibW/PTib 0.6), patella spineless, femur longer than tibia (PFem/PTib 1.6) with group of slender spines dorsally on distal half of the article. Palpal organ, proximal bulbous part pyriform extending distally into a slender curved embolus. Embolus curved, distally gradually tapering to a sharp, bevelled tip. Striae on proximal embolus, few tiny denticles just proximal of the embolus tip (Figs 59–63). LEGS. All tarsi with fine ventral scopulae. Leg: I: metatarsus and tibia modified, metatarsus curved, lateral longitudinal rows of spines over the length of the article, CF with dense brush of short bristles, tibia distally widened, TA reduced (Fig. 57 cf Fig. 29), TS smoothly upward curved (Fig. 57), spines present on all articles proximal of tarsus, patella with two prolateral spines. Legs I–III; tarsi without spines, other articles with numerous spines, maculae vague, most prominent on prolateral femur (apical) and patella (central). Leg IV, tibia> femur> metatarsus (Fem4/Met4 = 1.02, Tib4/Met4 = 1.07). Leg formula: 4123. PTC on all tarsi with ventrally two parallel combs of small teeth (genus character), ATC smooth. OPISTHOSOMA. Ovoid, anterior narrowing with numerous forward directed bristles, dorsal bristles are backward directed, Spinnerets: PMS knob-shaped, spigots apically concentrated, PLS proximal article with external macula (Fig. 58), as long as medial + distal articles, spigots spread over ventral proximal and medial articles and on apical distal article. MEASUREMENTS. TBL = 12.3; CL = 5.0; CW = 3.8; CP = 3.0; AR = 0.83; PR = 0.83; EL = 0.42; dia.ALE = 0.25; dia.PLE 0.15; dia.AME = 0.15; dia.PME = 0.12; dis.AME–AME = 0.13; dis.ALE–PLE = 0.11; SL = 2.6; SW = 1.9; LL = 0.6; LW = 0.8; Palp = 4.9 (0.7 + 1.2 + 1.1 + 1.9); Leg I = 13.2 (2.0 + 2.6 + 2.6 + 2.4 + 3.6); Leg II = 12.5 (2.0 + 2.5 + 2.4 + 2.1 + 3.5); Leg III = 11.9 (2.0 + 3.0 + 2.1 + 1.7 + 3.1); Leg IV = 16.8 (2.3 + 3.9 + 4.2 + 2.4 + 4.0); BuL = 1.12; BuW = 0.39; EmL = 0.51. VARIATION MALES (n = 7). TBL = 8.7–12.3 (av. 10.1, sd. 1.2); CL = 3.8–5.0 (av. 4.4, sd. 0.4); CW = 2.8–3.8 (av. 3.3, sd. 0.3); CP = 2.1–3.0 (av. 2.5, sd. 0.3); AR = 0.67–0.83 (av. 0.74, sd. 0.05); PR = 0.69– 0.83 (av. 0.76, sd. 0.05); EL = 0.36–0.44 (av. 0.40, sd. 0.03); dia.ALE = 0.20–0.25 (av. 0.22, sd. 0.02); dia.PLE = 0.14–0.18 (av. 0.17, sd. 0.02); dia.AME = 0.13–0.15 (av. 0.14, sd. 0.01); dia.PME = 0.11– 0.14 (av. 0.13, sd. 0.01); dis.AME–AME = 0.08–0.14 (av. 0.11, sd. 0.02); dis.ALE–PLE = 0.04–0.11 (av. 0.07, sd. 0.02); SL = 1.9–2.6 (av. 2.2, sd. 0.2); SW = 1.5–1.9 (av. 1.7, sd. 0.1); LL = 0.3–0.6 (av. 0.4, sd. 0.1); LW = 0.6–0.8 (av. 0.7, sd. 0.1); Palp = 4.0–4.9 (av. 4.6, sd. 0.3); Leg I = 10.4–13.0 (av. 11.7, sd. 0.9); Leg II = 9.5–12.5 (av. 11.0, sd. 1.0); Leg III = 9.0–11.8 (av. 10.3, sd. 0.9); Leg IV = 13.5–16.8 (av. 15.1, sd. 1.2); Bul = 0.96–1.12 (av. 1.06, sd. 0.06); BuW = 0.31–0.39 (av. 0.36, sd. 0.03); EmL = 0.47–0.52 (av. 0.52, sd. 0.02). Female paratype (no. TC-012, NHMR) Note. The females available for description are small and might not be reproductive adults, the spermathecae of the here described paratype are however sufficiently developed for study. Specimens, 6 months preserved in 70% ethanol, in perfect condition. GENERAL COLORATION. Carapace cephalic part has wide light brown crest-zone and is generally darker in colour than thoracic part, black margin prominent (Fig. 64), chelicerae bicoloured brown, slightly darker than carapace, abdomen dorsal as in male, palps and legs generally as in male, but dorsal femora lighter coloured and with prominent maculae (Figs 64–65, 67), sternum and labium slightly darker coloured than ventral coxae. CARAPACE. Longer than wide (CW/CL 0.7), sparsely covered with very fine black pubescence, bristles centrally in longitudinal row on crest-zone. Cephalic part only slightly elevated and gradually sloping down over the thoracic part to the posterior margin (Fig. 65). EYES. Ocular-tubercle as in male, eye-group rectangular, twice as wide as long (EL/PR 0.53), AME less than their diameter apart (dis.AME/dia.AME 0.92), dis.ALE–PLE less than ½ dia.ALE (ALE–PLE/ ALE 0.42). CHELICERAE. Stronger developed than in male with distinct rastellum, prolateral row of furrow teeth with six conical teeth, fangs sharp, bent, ventral un-serrated ridge. VENTRAL PROSOMA. Maxillae small rounded distal lobe, few knobby cuspules on proximo-anterior margin. Labium: twice as wide as long (LW/LL 2.3), cuspules absent, labial furrow centrally divided (Fig. 66). Sternum: longer than wide (SW/SL 0.7), sigilla not distinguished. PALPS. Femur and patella spineless, tibia ventral and prolateral sharp distally pointing spines and dorsal long parallel rows of trichobothria, tarsus, distally pointed, ventral half fully scopulate with group of sharp distally pointing spines, dorsal row trichobothria in central part of article, palpal claw with short proximal row of teeth. LEGS. All femora with external maculae (Figs 64–65). Anterior legs with ventro-prolateral scopulae extending from tip of tarsus to distal patella, ventral spines on tibia and metatarsus. Posterior legs with dense groups of spiny bristles prolateral on distal femur and dorsal patella. Leg III, patella with three prolateral spines (Fig. 67) and one retrolateral spine. Leg IV patella spineless, tibia> femur> metatarsus (Fem4/Met4 1,1, Tib4/Met4 1,3). Leg formula: 4123. PTC and ATC as in male. OPISTHOSOMA. Generally as in male, anterior bristle group less distinct, spinnerets without sharply defined spigot-fields (Fig. 68). Spermathecae, tripartite, tube shaped, proximal part with dense concentration of pigmented cells, proximally widest, median part folded and twisted (Fig. 69), distal part digitiform with few pigmented cells. MEASUREMENTS. TBL = 9.7; CL = 3.9; CW = 2.9; CP = 2.3; AR = 0.71; PR = 0.74; EL = 0.39; dia.ALE = 0.18; dia.PLE 0.13; dia.AME = 0.10; dia.PME = 0.10; dis.AME–AME = 0.10; dis.ALE–PLE = 0.05; SL = 1.7; SW = 1.3; LL = 0.3; LW = 0.6; Palp = 5.1 (1.1 + 1.1 + 1.1 + 1.8); Leg I = 8.3 (1.0 + 1.3 + 1.6 + 1.8 + 2.6); Leg II = 7.4 (1.0 + 1.3 + 1.4 + 1.5 + 2.2); Leg III = 7.1 (1.1 + 1.6 + 1.1 + 1.3 + 2.0); Leg IV = 11.3 (1.1 + 2.4 + 3.1 + 2.0 + 2.7). VARIATION FEMALE (n = 2). TBL = 9.2, 9.7; CL = 3.4, 3.9; CW = 2.3, 2.9; CP = 2.0, 2.3; AR = 0.62, 0.71; PR = 0.61, 0.74; EL = 0.33, 0.39; dia.ALE = 0.18, 0.19; dia.PLE = 0.13, 0.16; dia.AME = 0.10, 0.12; dia.PME = 0.10; dis.AME–AME = 0.10, 0.11; dis.ALE–PLE = 0.05, 0.08; SL = 1.7, 2.1; SW = 1.3, 1.5; LL = 0.3, 0.4; LW = 0.6, 0.8; Palp = 4.2, 5.1; Leg I = 6.7, 8.3; Leg II = 6.3, 7.4; Leg III = 5.9, 7.1; Leg IV = 9.6, 11.3. Observations In the field (Fig. 70), the burrows of this species appeared to be completely lidless, with the burrow entrance opening at the ground surface directly (Fig. 72). The wall of the burrow is lined with almost imperceptibly thin strands of silk from the inside; but the burrow walls derive most of their structural integrity from the compaction of the soil around them (Fig. 71). In captivity, once soil was moistened, a female constructed a bifurcated burrow with two shafts opening at the soil surface with no lids (Fig. 73), joining together into one shaft deeper into the soil. Females were collected from burrows some 15 cm deep in the soil, congregated at the edge of a small boulder embedded in deep soil in a wooded area populated by trees of Laurus nobilis L., Olea europaea, Rhamnus alaternus L. and Pinus halepensis Mill. Burrow entrances always appeared at the soil surface at the edge of the boulder or, in one instance, at the base of the thick stems of an Acanthus mollis L. plant nearby. Males were collected in pitfall traps after several heavy rainfall events which occurred in September – the so called “first rains” which bring an end to the dry season., Published as part of Cassar, Thomas, Mifsud, David & Decae, Arthur E., 2022, The Nemesia trapdoor spider fauna of the Maltese archipelago, with the description of two new species (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Nemesiidae), pp. 90-112 in European Journal of Taxonomy 806 (1) on pages 101-106, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2022.806.1705, http://zenodo.org/record/6384569, {"references":["Decae A. E. 2012. Geography-related sub-generic diversity within the Mediterranean trapdoor spider genus Nemesia (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Nemesiidae). Arachnologische Mitteilungen 43: 24 - 28. https: // doi. org / 10.5431 / aramit 4304","Decae A., Pantini P. & Isaia M. 2015. A new species-complex within the trapdoor spider genus Nemesia Audouin 1826 distributed in northern and central Italy, with descriptions of three new species (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Nemesiidae). Zootaxa 4059 (3): 525 - 540. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4059.3.5","Isaia M. & Decae A. 2012. Revalidation of Nemesia meridionalis Costa, 1835 (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Nemesiidae), and first description of the male. Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society 15 (8): 280 - 284."]}

Nemesia arboricola Pocock, 1903 Figs 1–4, 9–14, 23, 25, 27–53 Nemesia arboricola Pocock, 1903: 225–226 (♀). Nemesia arboricola – Baldacchino et al. 1993: 40. — Kritscher 1994: 49–57, figs 1–18 (♀); 1996: 121 (♀). — Dandria 2001: 103–107, fig. 1 pl. 1 (tree nest). — Le Peru 2011: 77. — Decae 2012: 25, fig. 2 (species groups). New diagnosis Female Nemesia arboricola from Malta is difficult to distinguish from N. macrocephala from nearby Sicily (Kritscher 1994). Females of the two species are among the largest Nemesia species known (fully grown females in both species range from 26 to 28 mm in total body length; the average in Nemesia is around 17.5 mm), and show only slight differences in their sexual and somatic morphology. Kritscher (1994) used the following three diagnostic characters to distinguish females of N. arboricola from those of N. macrocephala: (1) a different distance between the ALE and PLE, (2) a different shape of the spermathecal receptacles, (3) the presence or absence of labial cuspules. Pocock (1903) also reports the configuration of the eyes and the presence of labial cuspules as distinctive for N. arboricola. We found that, in general, the configuration of eyes and in particular the distance between the ALE and PLE (Figs 1–2 and 5–6) are unsuitable to distinguish N. arboricola from N. macrocephala on grounds of overlapping and highly variable measurements (dis. ALE–PLE av. 0.46, sd. 0.13 and av. 0.52, sd. 0.18, respectively). Although the shape of the receptacles appears to differ between the two species (Figs 3–4 and 7–8) it is difficult to quantify these differences. We therefore regard this character as only marginally reliable as diagnostic. We confirm Kritscher’s third diagnostic character (also noted in Pocock 1903) as truly diagnostic and agree that the presence of labial cuspules in females is distinctive for N. arboricola (Figs 9–10 cf. Figs 15–16). Furthermore, we found the dark coloured and speckled opisthosoma in N. arboricola (Figs 11–12) versus the lighter coloured opisthosoma with chevron stripes in N. macrocephala (Figs 17–18), and the thicker, slightly swollen, PMS (Figs 13–14 cf. Figs 19–20) in N. arboricola as diagnostic characters to distinguish females of the two species. Male Because the male of N. macrocephala remains unknown, no characters that might distinguish this species from N. arboricola can presently be given. The male of N. arboricola however differs from nearly all Nemesia species, for which the relevant information is available, by the absence of the PTR (see section ‘terminology’ above). The only other species known in which the PTR is missing is N. simoni O. Pickard- Cambridge, 1874 from southwestern France and northern Spain. To illustrate the presence and/or absence of PTR in different species of Nemesia species, Figs 21–24 show the dorso-distal male palps of four different Nemesia species collected from geographically widely separated locations in the Nemesia distribution range (N. bacelarae Decae, Cardoso & Selden, 2007 from Portugal (Fig. 21), N. cellicola Audouin, 1826 from the Middle East (Fig. 22), N. simoni from southern France (Fig. 23) and N. arboricola (Fig. 24) from Malta). Note that species from opposite far ends of the distribution range and a new species from centrally located Malta (Fig. 56) feature a pronounced PTR only absent in N. arboricola and N. simoni (Figs 23–26). Nemesia arboricola males can be distinguished from those of N. simoni by their generally larger size (TBL » 13, n = 2 vs TBL » 11, n = 7) and on several aspects of its sexual and somatic morphology, its burrow structure and its distribution (compare the male description below with information given on N. simoni in Moggridge 1873). Figs 25–26 show distinctive differences in male palps (shape of tibia) and palpal organs of N. arboricola and N. simoni. Holotype In collection BMNH, London, not examined.See Kritscher(1994) for a detailed description and photographs of the specimen (in very poor and fragile condition), and for conformation that N. arboricola is the common and widely distributed cork-door building Nemesia species found in the Maltese Archipelago. Material examined MALTA • 1 ♂; Comino; 36.02° N, 14.33° E; 23 Mar. 1975; P.J. Schembri leg.; (no. TD.4); NHMR • 1 ♀; Wied Incita; 35.88° N, 14.43° E; 25 Oct. 1980; P.J. Schembri leg.; (no. TD.1); NHMR • 1 ♀; Siggiewi, Buskett; 35.86° N, 14.39° E; 7 Sep. 1976; P.J. Schembri leg.; (no. TD.2); NHMR • 1 ♀; St. Paul’s Island; 35.96° N, 14.40° E; 20 Apr.1975; P.J. Schembri leg.; (no. TD.3); NHMR • 1 ♂; Gudja; 35.85° N, 14.50° E; 7 Nov. 2020; T. Cassar leg.; (no. TC-011); NHMW • 1 ♀; Zebbug; 35.87° N, 14.44° E, 27 Aug. 2020; T. Cassar leg.; (no. TC.014 terrestrial); NHMW • 1 ♀; Buskett; 35.86° N, 14.39° E; 5 Sep. 2020; T. Cassar leg.; (no. TC.015, arboreal); NHMR • 1 ♀; Valetta, Imsida; 35.89° N, 14.48° E; 20 Dec. 2017; (no. TC.016 arboreal); NHMR • 1 ♀; Comino; 36.02° N, 14.33° E; 11 Sep. 2020; T. Cassar leg.; (no. TC.017 terrestrial); NHMR. Description Male reference specimen (no. TD.4, NHMR) PRESERVATION AND CONDITION. Specimen 45 years preserved in 70% ethanol, generally in good condition (Fig. 27), right bulb removed for detail study (Figs 31–35). GENERAL COLORATION. Carapace uniform dark brown, chelicerae slightly darker than carapace, abdomen dorsal dark grey with light grey speckles in two parallel rows in the cardiac region (Fig. 27), abdomen ventral light yellowish brown, palps uniform dark brown, legs dark brown proximally grading to light brown distally, sternum uniform yellowish brown, labium dark brown. CARAPACE. Longer than wide (CW/CL 0.8), with light grey pubescence cover (partly lost), bristles concentrated along the margins and posterior on the thoracic part, cephalic part slightly elevated, thoracic part bulging slightly up from the fovea before sloping down to the posterior margin (Fig. 28). EYES. Ocular-tubercle (Fig. 28) dome-shaped, clypeus narrow sloping down from eyes, eye-group rectangular, twice as wide as long (EL/PR 0.51), AME about their diameter apart (dis.AME/dia.AME 0.94), dis.ALE–PLE femur IV> tibia IV (Fem4/Met4 = 0.97, Tib4/Met4 = 0.83), patella IV 0–1 retrolateral patellar spine, PTC all tarsi double combs of teeth, leg formula: 4123. OPISTHOSOMA. Ovoid, anterior narrowing, covered with bristles, PMS small, close together and less swollen than in females, PLS short, thick, proximal segment longer than medial + distal segment, spigots restricted to apical spigot field. MEASUREMENTS. TBL = 13.0; CL = 6.9; CW = 5.7; CP = 3.8; AR = 1.07; PR = 1.07; EL = 0.55; dia.ALE = 0.25; dia.PLE 0.21; dia.AME = 0.18; dia.PME = 0.17; dis.AME–AME = 0.17; dis.ALE–PLE = 0.15; SL = 3.6; SW = 2.9; LL = 0.6; LW = 1.0; Palp = 9.5 (1.3 + 2.8 + 1.8 + 3.6); Leg I = 20.3 (2.9 + 4.3 + 4.1 + 3.1 + 5.9); Leg II = 19.6 (2.6 + 4.6 + 4.2 + 2.9 + 5.3); Leg III = 19.5 (2.7 + 5.0 + 3.9 + 2.6 + 5,3); Leg IV = 25.0 (3.2 + 6.6 + 5.5 + 3.2 + 6.5); BuL = 2.11; BuW = 0.79; EmL = 1.06. VARIATION MALES (n = 2). TBL = 12.8, 13.0; CL = 5.8, 6.9; CW = 5.0, 5.7; CP = 3.5, 3.8; AR = 1.07, 1.11; PR = 1.07, 1.08; EL = 0.55, 0.56; dia.ALE = 0.25, 0.27; dia.PLE = 0.21, 0.22; dia.AME = 0.18; dia. PME = 0.15, 0.17; dis.AME–AME = 0.17, 0.20; dis.ALE–PLE = 0.10, 0.15; SL = 3.1, 3.6; SW = 2.5, 2.9; LL = 0.5, 0.6; LW = 0.9, 1.0; Palp = 8.6, 9.4; Leg I = 18.0, 20.3; Leg II = 17.3, 19.7; Leg III = 16.9, 19.4; Leg IV = 22.5, 24.9; Bul = 1.88, 2.11; BuW = 0.71, 0.79; EmL = 0.78, 1.06. Notes on female Females of N. arboricola have been described in proper detail by Pocock (1903) and Kritscher (1994). Here we compare specimens collected from tree-nests with specimens collected from terrestrial burrows. Figures 36–42, illustrate the variation in general appearance of the specimens in our study sample. Although individual variation in size, colour patterns and shades are evident, no qualitative morphological differences were found that would distinguish tree dwelling spiders from ground dwelling spiders at the species level. Moreover, all specimens in our sample closely fit the descriptions given by Pocock (1903) and Kritscher (1994). On these grounds we feel confident to state that arboreal and terrestrial specimens studied here are conspecific members of N. arboricola Pocock (1903). Figures 43–44, show characters common to all N. arboricola specimens (terrestrial and arboreal) studied, that distinguish N. arboricola from its supposed sister species, N. macrocephala. Mesurements, variation females (n = 7) TBL = 21.1–26.9 (av. 23.2, sd. 2.5); CL = 7.8–9.1 (av. 8.3, sd. 0.6); CW = 6.4–7.5 (av. 6.8, sd. 0.4); CP = 4.8–5.6 (av. 5.1, sd. 0.3); AR = 1.33–1.51 (av. 1.41, sd. 0.07); PR = 1.29–1.51 (av. 1.38, sd. 0.09); EL = 0.53–0.77 (av. 0.71, sd. 0.09); dia.ALE = 0.26–0.41 (av. 0.35, sd. 0.05); dia.PLE = 0.21–0.34 (av. 0.29, sd. 0.04); dia.AME = 0.13–0.20 (av. 0.18, sd. 0.03); dia.PME = 0.14–0.23 (av. 0.18, sd. 0.03); dis.AME–AME = 0.20–0.34 (av. 0.26, sd. 0.05); dis.ALE– PLE = 0.10–20 (av. 0.16, sd. 0.04); SL = 3.8–5.2 (av. 4.7, sd. 0.5); SW = 3.6–4.1 (av. 3.8, sd. 0.2); LL = 0.9–1.1 (av. 1.0, sd. 0.1); LW = 1.4–1.6 (av. 1.5, sd. 0.1); Palp = 11.9–13.5 (av. 12.5, sd. 0.8); Leg I = 16.1–18.7 (av. 17.1, sd. 1.0); Leg II = 14.6–16.9 (av. 15.4, sd. 0.8); Leg III = 14.5–16.9 (av. 15.5, sd. 0.9); Leg IV = 20.1–23.4 (av. 21.5, sd. 1.2). Field observations Nemesia arboricola constructs a simple tube-shaped burrow, capped with a sturdy lid (trapdoor) fitting neatly into the shaft (Figs 46, 51). Apparently older nests have been found with a layer of moss growing on the door surface (Fig. 45). The burrows are constructed in natural settings such as in tree trunks, between rocks in rubble walls and sloping ground (Figs 45–53). Tree-nests have been found between 150 cm and 8 cm above the ground surface in the trunks of ornamental palms (Phoenix canariensis and P. dactylifera), carob trees (Ceratonia siliqua) and olive trees (Olea europaea). In such tree-nests, spiders make use of pre-existing hollows and holes in the tree trunks into which they can snugly fit, or make use of hollows which are filled with woody debris and soil into which they can easily burrow. Burrows have also been found, at similar heights above the ground surface, in old rubble walls which hold back soil at field margins; here the spiders burrow into the clayey soil which fills the cracks between the individual stones. In both tree-nests and wall-nests, the burrow lids are flush with the vertical surface and dorsally hinged so that the trapdoor opens vertically upwards, with the shaft directed into the trunk/ wall perpendicular to the vertical axis. Nemesia arboricola also nests directly in the ground, but always it seems under one of the following conditions: the ground must be steeply sloping or, if the soil is flat, located immediately beneath an overhanging structure such as large rocks or a rubble wall (Figs 52–53). No burrows have been found on level ground in full exposure (‘in plain sight’ as it were). Tree-nests and wall-nests vary from 4.5 cm to 9.5 cm in depth for mature individuals, with burrow width varying according to the size (maturity) of the individual. Ground-nests in deep soil have, on average, deeper shafts than tree or wall-nests. In all cases, the burrow shaft is relatively simple in construction; it has entire, thick lining of silk with no internal doors, plugs or other features; and it is unbranched. The resident spiders themselves respond to disturbance by holding the hinged door very tightly; if the door is prised open using forceps (which takes considerable force) the spider may either retreat immediately head-up to the bottom of the shaft, or else repeatedly attempt to close the door while striking the forceps aggressively with its chelicerae. Recently hatched juveniles are retained within the mother’s burrow, from which they disperse and apparently establish themselves in close proximity, as N. arboricola populations are always localized and often quite dense. Moulted exoskeletons are discarded from the burrow and may be observed outside near the burrows if they are sheltered from wind. During the aestivation period, the door to the burrow is sealed shut from the inside, but the door still remains exposed as under normal circumstances (i.e., the burrow lid is not concealed with soil during periods of inactivity). Most mature males emerge from their burrows and wander between the months of November and March, though a few individuals may appear outside this timeframe., Published as part of Cassar, Thomas, Mifsud, David & Decae, Arthur E., 2022, The Nemesia trapdoor spider fauna of the Maltese archipelago, with the description of two new species (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Nemesiidae), pp. 90-112 in European Journal of Taxonomy 806 (1) on pages 93-101, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2022.806.1705, http://zenodo.org/record/6384569, {"references":["Pocock R. I. 1903. Descriptions of four new Arachnida of the orders Pedipalpi, Solifugae and Araneae. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (7) 11: 220 - 226. https: // doi. org / 10.1080 / 00222930308678753","Baldacchino A. E., Dandria D., Lanfranco E. & Schembri P. J. 1993. Records of spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) from the Maltese Islands (Central Mediterranean). The Central Mediterranean Naturalist 2 (2): 37 - 60.","Kritscher E. 1994. Nemesia arboricola Pocock, 1903, eine durch ein Jahrhundert hindurch verschollene Spinnerart der Maltesischen Inseln (Araneae: Nemesiidae). Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien, Serie B 96: 49 - 57.","Dandria D. 2001. Observations on the endemic Maltese trapdoor spider Nemesia arboricola Pocock, 1903 (Araneae: Nemesiidae) The Central Mediterranean Naturalist 3 (3): 103 - 107.","Le Peru B. 2011. The spiders of Europe, a synthesis of data: Volume 1 Atypidae to Theridiidae. Memoires de la Societe Linneenne de Lyon 2: 1 - 522.","Decae A. E. 2012. Geography-related sub-generic diversity within the Mediterranean trapdoor spider genus Nemesia (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Nemesiidae). Arachnologische Mitteilungen 43: 24 - 28. https: // doi. org / 10.5431 / aramit 4304","Audouin I. V. 1826. Explication sommaire des planches d'arachnides de l'Egypte et de la Syrie. In: Savigny I. C. (ed.) Description de l'Egypte et de la Syrie. Atlas d ' Histoire Naturelle 1 (4): 99 - 186, pl. 4. Paris.","Moggridge J. T. 1873. Harvesting Ants and Trap-Door Spiders. L. Reeve & Co., London."]}

Nemesia maltensis sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: BB791B03-F14E-4D15-9338-EE2E02244C4A Figs 54–73 Diagnosis Nemesia maltensis groups out with a species-complex that is common in the central and eastern Mediterranean Basin (Decae 2012). In this species-complex the palpal organ of males has striae (fine ribs) on the proximal embolus (Figs 59–62), and females have tube shaped, tripartite spermathecae in which the median part is folded and twisted (Fig. 69). Within this species-complex, N. maltensis fits in a central Mediterranean subgroup that has informally been named the maculatipes group (Decae et al. 2015). Species in this subgroup, such as N. maculatipes Ausserer, 1871 (Sardinia), N. meridionalis (Costa, 1835) (southern Italy), N. sanzoi Fage, 1917 (Sicily) and N. pannonica Herman, 1879 (Serbia) have conspicuous dark coloured patches (maculae) on legs and/or the external proximal article of the PLS (Figs 58, 64–65, 67). Within the maculatipes group N. maltensis keys out with N. meridionalis on grounds of a similar morphology of the distal embolus in males being ornamented with a short row of tiny denticles (Fig. 63 cf. Isaia & Decae 2012: fig. 4). This character is not known from any other Nemesia species. Males of N. maltensis can be distinguished from those of N. meridionalis by the absence of an abrupt narrowing of the distal embolus (Figs 59–62 cf. Isaia & Decae 2012: fig. 3), females of N. maltensis can be distinguished from those of N. meridionalis by the relatively flat profile of the carapace (lateral view Fig. 65), lack of sharply defined light coloured spigot fields on the PMS and PLS (Fig. 68 cf. Isaia & Decae 2012: fig. 5), and absence of a strong colour contrast between the labium and the sternum and the indistinct central division of the labial furrow (Fig. 66 cf. Isaia & Decae 2012: figs 7–8). Etymology The name refers to Malta, the largest island in the Maltese Archipelago and the only Mediterranean island where the species is currently known to occur. Type material Holotype MALTA • ♂; Buskett; 8–13 Sep. 2020; 35.856° N, 14.396° E; T. Cassar leg.; (no. TC.004); NHMR. Paratypes MALTA • 4 ♂♂; same collection data as for holotype; (no. TC.005 to TC.008); NHMR • 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for holotype; (no. TC.009, TC.010); NHMW • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; 14 Mar. 2021; (no. TC.012, TC.013); NHMR. Description Male holotype (no. TC-004, NHMR) PRESERVATION AND CONDITION. Specimen 6 months preserved in 70% ethanol, in good condition (Fig. 54), right bulb detached for study (Figs 59–63). GENERAL COLORATION. Carapace yellowish with dark flanks of cephalic part and dark margin (Fig. 55), chelicerae brown, darker than carapace with dorsal lighter coloured patch, opisthosoma dorsal anterior dark greyish-brown, further light coloured with dark, irregular chevrons and a dark cardiac line (Fig. 54), opisthosoma ventral uniform creamy white, palps and legs lighter coloured than body in dorsal view and ventrally lighter coloured than dorsally, sternum and ventral coxae creamy white, labium conspicuously darker than other ventral parts. CARAPACE. Longer than wide (CW/CL 0.8), covered with very fine silvery pubescence, curved bristles concentrated along the margins and posterior on the thoracic part, longitudinal row on the crest of the cephalic part and few forwardly projecting bristles on clypeus. Cephalic not elevated, thoracic part bulging slightly up from the fovea before sloping down to the posterior margin (Fig. 55). EYES. Ocular-tubercle dome-shaped, clypeus narrow sloping down from eyes, eye-group rectangular, twice as wide as long (EL/PR 0.51), AME less than their diameter apart (dis.AME/dia.AME 0.87), dis. ALE–PLE less than ½ dia.ALE (ALE–PLE/ALE 0.44). CHELICERAE. Rastellum with few strong teeth on the apical prolateral corner of chelicerae, prolateral row of furrow teeth, fangs sharp, bent, ventral un-serrated ridge. VENTRAL PROSOMA. Maxillae rounded distal lobe, few spiky cuspules on proximo-anterior margin. Labium: wider than long (LW/LL 0.7), cuspules absent, labial furrow narrow. Sternum: longer than wide (SW/SL 0.8) three pairs round sigilla, posteriors sub-marginal, evenly covered with bristles. PALPS. Cymbium with distal group of spines, tibia with PTR strongly develop (Fig. 56), proximally inflated (TibW/PTib 0.6), patella spineless, femur longer than tibia (PFem/PTib 1.6) with group of slender spines dorsally on distal half of the article. Palpal organ, proximal bulbous part pyriform extending distally into a slender curved embolus. Embolus curved, distally gradually tapering to a sharp, bevelled tip. Striae on proximal embolus, few tiny denticles just proximal of the embolus tip (Figs 59–63). LEGS. All tarsi with fine ventral scopulae. Leg: I: metatarsus and tibia modified, metatarsus curved, lateral longitudinal rows of spines over the length of the article, CF with dense brush of short bristles, tibia distally widened, TA reduced (Fig. 57 cf Fig. 29), TS smoothly upward curved (Fig. 57), spines present on all articles proximal of tarsus, patella with two prolateral spines. Legs I–III; tarsi without spines, other articles with numerous spines, maculae vague, most prominent on prolateral femur (apical) and patella (central). Leg IV, tibia> femur> metatarsus (Fem4/Met4 = 1.02, Tib4/Met4 = 1.07). Leg formula: 4123. PTC on all tarsi with ventrally two parallel combs of small teeth (genus character), ATC smooth. OPISTHOSOMA. Ovoid, anterior narrowing with numerous forward directed bristles, dorsal bristles are backward directed, Spinnerets: PMS knob-shaped, spigots apically concentrated, PLS proximal article with external macula (Fig. 58), as long as medial + distal articles, spigots spread over ventral proximal and medial articles and on apical distal article. MEASUREMENTS. TBL = 12.3; CL = 5.0; CW = 3.8; CP = 3.0; AR = 0.83; PR = 0.83; EL = 0.42; dia.ALE = 0.25; dia.PLE 0.15; dia.AME = 0.15; dia.PME = 0.12; dis.AME–AME = 0.13; dis.ALE–PLE = 0.11; SL = 2.6; SW = 1.9; LL = 0.6; LW = 0.8; Palp = 4.9 (0.7 + 1.2 + 1.1 + 1.9); Leg I = 13.2 (2.0 + 2.6 + 2.6 + 2.4 + 3.6); Leg II = 12.5 (2.0 + 2.5 + 2.4 + 2.1 + 3.5); Leg III = 11.9 (2.0 + 3.0 + 2.1 + 1.7 + 3.1); Leg IV = 16.8 (2.3 + 3.9 + 4.2 + 2.4 + 4.0); BuL = 1.12; BuW = 0.39; EmL = 0.51. VARIATION MALES (n = 7). TBL = 8.7–12.3 (av. 10.1, sd. 1.2); CL = 3.8–5.0 (av. 4.4, sd. 0.4); CW = 2.8–3.8 (av. 3.3, sd. 0.3); CP = 2.1–3.0 (av. 2.5, sd. 0.3); AR = 0.67–0.83 (av. 0.74, sd. 0.05); PR = 0.69– 0.83 (av. 0.76, sd. 0.05); EL = 0.36–0.44 (av. 0.40, sd. 0.03); dia.ALE = 0.20–0.25 (av. 0.22, sd. 0.02); dia.PLE = 0.14–0.18 (av. 0.17, sd. 0.02); dia.AME = 0.13–0.15 (av. 0.14, sd. 0.01); dia.PME = 0.11– 0.14 (av. 0.13, sd. 0.01); dis.AME–AME = 0.08–0.14 (av. 0.11, sd. 0.02); dis.ALE–PLE = 0.04–0.11 (av. 0.07, sd. 0.02); SL = 1.9–2.6 (av. 2.2, sd. 0.2); SW = 1.5–1.9 (av. 1.7, sd. 0.1); LL = 0.3–0.6 (av. 0.4, sd. 0.1); LW = 0.6–0.8 (av. 0.7, sd. 0.1); Palp = 4.0–4.9 (av. 4.6, sd. 0.3); Leg I = 10.4–13.0 (av. 11.7, sd. 0.9); Leg II = 9.5–12.5 (av. 11.0, sd. 1.0); Leg III = 9.0–11.8 (av. 10.3, sd. 0.9); Leg IV = 13.5–16.8 (av. 15.1, sd. 1.2); Bul = 0.96–1.12 (av. 1.06, sd. 0.06); BuW = 0.31–0.39 (av. 0.36, sd. 0.03); EmL = 0.47–0.52 (av. 0.52, sd. 0.02). Female paratype (no. TC-012, NHMR) Note. The females available for description are small and might not be reproductive adults, the spermathecae of the here described paratype are however sufficiently developed for study. Specimens, 6 months preserved in 70% ethanol, in perfect condition. GENERAL COLORATION. Carapace cephalic part has wide light brown crest-zone and is generally darker in colour than thoracic part, black margin prominent (Fig. 64), chelicerae bicoloured brown, slightly darker than carapace, abdomen dorsal as in male, palps and legs generally as in male, but dorsal femora lighter coloured and with prominent maculae (Figs 64–65, 67), sternum and labium slightly darker coloured than ventral coxae. CARAPACE. Longer than wide (CW/CL 0.7), sparsely covered with very fine black pubescence, bristles centrally in longitudinal row on crest-zone. Cephalic part only slightly elevated and gradually sloping down over the thoracic part to the posterior margin (Fig. 65). EYES. Ocular-tubercle as in male, eye-group rectangular, twice as wide as long (EL/PR 0.53), AME less than their diameter apart (dis.AME/dia.AME 0.92), dis.ALE–PLE less than ½ dia.ALE (ALE–PLE/ ALE 0.42). CHELICERAE. Stronger developed than in male with distinct rastellum, prolateral row of furrow teeth with six conical teeth, fangs sharp, bent, ventral un-serrated ridge. VENTRAL PROSOMA. Maxillae small rounded distal lobe, few knobby cuspules on proximo-anterior margin. Labium: twice as wide as long (LW/LL 2.3), cuspules absent, labial furrow centrally divided (Fig. 66). Sternum: longer than wide (SW/SL 0.7), sigilla not distinguished. PALPS. Femur and patella spineless, tibia ventral and prolateral sharp distally pointing spines and dorsal long parallel rows of trichobothria, tarsus, distally pointed, ventral half fully scopulate with group of sharp distally pointing spines, dorsal row trichobothria in central part of article, palpal claw with short proximal row of teeth. LEGS. All femora with external maculae (Figs 64–65). Anterior legs with ventro-prolateral scopulae extending from tip of tarsus to distal patella, ventral spines on tibia and metatarsus. Posterior legs with dense groups of spiny bristles prolateral on distal femur and dorsal patella. Leg III, patella with three prolateral spines (Fig. 67) and one retrolateral spine. Leg IV patella spineless, tibia> femur> metatarsus (Fem4/Met4 1,1, Tib4/Met4 1,3). Leg formula: 4123. PTC and ATC as in male. OPISTHOSOMA. Generally as in male, anterior bristle group less distinct, spinnerets without sharply defined spigot-fields (Fig. 68). Spermathecae, tripartite, tube shaped, proximal part with dense concentration of pigmented cells, proximally widest, median part folded and twisted (Fig. 69), distal part digitiform with few pigmented cells. MEASUREMENTS. TBL = 9.7; CL = 3.9; CW = 2.9; CP = 2.3; AR = 0.71; PR = 0.74; EL = 0.39; dia.ALE = 0.18; dia.PLE 0.13; dia.AME = 0.10; dia.PME = 0.10; dis.AME–AME = 0.10; dis.ALE–PLE = 0.05; SL = 1.7; SW = 1.3; LL = 0.3; LW = 0.6; Palp = 5.1 (1.1 + 1.1 + 1.1 + 1.8); Leg I = 8.3 (1.0 + 1.3 + 1.6 + 1.8 + 2.6); Leg II = 7.4 (1.0 + 1.3 + 1.4 + 1.5 + 2.2); Leg III = 7.1 (1.1 + 1.6 + 1.1 + 1.3 + 2.0); Leg IV = 11.3 (1.1 + 2.4 + 3.1 + 2.0 + 2.7). VARIATION FEMALE (n = 2). TBL = 9.2, 9.7; CL = 3.4, 3.9; CW = 2.3, 2.9; CP = 2.0, 2.3; AR = 0.62, 0.71; PR = 0.61, 0.74; EL = 0.33, 0.39; dia.ALE = 0.18, 0.19; dia.PLE = 0.13, 0.16; dia.AME = 0.10, 0.12; dia.PME = 0.10; dis.AME–AME = 0.10, 0.11; dis.ALE–PLE = 0.05, 0.08; SL = 1.7, 2.1; SW = 1.3, 1.5; LL = 0.3, 0.4; LW = 0.6, 0.8; Palp = 4.2, 5.1; Leg I = 6.7, 8.3; Leg II = 6.3, 7.4; Leg III = 5.9, 7.1; Leg IV = 9.6, 11.3. Observations In the field (Fig. 70), the burrows of this species appeared to be completely lidless, with the burrow entrance opening at the ground surface directly (Fig. 72). The wall of the burrow is lined with almost imperceptibly thin strands of silk from the inside; but the burrow walls derive most of their structural integrity from the compaction of the soil around them (Fig. 71). In captivity, once soil was moistened, a female constructed a bifurcated burrow with two shafts opening at the soil surface with no lids (Fig. 73), joining together into one shaft deeper into the soil. Females were collected from burrows some 15 cm deep in the soil, congregated at the edge of a small boulder embedded in deep soil in a wooded area populated by trees of Laurus nobilis L., Olea europaea, Rhamnus alaternus L. and Pinus halepensis Mill. Burrow entrances always appeared at the soil surface at the edge of the boulder or, in one instance, at the base of the thick stems of an Acanthus mollis L. plant nearby. Males were collected in pitfall traps after several heavy rainfall events which occurred in September – the so called “first rains” which bring an end to the dry season.

Nemesia cominensis sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 1194AF54-FEB0-4E94-BA86-708827BB2F1B Figs 74–94 Diagnosis Nemesia cominensis females can be distinguished from all known Nemesia species by its general light colour (Figs 74–75) and the elongated, wiggly, tube-shaped spermathecal receptacles without a clear differentiation in proximal, medial and distal parts (Figs 79, 87). It further differs from N. maltensis in the absence of maculae on legs (Fig. 75) and the elevated cephalic part (Fig. 75). Etymology The name refers to Comino, the third largest island in the Maltese Archipelago and the only Mediterranean island where the species is currently known to occur. Type material Holotype MALTA • ♀; Comino Island; 36.012° N, 14.337° E; 11 Sep. 2020; T. Cassar leg.; (no. TC.002); NHMR: Additional material MALTA • 1 ♀ subadult; same collection data as for holotype; (no. TC.001); NHMR • 1 ♂ subadult; same collection data as for holotype; 17 Sep. 2020; (no. TC.003); NHMR. Description Female holotype (no. TC-002, NHMR) GENERAL COLORATION. General appearance as a relatively light-coloured Nemesia species (Fig. 74). carapace cephalic part with wide orange-brown crest zone and light grey flanks, thoracic part light yellow with vague grey folia pattern, chelicerae dark brown, distally darkest, palps and legs crème-coloured with dorsal yellow zones, sternum light yellow, labium and maxillae light brown, opisthosoma dorsal creme-colour with light grey pattern of blotches and chevrons, ventral orange-brown zone between epigastric furrow and light-coloured spinnerets. CARAPACE. Longer than wide (CW/CL 0.8), sparsely covered with very fine black pubescence, bristles centrally in longitudinal row on crest-zone and around the eyes. Cephalic part elevated; fovea only weakly recurved. Eyes: eye-group almost twice as wide as long (EL/PR 0.48), PR slightly wider than AR (PR/AR 1.03), AME slightly more than their diameter apart (dis.AME/dia.AME 1.10), distance ALE–PLE less than ½ dia.ALE (ALE–PLE/ALE 0.44). CHELICERAE. Strong, rastellum triangular group of strong teeth placed apically, prolateral row of 6 conical furrow teeth, retrolateral furrow scopula, field of tiny denticles at furrow bottom, fang proximally hooked, very fine serrations on fang keel (Fig. 76). VENTRAL PROSOMA. Distal maxillae lobe reduced, three cuspules on proximo-anterior margin, labium: almost twice as wide as long (LW/LL 1.9), cuspules absent, labial furrow centrally divided. Sternum: longer than wide (SW/SL 0.8), with three pairs of light brown sub-marginal sigilla. PALPS. Femur and patella spineless, tibia two ventro-lateral rows of sharp distally pointing spines and dorsal long parallel rows of trichobothria, tarsus ventral half fully scopulate with group of sharp distally pointing spines, dorsal trichobothria in V-formation, palpal claw with short proximal row of four teeth. LEGS. Maculae absent (Fig. 75). Leg I ventro-prolateral scopulae extending to distal tibia, row of three ventro-prolateral metatarsal spines, spines on other articles spineless. Leg II scopula restricted to tarsus and metatarsus, spines and spiny bristles stronger developed than on leg I. Posterior legs with dense groups of spiny bristles prolateral on distal femur and dorsal patella. Leg III, patella with two prolateral spines (Fig. 77) retrolateral spines absent. Leg IV patella spineless, tibia> femur> metatarsus (Fem4/ Met4 1,1; Tib4/Met4 1,2). Leg formula: 4132. PTC and ATC identical to the ones of N. maltensis sp. nov. OPISTHOSOMA. Ovoid, anterior narrowing (Fig. 74), spinnerets without maculae or sharply defined spigot-fields, PMS digitiform (Fig. 78). Spermathecae, tube shaped, wavy, wiggly structures without much differentiation (Fig. 79). MEASUREMENTS. TBL = 20.5; CL = 7.0; CW = 5.8; CP = 4.4; AR = 1.23; PR = 1.27; EL = 0.61; dia.ALE = 0.32; dia.PLE 0.25; dia.AME = 0.20; dia.PME = 0.14; dis.AME–AME = 0.22; dis.ALE–PLE = 0.14; SL = 4.0; SW = 3.1; LL = 0.7; LW = 1.4; Palp = 10.3 (2.3 + 2.2 + 2.1 + 3.7); Leg I = 15.3 (1.8 + 2.6 + 3.1 + 3.1 + 4.7); Leg II = 13.0 (1.6 + 2.5 + 2.7 + 2.9 + 3.3); Leg III = 14.0 (1.6 + 2.5 + 2.7 + 2.9 + 4.3); Leg IV = 20.9 (2.0 + 4.6 + 5.5 + 3.6 + 5.2). VARIATION FEMALE (n = 2). TBL = 14.5, 20.5; CL = 6.0, 7.0; CW = 4.9, 5.8; CP = 3.7, 4.4; AR = 1.12, 1.23; PR = 1.19, 1.27; EL = 0.55, 0.61; dia.ALE = 0.21, 0.32; dia.PLE = 0.20, 0.25; dia.AME = 0.16, 0.20; dia.PME = 0.13, 0.14; dis.AME–AME = 0.19, 0.22; dis.ALE–PLE = 0.14, 0.20; SL = 3.3, 4.0; SW = 2.6, 3.1; LL = 0.7; LW = 1.3, 1.4; Palp = 8.5, 10.3; Leg I = 12.6, 15.3; Leg II = 11.5, 13.0; Leg III = 11.3, 14.0; Leg IV = 17.8, 20.9. Sub-adult male (no. TC-003, NHMR) As in all species of Nemesia, sub-adult spiders are, except for their small size, similar to adult females in general appearance and somatic characters. Males and females of Nemesia can be distinguished in juveniles by internally checking the presence of spermathecae that are already detectable in small juvenile and sub-adult females (Fig. 87 cf. Fig. 88). Sub-adult males overlap in general body size with young females, but can be distinguished on the shape of the palp-tarsus that is slightly swollen (Figs 82, 84 cf. 81, 83) and the absence of a vulva structure in the epigastric furrow (Fig. 85 cf. 86). Observations Nemesia cominensis constructs a thin, flimsy wafer-door lid to its burrow (Fig. 90), which is partly concealed by a thin layer of loose soil particles on top (Fig. 89). Nemesia cominensis captures its prey in the usual trapdoor spider fashion by laying in ambush under a cracked open trapdoor, launching a flash attack on small animals that wander within reach of the spider (Figs 91–94). Burrows are constructed in the ground in deep soil, with the door flush with the flat ground surface, and may be unbranched (single shaft) or bifurcated (two shafts joining to become one at the bottom, in a Y shape). During the aestivation period, the burrows have no lids whatsoever, and the burrow entrances are instead concealed and obstructed by up to about 2 cm of soil; they are also completely devoid of any silk lining. When the soil is moistened, the spiders resume their door-making and hunting; the first few millimetres of the burrow entrance are lined with a very thin layer of silk to which the door is attached, but the rest of the burrow still remains without silk lining. It is not known how deep the burrow shafts are in nature during the active period; in captivity an active burrow was constructed which reached 8 cm in depth but this was restricted by the size of the flower-pot; on location some spiders were found residing in aestivation burrows up to some 15 cm deep into the soil. Recently hatched spiders have been found after digging up aestivation burrows belonging to mature individuals, so it is assumed that the young are retained within the maternal burrow and disperse afterwards, taking up residence in close proximity (the sampled population was localized and dense). So far, this species has only been found to construct its burrows in relatively deep soil at the bottom of a shallow valley on the island of Comino, from which all of the aforementioned observations have been made. The difficulty in locating specimens may doubtless obscure the true distribution and ecological preferences of this newly described species from the Maltese Islands.

Contrary to what its name suggests, Nemesia arboricola is not strictly arboreal in habit. Here we compare female specimens of N. arboricola collected from arboreal and terrestrial nests. We furthermore describe the male of N. arboricola for the first time as well as two recently discovered species of Nemesia (N. maltensis sp. nov. and N. cominensis sp. nov.). Nemesia maltensis is described from both sexes, N. cominensis is described from the female and a juvenile male specimen. For N. cominensis we discuss the sexual dimorphism of juvenile male and female spiders. Field observations and laboratory observations show remarkable features of the Maltese Nemesia fauna that are unknown from Nemesia species found elsewhere. Particularly, the arboreal dwellings of N. arboricola and the absence of a trapdoor to close off the burrow entrance in N. maltensis appear to be exceptional. The composition of the Maltese Nemesia fauna, as located in the central Mediterranean, is finally discussed in relation to the different Nemesia species-complexes occurring in the eastern and western Mediterranean basin., peer-reviewed

The introduction and establishment of the North American mud-dauber wasp Sceliphron caementarium (Drury, 1773) is reported for the first time from the Maltese Islands. A check-list of the Maltese Sphecidae is provided., peer-reviewed

Faronus rica sp. nov. (Figs 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 11) Type material. Holotype, ♂ (MHNG). MALTA, Wied Babu, 50 m, 23.xi.2017, sifting litter of Ceratonia siliqua (S. Kurbatov). Paratype, 1 ♀ (MHNG); same locality of holotype, 24.xi.2017, sifting litter of Ceratonia siliqua (D. Mifsud & G. Sabella). Description. Male. Body length 1.75 mm, entirely reddish brown with yellowish palpi and legs. Relatively dense pubescence of long and flattened golden setae on head, pronotum, elytra and abdomen; other setae, yellowish and suberect present on sides of antennae, palpi and legs. Tegument smooth and shiny. Head triangular, wider (0.35 mm) than long (0.22 mm). Wide and deep longitudinal median frontal sulcus, which starts from the frontal lobe and forks in the middle; then bifurcates towards the base of the occipital region. Temples slightly shorter than eyes and marginally protruding, each forming an angle of about 70�� with the longitudinal axis of the head, and ending in an annular organ. Eyes well developed and protruding with 32-33 facets. Antennae with cylindrical scape about twice as long as wide, pedicel as long as wide, antennomere 3 is the smallest of the flagellum and wider than long, antennomere 4 slightly longer than wide, antennomeres 5-6 as long as wide, antennomeres 7-8 slightly wider than long. The club is not so distinct having antennomeres 9-10 wider than long and wider than preceding articles; antennomere 11 slightly wider than 10 and slightly longer than wide. Pronotum distinctly wider (0.41 mm) than long (0.31 mm), widest in the middle; lateral discal fovea, lateral antebasal fovea, medial antebasal fovea, and outer antebasal fovea present and distinct; antebasal sulcus lacking. Disc convex in the middle with a horseshoe-shaped impression, its transversal part (including the median antebasal fovea) distinctly impressed whereas the two longitudinal branches very weakly impressed; the latter bearing four adjacent foveae. Elytra wider (0.51 mm) than long (0. 40 mm) and longer than pronotum, and gradually widen from the base to the apex. Two basal foveae; sutural stria reaching apical part of elytra with three very small adjacent foveae; discal stria reaching about two thirds of elytral length. Humeri not distinctly protruding followed by a weak lateral depression. Hind wings absent. Abdomen distinctly longer than both pronotum and elytra together, the first three visible tergites having the same length. Posterior margin of 2 nd ventrite slightly raised in the middle; posterior margin of 3 rd ventrite strongly raised and forming an open cup-shaped structure in the middle (Fig. 1); the central part of the 4 th ventrite depressed having the middle part of posterior margin raised as a form of lamina at 90�� in such a way that it fits into the cupshaped structure just described and apically slightly curved posteriorly (Fig. 2). Legs with protibia widest in the middle (Fig. 9) with mesal margin sinuate in distal half, apically having a short rounded process; mesotibiae slightly enlarged in the apical third with a similar terminal process as in the protibiae. Aedeagus (Fig. 7) length 0.33 mm, with well-developed slender parameres widest in the middle, left paramere with two apical setae and right paramere with one; two additional medial setae are also present towards the centre of each paramere. Median part of aedeagus wide and distinctly sclerotized with a pointed apical part on the right; apical membrane equipped with multiple small spiniform processes. Female. Body (Fig. 5) length 1.80 mm entirely light reddish with yellow palpi and legs. Pubescence and tegument as in male. Head as in male, wider (0.31 mm) than long (0.21 mm). Eyes well developed and protruding with 25���27 facets. Antennae similar to those of male. Pronotum similar to that of male, also for the foveae system on dorsal surface, wider (0.36 mm) than long (0.31 mm). Elytra wider (0.44 mm) than long (0.33 mm), similar to those of male, only less distinctly enlarged from base to apex. Abdomen as in male in dorsal view, and with unmodified abdominal ventrites. Legs unmodified. Telisternite as in figure 11. Comparative notes. Faronus rica sp. nov. belongs to the F. hispanus species group (Sabella 1993) characterized by males having secondary sexual characters on abdominal ventrites, aedeagus with sinuate parameres, well sclerotized median part bearing multiple small spiniform processes apically. The group currently accommodates F. hispanus Saulcy, 1870, known from Portugal (Algarve), Spain (Catalonia, Valencia, Andalusia) and northern Algeria; F. insularis Sainte-Claire Deville, 1908, endemic to Sardinia and circum-sardinian islands and southern Corsica; F. siculus Fiori, 1913, endemic to Sicily, F. insignis Besuchet, 1958, known from the Balearic Islands (Majorca and Minorca), and F. rica sp. nov. endemic to Malta. Faronus rica sp. nov. is closely related to F. siculus with which many morphological characters are shared. It differs from this species on the basis of the following features: (i) protibia of male widest in the middle with mesal margin sinuate in distal half (cfr. Figs. 9, 10); (ii) left side of median part of aedeagus pointed apically (cfr. Figs. 7, 8); and (iii) the highly modified 3 rd and 4 th ventrites having a strongly raised open cup-shaped structure in the middle (on 3 rd ventrite) and a 90�� raised lamina (on 4 th ventrite) which fits into the cup-shaped structure and apically curved posteriorly (cfr. Figs.1-4). Females of both species are impossible to discriminate on the basis of morphological features. Some morphological differences in the apical region of the telisternite were found and these are illustrated in figures 11 and 12. Ecological notes. The two specimens of Faronus rica sp. nov. were collected in November by sifting leaf litter under Ceratonia siliqua, in a valley system at 50 m of altitude, along with numerous specimens of Tychus opuntiae (Schmidt-Goebel, 1836). Wied Babu (Fig. 6) is a fine example of a river valley and creek. The area is rich in endemic species such as the National Plant for Malta (Cheirolophus crassifolius) for which Wied Babu is the type locality. Etymology. This species is dedicated to Yves and Patricia Rica, a French family residing in Malta who are always very helpful and contribute financially for entomological research work carried out by the corresponding author in Malta. They offered free accommodation to many delegates present at the 4 th International Congress of Biodiversity held in Malta (13-16 th November 2017) and thereafter, this provided the right opportunity for the present authors to do intensive field work and to discover the new species which we gladly and proudly dedicate to them., Published as part of Kurbatov, Sergey A., Mifsud, David & Sabella, Giorgio, 2019, A new species of Faronus Aub��, 1844, endemic to Malta (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae), pp. 417-422 in Zootaxa 4571 (3) on pages 418-420, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4571.3.9, http://zenodo.org/record/2612804, {"references":["Sabella, G. (1993) Studies on the Pselaphidae of Sicily. VI. On the sicilian species of the genus Faronus with a redescription of F. siculus Fiori, 1913 and F. vitalei Raffray, 1913. (Coleoptera Pselaphidae). Spixiana, 16 (2), 145 - 156."]}

Faronus rica sp. nov. (Figs 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 11) Type material. Holotype, ♂ (MHNG). MALTA, Wied Babu, 50 m, 23.xi.2017, sifting litter of Ceratonia siliqua (S. Kurbatov). Paratype, 1 ♀ (MHNG); same locality of holotype, 24.xi.2017, sifting litter of Ceratonia siliqua (D. Mifsud & G. Sabella). Description. Male. Body length 1.75 mm, entirely reddish brown with yellowish palpi and legs. Relatively dense pubescence of long and flattened golden setae on head, pronotum, elytra and abdomen; other setae, yellowish and suberect present on sides of antennae, palpi and legs. Tegument smooth and shiny. Head triangular, wider (0.35 mm) than long (0.22 mm). Wide and deep longitudinal median frontal sulcus, which starts from the frontal lobe and forks in the middle; then bifurcates towards the base of the occipital region. Temples slightly shorter than eyes and marginally protruding, each forming an angle of about 70° with the longitudinal axis of the head, and ending in an annular organ. Eyes well developed and protruding with 32-33 facets. Antennae with cylindrical scape about twice as long as wide, pedicel as long as wide, antennomere 3 is the smallest of the flagellum and wider than long, antennomere 4 slightly longer than wide, antennomeres 5-6 as long as wide, antennomeres 7-8 slightly wider than long. The club is not so distinct having antennomeres 9-10 wider than long and wider than preceding articles; antennomere 11 slightly wider than 10 and slightly longer than wide. Pronotum distinctly wider (0.41 mm) than long (0.31 mm), widest in the middle; lateral discal fovea, lateral antebasal fovea, medial antebasal fovea, and outer antebasal fovea present and distinct; antebasal sulcus lacking. Disc convex in the middle with a horseshoe-shaped impression, its transversal part (including the median antebasal fovea) distinctly impressed whereas the two longitudinal branches very weakly impressed; the latter bearing four adjacent foveae. Elytra wider (0.51 mm) than long (0. 40 mm) and longer than pronotum, and gradually widen from the base to the apex. Two basal foveae; sutural stria reaching apical part of elytra with three very small adjacent foveae; discal stria reaching about two thirds of elytral length. Humeri not distinctly protruding followed by a weak lateral depression. Hind wings absent. Abdomen distinctly longer than both pronotum and elytra together, the first three visible tergites having the same length. Posterior margin of 2 nd ventrite slightly raised in the middle; posterior margin of 3 rd ventrite strongly raised and forming an open cup-shaped structure in the middle (Fig. 1); the central part of the 4 th ventrite depressed having the middle part of posterior margin raised as a form of lamina at 90° in such a way that it fits into the cupshaped structure just described and apically slightly curved posteriorly (Fig. 2). Legs with protibia widest in the middle (Fig. 9) with mesal margin sinuate in distal half, apically having a short rounded process; mesotibiae slightly enlarged in the apical third with a similar terminal process as in the protibiae. Aedeagus (Fig. 7) length 0.33 mm, with well-developed slender parameres widest in the middle, left paramere with two apical setae and right paramere with one; two additional medial setae are also present towards the centre of each paramere. Median part of aedeagus wide and distinctly sclerotized with a pointed apical part on the right; apical membrane equipped with multiple small spiniform processes. Female. Body (Fig. 5) length 1.80 mm entirely light reddish with yellow palpi and legs. Pubescence and tegument as in male. Head as in male, wider (0.31 mm) than long (0.21 mm). Eyes well developed and protruding with 25–27 facets. Antennae similar to those of male. Pronotum similar to that of male, also for the foveae system on dorsal surface, wider (0.36 mm) than long (0.31 mm). Elytra wider (0.44 mm) than long (0.33 mm), similar to those of male, only less distinctly enlarged from base to apex. Abdomen as in male in dorsal view, and with unmodified abdominal ventrites. Legs unmodified. Telisternite as in figure 11. Comparative notes. Faronus rica sp. nov. belongs to the F. hispanus species group (Sabella 1993) characterized by males having secondary sexual characters on abdominal ventrites, aedeagus with sinuate parameres, well sclerotized median part bearing multiple small spiniform processes apically. The group currently accommodates F. hispanus Saulcy, 1870, known from Portugal (Algarve), Spain (Catalonia, Valencia, Andalusia) and northern Algeria; F. insularis Sainte-Claire Deville, 1908, endemic to Sardinia and circum-sardinian islands and southern Corsica; F. siculus Fiori, 1913, endemic to Sicily, F. insignis Besuchet, 1958, known from the Balearic Islands (Majorca and Minorca), and F. rica sp. nov. endemic to Malta. Faronus rica sp. nov. is closely related to F. siculus with which many morphological characters are shared. It differs from this species on the basis of the following features: (i) protibia of male widest in the middle with mesal margin sinuate in distal half (cfr. Figs. 9, 10); (ii) left side of median part of aedeagus pointed apically (cfr. Figs. 7, 8); and (iii) the highly modified 3 rd and 4 th ventrites having a strongly raised open cup-shaped structure in the middle (on 3 rd ventrite) and a 90° raised lamina (on 4 th ventrite) which fits into the cup-shaped structure and apically curved posteriorly (cfr. Figs.1-4). Females of both species are impossible to discriminate on the basis of morphological features. Some morphological differences in the apical region of the telisternite were found and these are illustrated in figures 11 and 12. Ecological notes. The two specimens of Faronus rica sp. nov. were collected in November by sifting leaf litter under Ceratonia siliqua, in a valley system at 50 m of altitude, along with numerous specimens of Tychus opuntiae (Schmidt-Goebel, 1836). Wied Babu (Fig. 6) is a fine example of a river valley and creek. The area is rich in endemic species such as the National Plant for Malta (Cheirolophus crassifolius) for which Wied Babu is the type locality. Etymology. This species is dedicated to Yves and Patricia Rica, a French family residing in Malta who are always very helpful and contribute financially for entomological research work carried out by the corresponding author in Malta. They offered free accommodation to many delegates present at the 4 th International Congress of Biodiversity held in Malta (13-16 th November 2017) and thereafter, this provided the right opportunity for the present authors to do intensive field work and to discover the new species which we gladly and proudly dedicate to them.

Dolichogenidea britannica (Wilkinson, 1941) Material examined: MALTA, Sliema, 14.vii–08. ix.2016, 2 ♂♂ & 9♀♀, from flowers of Limbarda crithmoides with larvae of Gymnoscelis rufifasciata (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) and Eublemma parva (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), LF, NMS. GOZO, Ramla l-Ħamra, 28–31. vii.2016, 2 ♂♂, from flowers of Limbarda crithmoides infested with larvae of Gymnoscelis rufifasciata and Eublemma parva, LF, DMC, NMS [parasitoids determined by Mark Shaw; hosts determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: New record for the Maltese Islands. This species is a koinobiont endoparasitoid whose usual host is the gelechiid, Ptocheuusa paupella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), and both of the above suggested hosts seem highly unlikely. However, additional host records from other Gelechiidae and also Cosmopterigidae are known (Fernandez-Triana et al., 2014), but no such hosts emerged from the collected plant material., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 56, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Fernandez-Triana, J., Shaw, M. R., Cardinal, S. & Mason, P. G. (2014) Contributions to the study of the Holarctic fauna of Microgastrinae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae). I. Introduction and first results of transatlantic comparisons. Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 37, 61 - 76."]}

Syzeuctus tigris Seyrig, 1926 Material examined: MALTA, Sliema, 25. vii.2016, 1 ♀, emerged from flowers of Limbarda crithmoides with larvae of Eublemma parva (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), LF, NMS; Sliema, 13. ix.2016, 1 ♂ & 1♀, emerged from flowers of Limbarda crithmoides with Eublemma parva, LF, NMS; Għar Lapsi, 2. x.2016, 1 ♂, emerged from flowers of Limbarda crithmoides with Eublemma parva, LF, NMS. GOZO, Ramla l-Ħamra, 8. vii.2016, 1 ♂, emerged from flowers of Limbarda crithmoides with larvae of Eublemma parva, LF, NMS [parasitoids determined only to generic level by Mark Shaw and species was determined by David Mifsud; hosts determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: This species was first recorded in the Maltese Islands by Schembri (1992) without host data. It is a koinobiont endoparasitoid of concealed Lepidoptera larvae., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 50, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Schembri, S. P. (1992) A preliminary list of the Ichneumonidae of the Maltese Islands (Hymenoptera). Bollettino della Societa Entomologica Italiana, 124 (1), 49 - 54."]}

Aleiodes testaceus (Telenga, 1941) Material examined: MALTA, Buskett, 24. v.2014, 1 ♀, emerged from? Gymnoscelis rufifasciata (Haworth) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) larva feeding on Quercus ilex, MZ, DMC [parasitoid and host determined by Mark Shaw]. Notes: This species was previously recorded from Malta by Papp (2015) based on 2♀♀ without host data. It is a parasitoid of small Geometridae (Eupithecia and close relatives) associated with flowers, especially of trees such as Quercus and shrubby plants, but including field layer plants (van Achterberg & Shaw, 2016)., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 58, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Papp, J. (2015) First contribution to the knowledge of the braconid wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) of Malta. Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Malta, 7, 93 - 108. https: // doi. org / 10.17387 / BULLENTSOCMALTA. 2015.07","Achterberg, C. van & Shaw, M. R (2016) Revision of the western Palaearctic species of Aleiodes Wesmael (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Rogadinae). Part 1: Introduction, key to species groups, outlying distinctive species, and revisionary notes on some further species. ZooKeys, 639, 1 - 164. https: // doi. org / 10.3897 / zookeys. 639.10893"]}

Ophion obscuratus Fabricius, 1798 Material examined: MALTA, Buskett, 25. xii.2010, 1 ♂, emerged supposedly from a larva of Lasciocampa quercus (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Lasciocampidae), MZ, NMS. Additional material: Buskett, Verdala Palace, 1.xii.2016 –30. i.2017, 1 ♂ & 3♀♀, in Malaise trap, DM, NMS; Gnejna, 25. xii.2015, 1 ♀, TC, TCC [parasitoids were determined by Mark Shaw; host determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: New record for the Maltese Islands. The specimen purportedly from L. quercus is of a comparable (relatively small) size to those seen from the usual noctuid hosts of this taxon in Britain, and Ophion species normally kill the host as a prepupa. Thus the record seems highly improbable, but the host remains are unavailable for re-examination. Ophion obscuratus is a nocturnal koinobiont endoparasitoid of several noctuid hosts that feed on exposed low vegetation., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 51, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032

Meloboris sp. Material examined: MALTA, Mtaħleb, 11. iv.2008, 1 ♀, emerged from Coleophora helianthemella Miller (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae), MZ, NMS [parasitoid determined by Mark Shaw; host determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: This genus has not previously been recorded from the Maltese Islands. Meloboris species are koinobiont endoparasitoids of various groups of Lepidoptera; nevertheless, a Coleophora species seems an improbable host and a small parasitoid cocoon overlooked on vegetation seems a more plausible source.

Gelis carbonarius (de Stefani, 1884) Materials examined: MALTA, It-Torri l-Abjad, 25. xii.2005, 1 ♀, captured laying into a case of Coleophora semicinerea Straudinger (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae), MZ, MSC [parasitoid determined by Martin Schwarz; host determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: New record for the Maltese Islands. Gelis carbonarius has been reported as a parasitoid of Braconidae that are associated with Lepidoptera (Stefanescu et al., 2009; Frago et al., 2012). Gelis carbonarius is probably polyphagous and can be either a primary parasitoid or a pseudohyperparasitoid, similarly to the closely related species Gelis agilis (Fabricius, 1775) (M. Schwarz, pers comm., 2017). Gelis species are idiobiont ectoparasitoids., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 52, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Frago, E., Pujade-Villar, J., Guara, M. & Selfa, J. (2012) Hyperparasitism and seasonal patterns of parasitism as potential causes of low top-down control in Euproctis chrysorrhoea L. (Lymantriidae). Biological Control, 60 (2), 123 - 131. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / j. biocontrol. 2011.11.013"]}

Family Ichneumonidae (all records hereunder are solitary parasitoids)

Cotesia vestalis (Haliday, 1834) Material examined: MALTA, Naxxar, 26. vi.2012, 1 ♂, reared from a larva of a Plusiinae, MZ, DMC [parasitoid determined by Mark Shaw; host determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: The above cited material was incorrectly identified and cited as C. ruficrus (Haliday) by Papp (2015). Cotesia vestalis (= plutellae Kurdjumov) is a well-known koinobiont endoparasitoid of the plutellid, Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus) but parasitises several other low-feeding hosts including species of Noctuidae and Nymphalidae., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 56, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Papp, J. (2015) First contribution to the knowledge of the braconid wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) of Malta. Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Malta, 7, 93 - 108. https: // doi. org / 10.17387 / BULLENTSOCMALTA. 2015.07"]}

Glypta sp. Material examined: MALTA, Naxxar, 27. vi.2014, 1 ♂, emerged from larva of Cydia sp. feeding on Vicia faba green seeds. Larva was collected on iv.2013, MZ, NMS [parasitoid determined by Mark Shaw; host determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: This genus was never previously recorded from the Maltese Islands. However, it is a very large genus of koinobiont endoparasitoids of almost exclusively tortricid hosts, and undoubtedly several species will be found to occur in Malta.

Lysitermus suecius (Hedqvist, 1957) Material examined: MALTA, Buskett, 22. xi.2006, 1 ♀ & 1♂, emerged from larvae of Luffia lapidella (Goeze) (Lepidoptera: Psychidae), MZ, NMS [parasitoid determined by Mark Shaw; host determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: New record for the Maltese Islands. From the Lepidoptera, this species has been reported to parasitize Luffia spp. in Sardinia (van Achterberg, 1991) and the above data is in accordance with this. It is almost certainly an idiobiont ectoparasitoid., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 54, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Achterberg, C. van (1991) Revision of the genera of the Afrotropical and W. Palaearctic Rogadinae Foerster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Zoologische Uerhandelingen, 273 (1), 1 - 101."]}

Lysitermus tritoma (Bouček, 1956) Material examined: MALTA, Mosta Valley, v.2010, 1 ♂ & 2♀♀, emerged from larvae of Eudarcia derrai (Gaedike) (Lepidoptera: Tineidae), which were collected on 22.i.2010, MZ, NMS [parasitoid determined by Mark Shaw; host determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: New record for the Maltese Islands. Hosts of this species were not previously known, however Jonsell et al. (2016) suggest that it is a parasitoid of Lepidoptera and it is almost certainly an idiobiont ectoparasitoid., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 54, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Jonsell, M., Alonso, C. G., Forshage, M., Achterberg, C. van & Komonen, A. (2016) Structure of insect community in the fungus Inonotus radiatus in riparian boreal forests. Journal of Natural History, 50 (25 - 26), 1613 - 1631. https: // doi. org / 10.1080 / 00222933.2016.1145273"]}

Netelia (Paropheltes) inedita (Kokujev, 1899) Material examined: MALTA, Buskett, Verdala Palace, 1.xii.2016 –30. i.2017, 2 ♀♀, in Malaise trap, DM, NMS [determined by Mark Shaw]. Notes: New record for the Maltese Islands. This species was only collected via malaise traps but we are including it in this work since it represents a new record for Malta and the genus is known to comprise only koinobiont ectoparasitoids of Lepidoptera., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 53, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032

Orthizema sp. Material examined: MALTA, Mosta Valley, 23. ii.2010, 3 ♂♂, emerged from Eudarcia melitensis Gaedike & Zerafa (Lepidoptera: Tineidae). Larva was collected on 22.i.2010, MZ, MSC [parasitoid determined by Martin Schwarz; host determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: This genus has not previously been recorded from the Maltese Islands.

Orthizema sp. Material examined: MALTA, Mosta Valley, 23. ii.2010, 3 ♂♂, emerged from Eudarcia melitensis Gaedike & Zerafa (Lepidoptera: Tineidae). Larva was collected on 22.i.2010, MZ, MSC [parasitoid determined by Martin Schwarz; host determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: This genus has not previously been recorded from the Maltese Islands., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 51, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032

Dolichogenidea appellator (Telenga, 1949) Material examined: MALTA, Dingli, 15. v.2004, 1 ♀, reared from unidentified larva feeding on Inula crithmoides, MZ, NMS [parasitoid identified by Mark Shaw]. Notes: This species was previously reported from Malta by Papp (2015) under its junior synonym D. litae (Nixon). Otherwise, his identification is here confirmed. It is a koinobiont endoparasitoid, known from plutellid and gelechiid hosts., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on pages 56-57, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Papp, J. (2015) First contribution to the knowledge of the braconid wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) of Malta. Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Malta, 7, 93 - 108. https: // doi. org / 10.17387 / BULLENTSOCMALTA. 2015.07"]}

Cotesia glomerata (Linnaeus, 1758) Material examined: MALTA, Naxxar, 15. iii.2013, 3 exx., emerged from Pieris rapae, MZ, DMC; Qrendi, 8– 11.x.2016, 290 exx., emerged from Pieris brassicae larvae feeding on Diplotaxis tenuifolia, which were collected on 6.x.2016, LF, DMC; St. Thomas Bay, 30. xi.2013, 1 ♂ & 1♀, reared from larva of Pieris brassicae, DM, DMC; Naxxar, i.2014, 1 ♂ & 2♀♀, reared from larva of Pieris rapae, MZ, DMC [parasitoids determined by Mark Shaw; hosts determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: First reported from Malta by Valletta (1972) from larvae of Pieris brassicae. Farrugia (1995) also reared this parasitoid from the same host species. The records of Cotesia abjecta (Marshall, 1885) and Cotesia jucunda (Marshall, 1885) by Papp (2015) from Malta are incorect and should both refer to C. glomerata following re-examination of his cited material. Thus both C. abjecta and C. jucunda are removed from the braconid fauna of Malta. C. glomerata is a gregarious koinobiont endoparasitoid that commonly parasitizes larvae of Pieris brassicae. It also commonly parasitizes larvae of Pieris rapae, however the former is preferred over the latter (Vos et al., 1998)., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 56, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Valletta, A. (1972) The Butterflies of Malta. Malta: Giovanni Muscat, 64 pp.","Farrugia, C. (1995) The entomofauna associated with cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) cultivation in Gozo. In: Axiak, V (Ed.), Biology Abstracts BSc 1994 - 1995 MSc 1994 - 1995. Malta University Press, pg. 9.","Papp, J. (2015) First contribution to the knowledge of the braconid wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) of Malta. Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Malta, 7, 93 - 108. https: // doi. org / 10.17387 / BULLENTSOCMALTA. 2015.07","Vos, M., Hemerik, L. & Vet, L. E. M. (1998) Patch exploitation by the parasitoids Cotesia rubecula and Cotesia glomerata in multi-patch environments with different host distributions. Journal of Animal Ecology, 67, 774 - 783. https: // doi. org / 10.1046 / j. 1365 - 2656.1998.00239. x"]}

Venturia canescens (Gravenhorst, 1829) Materials examined: MALTA, Mosta, 20–30.ix.2016, 38 exx., emerged from Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larva feeding on bird seed mixture collected on 31.vii.2016, LF, DMC [parasitoid determined by Mark Shaw; host determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: This koinobiont endoparasitoid was first reported from Malta by Schembri (1992) and again by Mifsud (1997) from larvae probably belonging to Selania leplastriana (Curtis) (but see comment in Table 2). It is a common parasitoid of species from the pyralid subfamily Phycitinae, such as Ephestia and Plodia spp. (Rogers, 1972; Harvey et al., 2001). These moths are commonly found in warehouses, granaries, flour mills or similar environments that contain stored food products., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on pages 50-51, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Schembri, S. P. (1992) A preliminary list of the Ichneumonidae of the Maltese Islands (Hymenoptera). Bollettino della Societa Entomologica Italiana, 124 (1), 49 - 54.","Mifsud, D. (1997) Biological control in the Maltese Islands: Past initiatives and future programmes. EPPO bulletin, 27 (1), 77 - 84. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / j. 1365 - 2338.1997. tb 00619. x","Rogers, D. (1972) The ichneumon wasp Uenturia canescens: oviposition and avoidance of superparasitism. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 15, 190 - 194. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / j. 1570 - 7458.1972. tb 00195. x","Harvey, J. A., Harvey, I. F. & Thompson, D. J. (2001) Lifetime reproductive success in the solitary endoparasitoid, Uenturia canescens. Journal of Insect Behaviour, 14 (5), 573 - 593. https: // doi. org / 10.1023 / A: 1012219116341"]}

Microgaster messoria Haliday, 1834 Material examined: MALTA, Il-Fawwara limits of Għajn Tuffieħa, 29. iii.2006, 1 ♀, emerged from Avaria hyerana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), MZ, NMS; Mgarr, 15. xii.2013, 1 ♂ & 2♀♀, from Cydia amplana, MZ, DMC, NMS [parasitoids identified by Mark Shaw; hosts identified by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: This is a solitary koinobionnt endoparasitoid of Lepidoptera larvae including Tortricidae, Gracillaridae and Crambidae among others (Vance, 1932; Yu et al., 2012; Shaw, 2012). The M. messoria larva undergoes three instars in which it feeds on the host internally. It then emerges from the host and feeds on it externally during its final instar prior to constructing its cocoon (Vance, 1932, as M. tibialis)., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 57, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Vance, A. M. (1932) Microgaster tibialis Nees as a hymenopterous parasite of Pyrausta nubialis Hubn. in Europe. Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 25 (1), 121 - 135. https: // doi. org / 10.1093 / aesa / 25.1.121","Yu, D. S., Achterberg, K. van & Horstmann, K. (2012) World Ichneumonidae 2012. Taxonomy, biology, morphology and distribution. Taxapad. Available from: http: // www. taxapad. com / (accessed 20 December 2018)","Shaw, M. R. (2012) Notes on some European Microgastrinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in the National Museums of Scotland, with twenty species new to Britain, new host data, taxonomic changes and remarks, and descriptions of two new species of Microgaster Latreille. Entomologist's Gazette, 63, 173 - 201."]}

Apanteles carpatus (Say, 1836) Material examined: MALTA, Naxxar, 2. vi.2006, 1 ♀, from larva of Tineidae, MZ, DMC; Naxxar, 5.vi.2006 / 26. iii.2010, 3 ♀♀, emerged from larvae of Phyllonorycter messaniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), MZ, NMS; Naxxar, 10. ii.2010, 1 ♀, emerged from Tinea messalina, MZ, DMC; Mosta Valley, 20. iv.2007, 1 ♀, emerged from Tineidae, MZ, DMC; Ħad-Dingli, 1. v.2014, 1 ♀, emerged from Tinea messalina Robinson (Lepidoptera: Tineidae), MZ, DMC [parasitoids determined by Mark Shaw; hosts determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: This species was previously reported from Malta by Papp (2015) whose material was re-examined and his identification confirmed. Apanteles carpatus is a cosmopolitan koinobiont endoparasitoid that regularly attacks Lepidoptera of the family Tineidae (Askew & Shaw, 1986; Yu et al., 2012). The above record from Gracillariidae may represent a misidentified lepidopteran host., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on pages 54-55, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Papp, J. (2015) First contribution to the knowledge of the braconid wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) of Malta. Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Malta, 7, 93 - 108. https: // doi. org / 10.17387 / BULLENTSOCMALTA. 2015.07","Askew, R. R. & Shaw, M. R. (1986) Parasitoid communities: their size, structure and development. In: Waage, J. & Greathead, D. (Eds.), Insect parasitoids. 13 th symposium of the Royal Entomological Society of London, Academic Press, pp. 225 - 264.","Yu, D. S., Achterberg, K. van & Horstmann, K. (2012) World Ichneumonidae 2012. Taxonomy, biology, morphology and distribution. Taxapad. Available from: http: // www. taxapad. com / (accessed 20 December 2018)"]}

Mirax rufilabris Haliday, 1833 Material examined: MALTA, Naxxar Gap, 20. xi.2008, 2 exx., emerged from larva of Ectoedemia euphorbiella (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae), MZ, DMC; Naxxar Gap, 22–23. xii.2009, 2 exx., emerged from larva of Ectoedemia euphorbiella which was collected in iii.2009, MZ, NMS [parasitoids identified to generic level by Mark Shaw; host identified by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: This species was recorded from Malta by Papp (2015) but the material was not closely re-examined to confirm or otherwise his identification. It is a koinobiont endoparasitoid of Lepidoptera from the family Nepticulidae (Shaw & Huddleston, 1991; Shaw & Askew, 1976)., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 57, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Papp, J. (2015) First contribution to the knowledge of the braconid wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) of Malta. Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Malta, 7, 93 - 108. https: // doi. org / 10.17387 / BULLENTSOCMALTA. 2015.07","Shaw, M. R. & Huddleston, T. (1991) Classification and biology of braconid wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). In: Dolling, W. R. & Askew, R. R. (Eds.), Handbook for the Identification of British Insects. Vol. 7, Part 11. London: Royal Entomological Society of London, pp. 3 - 126.","Shaw, M. R. & Askew, R. R. (1976) Ichneumonoidea (Hymenoptera) parasitic upon leaf-mining insects of the orders Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera and Coleoptera. Ecological Entomology, 1, 127 - 133. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / j. 1365 - 2311.1976. tb 01213. x"]}

Pimpla rufipes (Miller, 1759) Material examined: MALTA, Siġġiewi, xi.2005, 1 ♀, from pupa of Vanessa atalanta (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), GD, DMC; Wied il-Għasel, 22. xi.2013, 1 ♀, from pupa of Orgyia trigotephras Boisduval (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) which was collected on 13.xi.2013, MZ, DMC [parasitoids determined by Mark Shaw; hosts determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: Pimpla rufipes was recorded from the Maltese Islands by Schembri (1992) from pupae of Pieris brassicae, Pieris rapae and Papilio machaon melitensis. Mifsud (1997) recorded this species again from pupae of P. brassicae. This species is an idiobiont endoparasitoid that attacks a range of medium sized exposed or weakly cocooned Lepidoptera pupae (Fitton et al., 1988, as P. hypochondriaca)., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 52, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Schembri, S. P. (1992) A preliminary list of the Ichneumonidae of the Maltese Islands (Hymenoptera). Bollettino della Societa Entomologica Italiana, 124 (1), 49 - 54.","Mifsud, D. (1997) Biological control in the Maltese Islands: Past initiatives and future programmes. EPPO bulletin, 27 (1), 77 - 84. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / j. 1365 - 2338.1997. tb 00619. x","Fitton, M. G., Shaw, M. R. & Gauld, I. D. (1988) Pimpline Ichneumon-Flies Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae (Pimplinae). In: Barnard, P. C. & Askew, R. R. (Eds.), Handbook for the Identification of British Insects. Vol. 7, Part 1. London: Royal Entomological Society of London, pp. 3 - 110. https: // doi. org / 10.1017 / S 0007485300009081"]}

Family Braconidae Subfamily Agathidinae, Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 53, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032

Choeras dorsalis (Spinola, 1808) Material examined: MALTA, Binġemma, 2–3. vi.2014, 2 ♂♂, emerged from larvae of Nothris verbascella on Verbascum, MZ, DMC; Bingemma, 11. v.2014, 1 ♀, reared from larva of Nothris verbascella Denis & Schiffermüller (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), MZ, DMC; Fawwara, 28–29. iii.2006, 1 ♂ & 3♀♀, reared from larva of Avaria hyeranana (Milliére) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), MZ, DMC; Mosta Valley, 24. vi.2014, 1 ♀, emerged from Lepidoptera larva feeding on Dittrichia viscosa, MZ, DMC [parasitoid identified by Mark Shaw; host identified by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: Choeras dorsalis was previously reported from Malta by Papp (2015) whose identification is here confirmed. It is a koinobiont endoparasitoid recorded from several families of Lepidoptera larvae (Arthur & Mason, 1986; Yu et al., 2012)., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 55, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Papp, J. (2015) First contribution to the knowledge of the braconid wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) of Malta. Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Malta, 7, 93 - 108. https: // doi. org / 10.17387 / BULLENTSOCMALTA. 2015.07","Arthur, A. P. & Mason, P. G. (1986) Life history and immature stages of the parasitoid Microplitis mediator (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), reared on the Bertha armyworm Mamestra configurata (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). The Canadian Entomologist, 118 (5), 487 - 491. https: // doi. org / 10.4039 / Ent 118487 - 5","Yu, D. S., Achterberg, K. van & Horstmann, K. (2012) World Ichneumonidae 2012. Taxonomy, biology, morphology and distribution. Taxapad. Available from: http: // www. taxapad. com / (accessed 20 December 2018)"]}

Meteorus pulchricornis (Wesamel, 1835) Material examined: MALTA, Buskett, 25. v.2014, 2 ♂♂, from larvae of Xanthia ruticilla (Esper) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), MZ, DMC [parasitoid determined by Mark Shaw; host determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: New record for the Maltese Islands. It is a koinobiont larval endoparasitoid with an exceptionally wide recorded host range that extends to fifteen families (in ten superfamilies) of Lepidoptera and includes numerous Noctuidae (Maeto, 2018)., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 54, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Maeto, K. (2018) Polyphagous koinobiosis: the biology and biocontrol potential of a braconid endoparasitoid of exophytic caterpillars. Applied Entomology and Zoology, 53 (4), 433 - 446. https: // doi. org / 10.1007 / s 13355 - 018 - 0581 - 9"]}

Diadegma exareolator Aubert, 1964 Material examined: MALTA, Selmun, 23–30. i.2010, 1 ♂, emerged from Bedellia somnulentella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae), MZ, NMS; Ħad-Dingli, 12. iii.2009, 1 ♂, emerged from Dialectica scalariella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Gracillaridae) on Borago officinalis, MZ, NMS; Mosta Valley, 10. vi.2009, 1 ♀, emerged from Dialectica scalariella (Zeller), MZ, NMS [parasitoids determined by Mark Shaw; hosts determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: This species was reported from the Maltese Islands by Shaw & Horstmann (1997) from Bedellia somnulentella. Most rearing records of D. exareolator are from B. somnulentella; however it has also been reared from other species in families such as Gracillaridae, Choreutidae and Yponomeutidae. Diadegma exareolator is a koinobiont endoparasitoid that attacks the host in its larval state and kills it in its cocoon (Shaw & Horstmann, 1997)., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 50, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Shaw, M. R. & Horstmann, K. (1997) An analysis of host range in the Diadegma nanus group of parasitoids in Western Europe, with a key to species (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Campopleginae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 6 (2), 273 - 296."]}

Family Ichneumonidae (all records hereunder are solitary parasitoids), Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 49, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032

Meloboris sp. Material examined: MALTA, Mtaħleb, 11. iv.2008, 1 ♀, emerged from Coleophora helianthemella Miller (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae), MZ, NMS [parasitoid determined by Mark Shaw; host determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: This genus has not previously been recorded from the Maltese Islands. Meloboris species are koinobiont endoparasitoids of various groups of Lepidoptera; nevertheless, a Coleophora species seems an improbable host and a small parasitoid cocoon overlooked on vegetation seems a more plausible source., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 50, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032

Family Braconidae Subfamily Agathidinae

Spathius pedestris Wesmael, 1838 Material examined: MALTA, Siggiewi, 3. x.2016, 1 ♀, emerged from Ceratonia siliqua pods infested with larvae of Apomyelois ceratoniae, LF, DMC [parasitoid determined by Mark Shaw; host identified by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: New record for the Maltese Islands. This species is probably thelytokous., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on pages 53-54, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032

Habrobracon hebetor (Say, 1836) Material examined: MALTA, Mosta, 6.ix.–1. x.2016, 13 exx., emerged from Plodia interpunctella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) feeding on bird seed mixture which was collected on 31.viii.2016, LF, DMC, NMS; Wied Għollieqa, 30.ix.–17.xi.2016, 73 exx., emerged from larvae of Apomyelois ceratoniae feeding on Ceratonia siliqua seed pods, LF, DMC, NMS [parasitoids determined by Mark Shaw; hosts dteremined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: This species was previously recorded from Malta by Papp (2015) from 1♂ & 1♀ associated with stored beeswax without host data. It is a small, gregarious idiobiont ectoparasitoid that attacks final instar larvae of many weakly concealed Lepidoptera from different families. It is commonly reared from Plodia interpunctella and has also been recorded from Apomyelois ceratoniae (Yu et al., 2012)., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 53, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Papp, J. (2015) First contribution to the knowledge of the braconid wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) of Malta. Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Malta, 7, 93 - 108. https: // doi. org / 10.17387 / BULLENTSOCMALTA. 2015.07","Yu, D. S., Achterberg, K. van & Horstmann, K. (2012) World Ichneumonidae 2012. Taxonomy, biology, morphology and distribution. Taxapad. Available from: http: // www. taxapad. com / (accessed 20 December 2018)"]}

Clinocentrus excubitor (Haliday, 1836) Material examined: MALTA, Fawwara, limits of Għajn Tuffieħa, 29. iii.2006, 1 ♀, emerged from larva of Avaria hyerana (Milliére) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), MZ, NMS [parasitoid identified by Mark Shaw but this is probably a species aggregate; host identified by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: New record for the Maltese Islands. This koinobiont endoparasitoid was previously reported as C. exsertor (Nees) from Malta by Papp (2015), but re-examination of the material proved that to be a misidentification and it should be referred to C. excubitor., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 58, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Papp, J. (2015) First contribution to the knowledge of the braconid wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) of Malta. Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Malta, 7, 93 - 108. https: // doi. org / 10.17387 / BULLENTSOCMALTA. 2015.07"]}

Chirotica meridionalis Horstmann, 1983 Material examined: MALTA, Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, 3. v.2015, 1 ex., emerged from case of Phalacropteryx apiformis (Rossi) (Lepidoptera: Psychidae), TC, MSC [parasitoid determined by Martin Schwarz; host determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: Chirotica meridionalis represents a new record for the Maltese Islands and is almost certainly an idiobiont ectoparasitoid, known to parasitize Psychidae. It has been recorded from Phalacropterix apiformis (Rossi, 1790) and P. bruandi (Lederer, 1855) (Yu et al., 2012; Aubert et al., 1984)., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on pages 51-52, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Yu, D. S., Achterberg, K. van & Horstmann, K. (2012) World Ichneumonidae 2012. Taxonomy, biology, morphology and distribution. Taxapad. Available from: http: // www. taxapad. com / (accessed 20 December 2018)","Aubert, J. F., Halperin, J. & Gerling, D. (1984) Les Ichneumonides D'Israel. Entomophaga, 29 (2), 211 - 235."]}

Cotesia ruficrus (Haliday, 1834) Material examined: MALTA, Għajn Znuber, 22. ii.2006, 2 ♀♀, emerged from larva of Mythimna unipuncta (Haworth) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), MZ, DMC [parasitoid determined by Mark Shaw; host determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: The above material was identified and cited by Papp (2015) as C. tibialis (Curtis) but it proved to be misidentified and should be attributed to C. ruficrus, which is a gregarious koinobiont endoparasitoid with a wide range of recorded hosts of (particularly) low-feeding Noctuidae. Thus, C. tibialis is here removed from the braconid fauna of Malta., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 56, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Papp, J. (2015) First contribution to the knowledge of the braconid wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) of Malta. Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Malta, 7, 93 - 108. https: // doi. org / 10.17387 / BULLENTSOCMALTA. 2015.07"]}

Ctenochares bicolorus (Linnaeus, 1767) Material examined: MALTA, Ħaż-Żebbug, 5. xii.2015, 1 ex., emerged from pupa of Autographa gamma (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), MZ, DMC [parasitoid determined by Mark Shaw; host determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: From Malta, Schembri (1992) recorded this endoparasitoid from pupae of Autographa gamma. Rearing records all suggest that C. bicolorus is a parasitoid of noctuids of the subfamily Plusiinae (Fitton et al., 1983), but it is not clear whether it is a larva-pupal koinobiont or an idiobiont attacking the pupal stage., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 51, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Schembri, S. P. (1992) A preliminary list of the Ichneumonidae of the Maltese Islands (Hymenoptera). Bollettino della Societa Entomologica Italiana, 124 (1), 49 - 54.","Fitton, M. G., Gauld, I. D., Roberts, L. I. N. & Walker, A. K. (1983) An African ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) in Australasia. Bulletin of Entomological Research, 73, 465 - 468."]}

Aleiodes apicalis (Brullé, 1832) Material examined: MALTA, Wied il-Kbir, 20. xii.2014, 1 ex., from Lepidoptera larva feeding on Rumex conglomeratus which was collected in March of 2014, MZ, DMC; Torri l-Abjad, 27. xii.2005, 1 ♀, emerged from unidentified Lepidoptera larva feeding on Lactuca, MZ, DMC [parasitoids determined by Mark Shaw; hosts determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: This species was recorded from Malta by Papp (2015) as Aleiodes (Aleiodes) ductor var. reticulator (Nees, 1834). Although this species has been widely misidentified as a form of A. ductor, its correct name is A. apicalis. It is a koinobiont endoparasitoid of plusiine noctuids, and may even be restricted to Autographa gamma (Linnaeus). On reviewing the above-mentioned material, it was noted that they had both emerged from a lepidopteran larval mummy. The host Lepidoptera remains were both determined as certainly a plusiine noctuid, probably Autographa gamma by Mark Shaw., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 58, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Papp, J. (2015) First contribution to the knowledge of the braconid wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) of Malta. Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Malta, 7, 93 - 108. https: // doi. org / 10.17387 / BULLENTSOCMALTA. 2015.07"]}

Gelis exareolatus (Fӧrster, 1850) Materials examined: MALTA, Qammiegħ, 15. i.2006, 1 ♀, emerged from Coleophora acrisella Milliére (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae), MZ, MSC; Ħad-Dingli, 27. x.2009, 1 ♂ & 1♀, emerged from Coleophora festivella Toll, MZ, MSC; Ħad-Dingli, 20. x.2011, 1 ♀, emerged from Coleophora fretella Zeller, which was collected on 13.xii.2010, MZ, MSC; Għajn Tuffieħa, 4. i.2015, 1 ♂, emerged from Coleophora fretella, which was collected on 7.xii.2014, MZ, MSC [parasitoids determined by Martin Schwarz; hosts determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: New record for the Maltese Islands. Gelis exareolatus has been recorded as a primary idiobiont ectoparasitoid of Coleophora spp. (especially on Juncus), Exoteleia dodecella (Linnaeus) as well as Kermania pistaciella Amsel (Schwarz & Shaw, 1999; Yu et al., 2012; Mehrnejad, 2002). It is also known as a pseudohyperparasitoid, parasitizing the cocoons of braconids attacking K. pistaciella (van Achterberg & Mehrnejad, 2002)., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 52, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Schwarz, M. & Shaw, M. R. (1999) Western Palaearctic Cryptinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) in the National Museums of Scotland, with nomenclatural changes, taxonomic notes, rearing records and special reference to the British check list. Part 2. Genus Gelis Thunberg (Phygadeuontini: Gelina). Entomologist's Gazette, 50 (2), 117 - 142.","Yu, D. S., Achterberg, K. van & Horstmann, K. (2012) World Ichneumonidae 2012. Taxonomy, biology, morphology and distribution. Taxapad. Available from: http: // www. taxapad. com / (accessed 20 December 2018)","Achterberg, C. van & Mehrnejad, M. R. (2002) The braconid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) of Kermania pistaciella Amsel (Lepidoptera: Tineidae: Hieroxestinae) in Iran. Zoologische Mededelingen, 76, 27 - 39."]}

Gelis seyrigi Ceballos, 1925 Materials examined: MALTA, Mellieħa, 14. iii.2003, 1 ♀, emerged from Oiketicoides sp. (Lepidoptera: Psychidae), MZ, MSC [parasitoid determined by Martin Schwarz; host determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: New record to the Maltese Islands. Gelis seyrigi was reported as a parasitoid of Coleophora spp. (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae) and this idiobiont ectoparasitoid may be associated with saline habitats (Schwarz & Shaw, 1999; Yu et al., 2012)., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 52, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Schwarz, M. & Shaw, M. R. (1999) Western Palaearctic Cryptinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) in the National Museums of Scotland, with nomenclatural changes, taxonomic notes, rearing records and special reference to the British check list. Part 2. Genus Gelis Thunberg (Phygadeuontini: Gelina). Entomologist's Gazette, 50 (2), 117 - 142.","Yu, D. S., Achterberg, K. van & Horstmann, K. (2012) World Ichneumonidae 2012. Taxonomy, biology, morphology and distribution. Taxapad. Available from: http: // www. taxapad. com / (accessed 20 December 2018)"]}

Ascogaster sp. Material examined: MALTA, Girgenti, 25. vii.2016, 1 ex., emerged from caper buds infested with Tephritidae and probably Tortricidae though none was reared TC, DMC [parasitoid determined to generic level by Mark Shaw; host determination not made]. Notes: This genus is here recorded for the first time from the Maltese Islands. The host would probably have been a tortricid, of which Ascogaster species are egg-larval koinobiont endoparasitoids., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 53, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032

Apanteles galleriae Wilkinson, 1932 Material examined: MALTA, Żejtun, 11. vii.2016, 1 ♂, from larva of Galleria melonella (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), LF, DMC [parasitoid determined by Mark Shaw; host determined by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: This species was previously reported from Malta by Papp (2015) from the same lepidopteran host. It is a cosmopolitan, koinobiont, endoparasitoid of Galleria mellonella (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), Achroia grisella (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and A. innotata (Walker) (Watanabe, 1987)., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 55, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Papp, J. (2015) First contribution to the knowledge of the braconid wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) of Malta. Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Malta, 7, 93 - 108. https: // doi. org / 10.17387 / BULLENTSOCMALTA. 2015.07","Watanabe, C. (1987) Occurrence of Apanteles galleriae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), parasite of wax moth, in Japan. Kontyu, 55 (1), 165."]}

Choeras semele (Nixon, 1965) Material examined: MALTA, Naxxar, 10. iii.2008, 1 ♀, emerged from larvae of Cacoecimorpha pronubana (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), MZ, NMS [parasitoid identified by Mark Shaw; host identified by Michael Zerafa]. Notes: Choeras semele was previously reported from Malta by Papp (2015) whose identification is here confirmed. It is a koinobiont endoparasitoid recorded from several families of Lepidoptera larvae (Arthur & Mason, 1986; Yu et al., 2012)., Published as part of Mifsud, David, Farrugia, Lucia & Shaw, Mark R., 2019, Braconid and ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoid wasps of Lepidoptera from the Maltese Islands, pp. 47-60 in Zootaxa 4567 (1) on page 55, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4567.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2593032, {"references":["Papp, J. (2015) First contribution to the knowledge of the braconid wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) of Malta. Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Malta, 7, 93 - 108. https: // doi. org / 10.17387 / BULLENTSOCMALTA. 2015.07","Arthur, A. P. & Mason, P. G. (1986) Life history and immature stages of the parasitoid Microplitis mediator (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), reared on the Bertha armyworm Mamestra configurata (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). The Canadian Entomologist, 118 (5), 487 - 491. https: // doi. org / 10.4039 / Ent 118487 - 5","Yu, D. S., Achterberg, K. van & Horstmann, K. (2012) World Ichneumonidae 2012. Taxonomy, biology, morphology and distribution. Taxapad. Available from: http: // www. taxapad. com / (accessed 20 December 2018)"]}