The Red Palm Weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier, 1790) in Malta (Coleoptera : Curculionoidea)

Rhynchophorus ferrugineus is a weevil native to southern Asia and Melanesia which was accidentally introduced and established in Malta since 2007. This insect has been causing extensive damage to Canary Island palms (Phoenix canariensis) in the majority of towns around Malta. Morphometric measurements are provided and variation in the spots present on the pronotum of adult weevils in Malta is reported and compared with that found in Sicily. Suggested measures for the management of red palm weevil in Malta are also included.peer-reviewe

Bumblebees in natural and agro-ecosystems at different altitudes from Mount Etna, Sicily (Hymenoptera Apidae Bombinae): long-term faunistic and ecological observations.

The results of a ten-years study on bumblebee species of Mount Etna in eastern Sicily are given. The observations were carried out in natural and anthropized ecosystems at different altitudes in the Mediterranean Basal plan (0-1450 m a.s.l.) and Mountain-Mediterranean plan (1450-2100 m a.s.l.). Twelve species belonging to Bombus (2 spp.), Melanobombus (1 sp.), Megabombus (2 spp.), Thoracobombus (3 spp.) and Psithyrus (4 spp.) subgenera are recorded. In the Mountain-Mediterranean plan, rich in endemic plants from Etna and Sicily, 11 species have been recorded on plants characterised by the highest honey potential like Astragalus, Rubus, and Senecio. The most abundant species in this level are B. lapidarius decipiens and B. lucorum lucorum. In the Mediterranean Basal plan 12 species have been recorded. Among them, Bombus terrestris terrestris is always present, and B. terrestris calabricus has been recorded only at 1900 m a.s.l.  Data are given on surveyed bumblebee species and subspecies, their presence in Italy, the spread in Sicily, and the plants on which the bees were observed. These data are placed in relation to the altitudinal levels and the ecological quality of the areas where the specimens were found

Biological invasion of phytophagous insects and spin-off for italian landscape: two cases caused by rhynchophorus ferrugineus and matsucoccus feytaudi

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First report of Gonipterus scutellatus complex (Coleoptera Curculionidae) in Sicily (Italy).

During August 2015, the weevil Gonipterus scutellatus complex (Coleoptera Curculionidae), a pest of Eucalyptus spp., was found for the first time in Sicily. According to our surveys, Eucalyptus globulus was the only infested tree species

AN UPDATED LIST OF THE SCALE INSECT (HEMIPTERA COCCOMORPHA) FAUNA OF SOME SICILIAN ENDEMIC PLANTS

In this study Authors report scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) species for the first time recorded on some endemic plants of Sicilian flora, namely, Abies nebrodensis Mattei (Pinaceae), Astragalus siculus Biv. (Leguminosae), Betula aetnensis Rafinesque (Betulaceae) and Zelkova sicula Di Pasquale Garfi & Quezel (Ulmaceae).Abies nebrodensis is present in a single small population on Madonie Mountains. On this conifer the fir scale Parlatoria parlatoriae (Šulc) (Diaspididae) was collected. On B. aetnensis, that colonizes the lava substrates of Etna Volcano mainly at 1300–1900 m.a.s.l., a consistent population of an undescribed Diaspidiotus species (currently being described) was collected. Moreover Lepidosaphes ulmi (Linnaeus) (Diaspididae) was detected and collected on A. siculus which is characteristic plant of the upper part of the volcano. Zelkova sicula is a very rare relict of  the Tertiary, belonging to a genus of plants already extinct in Continental Europe; with only two small populations living in restricted woodland areas in south oriental Sicily where two scale insects were collected: Aspidiotus nerii (Costa) (Diaspididae) and Parthenolecanium sp. (Coccidae)

Antiferromagnetic vs ferromagnetic interactions and spin-glass-like behavior in ruthenates

We have made a series of gradient-corrected relativistic full-potential density-functional calculation for Ca-substituted and hole-doped SrRuO$_3$ in para, ferro, and $A$-, $C$-, and $G$-type antiferromagnetic states. Magnetic phase-diagram data for Sr$_{1-x}$Ca$_x$RuO$_3$ at 0 K are presented. Neutron diffraction measurement combined with total energy calculations show that spin-glass behavior with short-range antiferromagnetic interactions rules in CaRuO$_3$. The substitution of Sr by Ca in SrRuO$_3$ decreases the ferromagnetic interaction and enhances the $G$-type antiferromagnetic interaction; the $G$-AF state is found to stabilize around $x$ = 0.75 consistent with experimental observations. Inclusion of spin-orbit coupling is found to be important in order to arrive at the correct magnetic ground state in ruthenates.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures. Solid state communications (in press

Disorder Induced Ferromagnetism in CaRuO3

The magnetic ground state of perovskite structure CaRuO3 has been enigmatic for decades. Here we show that paramagnetic CaRuO3 can be made ferromagnetic by very small amounts of partial substitution of Ru by Ti. Magnetic hysteresis loops are observed at 5 K for as little as 2% Ti substitution. Ti is non-magnetic and isovalent with Ru, indicating that the primary effect of the substitution is the disruption of the magnetic ground state of CaRuO3 through disorder. The data suggest that CaRuO3 is poised at a critical point between ferromagnetic and paramagnetic ground states

Transport Properties, Thermodynamic Properties, and Electronic Structure of SrRuO3

SrRuO$_3$ is a metallic ferromagnet. Its electrical resistivity is reported for temperatures up to 1000K; its Hall coefficient for temperatures up to 300K; its specific heat for temperatures up to 230K. The energy bands have been calculated by self-consistent spin-density functional theory, which finds a ferromagnetic ordered moment of 1.45$\mu_{{\rm B}}$ per Ru atom. The measured linear specific heat coefficient $\gamma$ is 30mJ/mole, which exceeds the theoretical value by a factor of 3.7. A transport mean free path at room temperature of $\approx 10 \AA$ is found. The resistivity increases nearly linearly with temperature to 1000K in spite of such a short mean free path that resistivity saturation would be expected. The Hall coefficient is small and positive above the Curie temperature, and exhibits both a low-field and a high-field anomalous behavior below the Curie temperature.Comment: 6 pages (latex) and 6 figures (postscript, uuencoded.) This paper will appear in Phys. Rev. B, Feb. 15, 199

Notulae to the Italian native vascular flora: 14

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of native vascular flora in Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, and status changes to the Italian administrative regions. Nomenclatural and distribution updates, published elsewhere, and corrigenda are provided as Suppl. material