On some arthropods associated with Ficus species (Moraceae) in the Maltese Islands.

An account is given on the 39 arthropod species which were found on different Ficus trees in the Maltese Islands. Seventeen species represent new records for Malta including Anothopoda fici, Asetadiptacus emiliae, Astichus bachmaieri, Ecphylus caudatus, Empoasca alsiosa, Eupristina verticillata, Ficocyba ficaria, Gynaikothrips ficorum, Josephiella microcarpae, Philotrypesis caricae, Pleistodontes sp., Rhaphitelus maculats, Rhyncaphytoptus ficifoliae, Scobicia chevrieri, Silba adipata, Singhiella citrifolii and Zanchius breviceps. Anothopoda fici and Zanchius breviceps, also represent new records for the entire European territory. Of the 39 arthropods, 33 feed on Ficus trees, whereas the rest are either parasitoids or predators of some of these plant feeders. The 33 species which use Ficus as their host-plant spend most of their development on and utilise the aforementioned trees as their main source of food, at least during their larval development. The 33 species were grouped as follows:Seven species were associated with wood including Scobicia chevrieri, Metholcus sylindricus, Deroplia troberti, Niphona picticornis, Hypoborus ficus, Hypocryphalus scabricollis and Hypothenemus leprieurii;Seventeen species were plant sap feeders including Zanchius breviceps, Empoasca alsiosa, Ficocyba ficaria, Homotoma ficus, Bemisia tabaci, Singhiella citrifolii, Toxoptera aurantii, Greenidea ficicola, Planococcus ficus, Pseudococcus longispinus, Ceroplastes rusci, Coccus hesperidum, Saissetia oleae, Lepidosaphes conchiformis, Anothopoda fici, Asetadiptacus emiliae and Rhyncaphytoptus ficifoliae;Six species induce galls either inside the florets of syconia, such as Blastophaga psenes, Odontofroggatia galili, Eupristina verticillata and Pleistodontes sp., or in the leaves, such as Josephiella microcarpae and Gynaikothrips ficorum;Two species feed on the tissue of syconia, namely Ceratitis capitata and Silba adipata;One species has larvae that specialise in eating the leaf tissue, namely Choreutis nemorana. Of these 33 arthropods, fifteen species are polyphagous. Two additional species namely Hypoborus ficus and Greenidea ficicola even though generally associated with Ficus carica or Ficus spp. respectively, have been associated with few other unrelated host-plants and as such should be considered polyphagous. Ficocyba ficaria is a dioecious species, host alternating between Ficus carica in summer and Lonicera in winter. The rest of the species are generally either associated with different Ficus (oligophagous) or with just one species (monophagous) as for most gall inhabiting species. New host-plant records include: Ficus carica for Metholcus cylindricus, Zanchius breviceps and Anothopoda fici; Ficus elastica for Toxoptera aurantii, and Ficus microcarpa for Anothopoda fici and Asetadiptacus emiliae. Additionally, the predatory bug, Montandoniola moraguesi feeding on Gynaikothrips ficorum was also found. Three parasitoids were found associated with the larvae of Hypoborus ficus. These include the ectoparasitic brachonid, Ecphylus caudatus and the chalchid parasitoids, Rhaphitelus maculatus and Astichus bachmaieri. A third species of chalchid parasitoid, Encyrtus aurantii was found associated with Coccus hesperidum and the kleptoparasite, Philotrypesis caricae was found in association with Blastophaga psenes.